Institute for Legal Studies

The purpose of the Ideas and Innovations Speaker Series is to invite diverse presenters who are doing original and exciting research that will spark intellectual enthusiasm in the building. Speakers come from all over the country (and the world) and speak on a variety of topics.

For information about the 2019-2020 Ideas & Innovations Series, please visit the Research Centers Event Page.

The Law and Society Speaker Series is a topic-specific series that focuses on current and relevant issues in law and society. The Institute for Legal Studies Committee selects a series topic for each academic year. The Law School community nominates speakers who are doing exciting work related to that year's topic.

For information on past Law & Society speakers, please visit the UW Law School Repository.

The Wednesday Workshop Series is an internal series that allows UW Law faculty and academic staff members to receive feedback from their colleagues on a work-in-progress. This dynamic series is essential to the research culture at UW Law and fosters collegiality.

For information about current events, please visit the Research Centers Event Page.

The Faculty Exchange Series is a partnership between UW Law and law schools throughout the country. As part of the partnership, a faculty member from each school has the opportunity to visit their partner institution and present a paper. The exchange is primarily for junior faculty members hoping to receive feedback on their work.

For information about the 2019-2020 Faculty Exchange Series, please visit the Research Centers Event Page.

For information on past Faculty Exchange speakers, please visit the UW Law School Repository.

In Fall 2002, the Institute for Legal Studies hosted the inaugural session of the Midwest Law and Society Retreat, bringing together faculty and graduate students from the Midwest's diverse law and society programs for a weekend of intellectual exchange and community building. 

Learn more about the Midwest Law and Society Retreat »

The Compliance Initiative Series aims to feature speakers who work in a compliance based setting. The series has featured compliance professionals from the University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Athletics, and private practice. The Compliance Initiative was created by Professor John Ohnesorge, and is supported by the Institute for Legal Studies and the George Young Bascom Professorship in Business Law.

For information about the 2019-2020 speakers, please visit the Research Centers Event Page.

For information on past Compliance Initiative Series speakers, please visit the Compliance Initiative Series page or  UW Law School Repository.

The Wisconsin Discussion Group on Constitutionalism, hosted over the years by Professor Heinz Klug, Associate Professor Andrew Coan, and Professor David S. Schwartz at the Law School and Professor Howard Schweber in the Political Science Department and Legal Studies Program, is one of a series of events for a Discussion Group that has been meeting for more than two decades at various law schools. Known informally as a "Schmooze", the workshop provides an opportunity for an informal conversation among constitutional scholars on a topic that is interesting and provocative.

For information about this year's workshop, please visit the Research Centers Event Page.

For information on past workshops, please visit the UW Law School Repository.

The John Kidwell Memorial Lecture is an annual event hosted by the Wisconsin Contracts Group. The Kidwell Lecture features a paper focused on the law of contracts, remedies, copyrights, or trademarks. The lecture is hosted by Professors Kathie Hendley and Bill Whitford.

The Wisconsin Contracts Group includes University of Wisconsin emeritus faculty Stewart Macaulay and Bill Whitford and Wisconsin Law faculty Kathryn Hendley, Mitra Sharafi, Mark Sidel, Steph Thai, and Jason Yackee. The late John Kidwell was a founding member of the group.

For information about this year's Kidwell Lecture, please visit the Research Centers Event Page.

For information about past Kidwell Lectures, please visit the UW Law School Repository.