Annual Survey Gun Reform Symposium
Register for the event here.
Thirteen years after the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in District of Columbia v. Heller and on the heels of the third anniversary of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and a wave of activism sweeping through the country, gun reform advocates are tirelessly working to ensure a safer America. Coronavirus-related school closures slowed America’s heartbreaking pattern of school shootings, but gun violence as a whole continues to harm American communities. The incident rates of most crimes have considerably decreased during the coronavirus shut-downs, but data emphasizes a major exception to this pattern: gun violence.
There is reason for optimism that change may be coming from Washington; however, the form this change will take, its political path, and any legal implications remain unknown. Featuring the perspectives of community activists, policymakers, professors, and litigators, this Symposium will confront the difficult questions surrounding gun reform in America.
The event will feature a keynote address by Aalayah Eastmond, a gun violence survivor and activist. The event will also include two panels, one focused on policy solutions and the other on litigation strategies.
Panel 1 | Closing Loopholes: Necessary Policy and Regulatory Changes and Alternative Mechanisms to Reform
- Professor Eric Ruben, Brennan Center and SMU Deadman School of Law
- Christian Heyne, Vice President, Policy, Brady Campaign
- Richard Aborn, President, Citizens Crime Commission of New York City
- Talib Hudson, Policy Director, Community Justice Action Fund (CJAF)
- Jonas Oransky, Deputy Legal Director, Everytown for Gun Safety (Moderator)
Panel 2 | Curbing Gun Violence Through the Courts and a Brief Presentation on Recent Litigation Trends by Professor Adam Samaha
- Alla Lefkowitz, Director, Affirmative Litigation, Everytown for Gun Safety
- Jonathan Lowy, Chief Counsel, Brady Campaign
- Professor Joseph Blocher, Duke University School of Law
- Ira Feinberg, Hogan Lovells
- Professor Adam Samaha, NYU School of Law (Moderator)