Injury, Insight, & Influence: Celebrating the Work of Professor Michael Green (2026)
The Wake Forest Law Review is excited to announce our upcoming 2026 Spring Symposium on March 27, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
There’s No Place Like Home: Using the Law to Promote Healthy Housing (2025)
The 2025 Symposium brought together experts from law, medicine, public policy, and local government to explore housing law’s systemic inequities, its effects on diverse populations, legal interventions to overcome barriers to health justice, and creative approaches to these issues in North Carolina. Speakers included keynote Dan Rose of Housing Justice Now, and panelists including professors, physicians, public health experts, city officials, and community leaders.
The Future of Death Care in America (2024)
The 2024 Symposium convened a unique coalition of funeral industry leaders, reform advocates, and legal experts to analyze the policies and politics governing death care. Key topics included the regulation of new disposition methods, the licensing of funeral directors, and the future of consumer protection under the FTC’s Funeral Rule. The event featured keynote speaker Caitlin Doughty, a mortician and advocate, and panelists from major industry associations, consumer rights organizations, and academia.
Leading Change in the Legal Profession (2023)
The 2023 Symposium on legal education and practice convened leading judges, academics, and attorneys to examine the future of the legal profession. Panels explored the growing role of experiential education, the formation of professional identity, the status of women in legal leadership, and the modernization of law through technology. The event featured a keynote address by The Honorable Eleni Roumel of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, with speakers including law school deans, a former CIA General Counsel, and experts in legal ethics.
Preserving American Democracy (2022)
The 2022 Symposium convened distinguished legal scholars to analyze the foundational roles of First Amendment jurisprudence and election law in modern democracy. Sessions focused on historical and contemporary issues, including incitement, the constitutional basis of human rights, and the functions of free speech and a free press. The Symposium also addressed current challenges in election law, featuring analysis from leading constitutional and election law experts from across the country.
Secondary Trauma in the Legal Profession (2021)
The 2021 Symposium on Secondary Trauma in the Legal Profession convened a diverse group of judges, attorneys, mental health experts, and civil rights leaders to address the psychological impact of working with trauma. Discussions covered academic research on the prevalence of secondary trauma, practical strategies for building resilience, and the compounded effects of trauma at the intersection of race and the legal system. Panelists including NAACP President Derrick Johnson, former NC Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley, and federal judges explored how the legal profession can take leadership in addressing these occupational hazards.
Bail Reform (2020)
The 2020 Symposium on pretrial detention and bail reform gathered a broad coalition of legal scholars, practitioners, and community advocates to address the widespread issue of pretrial confinement in the United States. Panel discussions examined the use of risk assessment tools, case studies of reform efforts from other jurisdictions, the importance of a right to counsel at bail hearings, and the role of community advocacy groups. The event featured a wide range of speakers, including law professors, a district attorney, public defenders, and leaders from organizations like the ACLU and The Bail Project, combining legal theory with on-the-ground experience.
