Join Professor Sohoni as she examines the history and legitimacy of universal injunctions—a key judicial tool lower courts used to wield against government overreach. She will also discuss the implications of Trump v. Casa and the alternatives that exist in place of universal injunctions.
A Conversation with Attorney General Eric Holder & NDRC Executive Director Marina Jenkins
We will co-sponsor with HLS Dems, the HLS Election Law Clinic, HLS WLA, HLS Mississippi Delta Project, and HLS Equal Democracy Project a conversation with Attorney General Eric Holder and Marina Jenkins, Executive Director of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.
"Courage and Conviction: Young Lawyers Defending Democracy"
A fireside chat on principled resistance and practical action in challenging times
Description:
Join the American Constitution Society at UIC Law for an intimate conversation with two lawyers who exemplify moral courage in the legal profession.
Rachel Cohen, a Harvard Law graduate, made national headlines in March 2025 when she publicly resigned from Skadden Arps as a third-year associate in protest of the corporate legal industry's failure to respond to Trump administration intimidation. Shortly after she resigned, Skadden agreed to provide $100 million in pro bono work aligned with the administration's agenda, for unclear benefit to the firm. Prior to resigning, Cohen helped organize an open letter signed by nearly 1800 anonymized law firm associates calling on firm leadership to defend the rule of law against executive orders targeting lawyers. Following her resignation, she testified before Democratic members of Congress about threats to the legal profession. Since leaving Big Law, Cohen has become a leading voice in Chicago's resistance to ICE enforcement, creating viral TikTok and Instagram content (@cohen.489) that teaches Chicagoans how to protect their immigrant neighbors through court watch programs, protests at ICE facilities in Broadview, and direct action. Her courage has been recognized by organizations like the Rosenstrasse Civil Courage Foundation, Principles First, and German law firm Redeker Sellner Dahs.
John Geiringer is the Regulatory Section Leader of the Financial Institutions Group at Barack Ferrazzano law firm. He also is the founding Co-Director of the Center for National Security and Human Rights Law (and its Consortium for the Research and Study of Holocaust and the Law) at Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he teaches classes on banking, national security, and the Holocaust. Among his other publications, he is the editor of Countering the Financing of Terrorism: Law and Policy and is the co-editor of an upcoming treatise on legal issues surrounding the Holocaust. John serves as a member of the Illinois Holocaust and Genocide Commission and is a member of the Consultation Committee advising the Claims Conference’s forthcoming HALL (Holocaust, Antisemitism and Law Learning) Center.
This fireside chat will explore urgent questions for the next generation of lawyers: How do we uphold constitutional principles when institutions falter? What does principled resistance look like in legal practice? How can law students and young attorneys protect vulnerable communities and democratic norms? Drawing on lessons from Holocaust history, contemporary activism, and national security law, our speakers will offer practical guidance on navigating ethical dilemmas, building coalitions, and using legal skills to defend democracy.
Whether you're considering career paths, grappling with professional ethics, or seeking ways to engage in constitutional advocacy, this conversation will provide both inspiration and actionable strategies for lawyers committed to justice.
Co-Sponsored Talk with Mona Evans - From Punishment to Protection: Reentry and Advocacy for Formerly Incarcerated Mothers
From Punishment to Protection, Reentry and Advocacy for Mothers, a talk by Mona Evans
Mona Evans serves as a Family Reunification Advocate and the founder of Bonded Families in North Carolina. With the support of Benevolence Farm, an organization that seeks to cultivate leadership and promote sustainable livelihoods for formerly incarcerated women, Ms. Evans addresses the many harms and trauma she and her children suffered as a result of being separated during her incarceration. Bonding Families supports families through building community with other similarly affected parents and sharing resources. The organization models mutual aid and the importance of leadership by those impacted by the criminal legal system.
Co-Sponsored by:
UNC School of Law Clinical Programs
Criminalized Survivor, Detention, and Justice Clinic
American Constitution Society (ACS)
Anti-Death Penalty Project
Law Students Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (LSASDV)
Women in La
Know Your Rights: Indian-American Law
Professor Tweedy will attend this event discussing the Supreme Court Decision that have had major implications on Indian-American Law.
Indian Law
This event will host speakers who specialize in Indian Law and give a deep-dive into two major Supreme Court decisions that have recently come out regarding this area of the legal practice. Featured speakers: Ann Tweedy, Allison Dussias, Michalyn Steele, and Chase Velasquez.