42nd Annual Section 1983 Civil Rights Litigation Conference
The 42nd Annual Section 1983 Civil Rights Litigation Conference is a two-day in-person event organized by Chicago-Kent College of Law. Scheduled for April 23-24, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois, this conference aims to provide legal professionals with the latest developments in Section 1983 litigation, a critical area of civil rights law. The event will be held in the Ogilvie Auditorium on the first floor of the college.
The conference will cover a range of topics, including the fundamentals of Section 1983 claims, qualified immunity, substantive due process, procedural defenses, and recent Supreme Court decisions affecting Section 1983 litigation. Notable sessions include "The Internet Meets Section 1983," "Up and Down the Bureaucratic Pyramid: Litigating Section 1983 Cases against Municipalities," and "Section 1983 Remedies: Damages and Prospective Relief." These sessions aim to equip attendees with practical strategies and insights for successful litigation.
Attendees will have opportunities to network with peers and experts in the field during scheduled breaks and a reception on the first day. The conference features a distinguished lineup of speakers, including Sheldon H. Nahmod, Karen M. Blum, Rosalie B. Levinson, Erwin Chemerinsky, Teri Ravenell, Noah Smith-Drelich, David B. Owens, and Gerald M. Birnberg.
This conference is ideal for attorneys, legal scholars, and practitioners specializing in civil rights and constitutional law. It offers valuable insights into current trends and strategies in Section 1983 litigation, making it a must-attend event for those seeking to enhance their expertise in this area.
Speakers(8)
David B. Owens
Assistant Professor of Law and Partner at University of Washington School of Law and Loevy & Loevy
David B. Owens is an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Washington and directs the Civil Rights and Justice Clinic (CRJC). He is also a partner at Loevy & Loevy, a national civil rights firm, and has litigated numerous civil rights suits in state and federal courts throughout the country.
Erwin Chemerinsky
Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law at University of California Berkeley School of Law
Erwin Chemerinsky is the Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California Berkeley School of Law. He is a well-known expert on constitutional law, the First Amendment, civil rights and liberties, and the law of Section 1983.
Gerald M. Birnberg
Adjunct Professor of Law at South Texas College of Law Office - Houston
Gerald M. Birnberg is a 50+-year lawyer whose practice has been focused on civil rights litigation, primarily on the plaintiff’s side. He is an adjunct professor of law at South Texas College of Law-Houston, where he teaches courses in First Amendment Law and Recent United States Supreme Court Cases.
Karen M. Blum
Professor Emerita and Research Professor of Law at Suffolk University Law School
Karen M. Blum is a Professor Emerita and Research Professor of Law at Suffolk University Law School, where she taught for over forty years in the areas of Civil Procedure, Federal Courts, and Police Misconduct Litigation. She is a co-author of the treatise Police Misconduct: Law and Litigation and serves as an Advisor to the ALI Project on Restatement of the Law, Constitutional Torts.
Noah Smith-Drelich
Assistant Professor of Law at Chicago-Kent College of Law
Noah Smith-Drelich is an Assistant Professor of Law at Chicago-Kent College of Law. He has lectured on civil rights and civil liberties matters to federal judges and attorneys throughout the country, including founding, organizing, and speaking at Chicago-Kent's own annual Conference on Section 1983 for over 40 years.
Rosalie B. Levinson
Professor of Law Emerita at Valparaiso University School of Law
Rosalie B. Levinson is a Professor of Law Emerita at Valparaiso University School of Law. She is an expert on substantive due process and has written extensively on the incorporation of the Bill of Rights and the protection of non-textual rights from arbitrary legislation.
Sheldon H. Nahmod
University Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus at Chicago-Kent College of Law
Sheldon H. Nahmod is a well-known expert on constitutional law, the First Amendment, civil rights and liberties, and the law of Section 1983. He is the author of the three-volume Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Litigation: The Law of Section 1983 and has lectured on civil rights and civil liberties matters to federal judges and attorneys throughout the country.
Teri Ravenell
Associate Dean for Faculty Research & Development, Professor of Law at Villanova University and Charles Widger School of Law
Teri Ravenell is the Associate Dean for Faculty Research & Development and Professor of Law at Villanova University and Charles Widger School of Law. She teaches Civil Procedure, Criminal Procedure, Civil Rights Litigation, and Police Conduct, and her scholarship focuses on § 1983, qualified immunity, municipal liability, and federal civil rights litigation against police officials.
Event Details
- Date
- April 23-24, 2026
- 2 days
- Location
- 🇺🇸 Chicago, United States
- Ogilvie Auditorium, Chicago-Kent College of Law
- Pricing
- $675
- Audience
- Attorneys, legal scholars, and practitioners specializing in civil rights and constitutional law.
- CLE Credits
- Up to 30.75 CLE hours, including 1.0 ethics