Faculty Scholarship News: March 2025

Charleston School of Law faculty is rated Top 10 in the nation by The Princeton Review for “student accessibility” and “quality of teaching.” In addition, our faculty is renowned for their scholarship. Here is the latest news for March 2025:

Katie Brown

• On March 11, 2025, Dean Brown recorded an online webinar for the Institute for Paralegal Education titled: “ChatGPT for Paralegals: Optimize the Use of AI Technology in the Law Office.” In this course, Dean Brown discusses: Understanding What ChatGPT Is, How It Works, and What It Can Do in the Law Office; Do’s and Don’ts of Using ChatGPT When Drafting Production Requests and Other Documents; Conducting E-Discovery Using Generative AI: Extents/Limitations; Pros and Cons of Using ChatGPT to Automate Client Communication; and, the Challenges to Keep in Mind When Using ChatGPT.

Julie Jones

• In March, Professor Jones was invited to present her paper, entitled Missing the Mark: An Analysis of the Real Estate Investment Trust Act of 1960, at the National Business Law Scholars Conference at UCLA School of Law this June.

Here is the abstract:

One rationale for the creation of the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Act of 1960 was the democratization of real estate investment, providing smaller investors with opportunities to participate in the commercial real estate (CRE) market. This paper critically examines the extent to which the statute has achieved its goal, focusing on four key areas of impact. Firstly, it explores how REITs have influenced property acquisition costs for small business owners, often making it more expensive for them to purchase property. Secondly, the paper analyzes the limitations faced by purchasers of REIT products, particularly the lack of leverage advantages that are typically available to direct real estate investors. Thirdly, the paper investigates the effect of REITs on the pricing dynamics for first-time CRE investors, highlighting the inflationary pressures exerted by REITs on property prices. Finally, the paper delves into the ownership structure of REITs, revealing that the ownership structure rules disproportionately contribute to the wealth of a few individuals, undermining the original rationale provided for the REIT Act. Through a comprehensive analysis of these factors, this paper provides a nuanced understanding of the successes and, more importantly, the shortcomings of the REIT Act in achieving its original objectives, and offers solutions to realign the REIT Act with those objectives.

Melanie Regis

• Professor Regis has been invited to speak to law students at a virtual luncheon meeting sponsored by the Temple Law Review.  The Temple Law Review Note/Comment and Diversity Editor extended the invitation based on Prof. Regis’s article, Testing the Validity of a Verdict, published last year.  The virtual luncheon is scheduled for April 14th.

Jean Steadman

• In March, Professor Steadman was invited to present at the AALS International Clinical Education 2025 Transactional Clinical Conference; she will be a panelist speaking on Access to Transactional Justice – Increasing Opportunities for Transactional Learning in Non-Clinical Courses.

Nancy Zisk

• On March 19th, Professor Zisk presented a paper on the state of abortion care in South Carolina as part of a lecture series for the group “Medical Students for Choice” at MUSC.
• On March 24th, Professor Zisk made a presentation to MUSC’s Student Alliance for Equality on the current state of the law in South Carolina and other states on gender affirming care.