Students Ready for 7th Conference on Public Service and the Law, Invite Alumni

Poster from the 2005 conference

Fulfilling its mission to promote the Jeffersonian spirit of the lawyer as public servant, the Seventh Annual University of Virginia School of Law’s Conference on Public Service and the Law will convene March 17-18. A completely student-run and organized event, the Conference brings together alumni, faculty, attorneys, policymakers, and students from around the world to explore the issues facing today’s public interest legal community. Prominent speakers, panels, and workshops spark scholarly debate, raise community awareness of contemporary questions surrounding social justice, and stimulate student interest in public service.

The keynote speakers for the 2006 Conference are expected to be announced while this issue of UVA Lawyer is at the press. Past keynote speakers have included U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, former Governors Janet Napolitano ’83 of Arizona and Douglas Wilder of Virginia, and U.S. Senator Evan Bayh ’81. The 2005 Conference featured a keynote address from Nadine Strossen, President of the ACLU.

The Conference bridges the gap between law students and practitioners, and countless UVA Law alumni have made this important connection possible. Every year, alumni have generously donated time to serve on panels and workshops where they lend their expertise to debate controversial public interest issues and inspire the next generation of lawyers by sharing their career paths, according to Conference organizers. Alumni have also served as mentors for current UVA Law students by providing a point of contact at firms and public interest offices worldwide.

The 2006 Conference will include panels discussing topics such as Race and the Law, Poverty Law, Health Law, and International Law. Workshops will explore such topics as Serving the Public in the Private Sector, International Public Interest Jobs, and Government Careers. For a full list of panels and workshops, see the Conference website, the quickest way for alumni, students, and faculty to register for the Conference and find updates about keynote speakers and upcoming events.

Conference co-chairs Rachel Cella ’07 (rec2c@virginia.edu) and Alex Pyke ’07 (anpyke@virginia.edu) invite all alumni to participate in and/or attend the Conference and welcome any further questions or inquiries.