Mechele Dickerson
Arthur L. Moller Chair in Bankruptcy and Practice, University Distinguished Teaching Professor
Mechele Dickerson is the Arthur L. Moller Chair in Bankruptcy and Practice and University Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Texas School of Law. She is an elected member of the American Law Institute and the American College of Bankruptcy, and her research focuses on financial vulnerability, consumer debt, and housing affordability issues affecting the middle class. Before entering academia, she clerked for Judge Nathaniel R. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and practiced law in Washington, D.C. She previously served on the faculty of William & Mary School of Law before joining Texas Law in 2006.
Teaching Style
Professor Dickerson is a University Distinguished Teaching Professor known for her dynamic, engaging classroom style that combines rigorous Socratic method with real-world examples of financial hardship and consumer debt. She cold-calls frequently but creates an inclusive atmosphere where students feel comfortable working through difficult procedural questions. Her classes connect doctrinal rules to the lived experiences of ordinary Americans navigating the legal system.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Master the procedural rules and be ready to explain not just what a rule says but why it exists
- 2Come prepared with the facts and procedural history of assigned cases clearly outlined
- 3Think about how procedural rules affect real people, especially those with limited resources
- 4Be ready to discuss policy implications of procedural decisions and their impact on access to justice
Areas of Expertise
Education
- J.D., Harvard Law School
- B.A., Harvard University
Notable Publications
- Homeownership and America's Financial Underclass: Flawed Premises, Broken Promises, New Prescriptions
- The Middle-Class New Deal: Restoring Upward Mobility and the American Dream
Research Interests
More Professors at University of Texas School of Law
Constitutional Law, National Security Law, Cybersecurity Law and Policy, Evidence
Torts, Contracts, Restitution, Civil Procedure
Federal Courts, Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, Statutory Interpretation
Federal Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence
Patent Law, Administrative Law, Contracts, Intellectual Property