The Thurgood Marshall Law Review is pleased to invite scholars, judges, practitioners, and policymakers to participate as speakers in its Annual Symposium:
“The Rule of Law & Threat to Our American Democracy”
This symposium will examine foundational constitutional principles and contemporary governance through a nonpartisan, academic lens, with particular attention to institutional structure, legal doctrine, and the operation of democratic systems.
Symposium Details
Date: March 26, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location:
Thurgood Marshall School of Law
3100 Cleburne Street
Houston, Texas 77004
Click here to submit a speaker interest form!
Application Deadline: February 26, 2026
The 50th Volume Symposium seeks to foster thoughtful and balanced discussion of constitutional structure and governance, encourage engagement across academic and professional perspectives, and contribute meaningfully to contemporary scholarship on the rule of law.
The symposium will consist of three panels, each addressing a distinct aspect of the rule of law while contributing to a cohesive and interdisciplinary dialogue.
Panel Topics & Speaker Invitations
1. Interpreting the Constitution: Strict Construction vs. Living Constitutionalism
This panel will examine how differing approaches to constitutional interpretation shape judicial decision-making and democratic governance. Discussion will focus on the principles underlying strict construction and living constitutionalism, the role of interpretive methodology in promoting stability and predictability, and how courts balance text, precedent, and institutional legitimacy during periods of political and social change.
We invite speakers from: Constitutional law scholars, Current or former judges, & Appellate practitioners with constitutional law experience.
2. Immigration Enforcement and Executive Authority: ICE and DHS
This panel will explore immigration enforcement as a case study in executive authority exercised pursuant to congressional delegation. Panelists will address the statutory and constitutional sources of authority for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the scope of executive discretion, and mechanisms of accountability within the constitutional framework. Discussion will also consider how immigration enforcement implicates federalism, separation of powers, and equal protection principles.
We invite speakers from: Immigration law practitioners, Former or current government attorneys, Administrative or constitutional law scholars, & Federal litigators with immigration or executive power experience.
3. The Modern Presidency and Executive Orders
This panel will examine the role of executive orders in modern governance, including their historical development, use across administrations, standards of judicial review, and Congress’s institutional relationship to executive action. Panelists will consider how executive orders function within the constitutional system and the balance between efficiency, accountability, and separation of powers.
We invite speakers from: Scholars specializing in executive power or separation of powers, Former government or White House counsel, Regulatory or administrative law practitioners, & Former congressional counsel or legislative staff.
Interested speakers are encouraged to submit a form using the link below:
Click here to submit a speaker interest form!
We look forward to engaging in a meaningful and rigorous discussion and hope you will consider joining us for this important symposium.