Seattle University Law to host national legal scholarship conference in 2027

Seattle University School of Law will host the Fifth National People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference in Seattle on March 18-21, 2027, bringing legal scholars, educators, practitioners and students together for four days of panels, workshops and networking. Proposals are due Oct. 1, 2026, and registration is now open.

Why it matters: - The National People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference is one of the country’s premier gatherings on race, law, justice and public policy. - The 2027 event will give scholars and practitioners a forum to shape debate on race, democracy, technology and legal innovation. - Seattle University School of Law will use the conference to highlight its access-to-justice and civil-rights mission.

What happened: - Seattle University School of Law will host the Fifth National People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference, known as #NPOC27, on March 18-21, 2027. - The conference will take place in Seattle and draw legal scholars, educators, practitioners and aspiring academics from across the country and beyond. - Seattle U Law said the conference is held only once every eight to 10 years. - The conference theme is “Justice by Design: Interdisciplinary and Intersectional Responses to Race, Law, and Innovation.” - Conference programming will include keynote conversations, scholarly panels, works-in-progress workshops, mentoring opportunities and networking events. - Dean Anthony E. Varona said Seattle University School of Law is proud to host the conference and looks forward to being in community with scholars who share the law school’s values.

The details: - The conference is open to law faculty, legal scholars, practitioners, law students, law school administrators, aspiring law professors, researchers from allied disciplines and others working on race, justice, law and public policy. - Seattle U Law is accepting proposals from scholars, educators, practitioners and researchers on race, law, justice, technology and innovation through interdisciplinary and intersectional perspectives. - Suggested topics include race, democracy and the future of legal institutions; artificial intelligence and emerging technology and communities of color; innovation and access to justice; law and intersectionality; critical legal theory and social change; community-engaged scholarship; and more equitable legal systems. - Individual paper proposals must include a paper title and an abstract of no more than 300 words. - Panel proposals must include a panel title, a 300-word session description, a confirmed speaker list and a preferred format of either a traditional panel or roundtable. - Past and current Professionals in Legal Education Developing Greater Equity, or PLEDGE, Fellows are encouraged to submit proposals on efforts to foster inclusive law student success. - The deadline for proposals is Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. - Proposal notifications will be sent after Dec. 1, 2026. - Proposals should be emailed to NPOC27@seattleu.edu. - Registration is open now, with an early-bird rate of $250 available through Dec. 31, 2026. - Standard registration will be $350 beginning Jan. 1, 2027. - Conference information, registration, the call for papers, hotel and travel details and the developing agenda are available on the conference website.

Between the lines: - The topic mix shows the conference is leaning into current debates over AI, emerging technology and access to justice. - The focus on interdisciplinary and intersectional work suggests the event is meant to bridge legal scholarship with public policy, education and allied fields. - The eight-to-10-year cadence makes the 2027 conference a rare convening for this community.

What's next: - Organizers will review submissions after the Oct. 1 deadline. - Seattle U Law will send proposal decisions after Dec. 1. - Attendees can expect the conference agenda and travel information to continue taking shape ahead of March 2027. - Questions can be directed to conference co-chairs Lily Su and Jeffrey Omari at NPOC27@seattleu.edu.

The bottom line: - NPOC27 will bring a rare national gathering on race and law to Seattle, with a strong focus on how legal scholarship can respond to technology, innovation and justice challenges.