The Interview: Nantiya Ruan

Nantiya Ruan’s most prized possession is a copy of one of her own published articles. It just happens to be signed by the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In her scathing dissent in Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis, Ginsburg cites professor Ruan’s work on protecting low-wage workers five times, including twice in the first paragraph. Ruan calls it the “crowning achievement in my scholarly work.”

A graduate of the University of Denver with dual JD and master of social work degrees, Ruan was recently awarded the Terri LeClercq Courage Award and the Inaugural Diversity Award from the legal writing community. She is also the proud owner of a sheepadoodle named Bill Murray. “He’s affectionate, goofy, and affable. He loves everyone and every person he meets is a new friend.

Now, she teaches legal writing courses as a professor in the William S. Boyd School of Law’s nationally ranked lawyering process program. 

Tell me about your career prior to UNLV. 

I was a legal writing professor at the University of Denver, and I've always kept my hand in legal practice. On a very part-time basis, I work with a team of lawyers representing workers in discrimination and pay equity class action lawsuits. I represent workers who've been discriminated against in the workplace, based on race or gender.

What inspired you to get into teaching?

I was moving from California to Colorado, and I had been doing employment discrimination work. I called my previous law professor and she said “there happens to be a job open at the law school if you want to apply for that.” And so, I did, thinking it would be a stopgap measure. Turns out, I loved it and left full-time practice and became a full-time professor. And I never looked back.

What is the biggest misconception about teaching legal writing?

I think the misconception is that it's divorced from the other pillars of legal education. We talk about the three pillars as professional skills, legal doctrine, and professionalism, or professional identity development. The misconception is that legal writing class just sits in skills, when really it incorporates all three.

We are helping students form their professional identity. We ask: What are the limits in persuasion and advocacy? What are the implications of being candid with the court? How do you want to communicate with opposing counsel? What kind of person and attorney do you want to be? That's the professional identity development that we teach every day, including in simulated client counseling, negotiation, all of that.

For doctrine, everything that we are doing in class asks students to analyze and apply the law, while they are developing their oral and written communication skills. Legal writing sits in all three pillars. 

What drew you to the Boyd School of Law?

So, I knew about the Boyd School of Law for than 15 years because of its outstanding Lawyering Process program. It's been a top nationally ranked program for many years, and I was invited to speak to the faculty 10 years ago by one of the professors. It felt like the most comfortable faculty group that I've ever engaged with. Everyone was so welcoming and so friendly. I had been asked several times to think about applying to Boyd. But I had kids at home and couldn’t make it work.

After my kids left home, I learned that there was an opening, and I knew it was the right time to actually do this. 

What’s the most Vegas thing you’ve done since you got here?

I went to the Sphere to see U2. I parked on the Strip, and I walked through the casinos, and I had dinner at one of those fancy casino restaurants for the first time. I sat at the very top of the Sphere, and it was really phenomenal. I loved everything about it. 

Outside of your research, what are you passionate about?

I have been a strong advocate for unhoused community members. I sit on the board of a nonprofit that provides short-term housing in the form of tiny homes and safe outdoor spaces. I've also been involved in legislative policy advocacy for the rights of those who are unhoused. 

The other thing that I'm super passionate about is connecting with my Thai heritage. I did not know anything about Thailand growing up because once my dad immigrated here, and had a family here, he didn't want to have two feet in two different worlds. He wanted us to be “American,” which erased that part of my Thai heritage until I was in my early 20s and decided to go find it myself.

I went to Thailand and studied abroad, meeting my grandparents for the first time. And that sort of opened up the door to my father going back again, building a house there, and now we can go often to visit. 

How do you explain your work to people outside academia?

I teach students how to be ethical, competent advocates in whatever area of the law they choose. I advocate for those who don't have voices. I’m also a writer. I write about civil rights and the need for collective action.

What is your guilty pleasure?

I binge watch the Great British Bake Off. I bake along with it. I sign up for live Zoom baking classes with former GBBO stars. I’ve done 40 plus classes of those and they're not cheap. 

What advice would you give your younger self?

To not be so hard on myself. You’re doing just fine.