Biography

S. Alan Childress is the Conrad Meyer III Professor of Civil Procedure at Tulane Law School. He earned a JD from Harvard Law School, a PhD in Jurisprudence & Social Policy from Berkeley, and clerked in Shreveport for the federal court of appeals. Following appellate practice at law firms in California, he became a law professor in 1988, teaching Evidence, Legal Profession, and Torts. More recently, he also teaches the SoPA class in Louisiana Notary Law. Alan coauthored the treatise Federal Standards of Review and, in 2020, published a guide to the state notary exam. He is an attorney licensed by the California and D.C. bars, a practicing notary public, and a member of the Louisiana Notary Association.

If you could be on any reality TV show, which would you choose and why?
"Nailed It!" because I would become legend and immortal as the worst baker ever.

What is the best advice you've ever received?
When your dad gives you specific instructions to do something or stop doing something, say yes, then do what you wanted to do.

What advice would you give to someone who's considering finishing their degree, or starting for the first time as an adult?
Especially with education, enjoy the journey as much as the destination. It's OK if it's about the degree and the career upside, but you'll have more fun if you invest yourself in the classes in their own right. Curiosity keeps you young.