Law conference explores civil rights in Obama era

Mon, October 19, 2009 |

Valparaiso University's School of Law is hosting "Civil Rights in the Obama Era," a Nov. 13 conference exploring civil rights progress and honoring a seminal treatise in the field by two professors.

Conference organizer and Valpo law professor Penelope Andrews said the conference will draw alumni, law practitioners, law professors, students and members of the public interested in civil rights issues.

"One of the primary goals of this event is to explore the issue of civil rights today," Andrews said. "We will evaluate how far we have come and how far we still need to go, as well as explore new civil rights claims."

The event will be highlighted by the Edward A. Seegers lecture "Legitimation by Constitution: Thoughts from South Africa," delivered by Dr. Frank Michelman, expert on constitutional law and professor at Harvard Law School and Robert Walmsley University.

The conference also will recognize the "State and Local Government Civil Rights Liability," a four-volume treatise with annual supplements authored by Dr. Ivan Bodensteiner, Valpo professor of law, and Dr. Rosalie Levinson, Duesenberg chair in law at Valpo.

"Rosalie Levinson and Ivan Bodensteiner have demonstrated excellent scholarship and advocacy around civil rights," Andrews said. "The conference will honor them and celebrate the 20th anniversary of the publishing of their treatise on civil rights."

Three panel discussions featuring civil rights scholars and attorneys will take place during the conference: "Beyond the Black-White Paradigm of Civil Rights Law" and "The Rights of Students in Public High Schools;" and "The Possibilities and Limitations of Civil Rights Litigation: A Greater Role for Social Movements?"

Special guests include Marsha Levick, deputy director and chief counsel at the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia; Dr. Fiona de Londras, professor at the University College Dublin School of Law in Ireland; Michael Osborne, advocate of the supreme court of South Africa and professor at the University of Cape Town; Camille DeJorna consultant on legal education at the American Bar Association; Nadine Strossen, former president of the American Civil Liberties Union; and Kenneth Falk, legal director of the Indiana Civil Liberties Union.

To register for the conference, contact Jo Ann Campbell at (888) 825-7652 or via e-mail at joann.campbell@valpo.edu. Conference fees are $100 for practicing attorneys or professionals and $50 for members of non-profit institutions. Students are admitted for no charge, but should register in advance.