FACULTY
Professor Heather E. Ridenour, American University Washington College of Law / Washington, DC
Professor David Spratt, American University Washington College of Law / Washington, DC
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Professor Heather E. Ridenour, American University Washington College of Law / Washington, DC
Professor Heather Ridenour joined the full-time faculty at American University, Washington College of Law in 2008, where she teaches Legal Rhetoric, Advanced Legal Methods, and Lawyering Fundamentals. Prior to joining the WCL faculty, she worked with the Academic Support Program at Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, now known as Texas A&M University School of Law, where she was Instructor of Academic Support and Legal Writing Specialist. Before taking that position, she had a probate and guardianship practice in Texas. From 2005 to 2007, she was the Guardianship Auditor at the Tarrant County Probate Court working under Judge Patrick Ferchill. She graduated cum laude from the Texas Wesleyan University School of Law in 2004, where she was Associate Editor and Articles Editor on the Texas Wesleyan Law Review. Professor Ridenour is a member of the Legal Writing Institute and frequently writes and speaks nationally and internationally on legal writing, Rhetoric and Shakespeare, academic support, and advocacy. Professor Ridenour was a member of the inaugural faculty of the annual Legal Writing Bootcamp cosponsored by the Virginia CLE, the Virginia State Bar Section on the Education of Lawyers, the Virginia Bar Association Law Practice Management Division, and the Washington College of Law Legal Rhetoric Program, now in its fifth year.
Professor David Spratt, American University Washington College of Law / Washington, DC
Professor David Spratt is in his sixteenth year as a full-time professor at American University, Washington College of Law, where he teaches Legal Rhetoric, Introduction to Advocacy, Family Law Litigation and Practice, and Contracts, and is the Acting Director of the Legal Rhetoric Program. Professor Spratt was the Civil Reporter of Decisions for the Virginia Court of Appeals for three years.
Born in Fairfax, Virginia, Professor Spratt received a B.A. degree in Government and Psychology from The College of William and Mary in 1991 and graduated summa cum laude from American University, Washington College of Law in 1994. In 2001, Professor Spratt was a founding partner of Schwartz & Spratt, PLC, a family law firm in Fairfax, Virginia. Previously, Professor Spratt worked as an associate at the Law Office of Betty A. Thompson, Ltd., in the area of family law. Prior to joining the WCL faculty in 2006, Professor Spratt taught Legal Writing and Research at the George Washington University School of Law, Legal Analysis and Writing at Concord School of Law, and Legal Methods at the Washington College of Law.
Professor Spratt is a past chair of the Virginia Bar Association, Domestic Relations Section and the Northern Virginia Regional Advisory Committee and recently served on the Virginia State Bar Task Force on Legal Writing. Professor Spratt regularly writes a column, “Writer’s Block,” in the Virginia Bar Association News Journal. He is a member of the Legal Writing Institute, created and is a member of the faculty of the annual Virginia Legal Writing Bootcamp, and frequently speaks on legal writing, family law, and advocacy. Professor Spratt is the 2021 recipient of the American University Washington College of Law’s Excellence in Teaching Award. His proudest accomplishment, however, is his fifteen-year-old son, Brandon.