Richardson energizes property law

In just three years on the Tulane Law School faculty, Sally Brown Richardson has struck an enviable balance: She"s one of the most popular teachers in the building and she travels easily among the top property law scholars in the United States.

For her innovative and distinctive work, Richardson recently was named the newest Gordon Gamm Faculty Scholar, an award to support early-career Tulane law professors, made possible by a gift from retired trial lawyer Gordon Gamm, a 1970 graduate of the law school, and his wife, Grace.

One of Richardson"s latest projects examines ways that technology complicates divorce: Do spouses have a right to read each other"s texts and emails? That"s a tricky issue in community property states, where anything written during a marriage is community property and jointly owned. And when a couple splits, can spouses use correspondence against each other to uncover hidden assets, secure spousal support and gain child custody?

In a new seminar class, she explores cutting-edge property topics: Should someone be able to own part of the moon — or outer space? Who can Louisiana landowners sue when they lose their property to coastal erosion? What about your iCloud data — does Apple get ownership or do you?

“Professor Richardson is hands-down the best professor I"ve had at Tulane Law,” said Janet Kearney, a 2015 law school graduate. “She is energetic about her subject and an incredibly clear communicator. She is also a strong supporter outside the classroom. She is willing to mentor her students, serve as a reference or just be a listening ear.”

David Meyer, dean of Tulane Law School, said, “Sally Richardson is doing creative work that has powerful potential payoff in contemporary society. The resources made available as the Gamm Faculty Scholar will enable her to bring that work to wider audiences on the national stage and to raise Tulane"s visibility and impact.”

Ali Mansfield is Tulane Law School"s communications and marketing coordinator.