Aric K. Short
Associate Professor of Law
Email Professor Short

Courses: Estates and Trusts, Land Use, Property, and Religion & the Law Seminar

Professor Aric Short joined the faculty at Texas Wesleyan University School of Law in 2004. Before entering teaching, Professor Short practiced international law and litigation at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering in Washington, D.C. While in Washington, Professor Short participated in federal class action litigation involving claims to recover World War II-era looted and slave labor assets from Swiss financial institutions. Professor Short also practiced environmental and administrative law at Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. in Austin, Texas.

Professor Short researches and writes primarily in the area of property law, with a recent focus on housing-related issues. In particular, Professor Short has explored the problem of housing-related harassment, examining whether the federal Fair Housing Act adequately protects victims suffering intimidation and violence in the home. His most recent article focuses on a subcategory of housing harassment – sexual harassment of poor, single mothers by predatory landlords – and evaluates whether constitutional protections exist for victims in this context.

While at Texas Wesleyan, Professor Short has served as the co-organizer for the fourth annual Gloucester Summer Legal Conference in Gloucester, England, an international conference for legal scholars sponsored by the law school. Professor Short also serves as the faculty advisor for the Wesleyan Innocence Project. In addition, Professor Short was selected by students as 1L Professor of the Year (2006-07, 2007-08), 1L Day Professor of the Year (2005–06), and 1L Day and Evening Professor of the Year (2004-05).    

Professor Short earned his J.D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law, where he served as an associate editor on the Texas Law Review and was elected to join the Order of the Coif. Professor Short graduated manga cum laude with a degree in American Government from Georgetown University.

Selected Publications

“Slaves for Rent: Sexual Harassment in Housing as Involuntary Servitude,” 86 Nebraska Law Review 401 (2008).

“Post-Acquisition Harassment and the Scope of the Fair Housing Act,” 58 Alabama Law Review 203 (2006).

“Is the Alien Tort Statute Sacrosanct? Retaining Forum Non Conveniens in Human Rights Litigation,” 33 New York University Journal of International Law & Politics 1001 (2001).

Click here for faculty webpage