The Law Review Symposium is a tradition that’s been taking place at Georgia State Law for 25 years, but this year’s event will feel a little different.
The topic, "Prioritizing Prevention in Human Trafficking Research, Innovation, and Advocacy" was decided on by last year’s symposium editors, Taylor Lin (J.D. ’20) and Michael Foo (J.D. ’20). Originally scheduled for March, the event was first postponed to October because of the COVID-19 pandemic, then eventually the decision was made to instead host it online.
“We want to emphasize that despite it moving online we are giving it our full effort,” said Ellen Min, one of the 2020-2021 Law Review Symposium editors. “We are doing our absolute best to take over everything from what last year’s symposium editors built up to ensure that this important topic is addressed in the fullest way that they intended.”
Ellen Min (J.D. ’21) and Rebecca Hu (J.D. ’21) have undertaken planning the logistics of making the symposium a virtual event after Lin and Foo had organized the event to be held in person.
The symposium is typically a full day event where panelists and attendees come to Georgia State College of Law, providing opportunities to network and engage in discussions. Min and Hu are working hard organizing the now virtual event in a way that won’t lose those discussion-based conversations.
Some changes for the event include shortening the symposium to a half day, featuring three separate panels with several experts involved for each area: research, innovation and advocacy. Making the symposium virtual does allow for an added benefit, though.
“One of the positive things out of moving the event online is that now people from all over the nation can choose to participate because they don’t have to fly in anymore,” said Rebecca Hu. “We’ve had several of our panelists reach out to us offering for their co-authors or research partners to also jump in for the discussion, which is great.”
Along with planning the virtual transition for this symposium, Min and Hu have also begun prepping for the regularly scheduled symposium for spring of 2021. They’ve decided that topic will be social justice and racial equality, which will also be held virtually. While it’s a lot of work planning two symposiums in one academic year, both editors agree it’s worth it.
“We want to use this as a way to promote our school, our student body and showcase that our students are engaged in these difficult conversations,” said Min. “Whatever we can do as a student body and law school to help promote change is our goal. We’re not just focused on academics; we’re committed to being advocates and leading in the change in these important issues.”
The Law Review Symposium will be held October 23rd from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees may register here by October 21st.