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    ABA MIDYEAR

    2019 CRSJ Midyear Council Meeting

    2019 ABA MIDYEAR MEETING
    Las Vegas —January 23 - 26, 2019

    Summary of Events

    The ABA Midyear Meeting and quarterly Section Council Meeting kicked off in  Las Vegas, Nevada, with a full schedule of events and a packed Council agenda.

    On Friday, the Section Council began its meeting by discussing the many changes within the ABA over the past year: the new ABA Membership Model, upcoming Presidential Appointments, a new Section Editorial Policy, and many other items. The Section leadership also discussed future collaborations with the Center for Public Interest Law (CPIL), reviewed the summary of Midyear resolutions which were brought before the House, and discussed upcoming Section initiatives.

    Social Activist Mark D. Agrast receives the 2019 Father Robert F. Drinan Award for Distinguished Service during the ABA Midyear Meeting in Las Vegas

    Social Activist Mark D. Agrast receives the 2019 Father Robert F. Drinan Award for Distinguished Service during the ABA Midyear Meeting in Las Vegas

    On Friday evening, the Section honored longtime leader and social activist Mark D. Agrast with the Father Robert F. Drinan Award for Distinguished Service to the Section. Described by many as the most popular event of the ABA Meeting, the ballroom was full of lawyers and leaders from all ages and backgrounds, thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of the 2019 recipient and former Section Chair.

    The panelists of CRSJ's Midyear Meeting program, Resurgence of Racism in the Age of "Making America Great Again" pose with Section Leadership

    The panelists of CRSJ's Midyear Meeting program, Resurgence of Racism in the Age of "Making America Great Again" pose with Section Leadership

    On Saturday, January 26, the Council reconvened, discussing upcoming policy for the 2019 Annual Meeting and the hard work of the Section's 21 substantive committees. That afternoon, the Section sponsored two programs, The Resurgence of Racism in the Age of "Making America Great Again" and  Tinker at 50.

    House Action

    For additional information, see the full summary and media coverage of the House action during the 2019 Midyear Meeting.

    Section Resolutions The below resolutions were adopted by the ABA House of Delegates on Monday, January 26, 2019, during the ABA Midyear Meeting in Las Vegas.

    • Resolution 107A, which calls upon the federal judiciary, Congress and the Department of Homeland Security to enact legislation and adopt policies to protect the privacy interests of those crossing the border by imposing standards for searches and seizures of electronic devices, protection of attorney-client privilege, the work product doctrine and lawyer-client confidentiality.
    • Resolution 107B, which seeks commitments from legal employers not to require pre-dispute mandatory arbitration of claims of unlawful discrimination, harassment or retaliation based upon race, sex, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or status as a victim of domestic or sexual violence. 

    Section- Supported Resolutions:

    Section Programming

    Tinker at 50: Student Rights at the Schoolhouse Gate and Beyond

    Description:  It has been 50 years since the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District recognizing that students have freedom of speech and other constitutional rights in public schools. But after five decades and changes in technology, education, and societal values, there are many unanswered questions that this program explores about the scope of student rights.

    Panelists:

    • Professor Salvatore Russo, California State University at Dominguez Hills
    • Alex Johnson, President of Los Angeles County Board of Education
    • Professor Kay Kindred, University of Nevada Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law
    • James Hanks, Ahlers & Cooney, PC
    • Moderator: Professor Stephen J. Wermiel, American University Washington College of Law

    Watch Prof. Stephen Wermiel's interview with Mary Beth Tinker regarding the 50th anniversary

    Legal Talk Network features Podcast on CRSJ Tinker Program

    The Resurgence of Racism in the Age of "Making America Great Again": The Role of the Civil Rights and Social Justice Lawyer in Dismantling Anti-Black Racism in Modern America

    Description: This program will explore the origins of modern-day injustices that are impacting the lives and outcomes of African-Americans and identify the role of both citizens and civil rights and social justice lawyers in dismantling the systems, policies, and practices that normalize racism and perpetuate the inequities that disproportionately impact African Americans.

    Panelists: 

    • Paul Butler, Albert Brick Professor in Law, Georgetown University Law Center
    • Tanya Clay House, Sr. Program Officer for Voting Rights, State Infra Structure Fund; CEO Clay-House Consulting
    • Karla McKanders, Professor of Law, Vanderbilt University 
    • Moderator: Wilson A. Schooley, 2018-19 Chair, Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice

    Co-Sponsored Programming:

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