Dec. 12, 2025

Professor Sperino spends week training federal judges

This week, Professor Sandra Sperino performed multiple trainings for federal judges on employment discrimination law. On Dec. 9, Professor Sperino provided a five-hour interactive training sessions on labor and employment law at the United States District Court for the District of Maryland as part of that court’s Titus Employment Law Seminar. She discussed the structure of discrimination law, recent Supreme Court cases in the field, causation doctrine, and the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act. On Dec. 12, Professor Sperino served as a faculty member for the Federal Judicial Center in Washington D.C. She provided…

Nov. 10, 2025

Professor Sperino presents on employment discrimination law

Last month, Professor Sandra Sperino gave a presentation on recent changes in employment discrimination law to judges and law clerks in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. She also discussed two recent Supreme Court cases and their far-reaching implications for the structure of employment discrimination law as part of the Alabama Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Section annual CLE.

Oct. 15, 2025

Professor Sperino publishes new edition of employment discrimination book

Professor Sandra Sperino has published a new edition of her book, “The Law of Employment Discrimination, 2nd Edition) through West Academic. Sperino’s book provides comprehensive treatment of the major federal employment discrimination statutes, focusing on Title VII, the ADEA, the ADA, the PWFA and Section 1981. It discusses who is liable for discrimination and the people the statutes protect from discrimination. The book extensively explores the frameworks for analyzing discrimination, including frameworks for individual disparate treatment, pattern or practice, harassment, disparate impact, and retaliation. One chapter focuses on religious accommodation and another chapter focuses on disability and pregnancy…

Oct. 7, 2025

Professor Sperino presents at CLE for the US District Court

In early October, Professor Sandra Sperino presented New Issues In Employment Discrimination Law as part of the Bench and Bar CLE Seminar for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. The presentation covered changes in the adverse action doctrine and a recent Supreme Court opinion clarifying the proper framework for analyzing reverse discrimination claims. Professor Sperino also provided training on employment discrimination law for the law clerks in the Northern District of Mississippi.

Sep. 9, 2025

Professor Sperino publishes new article on employment discrimination

Sandra Sperino, the Elwood L. Thomas Missouri Endowed Professor of Law, recently published a new article in the Washington University Law Review titled “When Is Discrimination Harmful?” The article discusses the wide-ranging effects of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Muldrow v. St. Louis. The decision likely restructures employment discrimination law, including potentially collapsing the distinctions between harassment and non-harassment discrimination.  Read the article here.

June 4, 2025

Professor Sperino teaches at Federal Judicial Center conference

Professor Sandra Sperino served as a faculty member for the Federal Judicial Center’s 2025 National Conference for Appellate Staff Attorneys in Phoenix on June 3. Professor Sperino discussed new issues in federal discrimination law, including emerging circuit splits about what counts as a negative action that will lead to liability and the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act.

Feb. 26, 2025

Associate Dean Sperino Quoted in Bloomberg Law

Associate Dean Sandra Sperino was quoted in Bloomberg Law on a story involving the US Supreme Court case Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services. To read the full story, visit here.

Dec. 20, 2024

Associate Dean Sperino files amicus brief with U.S. Supreme Court

Professor Sandra Sperino co-authored an amicus brief in the case of Ames v. Ohio Dep’t of Youth Services. The brief argues that the statutory text of Title VII should govern the question of whether a plaintiff can prevail on a discrimination claim. Through the McDonnell Douglas framework, some courts have required plaintiffs to prove more than the statutory text demands to proceed on a discrimination claim. The brief is available on the Supreme Court’s docket here.

Dec. 18, 2024

Associate Dean Sperino Quoted in Bloomberg Law

Associate Dean Sandra Sperino last week was quoted in Bloomberg Law regarding a recent ruling by the US Supreme Court. To read the full story, visit here.

Nov. 25, 2024

Dean Sperino provides employment law training this fall

In October, Sandra Sperino, associate dean for research and faculty development, traveled to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland to provide training about employment discrimination law at the Titus Employment Law Seminar. In November, Sandra Sperino provided CLE at the Boone County Bar Association’s monthly meeting. She discussed new issues in employment discrimination law.