The Power of State Constitutional Rights

November 6-7, 2025
Northwestern Pritzker School of Law

Northwestern University Law Review‘s fall 2025 symposium, The Power of State Constitutional Rights, was produced in partnership with The Brennan Center for Justice and State Court Report.

State courts and constitutions are increasingly in the spotlight as significant sources of rights. In areas ranging from abortion to education to property rights, many state constitutions offer protections that are distinct from and often more expansive than those found in the U.S. Constitution.

The Brennan Center for Justice, State Court Report, and the Northwestern University Law Review hosted a two-day symposium at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law exploring the future of state constitutional rights, including the substantive rights protected by state constitutions, state constitutional amendments, and emerging issues in areas such as LGBTQ+ rights and voting rights.

Symposium sessions included:

• A Conversation with Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton, Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• LGBTQ+ Rights and State Constitutions
• Unique Rights in State Constitutions
• Federalism and Interstate Conflicts
• Voting Rights and Democracy
• Constitutional Amendments and State Conventions
• Breakout sessions on Criminal Sentencing and Protections for Incarcerated People, Reproductive Rights, and Hurdles to Vindicating State Constitutional Rights

CLE Information and Written Materials

This program is approved for 9.5 general CLE credits in Illinois. To receive Illinois CLE credit, please fill out the CLE request survey after the program by Friday, November 21^st, 2025. Late requests for credit cannot be processed. This program is only approved for CLE credit in Illinois. If you would like an attendance certificate to use when you self-apply for credit in another state, please indicate this on the survey.