Presentation: Language Networks and Constitutional Design

Speaker: Zachary Elkins, The University of Texas at Austin

Discussant: Rhonda Evans, The University of Texas at Austin

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2021/04/14/59345/

Join us for the third of a 3-part webinar series on immigration law and policy changes following the inauguration of President Biden.

The Biden administration has committed to end the Remain in Mexico program, which has forced asylum seekers to wait indefinitely for their US asylum proceedings in dangerous conditions in Mexico. Other policies that effectively blockade the border to asylum seekers may also finally be abandoned. In addition, there is a strong push for President Biden to end an immigration system that has seen widespread detention of asylum seekers, families and children, and other migrants, often in facilities run by for-profit prison companies. This panel will explore not only a possible end to exclusionary policies but also a new vision that would emphasize humane processing of asylum seekers arriving at the U.S. southern border. The panelists will consider public health, legal and policy questions that will arise during the transition away from an enforcement-focused approach.

This event is sponsored by the Immigration Clinic, the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law , and the St. Edward’s University Social Work Program.

REGISTER for Part 3: Re-Building the US Refugee Resettlement Program on April 14 at noon here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/139283930987

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2021/04/14/59465/

Please join the Texas Federalist Society for a conversation with Kristen Waggoner, General Counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom. Mrs. Waggoner has argued and won a number of First Amendment cases at the Supreme Court of the United States, and she also serves as a frequent legal commentator in television, radio, and print media.

Using the recent case of Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski for context, Mrs. Waggoner will be discussing the suppression of speech on college campuses and the process of taking a First Amendment case to the Supreme Court.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2021/04/15/60545/

Join us for a conversation about what it will take to achieve holistic public safety in Austin. Both Grassroots Leadership and ICE Fuera De Austin have presented proposals to the City of Austin focused on ways the city can reimagine what security means and looks like.

Presented by the Texas Journal of Civil Liberties & Civil Rights and the American Constitution Society.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2021/04/19/60546/

Join the Board of Advocates and the Advocacy Program for our virtual 2021 Banquet and Awards Ceremony! We will recognize intramural and interscholastic competitors and judges, present various advocacy scholarships, present the 2021-2022 BOA Board, and more! Click the following Zoom link to join at 6:00 PM: https://utexas.zoom.us/j/97865890075.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2021/04/22/60345/

The Thad T. Hutcheson First-Year Moot Competition is a 64-person, single-elimination tournament for first-year law students at the University of Texas. Details will be announced at a later date.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2021/04/23/57019/

At the Center for Women in Law’s Award Luncheon, supporters and allies come together to celebrate CWIL’s mission to advance all women in the legal profession. Through the Hortense Ward Courageous Leader Award, CWIL recognizes one outstanding woman lawyer who exemplifies Ward’s tenacity, courage, and commitment in her efforts to achieve gender parity in positions of leadership, influence and responsibility in the legal profession as set out in the Austin Manifesto.

A Virtual Event – “Women at the Forefront of Change”

Friday, April 23, 2021

11:30 am CT – Virtual Lobby Pre-Event Show

12:00 pm CT – Program Begins

Keynote speaker, Soledad O’Brien

Through the power of storytelling, Soledad O’Brien brings a fresh perspective on diverse and contemporary issues to foster change in your own community or organization. Soledad has established herself as one of the most recognized names in broadcasting by telling the stories behind the most important issues, people and events of the day. A champion of diversity, she gives voice to the underserved and disenfranchised through her Emmy-winning reporting and acclaimed documentary series, “Black in America” and “Latino in America.” She also recently opened her show “Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien” from the steps of the National Archives in Washington, DC for the launching of “Rightfully Hers”- a new exhibit commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment – prohibiting states from denying the vote on the basis of gender.

With eloquence and a measured ability to make often-divisive issues such as race relations, social inequality and mass incarceration accessible to all, she moves audiences to delve deeper into the headlines that shape our lives, outlooks and daily interactions. On stage, Soledad draws from her life and career to stimulate thoughtful conversation on the roles we each play within our communities and organizations, leaving audiences with memorable takeaways on the power of individuals and companies to make meaningful and lasting change.

Hortense Ward Courageous Leader Awardee Patricia Diaz Dennis

PATRICIA DIAZ DENNIS is a longstanding leader and groundbreaking role model. For decades, she has forged paths and opened doors of opportunity for women, and remains committed to keeping them open.

Since her graduation from law school in 1973, Diaz Dennis achieved many firsts for women and Latinas in the legal profession, government, and the communications industry. She was the first female attorney at Paul Hastings, and eventually went on to receive three presidential appointments confirmed by the U.S. Senate. In 1983, President Reagan appointed her a member of the National Labor Relations board, and in 1986, he appointed her a commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission—both firsts for Latinas. In 1992, she became the first Latina Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian affairs, appointed by President George H.W. Bush. Read full bio here.

For information on sponsorship opportunities, please see the sponsorship brochure

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2021/04/23/58205/

In September 2018, we celebrated the launch of Michael Tigar’s digital archive, which features hundreds of documents that offer a glimpse into his multifaceted life as an activist, lawyer, and academic. Now, in April 2021, we come together to celebrate the publication of Tigar’s latest memoir, "Sensing Injustice: A Lawyer’s Life in the Battle for Change."

From Monthly Review Press: “"Sensing Injustice" is a vibrant literary and legal feat. In it, Tigar weaves powerful legal analysis and wry observation through the story of his remarkable life. The result is a compelling narrative that blends law, history, and progressive politics. This is essential reading for lawyers, for law students, for anyone who aspires to bend the law toward change.”

Please join Michael Tigar, the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Justice, and the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History on April 23 for a virtual book launch featuring:

Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Professor Emerita of Ethnic Studies, California State University

Patrick Higginbotham, Senior United States Circuit Judge, United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

Jennifer Laurin, Wright C. Morrow Professor of Law, University of Texas at Austin

Roger Reeves, Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing, University of Texas at Austin

Moderator: Karen Engle, Minerva House Drysdale Regents Chair in Law & Founder and Co-director, Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Justice, University of Texas at Austin

Register here via Zoom: https://utexas.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEuduGtqTMqHtUxB9gcqB-0oAChzv77zGY5

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2021/04/23/60465/

The Thad T. Hutcheson First-Year Moot Competition is a 64-person, single-elimination tournament for first-year law students at the University of Texas. Details will be announced at a later date.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2021/04/24/57020/