Each Presidential Administration takes office with an extensive to-do list and the Biden-Harris Administration is no different. But time and resources are limited, necessitating the task of choosing policy priorities. A task made more difficult by a politically polarized Congress that may challenge any proposed legislation and a potentially adverse U.S. Supreme Court waiting to invalidate policies with which it does not agree.

This challenging political landscape does not mean there is no hope for progress; there are paths forward.

Join the ACS Virginia, At-Large, Washington, D.C., and Puget Sound Lawyer Chapters for a virtual discussion with a distinguished group of panelists.

Featuring:

Kami Chavis, Vice Provost, Professor of Law , Director of Criminal Justice Program, and ACS Faculty Advisor, Wake Forest University School of Law

Karin Anderson Ponzer, Director of Legal Services, Neighbors Link Community Law Practice

Lena Zwarensteyn, Fair Courts Campaign Senior Director, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights & The Leadership Conference Education Fund

John D'Elia, Assistant General Counsel, Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

The Panel will seek to answer some of the following questions:

• What should be the Biden-Harris Administration's priorities before midterms?
• What are some of the barriers the Administration will face?
• What single action by the Biden-Harris Administration would have the greatest positive impact on the most lives?
• Is it better to focus on what can realistically be accomplished given the political realities or work for large, lasting changes and fail?
• What are the benefits vs disadvantages of primarily utilizing executive actions rather than a legislative agenda?
• Is there any hope for changing the political discourse and convincing the opposition to support some progressive policy initiatives? If so, what are the best proposals that could garner bipartisan support?
• What are some concrete things people interested in enacting progressive policies can do to help?

Join the American Constitution Society for a small group discussion with ACS National Board of Directors Member, Roscoe Jones Jr. This networking call is part of a monthly virtual series. Join this session to learn from Mr. Jones, who has 17 years of experience working in all three branches of the federal government; and ask questions about crossing over from public service to private practice and how to make an impact in social change. Registration is limited to 20 students, so be sure to register soon! 

Featuring:

Roscoe Jones, Jr. Co-Chair, Public Policy Practice, Gibson Dunn

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Speaker Bio:

Roscoe Jones, Jr. is a counsel and co-chair of the Public Policy Practice Group at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, where he helps clients navigate complex public policy matters and congressional investigations.

Previously, he was chief of staff to a member of Congress, legislative director to Senator Dianne Feinstein, senior counsel to Senator Cory Booker, and senior counsel to Senator Patrick Leahy on the Senate Judiciary Committee. He served as special counsel to the Tom Perez, the then-Assistant Attorney General of Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, appellate attorney in the Civil Rights Division, and assistant U.S. attorney in the Western District of Washington. He graduated from Stanford University and the University of Virginia Law School.

He clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit for Judge Carl E. Stewart and U.S. District Court of Maryland for Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. He teaches at the Yale Law School and University of Michigan Law School and previously taught at the Harvard Kennedy School, Georgetown University Law Center, George Washington University Law School, and University of Washington Law and Evans Schools. A Stennis Fellow, Wasserstein Fellow, and Murnaghan Fellow, he has been published in the ACS's Harvard Law & Policy Review.

Over the last year, the Racial Justice and the Law series has convened attorneys from across the United States to discuss the ways racism continues to exist within various areas of the law. Join us for the next panel of the series focused on using legal and policy frameworks to support reparations for Black Americans for human rights injustices including slavery, state-sponsered segergation and oppression, and systemic racism. 

Join the Los Angeles, Austin, Bay Area, Chicago, Washington D.C., Orange County, and San Diego Lawyer Chapters along with the MABA, Fair Housing Collective, and the Loyola LA, USC, Pepperdine Caruso ACS Student Chapters for the latest installment in the Racial Justice in the Law Series. This discussion will be moderated by Professor Jody Armour, each conversation will highlight systemic racism in that area of the law, policies/changes to the law that seek to dismantle it, and the advocacy tools that are necessary to achieve those policy changes - voting, legislation, litigation, organizing, etc.

Featuring:

Lisa Holder, Law Offices of Lisa Holder, Member of Governor Newsom's Reparations Task Force

Eric Miller, Professor of Law and Leo J. O'Brien Fellow, Loyola Law School of Los Angeles

Cheryl Grills, Professor of Psychology at Loyola Marymount University, Clinical Psychologist and Member of Governor Newsom's Reparations Task Force

 Moderated by:

Jody Armour, Professor of Law, USC Gould School of Law

The American Constitution Society is a State Bar of California Approved CLE Provider. This event has been approved for 1.0 hours of California MCLE credit.

Please click here for the Reading Materials, Evaluation Form, Record of Attendance, and Certificate of Attendance.

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.

The ACS Chicago Lawyer Chapter's Annual Legal Legends Luncheon will be virtual on July 21. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island will deliver the keynote address. We're thrilled to announce the 2021 Abner J. Mikva and Ruth Goldman Honorees!

2021 Abner J. Mikva Awardees

Craig Futterman, Clinical Professor of Law, The University of Chicago Law School

Larry R. Rogers, Sr., Founding Partner, Power Rogers

Zaldwaynaka ("Z") Scott, President, Chicago State University

2021 Ruth Goldman Awardees

Ami Gandhi, Senior Counsel, Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights

Shareese Pryor, Senior Staff Counsel and Director of Justice Reform, BPI

For sponsorship opportunities please contact Meghan Paulas at mpaulas@acslaw.org. Thank you to our early sponsors for their generous support!

Patron

Jenner & Block

Benefactor

Latham & Watkins

Miller Shakman Levine & Feldman LLP

Sidley Austin LLP

Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym, Ltd.

Donor

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Loevy & Loevy

Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C.

Friend

The Prinz Law Firm

Individual

Daniel A. Cotter