9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Widener Law Commonwealth, Administration Building, Room A180, 3737 Vartan Way Harrisburg, PA 17110 and via Zoom
Annual Widener Commonwealth Law Review Spring Symposium “Legal Obstacles in Addressing Gender-Based Violence”
The Widener Commonwealth Law Review is proud to host its annual Spring Symposium, titled "Legal Obstacles in Addressing Gender-Based Violence," on Friday, April 4, 2025. This symposium will bring together legal scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to discuss issues surrounding sexual violence, domestic violence, and human trafficking.
Date: Friday, April 4, 2025
Location: Room A180, Widener University Commonwealth Law School
Time: 8:45 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Agenda:
8:45 a.m. – Arrival & Registration
9:00 a.m. – Introductory Remarks
Panel 1: Sexual Violence
9:15 – 10:30 a.m.
Moderator: Michal Buchhandler-Raphael, Associate Professor of Law, Widener University Commonwealth Law School
Ben McJunkin, Associate Professor of Law and Associate Deputy Director, Academy for Justice, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University
Lauren Marvel, Esq., Assistant Chief of Trials, Family Protection Unit, Montgomery County Office of the District Attorney
10:30-10:45 a.m. 15-minute break
Panel 2: Domestic Violence
10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Moderator: Randi Teplitz, Assistant Dean of Students and Adjunct Professor, Widener University Commonwealth Law School
Michal Buchhandler-Raphael, Associate Professor of Law, Widener University Commonwealth Law School
Natalie Nanasi, Director, Judge Elmo B. Hunter Legal Center for Victims of Crimes Against Women, Associate Professor of Law, Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
Rachel Haynes Pinsker, Esq., Managing Attorney, Domestic Violence Legal Clinic and Adjunct Professor, Widener University Commonwealth Law School
12:00-12:30 p.m. Break - Lunch
Featured Speaker
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.
Topic: Unique Challenges of Prosecuting High-Profile Sex Crime Cases: From Enablers to Rape Myths to Publicity
Speaker: The Honorable Kevin R. Steele, District Attorney, Montgomery County Office of the District Attorney
Moderator: Jessica Poley, Pennsylvania Law & Symposium Editor, Widener Commonwealth Law Review
1:45-2:00 p.m. Break
Panel 3: Human Trafficking
2:00 – 3:15 p.m.
Moderator: Nicole Antos, Assistant Dean of Career Development, Widener University Commonwealth Law School
Michelle Madden Dempsey, Professor of Law and Harold Reuschlein Scholar Chair, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
Rachel J. Wechsler, Associate Professor of Law, University of Missouri School of Law
Heather Castellino, Esq., Chief Deputy Attorney General, Human Trafficking Section, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
3:15 p.m. – Closing Remarks
Miranda Thompson, Editor-in-Chief, Widener Commonwealth Law Review
Cost:
$25 Regular (CLE credits)
$20 Alumni, Government Lawyers, Academics, and Human Service Providers (CLE credits)
Free for Non-CLE Attendees, General Public
Email questions to [email protected].
Attorneys may email [email protected] to request a scholarship for hardship reasons.
