Candace Bond-Theriault is a lawyer, writer, mother and social justice advocate. She is currently the Senior Director of Policy at Black Women’s Health Imperative and an adjunct professor of sociology and criminology at Howard University.
Please join the Williams Institute and the UCLA Center for Reproductive Health, Law and Policy for a discussion of the new book Queering Reproductive Justice: An Invitation by Candace Bond-Theriault. In this conversation, we will talk with the author about the intersections of racial justice and LGBTQIA+ movements, the present state of the work for reproductive justice, and the opportunities presented in her book for a more inclusive and just future.
Please RSVP to attend online here!
Annual Update Conference
The Annual Update is the Williams Institute's signature event held each spring in Los Angeles, featuring a half-day conference, the final round of our moot court competition, and a reception.
The First 100 Days: LGBTQ Rights Under the Trump Administration
This year's Annual Update will focus on early policy decisions of the new administration. The conference will take place at UCLA School of Law.
Register to attend online or in person. Lunch will be provided to those that RSVP and attend in person.
UCLA School of Law is a State Bar of California-approved MCLE provider. This session is approved for 3.25 hours of MCLE credit.
Schedule:
12:00 - 12:15pm | Lunch and Welcoming Remarks
12:15pm - 1:15pm | Global LGBTQ+ Rights: Policy Changes and Lasting Implications
1:30pm - 2:30pm | Redefining Sex: The Future of Gender Recognition in the US
2:30pm - 3:30pm | Gender-Affirming Care: Real Science, Shifting Policy, and Access to Care
3:45pm - 4:45pm | Williams Institute Moot Court Final Round
5:00pm - 6:30pm | Reception
The current U.S. Supreme Court term features major cases on gender-affirming care for minors, federal agency authority, firearms regulation, and religious liberty, along with significant questions about state power and administrative law. So far, the court has issued several decisions on employment and immigration law, with many high-profile cases still awaiting decision.
The Williams Institute hosts the premier national moot court competition dedicated exclusively to sexual orientation and gender identity law. The competition provides an opportunity for law student competitors to write an appellate brief on a current legal topic and argue the case before a panel of judges.
Past competitions examined the constitutionality of issues such as conversion therapy, religious exemptions in higher education, and access to gender-affirming care. This year's problem will address an asexual school librarian's rights under Title VII and the First Amendment.
Volunteer Opportunities
The Williams Institute is looking for student volunteers interested in serving as timekeepers for the morning rounds of the competition. All timekeepers will have the opportunity to watch two rounds of oral argument. Volunteers will be trained on the morning of the competition and do not need any prior experience. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
The Williams Institute is currently seeking attorneys, law professors, and sitting judges to serve as volunteer judges. We will provide judges with a bench brief, summary of issues and sample questions in advance of the competition. An optional educational session prior to the competition will summarize the legal issues raised by the problem. Judges are not required to grade competitor's briefs.
MCLE Credit
All judges may receive up to 3 hours of MCLE credit for participating in the competition.
Logistics
The competition will take place at UCLA School of Law on Saturday, March 15, 2025. Breakfast, lunch, and parking will be provided for participating judges.
Morning session: 9:00 AM to noon
Afternoon session: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
The Fine Print
UCLA School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider. This session is approved for 3 hours of MCLE credit.