Kenneth W. Street Law Symposium

Promises, Preambles, & Privileges: Debating the Role of Government 250 Years Later
Thursday, February 19, 2026The Law Symposium is organized by the Alumni “L” Law Association and Austin College Pre-Law Society, under the direction of Dr. Frank Rohmer, Associate Professor of Political Science. The event honors Austin College Emeritus Faculty Kenneth W. Street, a professor of political science at Austin College from 1959 to 1997. Dr. Street held the John D. Moseley Chair of Government and Public Policy. An award-winning teacher, he also served many years as the advisor for students considering careers in law and launched many professionals in the field.

2026 Law Symposium Details

The 2026 Dr. Kenneth Street Law Symposium will explore the evolving public understanding of the role of Government in light of the promises found in the Declaration of Independence, the attestations found in the Constitution’s Preamble, and the privileges (and immunities) of citizenship guaranteed (or not) through the 14th Amendment. Central to these discussions will include exchanges on the roles that lawyers and judges have, do, and should play in shaping American public thought on governmental dynamics. We will explore this theme through four panels and a keynote speaker.

Registration Fees

Attorneys: $50
General Audience: $25
Grayson Bar Members: $15
Free to students, faculty, and staff

1.0 General CLE, 1.00 Ethics CLE per panel
0.5 General CLE, 0.50 Ethics CLE for Keynote with Q&A

Schedule of Events

Panel 1: The Death Penalty, Reasonable Bail, and a “More Perfect Union:” Debating the 8th Amendment’s Contours Two Centuries Later

11 a.m. – Noon | Sherman Hall, Hoxie Thompson Auditorium

Moderator: Brandon Shelby ’01, Shelby Law, PLLC, Sherman, Texas
Panel Members:
- Hon. John R. Messinger, Assistant State Prosecuting Attorney, Austin, Texas
- Hon. Kevin Patrick Yeary, Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Lunch

12:10 p.m. – 12:55 p.m. | Wright Campus Center, Mabee Hall

Keynote with Q&A: “Promises, Preambles, & Privileges: Debating the Role of Government 250 Years Later”

1 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Wright Campus Center, Mabee Hall

Speaker: Associate Dean Catherine Greene Burnett, South Texas College of Law

Panel 2: Native Americans and the American Government: Exploring Principles of Federalism & Sovereignty after McGirt v. Oklahoma

2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Sherman Hall, Hoxie Thompson Auditorium

Moderator: Hon. Andy Porter ’95, Judge of Criminal District No. 4, Tarrant County, Texas
Panel Members:
- Shannon Bears Cozzoni ’93, AUSA Western District of Oklahoma

Panel 3: Voter Maps & Political Landscapes: How Electoral Redistricting Has Changed Since 1962’s Baker v. Carr

3:10 p.m. – 4:10 p.m. Sherman Hall, Hoxie Thompson Auditorium

Moderator: Tamla Ray, Ray Law Office, Fort Worth, Texas
Panel Members:
- Jessie Gaines, Attorney at Law, Fort Worth, Texas
- Hon. Tim Davis, Jackson Walker, LLP, Fort Worth, Texas

Panel 4: An 18th Century Constitution, a 19th Century Amendment, and 21st Century Problems: Discussing Constitutional Issues in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

4:20 p.m. – 5:20 p.m. Sherman Hall, Hoxie Thompson Auditorium

Moderator: Art Clayton ’95, Assistant Criminal District Attorney, Grayson County, Texas
Panel Members:
- Hon. Bob Gill, Gill & Brissette, retired State District Judge, Fort Worth, Texas
- Tracey Kapsidelis, Gill & Brissette, Fort Worth, Texas

Reception

5:20 p.m. – 7 p.m. Collins Alumni Center

Symposium Sponsors

The Sumners Foundation
Grayson County Bar Association
Austin College Student Assembly
Judge Andy Porter
Buck & Robyn Files
Austin College L Association
Austin College Pre-Law Society

To learn about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Dr. Frank Rohmer.