School of Law
LAW REVIEW ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM
America’s 250th Birthday – Will Due Process Be At The Party?
Friday, February 27, 2026
University of Memphis School of Law, 1 North Front St., Memphis, TN 38103
The University of Memphis Law Review will host its annual symposium on Friday, February 27, 2026. As the United States looks forward to its 250th birthday next summer, this Volume's symposium reflects on a cornerstone of the American legal system: due process. It will explore issues related to the history and evolution of due process and analyze what the future holds for this ever-evolving right.
Due process remains a dynamic and often contested area of law. Recent Supreme Court decisions, including Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization and Obergefell v. Hodges, have sparked vigorous debate regarding the scope and application of substantive due process. In addition, the return of the Trump administration has once again brought due process concerns to the forefront. The critical questions now involve both the scope and application of due process: who is entitled to it in America, and do various actions by the Trump administration threaten established procedural rights?
While concerns about deportation and detainment impacting immigrants on U.S. soil are top of mind, this symposium also seeks to examine the future of due process for American citizens.
Join us as we analyze the long-term ramifications of this presidential administration’s actions—for American citizens and noncitizens alike.
Featured speakers and topics include:
- Regina L. Hillman - Professor Hillman is an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Her symposium article is tentatively titled, "Challenging Obergefell."
- Christopher M. Parker, Ph.D. - Professor Parker is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Pre-Law Advisor, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Political Science, at the University of Rhode Island. His symposium article is tentatively titled, "Substantive Reliance on Dobbs."
- Michael Gentithes (he/him/his) - Professor Gentithes is a Professor and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the University of Akron School of Law. His symposium article, co-authored with Professor Parker, is tentatively titled, "Substantive Reliance on Dobbs."
- Evan C. Zoldan - Professor Zoldan is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, John W. Stoepler Professor of Law and Values, and Director of the Legal Institute of the Great Lakes at the University of Toledo College of Law. His symposium article is tentatively titled "The Enduring Value of the Right to a Hearing."
- Barbara Fitzgerald - Professor Fitzgerald is an Assistant Professor and Legal Studies Coordinator at the University of Memphis College of Liberal Studies and Assistant Externship Coordinator at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Her symposium article is tentatively titled, "Soldier Judges in Civilian Courts: Impact on Due Process in Immigration Courts and Beyond."
- Danielle C. Jefferis - Professor Jefferis is an Associate Professor of Law and the Schmid Professor for Excellence in Research at the University of Nebraska College of Law. She is also the Faculty Editor-in-Chief of the Nebraska Journal on Advancing Justice. Her symposium article is tentatively titled, "The Anomalous Expansion: Jail Conditions Litigation and the Evolution of Due Process at America's 250th."
- Montana Martinez - Professor Martinez is an Assistant Professor of Law at Western New England University School of Law. His symposium article is tentatively titled, "Untethered Liberty: The Supreme Court's Incoherent Approach to Substantive Due Process After Mahmoud v. Taylor."
The University of Memphis Law Review hosts its annual symposium every spring at the Law School. For more information about the most recent past topics and speakers, please visit the links below.
2023: (How Much) Should We Pay Them? The Shifting Legal Landscape of Collegiate Competition
2021: Diagnosing America's Healthcare System: Addressing Costs and Access Now
2019: Barriers at the Ballot Box: Protecting or Limiting the Core of the American Identity?
2018: The American Addiction: Pathways to Address the Opioid Crisis
2017 - The Fragile Fortress: Judicial Independence in the 21st Century
2016 - Urban Revitalization: The Legal Implications of Remaking a City
2015 - In re Valor: Policy and Action in Veterans Legal Aid
2014 - Juvenile Courts in Transition
2013 - Breaking the Silence: Legal Voices in the Fight Against Human Trafficking