OXFORD, Miss. — University of Mississippi School of Law Professor Farish Percy is one of 24 newly elected members of the American Law Institute.
The American Law Institute, or ALI, is a national independent organization with the goal of producing scholarship to improve upon and clarify the law. According to ALI’s website, the work of its members has become influential in courts, legislatures, legal scholarship and education.
“I am extremely honored to join the distinguished lawyers, judges and law professors who are members of the ALI and who share the ALI’s mission to clarify and simplify the law so as to improve the administration of justice,” Percy said.
Percy joined the UM Law faculty in 2001 after practicing law for eight years in tort litigation, commercial litigation and appellate practice. During that time, she tried cases in state and federal courts in Mississippi and argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Mississippi Supreme Court.
“Professor Percy’s election to ALI is a great honor and a testament of her fantastic work,” said Susan Duncan, Dean of UM Law. “Her journal articles are cited by courts and scholars alike, making her a wonderful addition to ALI. We are proud to have her at UM Law, and I know her continued research will assist ALI in its mission to improve the law.”
At UM Law, Percy teaches torts, civil procedure, insurance and evidence. Her research and scholarship primarily focuses on removal of cases from state to federal courts. She said she is most looking forward to participating in projects within the scope of her expertise. Percy has joined the ALI Members Consultative Groups that are working on the Restatement of Torts: Defamation and Privacy and Restatement of Torts: Remedies.
“I will be able to review and comment on drafts of the proposed Restatements and interact with the foremost experts in the field,” she said. “The Restatements are valuable resources not only for judges but also for practitioners. In addition, many courts have adopted sections of Restatements as controlling law.”
To become a member of ALI, an individual first has to be nominated by a current member familiar with the nominee’s work and then supported by two additional members. A new member is ultimately selected by demonstrating excellence and outstanding professional achievement in their area of legal expertise.
In addition to Percy, UM Law Associate Dean for Clinical Programs and Innocence Project Director Tucker Carrington is a member of ALI. Dean Emeritus Samuel M. Davis is also a member of ALI.
“Our Restatements, Principles, and Model Codes continue to guide American lawyers, courts, and legislatures, and that is due in great part to the continuing dedication of our membership,” said ALI President David F. Levi. “As ALI nears its 100th anniversary, I am pleased to welcome this group of lawyers, judges, and scholars and look forward to the insight their expertise will bring to our work, both now and into our second century.”
For more information about ALI, visit https://www.ali.org. To learn more about UM Law, visit law.olemiss.edu.