The William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the UA Little Rock Law Review invite paper proposals for the 2026 Ben J. Altheimer Symposium, to be held at the Bowen School on March 6, 2026.
The annual Altheimer Symposium brings together prominent scholars and speakers to explore topics of significant interest to the legal and scholarly community. The 2026 Altheimer Symposium invites participants to address how the creation and administration of juvenile law is driven by education and trauma, and what changes could be made to improve the system.
Dr. Miguel Cardona, an American educator who served as Commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education from 2019 to 2021 and then as the 12th United States Secretary of Education under President Joe Biden from March 2, 2021, to January 20, 2025, will launch the 2026 Altheimer Symposium with a discussion on mental health in schools, restorative health, and the disparate impact that the dissolution of civil rights in the United States will have on juveniles that could lead them into the juvenile justice system.
Dr. Miguel Cardona, an American educator who served as Commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education from 2019 to 2021 and then as the 12th United States Secretary of Education under President Joe Biden from March 2, 2021, to January 20, 2025, will launch the 2026 Altheimer Symposium with a discussion on mental health in schools, restorative health, and the disparate impact that the dissolution of civil rights in the United States will have on juveniles that could lead them into the juvenile justice system.
The 2026 Altheimer Symposium invites scholars to respond to Dr. Cardona’s discussion points and to explore how education and trauma, or the lack thereof, impacts juveniles and contributes to their futures. The Symposium aims to address the strengths and weaknesses of the juvenile justice system in both Arkansas and the greater United States with the primary focus being on education and trauma. The Symposium therefore seeks proposals to join the symposium and submit an article that addresses any aspect of the intersection of juvenile law, education, and trauma, along with solutions for addressing and improving failing aspects of juvenile law. Following the Symposium in the Spring of 2026, accepted papers will be published in the UA Little Rock Law Review.
Proposals should be submitted no later than Friday, September 12, 2025. After all proposals are reviewed, those whose proposals are accepted will be notified and receive details of the 2026 Altheimer Symposium no later than Monday, September 29, 2025.
Questions should be directed to the UA Little Rock Law Review Symposium Editor, Brooke Fudoli, at bfudoli@ualr.edu.