Emerging Scholars in Public Law

Now in its 12th year, UT’s Emerging Scholars in Public Law Conference has become a key forum for graduate students and early-career scholars to share their work on public law and build connections in the field.

Held annually at the University of Texas at Austin, the conference draws national and international participation from scholars working across all methodologies and all aspects of public law. This typically includes work on American and comparative constitutionalism, constitutional and political development, constitutional theory, human rights, judicial politics, jurisprudence, law and economics, law and politics, law and society, legal and political theory, security and international law, statutory and constitutional design, and supranational and international courts.

The 2027 Emerging Scholars Conference in Public Law is currently open for paper submissions, with abstracts of 250 words due by October 16, 2026 through this proposal submission form. Questions may be directed to utpubliclawconference@gmail.com. The theme for the 2027 Conference is Public Law in an Age of Institutional Transformation, and it will be held at UT Austin on February 25-26. 

Keynote speakers in prior years have included Pamela Brandwein (University of Michigan), Charles Epp (University of Kansas), Lee Epstein (Washington University in St. Louis), Lisa Hilbink (University of Minnesota), Donald Horowitz (Duke University), Julie Novkov (University at Albany, SUNY), Kim Lane Scheppele (Princeton University), Rogers Smith (University of Pennsylvania), Mila Versteeg (University of Virginia), and Mariah Zeisberg (University of Michigan).

The conference was conceived, organized, and expanded over the years by UT’s graduate students in public law, drawing attendees from across the country and beyond. The conference was started in 2014 by then-UT public law students Connor Ewing and Robert Shaffer. Student organizers in subsequent years have included Maria Paz Avila, Christina Bambrick, Abraham Barranca, Thomas Bell, Christine Bird, Joseph Cozza, Thomas Elliott, Tara Ginnane, Abigail Henninger, Victor Hsu, Matthew Martin, Maggie Moslander, Austin Nelson, Christina Noriega, Guillermo Pérez, Nathalia Sandoval, Kyle Shen, Allen Sumrall, and Candace Terman. The Spring 2027 conference is led by UT graduate student Elizabeth Donaway.

We are thankful for the support of the many UT departments, schools, research units, and individual faculty members who have backed the conference over the years through their ideas, participation, and funding. Their time and support have helped build the conference into the global convening point it is today for emerging scholars in public law.

Check the Events schedule for information on the next conference.