Law School CLE Series to Address ‘Race, Poverty & Democracy’

The School of Law is continuing its online Continuing Legal Education (CLE) series that focuses on race, poverty and democracy.

“We are working with our faculty, alumni and members of the community to present programming that brings awareness to the negative effects of racism and discrimination,” said Samantha Coyne, employer outreach manager, who oversees the CLE programs. “The CLEs also will explore how democratic institutions have historically perpetuated—and can be used to combat—racial injustice.”

Race, Poverty & Democracy begins Friday, Feb. 26, with Prohibition’s Surprising Role in the Regulation of Modern Police presented from 12 to 1 p.m. by Law Professor Wes Oliver. The session is based on Oliver’s book, The Prohibition Era and Policing: A Legacy of Misregulation.

“This CLE will demonstrate that judicial responses to Prohibition in the 1920s provide a possible explanation and suggest that the remedy Prohibition gave us—namely the exclusionary rule—is a relic of that era, unsuitable for a world with concerns much more consequential than liquor searches and unworthy of the deference we typically attribute to precedent,” Oliver said.

The CLE series will conclude with Police Dogs: Problems of Violence and Racism presented Friday, March 19, from 12 to 1 p.m. by Ann Schiavone, associate law professor and associate dean for faculty scholarship.

This CLE will address the dilemma of using police dogs in the apprehension of criminal suspects and will focus on the issues on use of force and racial bias.

“Severe injuries and even deaths caused by police dogs have triggered media attention and even government audits of K-9 programs,” Schiavone said. “We will talk about the legal basis for using police dogs for apprehension as well as historical, scientific and psychological evidence, in addition to current events to re-evaluate their use.”

Each session will be held online and is worth one hour of substantive CLE credit. Registration is available on the CLE website. The CLEs are open to the public at no cost.

“Our goal with this timely CLE series is to educate, lead positive change and serve as active participants against racial injustice,” Coyne said.

Contact cle@duq.edu with any questions.