On June 29, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the affirmative action student admissions practices at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in a pair of cases brought by Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA). However, the Supreme Court relied expressly on case law concerning race in employment to reach its decision in SFFA. There is ample reason to believe that the SFFA decision’s holdings and language will have broader implications in a variety of arenas, and those effects may be felt sooner rather than later. Many of these implications will directly impact how attorneys advise their clients as the law in this realm continues to develop. 

The 2024 Civil Rights Law Institute will address the post-SFFA legal landscape and explore historical and legal perspectives on affirmative action, the contours of SFFA in both education and business sectors, and a forward-looking evaluation of the post-SFFA era and how attorneys can best serve clients’ needs in this dynamic environment. Participants and faculty will include lawyers, historians, civic leaders, and other experts from diverse and balanced perspectives, and a complete schedule and faculty list will be coming this summer. 

This important Institute will take place on October 11, 2024, at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, a fitting venue for this annual gathering. The evening before the event, there will be an optional welcome dinner and reception to set the stage for the following day's panels, as well as optional tours of this historic site. Unable to join us in person? The Civil Rights Law Institute 2024 will also be presented via live-interactive webcast, which will allow virtual attendees to experience all panels and provide the opportunity to ask questions to faculty.