For past conferences hosted or sponsored by the journal, please click
here.Accessible Justice: A Symposium on Emerging Issues in Disability Rights
Thursday, March 28, 2024 – Friday March 29, 2024
University of Texas School of Law and online via
Eventbrite727 E Dean Keeton St.
Austin, Texas 78705
Registration Required
Please register in advance for this conference on EventBrite.
Texas Law students, faculty, and staff may attend this conference for free and only need to register through EventBrite with Code HOOKEM. Public Interest Attorneys can use PIDISCOUNT for 50% off of the conference fee.
CLE Accreditation: This course has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of Texas Committee on MCLE in the amount of 3 credit hours, of which .5 credit hours will apply to legal ethics/professional responsibility credit.
THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2024
SCHEDULE
Conference Dinner with Texas Law Students
5:45 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Author Panel:
Dr. Angelica Guevara | Assistant Professor of Business Law and Ethics at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business
Christopher Ligatti | Attorney at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
Dr. Illias Bantekas | Professor of Transnational Law at Hamad Bin Khalifa University
Joshua Alpert | Law Student and Advocacy Chair for Harvard Law’s Disabled Law Students Association
Aidan O’Brien | Law Student and Co-Founder of Oregon Law Students Aligned Against Ableism
Moderator: Caroline Livingston | Law student, The University of Texas at Austin School of Law
FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2024
SCHEDULE
Lunch and A Conversation on the History of the Disability Rights Movement
Heather Way is on the faculty at The University of Texas School of Law where she serves as a clinical professor and the director of the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic. Heather has more than 20 years of experience working on the creation of equitable and inclusive communities, with a focus on gentrification, problem properties, informal housing, land title issues, and housing preservation. Her work has included the development of state and local policy innovations and creation of numerous laws to improve living conditions in lower-income communities, expand fair housing, and increase access to affordable housing. At UT, Heather is the co-founder of the Opportunity Forum, an interdisciplinary collaborative of UT faculty working to foster the expansion of equitable opportunities for low-income Texans. Heather’s publications include a recently-released report for the City of Austin on gentrification and displacement and Real Property for the Real World, a book of hands-on case studies for property law students. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her work, including the Faculty Excellence in Public Interest Award from Texas Law Fellowships. On the weekends, she can be found driving around her teenage sons and running and hiking Austin’s many trails.
12:00 p.m. – 12:50 p.m.
Cabo Bobs will be served to all in-person guests and Clinical Professor Lia Sifuentes Davis will give a presentation on the history of the Disability Rights Movement.
Opening Reception & Remarks
Heather Way is on the faculty at The University of Texas School of Law where she serves as a clinical professor and the director of the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic. Heather has more than 20 years of experience working on the creation of equitable and inclusive communities, with a focus on gentrification, problem properties, informal housing, land title issues, and housing preservation. Her work has included the development of state and local policy innovations and creation of numerous laws to improve living conditions in lower-income communities, expand fair housing, and increase access to affordable housing. At UT, Heather is the co-founder of the Opportunity Forum, an interdisciplinary collaborative of UT faculty working to foster the expansion of equitable opportunities for low-income Texans. Heather’s publications include a recently-released report for the City of Austin on gentrification and displacement and Real Property for the Real World, a book of hands-on case studies for property law students. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her work, including the Faculty Excellence in Public Interest Award from Texas Law Fellowships. On the weekends, she can be found driving around her teenage sons and running and hiking Austin’s many trails.
12:50 p.m. – 12:55 p.m.
Panel: Disability Across Borders: How U.S. Law Can and Does Uplift Immigrants with Disabilities [A panel in coordination with the Texas Hispanic Journal]
1:00 p.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Panelists:
Professor Elizabeth Jordan | Director, Immigration Law & Policy Clinic at Sturm College of Law
Ruby Ritchin | Staff Attorney, Children’s Rights
Hilda Torres | Research Program Coordinator at the Texas Center for Disability Studies, The University of Texas at Austin
Lucia Romano | Supervising Attorney, Disability Rights Texas
Moderator: Christian Sanchez | Managing Attorney, Texas Immigration Law Council
Accessible Chair Yoga
Heather Way is on the faculty at The University of Texas School of Law where she serves as a clinical professor and the director of the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic. Heather has more than 20 years of experience working on the creation of equitable and inclusive communities, with a focus on gentrification, problem properties, informal housing, land title issues, and housing preservation. Her work has included the development of state and local policy innovations and creation of numerous laws to improve living conditions in lower-income communities, expand fair housing, and increase access to affordable housing. At UT, Heather is the co-founder of the Opportunity Forum, an interdisciplinary collaborative of UT faculty working to foster the expansion of equitable opportunities for low-income Texans. Heather’s publications include a recently-released report for the City of Austin on gentrification and displacement and Real Property for the Real World, a book of hands-on case studies for property law students. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her work, including the Faculty Excellence in Public Interest Award from Texas Law Fellowships. On the weekends, she can be found driving around her teenage sons and running and hiking Austin’s many trails.
2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Panel: An ADAdvocate’s Guide to Employment Law [A panel in coordination with the Plaintiff’s Advocacy & Litigation Society]
Heather Way is on the faculty at The University of Texas School of Law where she serves as a clinical professor and the director of the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic. Heather has more than 20 years of experience working on the creation of equitable and inclusive communities, with a focus on gentrification, problem properties, informal housing, land title issues, and housing preservation. Her work has included the development of state and local policy innovations and creation of numerous laws to improve living conditions in lower-income communities, expand fair housing, and increase access to affordable housing. At UT, Heather is the co-founder of the Opportunity Forum, an interdisciplinary collaborative of UT faculty working to foster the expansion of equitable opportunities for low-income Texans. Heather’s publications include a recently-released report for the City of Austin on gentrification and displacement and Real Property for the Real World, a book of hands-on case studies for property law students. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her work, including the Faculty Excellence in Public Interest Award from Texas Law Fellowships. On the weekends, she can be found driving around her teenage sons and running and hiking Austin’s many trails.
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Panelists:
Meredith Weaver | Fellowship Attorney, Disability Rights Advocates
Hannah Walsh | Employment Rights Helpline Attorney, Equip for Equality
Lydia X. Z. Brown | Disability Justice Advocate
Moderator: Brian East | Adjunct Professor, The University of Texas at Austin School of Law
Annette was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana and moved to Texas is 2007. She was released from Illinois Department of Corrections in 2005 after serving 20 years and in 2008, was granted an early release from parole. Annette graduated from Grand Canyon University with a double masters in Professional Counseling and Substance Abuse Counseling. Today, Annette works for Grassroots Leadership as the Statewide Coordinator for Texas Advocates for Justice, leading two organizations on a mission to end mass incarceration in Texas. Annette has been involved with reentry programs to assist those with criminal justice involvement since 2016 as the Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable (A/TCRRT) Fellow. As part of her fellowship, Annette participated in writing a Housing Guide for Apartment Managers, released in April 2018. Annette said, “As an African American woman with criminal justice involvement, I have faced many barriers to successful reentry such as housing and sustainable employment. I am passionate about systemic change as it relates to the transformation of those with lived experiences.”
Strassburger was a public defender for thirteen years. She started her career at the Defender Association of Philadelphia, and transitioned to The Bronx Defenders where she was both a staff attorney and later a Team Leader. Trudy later spent three and a half years as deputy director for a managed assigned counsel program in Travis County, Texas where she instituted policies and training programs to improve the quality of indigent defense. She also started The Forensic Project after the closure of Austin’s DNA Lab. Trudy obtained her B.A. from Colorado College and a J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law.
Heather Way is on the faculty at The University of Texas School of Law where she serves as a clinical professor and the director of the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic. Heather has more than 20 years of experience working on the creation of equitable and inclusive communities, with a focus on gentrification, problem properties, informal housing, land title issues, and housing preservation. Her work has included the development of state and local policy innovations and creation of numerous laws to improve living conditions in lower-income communities, expand fair housing, and increase access to affordable housing. At UT, Heather is the co-founder of the Opportunity Forum, an interdisciplinary collaborative of UT faculty working to foster the expansion of equitable opportunities for low-income Texans. Heather’s publications include a recently-released report for the City of Austin on gentrification and displacement and Real Property for the Real World, a book of hands-on case studies for property law students. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her work, including the Faculty Excellence in Public Interest Award from Texas Law Fellowships. On the weekends, she can be found driving around her teenage sons and running and hiking Austin’s many trails.
Raffle
Heather Way is on the faculty at The University of Texas School of Law where she serves as a clinical professor and the director of the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic. Heather has more than 20 years of experience working on the creation of equitable and inclusive communities, with a focus on gentrification, problem properties, informal housing, land title issues, and housing preservation. Her work has included the development of state and local policy innovations and creation of numerous laws to improve living conditions in lower-income communities, expand fair housing, and increase access to affordable housing. At UT, Heather is the co-founder of the Opportunity Forum, an interdisciplinary collaborative of UT faculty working to foster the expansion of equitable opportunities for low-income Texans. Heather’s publications include a recently-released report for the City of Austin on gentrification and displacement and Real Property for the Real World, a book of hands-on case studies for property law students. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her work, including the Faculty Excellence in Public Interest Award from Texas Law Fellowships. On the weekends, she can be found driving around her teenage sons and running and hiking Austin’s many trails.
3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Stephanie Trinh is the Policy Director and Counsel for Austin Council Member Greg Casar. Stephanie works on various issues that affect low income residents, such as affordable housing, displacement, planning, and transportation. Previously, Stephanie was a staff attorney at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid where she represented clients facing displacement, evictions, and poor housing conditions.
Panel: Our Bodies, Our Futures: Joint Aims of Reproductive Justice and Disability Rights [A panel in coordination with If/When/How
Dyer is a clinical professor in the University of Texas Law’s Criminal Defense Clinic, where she teaches a classroom seminar and supervises students representing clients in misdemeanor criminal cases. Previously, Ms. Dyer was a public defender at The Bronx Defenders and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. At The Bronx Defenders, she represented clients in all aspects of misdemeanor and felony criminal litigation, including arraignments, bail applications, investigation, motion practice, grand jury presentations, plea negotiations, pre-trial hearings, and trials within a team of criminal, civil, and family attorneys, social workers, and other advocates to provide holistic and client-centered advocacy. She trained and supervised lawyers in their criminal defense practice. Prior to joining UT, Ms. Dyer served the Director of Holistic Defense at the Capital Area Private Defender Service in Travis County, Texas, where she designed and implemented investigation, social work, and immigration programming resources for court-appointed attorneys. She is a graduate of Georgetown University Law.
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Panelists:
Professor Alison Kafer | Associate Professor, Director of LGBTQ Studies, The University of Texas at Austin
Natalie Chin | Co-Director, Disability and Aging Justice Clinic, City University School of Law
Elio McCabe | Policy Manager, Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network
Moderator: Christina Ramirez | Criminal Defense Lead, Sissy Farenthold Reproductive Justice Defense Project at the Bernard and Audre Rapport Center for Human Rights and Justice
Warren-Clem, J.D., LL.M., is the founding director of Austin Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP). Through Austin MLP she works collaboratively with healthcare providers to improve health outcomes through legal assistance for patients and legal education for both patients and providers. Keegan also challenges local pediatric residents to explore connections between health, poverty, and unmet legal needs as part of the community pediatrics rotation. She frequently speaks and writes on the health-harming legal needs, the Affordable Care Act, medical privacy, and public health law. Complementing recent publications on public health law and policy, and the use of population health norms to understand outcomes of legal interventions, Keegan’s current research is on collaborative clinical policy-making in the wake of natural disasters. She is admitted to practice in Texas and is a member of the State Bar College, an honorary society of lawyers. Keegan earned her LL.M. in Health Law and Policy as the inaugural Southern Illinois Healthcare/Southern Illinois University MLP LLM Fellow, her J.D. from The University of Texas, and her B.A. from the University of Arkansas.
Dr. Ghandi is the Associate CMO & Director of Adult Medicine with a clinical appointment at Dell Medical School. He works on community-facing projects with Texas Law Professor Keegan Warren-Clem. He recently organized a white-coat protest in Tornillo, Texas against the Trump administration’s separation policy and is a community advocate for working families & children.
Closing Remarks
Heather Way is on the faculty at The University of Texas School of Law where she serves as a clinical professor and the director of the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic. Heather has more than 20 years of experience working on the creation of equitable and inclusive communities, with a focus on gentrification, problem properties, informal housing, land title issues, and housing preservation. Her work has included the development of state and local policy innovations and creation of numerous laws to improve living conditions in lower-income communities, expand fair housing, and increase access to affordable housing. At UT, Heather is the co-founder of the Opportunity Forum, an interdisciplinary collaborative of UT faculty working to foster the expansion of equitable opportunities for low-income Texans. Heather’s publications include a recently-released report for the City of Austin on gentrification and displacement and Real Property for the Real World, a book of hands-on case studies for property law students. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her work, including the Faculty Excellence in Public Interest Award from Texas Law Fellowships. On the weekends, she can be found driving around her teenage sons and running and hiking Austin’s many trails.
5:00 p.m. – 5:10 p.m.
Thank you
Special thanks to those who helped put together this conference:
Dean Elizabeth Bangs
Lia Sifuentes Davis
Maryn Rolfson
Beebs Hartzell
Please contact the TJCLCR Conference Editor at tjclcrconference@gmail.com with any questions about this year’s conference.