March 18 Election Law Symposium to Address 2010 Census and the Politics of Redistricting

The Election Law Society and the Election Law Program at William & Mary Law School have announced plans for the Fourth Annual Election Law Symposium to be held on Thursday, March 18.  Featuring America's top experts in the field of legislative redistricting, the symposium is built around the theme, "Back to the Drawing Board: The 2010 Census and the Politics of Redistricting."

Panelists scheduled to participate include J. Gerald Hebert, the Executive Director and Director of Litigation at the Campaign Legal Center, and former adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center where he taught courses on voting rights, election law, and campaign finance regulation; Martina E. Vandenberg, partner at the Washington, D.C., based firm Jenner & Block where she is a member of the Election Law and Redistricting Practices, and former adjunct professor at American University; and Trevor Potter, who served as John McCain's General Counsel for his 2000 and 2008 campaigns, and is founding President and General Counsel of the Campaign Legal Center, and  member of the Washington, D.C., based firm Caplin & Drysdale.

John Hardin Young, noted election lawyer featured in the movie "Recount," Adjunct Professor at William & Mary Law School, and member of the Advisory Committee to the William & Mary Election Law Program, will moderate the panel. 

"Consistent with the dramatic rise in election-related litigation discussed at our symposium last year, legislative redistricting battles in campaigns and courts are sure to swell with completion of the 2010 census" explains Election Law Society President Brian Cannon '11. "This event draws together top experts in the field to examine this essential component of the democratic process in this country."

The event is set for March 18 at 3:30 PM at William & Mary Law School in Room 124 with a reception to follow at 5:00 PM.  The event is free and open to the public.

Created in 2005 as a joint venture of the National Center for State Courts and the Law School, the Election Law Program seeks to provide practical assistance to state court judges in the United States who are called upon to resolve difficult election law disputes.  The Election Law Society is the student organization created to generate interest in and educate students about this rapidly expanding and extremely important area of practice.