2020 Western Regional Convening

Please join us for the 2020 ACS Western Regional Convening, hosted by the ACS University of Denver Sturm College of Law, University of Nevada Las Vegas, and Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law student chapters.

This exciting, two-day virtual event will provide opportunities to hear subject-matter experts discuss hot topics such as gun rights, cannabis legalization, police reform, and voting rights. Please join us for your chance to help shape debate, build networks, and inspire action!

Schedule (all times listed below are in PDT):

Friday: (9/11)

12:00-12:20 p.m.: Opening Remarks feat. Russ Feingold, ACS President

12:30-1:30 p.m.: "Protecting the People: How Red Flag Laws Prevent Disaster and Save Lives"

• In recent years, proposed "red flag" gun laws have been a source of great controversy in American society. This panel discussion will cover how such laws have been implemented, their efficacy, and their constitutionality.

• Featuring: Hon. Tom Sullivan, Legislator, Colorado General Assembly, District 37; Joseph Blocher, Lanty L. Smith '67 Professor of Law and ACS Faculty Advisor, Duke University School of Law; Melissa Paquette, Counsel of Policy and Implementation, Everytown for Gun Safety.

1:45-2:45 p.m.: "Puff, Puff, Pass Those Bills: Shaping Cannabis Laws Towards Restorative Justice"

• Join us for an inside view of the processes that led to the legalization of cannabis in Nevada! We will discuss the key takeaways that can serve as guidance for other states seeking a path towards legalization and analyze our progress through a restorative justice lens by asking what else we can do to help repair the communities that were most affected by the criminalization of cannabis.

• Featuring: Hon. Tick Segerblom, Clark County Commissioner, District E; Hon. Steve Yeager, Assemblyman, Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau; Bradley Combs, 2L, William S. Boyd School of Law; Laura Martin, Executive Director, Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN).

3:00-4:00 p.m.: Happy Hour

Saturday: (9/12)

10:00-11:00 a.m.: "What Makes our Communities Safe: Police Reform and Beyond"

• This summer, protests calling for action erupted in response to the police brutality that people of color have faced throughout American history. This panel of experts in policy, law, and community will discuss police reform in its present form, as well as what policing could look like in the future.

• Featuring: Hon. Candi CdeBaca, Denver Citycouncil Woman, District 9; Hon. Leslie Herod, Colorado House of Representatives (HD-8); Julieanne Buchanan, 2L, University of Denver Sturm College of Law (moderator); Arash Jahanian, Director of Policy and Civil Rights Litigation, Meyer Law Office, PC; Angelina Morisi, 2L, University of Denver Sturm College of Law (moderator); Elisabeth Epps, Smart Justice Organizer, ACLU of Colorado, Founder, Colorado Freedom Fund.

11:15 a.m. -12:45 p.m.: "You've Got Mail: Navigating Challenges to Fair and Free Elections During COVID-19 and Beyond"

• In 2020, as we celebrate the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment and its broad expansion of American voting rights, we also face novel forms of voter suppression that threaten our democracy and the right to vote. In light of attacks on the U.S. Postal Service, attempts to undercut faith in democracy, and unique difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this panel will seek to answer what states can do today to protect both the integrity and accessibility of their elections.

• Featuring: Hon. Yvanna Cancela, Nevada State Senator; Torey Dolan, Native Vote Fellow, Arizona State University Indian Legal Clinic; Kerry Durmick, Nevada State Director, All Voting is Local (moderator); Amber McReynolds, Chief Executive Officer, National Vote at Home Institute. 

12:45-1:00 p.m.: Closing Remarks

*CLE credit is pending for this event

As the nation's leading progressive legal organization, ACS is committed to ensuring that all aspects of our events are accessible and enjoyable for all. If you require any accommodations, please contact us at LCemails@acslaw.org.