Reblaw2013

"RebLaw, smashing success!"

- the New York Review of Conferences

"Originalism, schmoriginalism! Thanks RebLaw."

- Justice Scalia

"RebLaw set my thoughts on fire with the burning intensity of one thousand suns. By Odin's eight-legged horse, what an experience."

- Actual conference attendee*

Now that the 16th Annual Rebellious Lawyering Conference has come and gone, we have time to reflect a little.

All invented but realistic quotes aside, RebLaw this year went fantastically. And I would like to thank everyone who had a hand in its production:  first and foremost, my fellow directors, who devoted nearly a year of blood, sweat and tears into making it all happen.  A big round of applause is also due for Sachi Rodgers, Sharon Brooks, Robert Post, Dean Mike, and the rest of the administration for supporting us financially, logistically, and emotionally, without which the conference could never happen.  A huge thanks to our panel organizers, who are responsible for all the wonderful panels and workshops that make the conference what it is.  We cannot forget, either, the diligent and efficient dining hall staff, who came in on a weekend and made sure that we had a space to mingle, and that feeding 700+ conference attendees was not a giant clusterfudge.  Thanks to the keynote speakers and panelists, who took time out of their busy schedules to come to Yale and speak to all of us, without payment, out of pure commitment to the cause.  Thanks to T. Lee, who did all the awesome artwork.  Thanks to our volunteers, who gave up their Fridays and Saturdays to usher people around just for the privilege of wearing a yellow badge.  And finally, last but not least, thanks to everyone who came to the conference!!!! All more than 700 of you were an absolute pleasure to meet and to host and to exchange ideas and party with. We're so glad you could join us and hope you can come again very, very soon.

For those of you still in New Haven, leftover RebLaw apparel will be available at discount prices. Keep your eyes peeled for an announcement.

Otherwise, keep on being rebellious y'all, and we'll see you at RebLaw next year.

Love,

Seth Wayne

Reblaw Co-Director 2010

*Not actually.

BONUS REBELLIOUS TRACK: Dead Kennedys- I fought the law

Thanks for coming.  Come find us in Room 122 if you have questions.....

This one's a classic, coming straight from Woodstock in 1969.  Country Joe McDonald and his band were famous for songs protesting the Vietnam war. In the Fixin' to Die Rag, they satirized the fact that so many young people were being sent off to fight with little conviction or understanding of why they were at war.

One, two, three, what are we fighting for?

Don't ask me I don't give a damn, the next stop is Vietnam

And it's five, six, seven, open up the pearly gates

Well there ain't no time to wonder why, whoopee we're all gonna die!

Why is this relevant now? Almost 80% of Americans think that dealing Afghanistan war in the coming year (a war which the majority has opposed for months), is "extremely important" or "very important."  As the war(s) drag on, it becomes easier to forget that there was a time when we weren't fighting.  It is crucial to remember that these seemingly endless conflicts cost lives.

In an interesting side note that conceptually ties the song to this conference, the band's co-founder and guitarist, Barry "the Fish" Melton, became a practicing lawyer and celebrated public defender in California, and even served as President of CA's Public Defenders Association.  He continued to play music throughout his legal career.  Activism, music, and public interest law? Sounds like the kind of guy we'd like to have here at Reblaw.  See what a career like Barry's would be like by attending our public defense lunch talk or learning about interview techniques from the superstars at the Connecticut PD's Office.

 Reblaw is just a few days away! We're so stoked to see you all here at YLS.

In 2006, Congress passed The Secure Fence Act, calling for construction of 700 miles of fence along the U.S.- Mexico border. They were not prepared for what followed. "The Wall documents the construction of the border fence across the Southwest, and the human impact it has and constitutional issues that follow. From policy makers to citizens of border towns, the debate intensifies as residents respond to having a fence built in their backyard. We're thrilled to have the film director, Ricardo Martinez, present the documentary and conduct a Q&A.  Please join us for an open dialogue on United States border policy. 

Film Screening: "The Wall"

Q&A with Director Ricardo Martinez

1:00 - 2:30, Saturday, February 20

Bearing Witness to Military Commissions in Guantanamo

Friday, 4 – 5:30 pm, Room 121

The Obama Administration announced late last year that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other Guantanamo detainees would be transfered to the mainland U.S. for trial in federal court for their suspected participation in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.  However, reports are now percolating that the administration is considering reversing this decision, similar to its reversal some months ago on the release of photographs depicting torture.

Professor Eugene Fidell appeared recently on the PBS News Hour with former Attorney General Michael Mukasey to debate, among other issues, the decision to try terror suspects in federal courts.

Come to the Military Commissions panel on Friday afternoon to hear more about these developments from Professor Fidell and two students who have attended proceedings at Guantanamo!

Organized Labor in Our Age: Is There Still a Seat at the Table for Unions in the Future of the American Workforce

Saturday 2/20 at 3 - 4:30 pm in Room 128

As American jobs have transitioned away from manufacturing, union membership has declined. Yet, unions can still play a vital role in safeguarding the wellbeing of working people as the country climbs out of recession and high unemployment rates. Growing and emerging sectors like the service industry and green jobs are increasing in numbers even as manufacturing sectors decline. As technology and the landscape of American jobs evolve, the ability of employers to exploit and mistreat their workers lives on, and the need persists for working people to pool their strength to defend their rights and interests. Panelists will discuss the role that labor – union organizers and the workers who comprise union membership – will play in determining the future of the American workforce, and whether existing labor and employment laws are equipped to handle future challenges.

Panelists:

• Dean Hubbard (Transport Workers Union)
• Kathy Krieger (James Hoffman and AFL-CIO)
• Liz Vladek (Workers United).
• Moderator:  Yale Labor history professor, Jennifer Klein

Hi RebLaw!

We'll see you all in less than a week.  Safe travels and email us at rebellious dot law dot questions at gmail.com if you have any last minute concerns!

Feb 19, 2010

3pm:  REGISTRATION OPENS

4:00 - 5:30pm:  First round of panels.  They are all so interesting.  Good luck choosing between them.

    * Juvenile Justice From South Africa to the South Side
    * Balancing the Measurable and Immeasurable in School Reform
    * Domestic remedies for human rights violations: the future of Alien Tort Statue litigation
    * Bearing Witness to Military Commissions at Guantanamo

5:30 - 6:30:  HAPPY HOUR, YLS Dining Hall

6:30 - 8:00pm:  Welcome Address, Dean Robert Post then KEYNOTE address by Bryan Stevenson

8:30 - 10:30pm:  Party for a Cause at Lansdowne Bar and Grill (pay your own way).  179 Crown Street, New Haven, CT 06510-3005

Reducing Drug Crime Without Putting People in Prison: The High Point Initiative

In May 2004, the High Point, NC Police Department launched an innovative crime initiative in an effort to reduce drug related crimes in the most violent sections of the city. The High Point Crime Initiative assumes that violent crime is closely related to street level drug dealing and drug use and that building individual social capital and strong social bonds is a key component in helping individuals to disassociate from criminal activities.

By eradicating open air drug markets and, thereby, eliminating drug-related crime, the program attempts to heal old wounds between urban communities and law enforcement.  A key component of the High Point initiative is community involvement, the theory being that the disapproval of those who matter most to the dealers is a greater deterrent than squadrons of police. The High Point Initiative first identifies local drug markets and then builds evidence for criminal cases against drug dealers caught on video surveillance. Next, law enforcement enlists the entire community to participate in the program.

Unless the community itself commits to addressing the problem, there won't be a significant impact on the drug trade.

Once the community is on board, the initiative holds a large gathering where the community confronts the dealers, reprimands them for their destructive behavior and demands change.

Learn More at RebLaw 2010, Saturday 3:00pm- 4:30pm:

• Meg Reiss, Nassau District Attorney's Office, Investigation Division
• Teny Gross, Executive Director of the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence
• Rev. Sherman Mason, High Point Community Against Violence, Inc.

Check out the new op-ed by Linda Greenhouse about the U.S. decision to relocate the Uigher detainees to Switzerland, and thus to arguably moot out the Kiyemba v. Obama case scheduled for Supreme Court argument on March 23, 2010.

Learn more at RebLaw

Bearing Witness to Military Commissions at Guantanamo

Friday 2/19

4:00pm -5:30pm

Muslim Americans and the Legal Profession After September 11

 
A Conversation with

• Sameer Ahmed, Skadden Fellow, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
• Umbreen Bhatti, Staff Attorney, American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware
• Asaad Siddiqi, Associate, Walder Hayden & Brogan & Vice President, Muslim Bar Association of New York

 Saturday, February 20, 2010, 11:30 AM

Undoubtedly, the tragedy of September 11, 2001 transformed the Muslim American community -- but in what ways did this extend to perspectives on the law and the legal profession? Join us for a conversation on how terrorism has impacted, influenced, and encouraged Muslim Americans’ civic activism, political engagement, and attitudes toward the historically non-traditional career of law.

Hi everyone - We are happy to announce that the new Dean of the Yale Law School, Robert Post, wil be introducing our Keynote speaker, Bryan Stevenson, on Friday night 2/19 at 6:30pm in the YLS Auditorium.

On Saturday, Febuary 20th, The J. Skelly Wright Professor of Law at Yale Law School, Heather Gerken, will be introducing Keynote speakers, Lani Guinier and Gerald Torres.

Don't miss it!!! Register here.

This is how we are all feeling right now! Safe travels, everyone and SEE YOU SOON!

Hey everyone,

It's been super long since we've had a rebellious track!  Going to one of the most incredible and revered musicians of the 20th century for this one, here's Fela Kuti's "Zombie."  For those unfamiliar with Fela, here's a brief snippet from the wikipedia description:

"The album was a scathing attack on Nigerian soldiers using the zombie metaphor to describe the methods of the Nigerian military. The album was a smash hit with the people and infuriated the government, setting off a vicious attack against the Kalakuta Republic (a commune that Fela had established in Nigeria), during which one thousand soldiers attacked the commune. Fela was severely beaten, and his elderly mother was thrown from a window, causing fatal injuries. The Kalakuta Republic was burned, and Fela's studio, instruments, and master tapes were destroyed. Fela claimed that he would have been killed if it were not for the intervention of a commanding officer as he was being beaten."

In 1978, at a performance of the song "Zombie" in Accra, Ghana, riots broke out, and Fela was banned from coming back in to Ghana. Now THAT'S rebellious. Oh, and the conference is fast approaching. It's gonna be damn awesome, so register ASAP if you haven't yet!

Locked Up and Locked Out: the Experiences of LGBT Prisoners

Come to this panel 3:00- 4:30pm pm on Saturday, February 20th!!

In addition to facing the often harsh and degrading conditions of the general prison population, LGBT prisoners face unique challenges in prison.  Prisons are designed and regulated on the assumption that all prisoners are straight and non-transgender, an assumption that is obviously false.  The three panelists on the panel all have extensive experience with LGBT prison issues: one as a scholar on issues of incarceration, one as a legal advocate for transgendered prisoners, and one with firsthand experiences as an LGBT identified prisoner.  The panel will explore these neglected and important issues from a variety of angles and promises to be one of the most rebellious at the aptly named Reblaw!