U of A Black Law Student Association to Host Brummer Symposium April 19

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The Black Law Student Association will host the biennial Brummer Symposium at noon Friday, April 19, in the E.J. Ball Courtroom at the U of A School of Law. The Brummer Symposium qualifies for one hour of Continuing Legal Education Credit, and lunch will be provided to attendees.

The symposium's panel discussion, titled "Journey to Judge," promises to be an enlightening and empowering discussion that highlights the remarkable journeys of five Black female judges in the state of Arkansas. The featured panelists will be:

The Honorable Tjuana Byrd-Manning
Manning serves as Pulaski County Circuit Court judge for the Eighth Division. Prior to being elected, she was in private practice in North Little Rock, where her primary focus was juvenile matters. She previously served as assistant city attorney for North Little Rock; public defender for Sherwood, Arkansas; and attorney ad litem representing children in foster care in Poinsett County, Arkansas. Manning is a graduate of Lonoke High School. She received a degree in criminal justice from the U of A and a Juris Doctor in 1996 from the University of Arkansas Little Rock–William H. Bowen School of Law.

The Honorable LaTonya Austin Honorable
Honorable serves as Pulaski County Circuit Court judge for the Fifth Division. Prior to being elected, she was in private practice at the Austin Law Firm for 21 years, where her practice focused on criminal defense, domestic relations, civil litigation, estate planning and personal injury. She previously served as deputy prosecuting attorney, public defender and deputy attorney for the City of Little Rock. She also served as a HelpLine attorney for the Center for Arkansas Legal Services and as a neutral hearing officer for a local housing authority. Honorable is a graduate of Little Rock Central High School. She received her degree in psychology from the U of A and her Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas Little Rock–William H. Bowen School of Law.

The Honorable Shanice Johnson
Johnson serves as Pulaski County and Perry County Circuit Court judge for the 10th Division. When elected in 2020, she became the youngest woman ever to be elected to the position of circuit judge in Arkansas. She presides over cases involving children in juvenile court. These cases range from issues related to delinquency to matters involving dependency-neglect. Prior to being elected, she was an attorney for the Arkansas Department of Human Services and volunteered with the Center for Arkansas Legal Services and various legal clinics. A first-generation college student, Johnson received a degree in business administration from the Great Bethune Cookman University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas Little Rock–William H. Bowen School of Law.

The Honorable Cara Boyd-Connors
Boyd-Connors serves as Pulaski County Circuit Court judge for the 12th Division. Prior to being elected, she has been in private practice for the last eight years focusing on criminal defense, domestic relations and personal injury matters. She previously served as a revocation hearing judge for the Arkansas Parole Board, deputy prosecuting attorney for Pulaski County and hearing examiner for the Arkansas Appeals Tribunal. Boyd-Connors received her degree in politics from Hendrix College and her Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas Little Rock–William H. Bowen School of Law.

The Honorable Rita Bailey
Bailey serves as state of Arkansas District Court judge for the cities of Jacksonville and Maumelle. Prior to being elected, she served as district court judge for Wrightsville and Cammack Village, making history as the first African American in Pulaski County to have been elected judge in a county-wide election without the benefit of the historical Hunt Decree. She was previously in private practice for 33 years and also served as a public defender. Bailey is a graduate of McClellan High School. She received her degree in psychology from the University of Arkansas Little Rock and her Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas Little Rock–William H. Bowen School of Law.

The Brummer Symposium serves as an opportunity to educate students both at the law school and across the larger campus community. In addition, the symposium seeks to illuminate and spark conversations between the legal profession and the Black community, with the goal of fostering a dialogue concerning diversity, especially as it pertains to the legal field within Arkansas. 

The symposium was created to honor Professor Emeritus Chauncey Brummer. Brummer was the first African American to be promoted to full professor at the School of Law. During his tenure on the faculty, he also served as deputy to the chancellor, special assistant to the chancellor and interim associate vice chancellor for faculty development.

About the School of Law: The law school offers J.D. as well as an advanced LL.M. program, with classes taught by nationally recognized faculty. The school offers unique opportunities for students to participate in pro bono work, externships, live client clinics, advocacy and journal experiences, and food and agriculture initiatives. From admitting the Six Pioneers who were the first African American students to attend law school in the South without a court order to graduating governors, judges, prosecutors, and faculty who went on to become president of the United States and secretary of state, the law school has a rich history and culture. Follow us at @uarklaw.