Law Review Symposium

For questions regarding the Law Review Symposium, please contact Allie Farris, Symposium Director at farrisaj@udmercy.edu.

Call for Proposals:

The University of Detroit Mercy Law Review is currently accepting proposals for our annual symposium. In celebration of the 102nd Volume of the Detroit Mercy Law Review, this year’s theme is From Theory to Practice: Mastering the Art of Effective Legal Advocacy. The symposium will take place in Detroit, Michigan, on Friday, March 7, 2025.

Effective legal advocacy refers to the art of persuasively using the law to represent clients, resolve disputes, and promote justice. Effective legal advocacy entails more than just a mastery of legal principles; it requires the strategic acumen to apply them persuasively in a diverse and often high-stakes environment. Whether orally advocating for clients in courtrooms, negotiating complex transactions, or crafting and presenting compelling legal arguments, successful advocacy goes beyond technical proficiency—it demands a deep understanding of human behavior, communication, and ethics.

This symposium topic seeks to delve into the nuanced skills, methodologies, and strategic innovations that transform legal theory into effective advocacy. By fostering a dialogue among leading practitioners and scholars, we aim to explore how young lawyers can develop the necessary advocacy skills to excel in litigation or transactional practice, focusing on advanced strategies and techniques that proffer successful client outcomes both in and out of the courtroom. Participants will gain insights into not only the practical mechanics of advocacy, but also the broader implications for justice, policy, and societal change.

Detroit Mercy Law Review invites academics, scholars, practitioners, and other stakeholders to submit proposals for panel presentation and/or publication on topics involving effective legal advocacy. Some potential topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Litigation and trial advocacy, including winning trial techniques, jury selection, and the psychology of legal persuasion.
• Transactional advocacy, including negotiation strategies and drafting contracts that advance client goals.
• Legal ethics in advocacy: balancing zealous representation with professional responsibilities.
• Public interest and social justice advocacy related to navigating legal challenges to promote policy change and equality.

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 15, 2024, by email to Allie Farris, Symposium Director, 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 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 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 16, 2024. The final completed manuscripts must be submitted by March 12, 2025, for the Law Review Staff to commence editing.