Submission Timeline:
- Proposal Deadline: Friday, November 6, 2026
- Symposium: Friday, March 5, 2027
- Final Manuscripts: Friday, March 12, 2027
The University of Detroit Mercy Law Review is currently accepting proposals for our annual symposium. In celebration of the 104th Volume of the University of Detroit Mercy Law Review, this year’s theme is The Constitution at a Crossroads: The Future of American Constitutional Law. The symposium will take place at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in Detroit, Michigan, on Friday, March 5, 2027.
The Constitution of the United States has endured for more than two centuries, but it has never remained entirely static. Through formal amendments, judicial interpretation, political practice, and changing understandings of constitutional rights, the meaning of the Constitution has evolved alongside the nation it governs. As American society confronts new social, political, technological, and legal challenges, questions about how constitutional principles should be understood, applied, and, when appropriate, changed remain central to the future of American constitutional law. The Constitution at a Crossroads: The Future of American Constitutional Law will examine how constitutional change occurs, what purposes it serves, and what it may look like in the future.
This symposium topic seeks to examine the role of constitutional change in shaping the past, present, and future of American constitutional law. By fostering dialogue among leading practitioners and scholars, we aim to explore the ways in which the Constitution responds to a changing nation, while maintaining its enduring principles and structure. Participants will consider the relationship between constitutional continuity and change, the legal and institutional mechanisms through which change occurs, and the competing considerations that shape debates over constitutional interpretation and development.
The Detroit Mercy Law Review invites academics, scholars, practitioners, and other stakeholders to submit proposals for panel presentations and/or publication on topics involving constitutional change and the future of the constitution. Some potential topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:
· The constitutional amendment process;
· Constitutional interpretation and the role of the Supreme Court;
· The balance between constitutional principles and changing circumstances;
· Constitutional law and the duties of lawyers; and
· The Constitution in an era of emerging technology.
Since 1916, the University of Detroit Mercy Law Review has contributed to the legal scholarship of the State of Michigan and the nation. Through its publications, the University of Detroit Mercy Law Review strives to meaningfully contribute to the revitalization of the City of Detroit and advance legal discourse throughout the country. The University of Detroit Mercy Law Review articles have also been heavily cited in party and amicus briefs submitted to the United States Supreme Court. Articles published by the University of Detroit Mercy Law Review were relied on in briefs submitted in Obergefell v. Hodges, Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., and Hollingsworth v. Perry, to name a few.
Submission Procedure:
Proposals should be approximately 250–500 words, double-spaced, and should detail the proposed topic and presentation. Proposals must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM EST, Friday, November 6, 2026, by email to Madeline Tripp, Executive Symposium Editor, at lawreview@udmercy.edu. In your email, please indicate whether your proposal is for a presentation only, or if you plan to submit an article of at least 10,000 words based on your presentation for potential publication in the Detroit Mercy Law Review. Also, please include a current CV or resume.
If you do not wish to present at the Symposium but would like to submit a relevant unpublished article for potential publication in the University of Detroit Mercy Law Review, please indicate that in your email as well. If your article is already complete, please attach a copy for review.
Decisions will be emailed on or before December 14, 2026. The final completed manuscripts must be submitted by March 12, 2027, for the Law Review Staff to commence editing. We look forward to reading your proposals.