Skip to main content

BLSA Symposium: Changing the Horizon – Fairness in Sentencing

In observation of Black History Month, Regent’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA) hosted its first ever symposium. The Saturday, February 19th event focused on “Changing the Horizon – Fairness in Sentencing.”

“The purpose of this program [was] to foster an academic dialogue about legal issues that affect the black community,” said a BLSA representative. “The dialogue explored the recent Supreme Court decision regarding disproportionate sentencing guidelines and how those guidelines have a disparate impact on the black community.”

The morning kicked off with a meet and greet breakfast generously sponsored by the South Hampton Roads Bar Association.

The first session featured guest panelist Dr. Valerie Wright, a criminologist who works as a research analyst for The Sentencing Project, and Professor and Director of Regent Law's Civil Litigation Clinic, Kathleen McKee. During the session they answered the question “If racial and ethnic disparities exist, how do we eliminate the gap?”

Next, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Newport News, Howard Gwynn, and Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney, Greg Underwood, discussed “The Reality of Recidivism – Public Safety vs. Offender Outcomes.”

In the day’s final session Dr. Wright and Professor McKee returned to address sentencing guidelines in a session on the impact of Kimbrough v. United States and the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 on minority communities.

The day concluded with participants attending a soul food café luncheon, where they discussed everything from the colloquium’s concepts and conclusions to classes, work, and personal lives.

The Regent Black Law Students Association exists “to promote community service in neighboring black communities and to be a vehicle of spiritual, academic and cultural awareness and support for black law students.”

For more information on the symposium and on the Black Law Students Association please contact
blsa@regent.edu.


- By Molly Eccles

Popular posts from this blog

Regent University Ranked #1 Best Online Christian College in America

Regent University has been named the #1 Best Online Christian College in America, according to a     new report by BibleCollegeOnline.com . The report measured academics, affordability, and return on  investment among 100 Christian colleges in the United States.“We are honored and thankful for this  incredible recognition as the top online Christian college in the nation,” said Dr. Bill Hathaway,  executive vice president for Academic Affairs at Regent University. “As the preeminent destination for  Christian college students, Regent is deeply dedicated to providing world-class, Christ-centered  education that equips Christian leaders to change the world.” In addition to this accolade, Regent University is ranked the #1 Best Accredited Online College  in the United States (Study.com, 2020), the #1 Safest College Campus in Virginia (YourLocalSecurity, 2021),  and the #1 Best Online Bachelor’s Program in Virginia for nine years in a row  (U.S. News & World Report, 2021). Regent Univ

Regent Law Hires Two New Faculty Members—Both Yale Law Graduates—for Fall 2022

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (July 5, 2022) – Today, Regent University School of Law announced the appointment of two new members of its faculty, Erin Morrow Hawley and David D. Velloney.  Both Hawley and Velloney are graduates of Yale Law School.  Professor Hawley will teach constitutional law and serve as a senior fellow at the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law.  Professor Velloney will focus on criminal law, military law, and constitutional criminal procedure.   Professors Hawley and Velloney are the third and fourth professors added to the Regent Law faculty in the past year.  “We are incredibly fortunate to attract such exceptional teachers, mentors, and scholars to our faculty,” said Brad Lingo, dean of Regent University School of Law.  “Our students will love learning from professors Hawley and Velloney and benefit from the depth of experience and Christian perspectives they bring.” New Faculty Appointments: Erin Morrow Hawley: Associate Professor of Constitutional Law J

After Success at Regional Level, Negotiation Team Prepares for National Competition

Regent University School of Law’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Board (ADR) made a strong showing at the ABA Regional Negotiation Competition held Nov. 13-14 at William and Mary School of Law. The 2L team of Mary Katherine Bratton and David Crossett finished second overall from a roster of over 20 teams representing American University, Georgetown, Washington & Lee and other law schools throughout Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. While all three of Regent’s competition teams placed in the top ten, Bratton and Crossett look forward to an official invitation from the ABA to compete in the national competition, February 5-6 in Orlando, FL. Team coach Prof. Eric DeGroff commented on Bratton and Crossett’s exemplary performance. “Our team was able to zealously represent their clients within the bounds of the law and with integrity,” he said. “They balanced making a strong case and presenting their client in the best possible light