Events Calendar

The Strauss Center at The University of Texas at Austin is excited to partner with the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative to host another regional round of the Atlantic Council’s renowned cybersecurity policy competition, the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge.

This stand-alone event will take place at The University of Texas School of Law on Saturday, January 31 – Sunday February 1, 2026, with teams vying for a title that includes, not just bragging rights, but also a cash prize for the top three teams. Included in the two-day event will be opportunities for professional development with cybersecurity experts in the public and private sector. The weekend will also feature a keynote speech that dissects the intersection of cybersecurity, intelligence, and the legal and governmental processes that impact and are impacted by both cybersecurity and intelligence.

This is a simulation-based, judge-graded competition in which teams consisting of three to four students (who can be either graduate students or undergraduate students, from any disciplinary background) collaborate to provide policy analysis and recommendations in response to an evolving, fictional fact-pattern relating to cyber crisis and conflict. The competition is designed to reward substantive knowledge across a range of areas, including any number of policy domains as well as insights from technology, business, and law. The competition also rewards both written and spoken communication skills. The event is on the record and proceedings may be photographed and recorded for public use.

Applications will be open from November 3rd, 2025 – December 8th, 2025. Learn more about the registration process and other Cyber 9/12 challenges with the Atlantic Council. The application process is competitive. For more questions about the Austin Regional Cyber 9/12, please proceed to the event URL or contact Susan Crane at scrane@austin.utexas.edu.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/01/85477/

Hosted by Law Students for Life, this breakfast recognizes the 2026 recipients of the Growing Together Scholarship and honors all parenting and expecting law students. The event will feature a catered breakfast and remarks highlighting the importance of supporting students balancing family and law school. All parenting law students are invited to attend!

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/02/86119/

Drawing Board Luncheon: Richard S. Markovits

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/02/85882/

Sean Seymore - Centennial Professor of Law, Vanderbilt Law School. This colloquium begins at 3:55pm.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/02/85576/

Law & Economics Workshop: Omri Ben Shahar, The University of Chicago Law School

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/02/85818/

“Meeting the Moment: The State of Public Interest Lawyering”

Chief Draper will discuss the significant strides made in expanding access to justice for all Texans, and why current students should be hopeful about the state of public interest lawyering. She will highlight the career decisions that defied traditional paths and advanced her vision for systemic change, including stepping away from the Harris County Criminal Court to lead the Harris County Public Defender’s Office and moving from federal to state public defense. Finally, she will offer her perspective on the sea change in the public interest landscape over the course of her career and offer guidance for navigating its ongoing ebbs and flows.

After the talk, Chief Draper will be available to meet informally with students over lunch from 1:00 to 2:00 pm in the Jury Room (CCJ 2.310).

About the speaker:

Genesis E. Draper is the Chief Public Defender for the Harris County Public Defender’s Office, where she leads one of the largest public defense systems in the country, ensuring high-quality, client-centered representation for people facing criminal charges who cannot afford counsel. A deeply respected legal advocate and judicial leader, Draper brings over 18 years of experience as a public defender, trial lawyer, professor, and judge to her role.

Prior to her appointment as Chief Public Defender, Draper served with distinction as the elected Judge of Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 12. During her tenure, she helped revise Harris County’s indigent defense plan, advocated for greater fairness in misdemeanor courts, and served a term as Administrative Judge, guiding countywide policy and operations for the criminal courts.

Before becoming a judge, Draper worked as an Assistant Public Defender in both state and federal systems, including the Harris County Public Defender’s Office and the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Texas.

In addition to her public defense work, Draper has shaped the next generation of trial lawyers as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Houston Law Center since 2018, teaching Advanced Trial Advocacy and mentoring students in trial strategy and courtroom skills.

Draper holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Spelman College. She is licensed to practice law in both Texas and Tennessee. A proud Spelman alumna and committed community leader, Draper lives in Houston with her family and remains passionately dedicated to equity, justice, and the power of zealous advocacy.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/03/85076/

Please RSVP by Friday, January 30, on TEX.

The State Bar of Texas Tax Section will present a panel discussion on the many career opportunities available within the area of tax law. Learn about federal and state tax, transactional and litigation tax practices, and public and private sector work. Lunch will be provided.

Panelists:

Abbey Garber (Holland & Knight)

Brian Giovannini (Haynes & Boone)

Charlie Lincoln (IRS Office of Chief Counsel

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/03/85376/

BOA hosted intramural moot court competition for Texas Law students.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/03/85198/

Join The Law Veterans Association for coffee and conversation every Wednesday from January 14 to April 22 in the Tom Clark Lounge. A great way to connect with fellow veterans, build community, and start your day with good company and caffeine. All Texas Law veteran students, alumni, and friends welcome.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/04/85260/

Details coming soon.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/04/86556/

GRITS is a student-run, public interest law conference that focuses on the difficulties and constraints inherent to social justice work in the South, and the unique strategies that legal practitioners and other public interest workers have developed to meet those needs. The conference emphasizes innovative, progressive, and even radical approaches to building community among students, practitioners, and community activists in the South to bring about social change. The conference is an opportunity for law students, lawyers, and activists to build coalitions, share strategies for progressive lawyering, and develop new approaches for the future. Please join us for a brainstorming and planning session! Come with ideas or just to hear others—all that's required is a desire to move the law forward in a progressive manner. This meeting will take place in TNH 3.125 from 11:50 to 12:50.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/04/85908/

Texas Federalist Society is hosting a debate on whether we should repeal the 17th Amendment to the US Constitution. We will host Professor Todd Zywicki from Antonin Scalia Law School (George Mason University) and Professor Hugh Brady from the University of Texas School of Law to discuss this issue. Chick-fil-a will be provided!

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/04/86419/

Sam will speak about the experience of working at a boutique sports law firm in Austin. Food will be served.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/04/86421/

AI in Legal Practice: Demo with Luminance

Join the AiClub and the AI and Innovation Fellowship for an inside look at how Luminance is transforming the way law is practiced globally.

Developed by AI experts from the University of Cambridge, Luminance’s multi-agent platform is redefining the contract lifecycle—automating everything from creation and negotiation to risk review and compliance. This is a unique opportunity to see how a tool trusted by over 1,000 of the world’s largest enterprises actually functions in a professional legal workflow.

Why Attend? See the Tech in Action: Move beyond the hype and watch a live demonstration of a platform that understands clauses and evaluates legal and commercial impact in real-time.

Career Preparation: Familiarize yourself with the strategic intelligence tools being adopted by top-tier firms and corporations across 70+ countries.

Networking and Q&A: Connect with fellow students interested in legal technology and get your questions answered by AI innovation fellows.

Lunch Provided: We know your schedule is tight; lunch will be provided for all registered attendees.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/04/86477/

Weekly meeting for the Catholic Law Student Society (CLSS). Events include prayer, discussions, Bible studies, and social gatherings.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/04/86121/

Hillary Sale presenting an original paper in the Business Law Seminar.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/04/85317/

Stop by the Atrium to talk with Sidley attorneys and grab Creature Coffee.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/05/86420/

This year's symposium will be in a "hybrid" format, with the Symposium being held in person at the Austin Public Library and streamed simultaneously on Zoom. That said, we encourage all participants to join us in person!

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/05/85620/

Note: This event’s full details are restricted to Texas Law faculty and staff members only.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/05/85637/

The Summer Public Service Program provides stipends to rising 2Ls and 3Ls working in low-paying or unpaid summer internships in nonprofit, government, and legislative offices. Justice Center staff will provide information about the SPSP for summer 2026, including eligibility, funding, and how to apply, and answer students’ questions. Lunch will be provided.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/05/83483/

All Texas Hispanic Journal of Law and Policy members interested in joining the 2026-2027 executive board are invited to this information session to learn more about the publishing process, the roles of each THJ executive board position, and elections!

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/05/86116/

AJCL Staff Editors will be instructed on proper Bluebook usage.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/05/86619/

BOA hosted intramural moot court competition for Texas Law students.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/05/85199/

This is the Texas Journal of Oil, Gas, and Energy Law's annual Symposium Banquet Dinner following the first day of our Symposium on Thursday, February 5.

Attendance for the banquet dinner is by invitation only. For information on attending the banquet dinner, please contact TJOGEL's Symposium Director, Caleb Hough, at symposiumdirector@tjogel.org

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/05/85644/

This year's symposium will be in a "hybrid" format, with the Symposium being held in person at the Austin Public Library and streamed simultaneously on Zoom. That said, we encourage all participants to join us in person!

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/06/85643/

BOA hosted intramural moot court competition for Texas Law students.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/06/85200/

Note: This event’s full details are restricted to Texas Law faculty and staff members only.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/09/85440/

Kevin Theriot, Senior Counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, will discuss his work defending pro-life speech, conscience protections for medical professionals, and religious liberty. Drawing on Supreme Court litigation including NIFLA v. Becerra and Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Theriot will examine how attorneys can engage in pro-life advocacy while navigating professional, ethical, and constitutional challenges. Lunch will be provided. The event will also be offered virtually.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/09/86423/

Join CHLLSA for lunch and a panel on how to navigate Public Interest applications.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/09/86424/

Law & Economics Workshop: Daniel Hemel, New York University School of Law

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/09/85857/

1Ls and 2Ls interested in participating in the Write-On Competition in May are encouraged to visit the Journal Fair to learn more about the various student-run publications at Texas Law. Each journal will have representatives tabling during the lunch hour. Come say hi!

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/10/86597/

Government Religious Speech, the Ten Commandments, and the Establishment Clause

Recently, several states have passed laws requiring display of the Ten Commandments in public-school classrooms. Professor Mark Storslee (UNC-Chapel Hill Law) will explore the debate over these laws, their similarities and differences, and what the puzzle might tell us about the meaning of the Establishment Clause and the Supreme Court’s evolving Religion Clause jurisprudence.

Lunch will be served. Please RSVP. We hope you join us!

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/10/82823/

Join The Law Veterans Association for coffee and conversation every Wednesday from January 14 to April 22 in the Tom Clark Lounge. A great way to connect with fellow veterans, build community, and start your day with good company and caffeine. All Texas Law veteran students, alumni, and friends welcome.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/11/85261/

Stop by the Atrium for Creature Coffee and a muffin!

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/11/86276/

GRITS is a student-run, public interest law conference that focuses on the difficulties and constraints inherent to social justice work in the South, and the unique strategies that legal practitioners and other public interest workers have developed to meet those needs. The conference emphasizes innovative, progressive, and even radical approaches to building community among students, practitioners, and community activists in the South to bring about social change. The conference is an opportunity for law students, lawyers, and activists to build coalitions, share strategies for progressive lawyering, and develop new approaches for the future. Please join us for a brainstorming and planning session! Come with ideas or just to hear others—all that's required is a desire to move the law forward in a progressive manner. This meeting will take place in TNH 3.125 from 11:50 to 12:50.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/11/85909/

Join Perkins Coie IP Litigation Partner Janice Ta for a lunch and learn on intellectual property practice!

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/11/86058/

Join APALSA for a panel with Lee Roy Calderon (UT System), Natasha Malik (Texas Appleseed), and Drew Harris (Office of the Attorney General). Lunch will be provided.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/11/86176/

1Ls and 2Ls interested in participating in Texas Law Review's Multi-Journal Write-On Competition are invited to attend this info session. Attendance at an info session is mandatory to enroll in the Write-On process, which takes place after finals and qualifies you for consideration by all Texas Law journals. The info sessions are scheduled for February 11 and 17.

Members of the Texas Law Review will answer questions and discuss their experiences with the Write-On Competition and TLR. Lunch will be provided.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/11/86598/

Civil procedure is often framed as a neutral system of rules governing access to the courts. But to what extent is it truly class or race-neutral? Join Professor Dickerson and LS4BL for an alternative curriculum discussion examining the relationship between civil procedure, race, class, and power. The conversation will explore how procedural doctrines shape access to justice and how due process protections have been threatened in majority-Black communities.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/11/86656/

Weekly meeting for the Catholic Law Student Society (CLSS). Events include prayer, discussions, Bible studies, and social gatherings.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/11/86122/

Eric Talley presenting an original paper in the Business Law Seminar.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/11/86496/

Hosted annually by the Texas Law CSO, the Public Service Career Fair (PSCF) is the largest public sector recruitment program available to 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls, domestic and foreign-trained LL.M.s, and recent graduates (up to one year after graduation) from participating law schools in Texas. PSCF provides both public interest and government employers the opportunity to conduct interviews for paid and unpaid summer and/or part-time internships, as well as postgraduate positions. This two-day career fair features an interview program, an informational webinar, an in-person table networking event, and concludes with an in-person happy hour.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/12/85599/

Join us for a book talk with Rachel Rebouché and Mindy Jane Roseman, editors of "Accessing Abortion: Global and Comparative Perspectives."

Mindy Jane Roseman is the Director of International Law Programs and Director of the Gruber Program for Global Justice and Women’s Rights at Yale Law School. Rachel Rebouché is the G. Rollie White Chair in Law and a Professor of Law, and the faculty lead of the Sissy Farenthold Reproductive Justice Defense Project at Texas Law’s Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Justice.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/12/86178/

Join TIPLJ for a discussion with three midsized IP firms to discuss practice beyond biglaw!

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/12/86536/

ACS hosts Professor Erik Encarnacion for a talk on antidiscrimination in contract law.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/12/86678/

Texas Federalist Society is hosting a debate on whether it is proper for law enforcement authorities to use ethnicity when making immigration stops. We will host James Rogers from America First Legal and Professor Maria Ponomarenko from the University of Texas School of Law to discuss this issue. Chick-fil-a will be provided!

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/12/86720/

Register online. As part of the Public Service Career Fair, you are invited to attend this practical and engaging presentation featuring attorney and advocate Heather Jarvis and covering: All the latest student loan updates Public Service Loan Forgiveness from A to Z; expert tips for navigating the student loan system; and a Q&A. Sponsored by Career Services and the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/12/86817/

The Strauss Center, in partnership with the University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Law and Democracy, Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, and Clements Center for National Security, will host the “Eurasia Policy Forum: Contemporary Political Myth and Reality in Eurasia” on February 13, 2026 at the LBJ School of Public Affairs’ Bass Lecture Hall.

Eurasian states face mounting challenges amid growing polarization, gaps between social needs and political responses, and disinformation blurring myth and reality. Further, Eurasian states face additional pressures from a legacy of authoritarian rule, active conflict and irredentism, and political mobilization of social divisions across the region. Yet Eurasian countries also have unique strengths in navigating these challenges, with strong national identities, robust civic engagement, bursts of democratic progress, and deep cultural traditions.

The conference explores the complicated social and political myths and realities shaping the contemporary Eurasian region, as they are poised to either discourage democratic progress or inspire civil society to action. Academic disciplines have each made progress in understanding the complex dynamics in their area of social, political, legal, or cultural study, yet these lessons are often stove-piped. Meanwhile, states—and students training to work in those states—must grapple with the intersection of challenges across all of these areas. This conference tackles this by bridging disciplines, bridging academic and policy spheres, and bridging policy and cultural studies to critically examine these pressing issues in Eurasia. Panels will be designed to foster discussion among experts from cultural studies, history, law, linguistics, policymaking, political science, sociology, and other fields.

The conference will be deeply interdisciplinary, fostering creative engagement on a diverse range of critical topics from state-building and democratic backsliding to construction of national heroes and majority-minority identities to technology’s role in the spread of these narratives.

Conference co-hosts include the Center for European Studies, the Center for Law and Democracy, the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, the Clements Center for National Security, the Department of Communication Studies, the Department of Government, the Department of Religious Studies, the Program in Comparative Literature, the Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Justice, and the Strauss Center for International Security and Law.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/13/85981/

Hosted annually by the Texas Law CSO, the Public Service Career Fair (PSCF) is the largest public sector recruitment program available to 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls, domestic and foreign-trained LL.M.s, and recent graduates (up to one year after graduation) from participating law schools in Texas. PSCF provides both public interest and government employers the opportunity to conduct interviews for paid and unpaid summer and/or part-time internships, as well as postgraduate positions. This two-day career fair features an interview program, an informational webinar, an in-person table networking event, and concludes with an in-person happy hour.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/13/85600/

Representatives from dozens of public interest organizations and government agencies will be on hand to answer questions about what they do. Find out about volunteer opportunities, summer internships, and paid positions with a variety of nonprofits, legal services providers, and government agencies. All Texas Law students are encouraged to attend.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/13/86818/

Public service employers and public service students are invited to take part in a happy hour as part of this year's Public Service Career Fair which will provide an opportunity for employers and students to mingle in a casual setting.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2026/02/13/86819/