Call for Papers and Participation
The Role of Lawyers of Color: Past, Present & Future
Texas Wesleyan Law Review
Fort Worth, Texas
October 9, 2009
To register, complete and return the registration form.
For a schedule of events, click here.
In connection with the law school’s 20th anniversary celebration, the Texas Wesleyan Law Review is pleased to host a symposium on Friday, October 9 , 2009, on the topic of “The Role of Lawyers of Color: Past, Present & Future.” Lawyers of color have traditionally played a special and important role in pursuing social issues and advancing notions of justice. Charles Hamilton Houston and Thurgood Marshall are among the more prominent names, but lawyers of color of lesser fame have, for decades, been involved in a variety of ways with issues important to their communities and to the larger society. With the election of Barack Obama, himself a lawyer, community activist, and law professor, the role of lawyers of color is potentially changing, with as many questions now about the significance of race as there are about the importance of race-based policies. The purpose of the symposium is to explore and examine a range of historical, current, and future issues that surround lawyers of color.
We are now accepting proposals for papers and panel presentations on issues related to this symposium topic. Examples of the types of topics that we encourage authors and panelists to submit include but are not limited to:
• The historical relevance and importance of lawyers of color
• Lawyers of color and the NAACP
• Lawyers of color and specific topics, including criminal law, immigration, and civil rights
• Lawyers of color of specific racial groups, including Latinas/os, Asian-Americans, and African-Americans
• The Obama phenomenon: are we living in a post racial society? Does the race of lawyers matter?
• The future of lawyers of color; including the pipeline to the legal profession; the position of lawyers of color in the legal profession and the role of affirmative action in legal education
Interested authors and presenters should submit an abstract of not more than 250 words to symposiumeditor@law.txwes.edu by May 15, 2009. Authors and presenters will be informed by June 15, 2009 of the outcome of the initial review process. Final papers will be due on October 30, 2009. Accepted papers will be published in the Texas Wesleyan Law Review in a special symposium issue, and authors will be expected to present at the symposium.
For full panel proposals, please submit the panel topic as well as possible panelists. If you would like to serve as the panel moderator, please indicate that on your proposal.
The law review expects to be able to offer limited honorariums to help offset the cost of travel and accommodations.
Questions and requests for further information can be directed to Amanda Buffington, Symposium Editor Texas Wesleyan Law Review at symposiumeditor@law.txwes.edu. Faculty advisors include Professors Carla Pratt and Jason Gillmer.