Symposium on “Racial Justice in Mississippi: What Happens Next?” on April 9, 2021 Offers 3 Hours Free CLE to Mississippi Attorneys
Written By: Elissa Furlong
Mark Your Calendar
Despite how unparalleled this past year has been, the Mississippi College Law Review has pressed on with our annual traditions, and we are excited to announce the upcoming Symposium. This Spring, the key event will take place over Zoom on Friday, April 9, 2021, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. The Symposium is titled “Racial Justice in Mississippi: What Happens Next?” and will involve an informative discussion on racial justice and the law.
Mississippi lawyers who attend the free Symposium are eligible for three (3) CLE hours, which will be reported to the Mississippi Bar at no cost. Please register by visiting law.mc.edu/cle or by clicking the link at the bottom of this page. For questions or additional information, contact Mackenzie Ellis at mellis1@mc.edu.
Panel 1: “A Conversation on Race, Law, and Current Events”
United States District Judge Carlton Reeves will moderate two distinguished panels throughout the event. The first panel will include Professor Louwlynn Williams, Professor Daria Roithmayr, Dr. Michelle Deardorff, and Professor Julian Miller.
Professor Louwlynn Williams is an adjunct professor at Mississippi College School of Law, presently teaching deposition skills. In addition to founding L V Williams Law, PLLC, she has led an impressive career with the Mississippi Office of Capital Post-Conviction Counsel. Professor Williams will undoubtedly contribute valuable insight as a panel member.
Professor Daria Roithmayr graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center and later served as a law professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. Ms. Roithmayr’s book Reproducing Racism: How Everyday Choices Lock in White Advantage “explores the self-reinforcing dynamics of persistent racial inequality.” She has taught and written about structural racism in various sectors, including labor, education, and housing.
Dr. Michelle Deardorff is a professor of government and department head of political science and public service at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Before joining the faculty at UTC, Dr. Deardorff taught at Jackson State University for ten years. Her extensive research has focused on the constitutional and statutory protections surrounding gender and race.
Professor Julian Miller is an associate attorney at Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP in Jackson. A Mississippi native and Harvard University alumnus, Attorney Miller spent three years implementing anti-poverty work in the Mississippi Delta. His primary practice areas include commercial litigation, education law, and labor and employment, among others. Mr. Miller “believes his work as a lawyer has the potential to create systemic impact and progressive policy change,” and he was recently recognized by The Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, for 2021.
Panel 2: “Where Do We Go From Here?”
Following the first panel discussion, Judge Reeves will shift the conversation to explore where we might go from here. Members of the second panel will include Judge Winston Kidd, Dr. Francoise Hamlin, Attorney LaToya Jeter, and Professor Emilye Crosby.
Judge Winston Kidd has served as a circuit court judge in Hinds County since 2002. Judge Kidd’s presides over both civil and criminal matters. Judge Kidd is an MC Law alumnus and formerly served as the treasurer and vice president of the NAACP’s Jackson branch. Judge Kidd is a committed youth mentor and respected figure in the Jackson community.
Dr. Francoise Hamlin received her Ph.D. from Yale University, then became an associate professor in history and Africana studies at Brown University. Dr. Hamlin teaches undergraduate and graduate courses, most of which focus on U.S. history, African American history, and cultural and Africana studies. In addition to fellowships at the University of Michigan and Harvard University, Dr. Hamlin’s writing has earned her numerous awards.
Attorney LaToya Jeter earned her J.D. at the University of Mississippi before clerking with the Honorable James E. Graves, Jr. while he served on the Mississippi Supreme Court. Attorney Jeter is a co-founding partner of Brown Bass & Jeter, PLLC, where she focuses on personal injury and bankruptcy matters. She has earned consistent recognition in the legal field and was recently named “Best Bankruptcy Attorney” by Jackson Free Press Best of Jackson for 2020.
Dr. Emilye Crosby is a professor at the State University of New York at Geneseo. Her research and teaching focuses on African American history and the modern Civil Rights Movement, and she “has received numerous awards for her teaching, scholarship, and service.” Her first novel, A Little Taste of Freedom, was honorably mentioned for the Organization of American Historians’ Liberty Legacy Prize. She has past been awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service. Dr. Crosby is the annual coordinator of SUNY Geneseo’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration.
The Mississippi College Law Review is confident that these impressive and passionate speakers will make an excellent event. We are grateful to Managing Editor Mackenzie Ellis for organizing the event, to Judge Reeves for moderating the discussion, and to all of the distinguished panelists. Mississippi attorneys are asked to register below and join us for this memorable Symposium.
Registration: click here.
