School of Law

The conference will explore the many barriers to economic prosperity and well-being for America’s working poor.

The School of Law and the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University will host the fifth annual access to equal justice conference, “Poverty, Wealth and the Working Poor: Clinical and Interdisciplinary Perspectives,” from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. April 1 in the Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom of Anheuser-Busch Hall. The conference will explore the many barriers to economic prosperity and well-being for America’s working poor. Particular emphasis will be given to the interplay of race, gender, wealth, and power in regards to employment, welfare, housing, health care, education and the environment.

The court periodically holds sessions in law schools as part of an educational program; the public is invited to hear cases.

The School of Law’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Program is offering the sessions in mid-March in Anheuser-Busch Hall.

Photo by Mary ButkusFrances H. Foster was installed as the Edward T. Foote II Professor of Law Feb. 17 in Anheuser-Busch Hall.

BraceyWhen it comes to sheer dramatic appeal, the Michael Jackson case has it all. “This trial embodies much of what fuels undying popular fascination with celebrities and the celebrity lifestyle — race, sexual perversion, betrayal, money, power and fame,” says Christopher Bracey, criminal procedure expert and associate professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis. “With so much attention directed at this case, selecting a fair and impartial jury may prove difficult. The big question will be whether the jury can look beyond the glare of the celebrity defendant and the potential celebrity witnesses to consider the evidence in this case.” As the trial continues, Bracey will remain on the lookout for the ways in which Jackson’s celebrity status continues to shape, for better or worse, the style of lawyering, the trial process, jury consideration of evidence, and ultimately the public’s perception that justice has been delivered.

Among the topics the conference will explore is the barriers to the accumulation of wealth in African-American communities.

“A Conversation With Theodore B. Olson,” the former U.S. solicitor general and a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, will begin at 4 p.m. Feb. 8 in the Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom of Anheuser-Busch Hall and serve as the School of Law’s 2005 Tyrrell Williams Lecture. Olson is expected to discuss his experience as one […]

A panel discussion titled “Gender, Human Rights and Islam,” featuring Shaheen S. Ali, visiting professor in the School of Law, will be held at 4:15 p.m. Feb. 10 in the Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom of Anheuser-Busch Hall. Ali will present “Application of Islamic Law in Diasporic Communities: A Feminist Perspective.” Ali is a professor of […]

Streams of junk mail with personalized offers for a myriad of services seem never-ending. While annoying, these solicitations raise significant privacy concerns about how these companies know so much about the recipient’s life. Many legislators and legal experts shy away from legislation that would protect the privacy of American’s personal information claiming that such rules would violate the First Amendment. But Neil M. Richards, noted privacy law expert and associate professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis, denies such assumptions.