Law and Magic Conference Being Held on Friday, June 6

May 22, 2014

Thomas Jefferson School of Law and The Law and Humanities Institute is presenting the Law and Magic conference on Friday, June 6. This conference discusses various ways that the law handles magical issues and ways that magic influences the legal profession.

Registration is free to TJSL students, faculty, alumni and staff and includes a boxed lunch. TJSL alumni will receive free registration, boxed lunch and up to 6.5 hours of MCLE credit. Registration is open to non-TJSL guests for a $50 fee, which includes MCLE, registration and a boxed lunch, or for a $20 fee which does not cover MCLE. Register no later than June 2nd.

The conference, held on the Thomas Jefferson School of Law campus in downtown San Diego, will examine the many ways in which law and magic interact. Topics vary from academic discussions of freedom of speech, religion, and intellectual property to more practical considerations of trial tactics and evidence. In addition, the conference will cover the crossroads of law and humanities fields, such as the emerging area of law and neuroscience, law and rhetoric, and law and popular culture. Several panelists plan to include demonstrations as part of their talks.

“Society is fascinated by but distrusts magic, because it is understood by very few,” notes conference organizer Julie Cromer Young. “This conference brings to light the ways that the law protects those few while acknowledging the distrust. It’s thought-provoking.”

The international panel of speakers includes Sydney Beckman, Duncan College Of Law; Christine Corcos, Louisiana State University Law Center; Jay Dougherty, Loyola (Los Angeles) Law School; Paul Finkelman, Albany Law School; Pierre Fleury-Legros, University of the Havre; mentalist Curtis Frye; Jennifer Hagan, Hagan & Hagen; Annette Houlihan, St. Thomas University; Rob McQueen, University Of London; Rostam Neuwirth, University Of Macao; and Richard Weisberg, Cardozo Law School.