The Value of Teaching: Deborah O'Malley's Enduring Impact

Deborah O’Malley’s journey into law began in Iowa, where she was raised by a mother who taught English and instilled in her a love of writing. “I always had a proclivity for writing,” says O’Malley, “I think [...] because [my mother] was an English teacher.” 

Combined with her hours spent on debate teams and a deep desire to help others, O’Malley’s skill set naturally pointed her toward the legal field. This path would eventually merge her love for communication, advocacy and mentorship.

A Calling Shaped by Service

After completing her undergraduate studies at Iowa State, where she worked as a resident assistant and discovered her passion for working with students, O’Malley took a break before deciding to attend law school. Her passion for supporting student life led her to Saint Louis University, where she spent two years working full-time in residence life. “Residence life and working with students were a huge part of my identity in my undergraduate education,” she explains.

Even in those formative years, the value she found in serving students laid the groundwork for a lifelong calling. It was a full-circle moment when, years later, after launching a legal career, O’Malley returned to SLU LAW as a professor.

It was her passion for advocacy that led her to American University Washington College of Law, where she planned to “propel women’s rights and women’s equality forward.”

After beginning her law career in private practice, specializing in corporate and real estate law, O’Malley transitioned into academia five years later at Syracuse University College of Law, a move she describes as a return to her true calling: “Structure, teaching — it’s all in my DNA in some ways, so it was a good fit,” maintains O’Malley. “And since then, I just love working with students.”

This shift enabled her to hold multiple academic and administrative roles at Syracuse, including legal writing professor, director of student affairs, director of LL.M. student support, and director of professional development. In 2022, she brought this wealth of experience and dedication to SLU LAW, where she continues to make student growth and mentorship the heart of her professional journey as part of the legal analysis, research, and communications (LARC) faculty.

Mentoring and Empathy are her Approach to Students

Ask O’Malley what she enjoys most about being a faculty member at SLU LAW and her answer is immediate: “Students —100%.” For her, the greatest privilege is mentoring and helping others figure out their time in law school, which is deeply rewarding. She also finds inspiration in colleagues dedicated to making legal education “better for our students.” Collaboration and shared purpose with colleagues, she says, “has been a really great part of working at SLU LAW too, not just directly with students but indirectly with folks committed to trying to make things better.”

Championing AI Innovation in Legal Education

Building on her longstanding dedication to student development and effective teaching, O’Malley has become a national leader in research exploring the impact of generative AI on legal education and the practice of law. Her current scholarship investigates how this technology is transforming legal research, analysis, and classroom instruction, especially in the first-year legal writing curriculum. As part of her innovative approach, O’Malley has presented at national conferences, sharing practical strategies for introducing AI tools to international law students and discussing broader implications of AI for legal practice and the skills future lawyers will need.

In addition to her scholarship and presentations, she is an active member of the national Legal Writing Institute’s Generative AI Committee. As part of her leadership, O’Malley designed and circulated a nationwide survey among legal writing faculty, gathering essential insights on how AI is integrated into workflows, teaching, and assessments across law schools. The results of her study will help shape best practices for 1L instruction nationwide, with publications and presentations planned for the upcoming year.

This new focus area closely reflects her commitment to student development and her efforts to influence the national discussion on how legal education is evolving in response to technological advancements.

Seeing Students Succeed

For O’Malley, the true measure of success is found in her students’ growth. She cherishes the moments when “I have a student send me an email or stop by my office ... where they say, ‘I really appreciate the thing you taught me,’” she said. “Seems like every year, I get at least a couple who say those words, and I’m just like, ‘You know what? That’s why I do this job.’”

Her purpose is evident from the start. On the first day, she explains that her goal is to prepare them for success. If they do their work well, they’ll distinguish themselves in their first summer job.

Full Circle

O’Malley’s story exemplifies a career defined by compassion and purpose. Her devotion to the well-being and development of students stands as a beacon at SLU LAW — a reminder that the most incredible value educators provide is not measured in accolades or credentials but in the lives they touch each day.

This article was originally published in the SLU LAW Brief alumni magazine issue 2025.