In 2021, the Northwestern University Law Review published "Redeeming Justice," authored by Professor Rachel Lopez (Drexel Kline Law), Terrell Carter, and Ghani Songster. Drawing from human rights law and the lived experience of Terrell Carter and Kempis Songster, who had been sentenced to life without parole, "Redeeming Justice" argued that the capacity for change is an innate human characteristic, fundamentally intertwined with human dignity. It contended that all people have a right to redemption and that this right should be embedded in the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution through the latent concept of human dignity. This two-part workshop builds on the foundation of "Redeeming Justice" to further develop the ethos and methodology of participatory law scholarship.

Participatory law scholarship foregrounds the lived experiences of those frequently marginalized, not just by the law, but in legal scholarship as well. In line with the tradition of Critical Race Studies and an emerging body of movement law scholarship, participatory law scholarship aims to press the boundaries of what legal scholarship traditionally looks like by evoking lived experience as evidence and developing legal meaning alongside social movements.

On February 9th, Part II of the workshop at Drexel Kline Law in Philadelphia will explore the practice and ethical considerations of co-authoring participatory law scholarship as well as how this scholarship can contribute to social justice initiatives on the ground.

Afternoon Panel Speakers:
Jose Saldaña
Astha Sharma Pokharel
Robert Saleem Holbrook
Prof. Wendy Greene (moderator)

Registration is free. The workshop is organized by the Drexel Law Review and the Northwestern University Law Review, and co-sponsored by the Center for Law, Policy & Social Action and the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement. They are offering 3 ½ CLE credits: 2 substantive; 1 ½ ethics.