KU Law to host annual Federal Courts Junior Scholars Workshop

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Law will host the 15th annual Federal Courts Junior Scholars Workshop, a selective national conference that brings together emerging and established legal scholars to exchange ideas, strengthen scholarship and build community within the field of federal courts. The 2026 workshop will take place April 24 in Green Hall on the Lawrence campus.

The workshop, which rotates among host institutions each year, is designed specifically for junior scholars — legal academics who are pre-tenure or early in their careers. This year’s conference is organized by Sharon Brett, KU associate professor of law, who was selected to host the event by the Association of American Law Schools Section on Federal Courts and prior workshop hosts.

“It's been an incredible opportunity to get to know some senior scholars and get them to invest in the growth and development of more junior professors or future professors who will teach and write in federal courts,” Brett said. “It has allowed me to connect with colleagues across the country and get to know their work and who they are and bring them together to have an engaging, substantive day on the area of the law that I write in personally.”

The conference features a collaborative format in which junior scholars submit draft papers before the event for review by senior scholars from leading law schools. At the workshop, each paper is discussed in a structured session that begins with detailed commentary from a senior scholar, followed by questions and feedback from all participants.

This year’s workshop will include five panels of full-length papers and a “lightning round” panel for early-stage projects. Topics span a wide range of issues within federal courts, including federalism, judicial precedent, remedies, civil rights litigation and substantive federal claims.

Junior and senior scholars from institutions across the country are expected to attend, including representatives from New York University, the University of Chicago, Yale University, Stanford University, the University of Florida, Northwestern University, the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas.

“One of the draws of hosting such a prestigious academic convening here is that it's accessible to people on both sides of the country,” Brett said. “You can get folks to come for a daylong event from both coasts without it taking up an entire day of travel.”

In addition to faculty participants, the workshop will highlight the work of third-year KU Law student Madi Stapleton. She will present her paper, “Threats, Delay, and Dismissal: Rethinking Timeliness in § 1983 Suits Against Law Enforcement,” which was developed through a yearlong independent study with Brett. Stapleton worked with Brett to write the full-length article, which she plans to submit to law reviews for future publication.

For Brett, hosting the workshop also reflects KU Law’s broader commitment to scholarship and professional development.

“Hosting this event demonstrates to the broader academic community that KU Law is a place that's supportive of junior scholars and willing to invest in them to help them become future leaders in their field,” Brett said. “It also allows for junior scholars like myself to make connections in the field and develop professional relationships that will inform our future work.”

The Federal Courts Junior Scholars Workshop is widely regarded as one of the premier venues for emerging scholars in this area of law, offering participants the opportunity to refine their research and form lasting professional relationships.