As judges across the United States face growing political pressure, public attacks and threats to their personal safety, the 91̽�� School of Law will host on April 17 and 18 to examine how to protect America’s independent federal judiciary and the rule of law.

The two-day symposium, “Neither Sword Nor Purse,” at the School of Law, is sponsored by the American College of Trial Lawyers and planned in partnership with Keep Our Republic/Article 3 Coalition, the Society for the Rule of Law, and the Task Force for American Democracy. It convenes a slate of prominent judges, scholars and journalists who will examine the rule of law and the constitutional foundations of judicial independence.

“This symposium is designed to address a core constitutional concern,” said Toni Rembe Dean . “Attacks on an impartial and independent judiciary undermine public confidence in the courts, which weakens the foundation of the American legal system and its protections.” 

The U.S. judiciary system was designed to be independent precisely so it could uphold the rule of law, said , the 91̽��School of Law jurist-in-residence and a retired member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

“At this moment, independence is under sustained challenges,” Henry said. “This symposium will confront those challenges directly.”

, School of Law associate dean emeritus, said the participation in the symposium of respected judges, scholars and journalists reflect a rising concern that the U.S. system is in peril.

“The extraordinary group of judges and scholars share a commitment not just to diagnosing the problem, but to identifying meaningful ways to address it,” Spitzer said.

The symposium begins on Friday, April 17 and continues through Saturday, April 18.

The 91̽�� on Tuesday announced a transformational gift from the estate of Stan and Alta Barer to the School of Law, expanding the couple’s namesake institute: The Barer Institute for Leadership in Law & Global Development. The gift will support the recruitment of additional international fellows, increase scholarships, endow faculty positions and create more global impact.

The $45 million gift, one of the largest bequests in 91̽��history, will cement the 91̽��School of Law’s reputation and impact as an internationally known center for excellence in global sustainable development. The gift will allow the Barer Institute to expand its work with mid-career attorneys from developing countries, enabling them to come to Washington state and then return to their homes to improve health outcomes, advocate for law and justice, boost education and spur economic development. Building on previous gifts the Barers made to the School of Law, the total endowment for the Institute is more than $50 million. The gift also renames the Institute, formerly known as the Barer Institute for Law & Global Human Services.

“We are honored to extend Stan and Alta’s inspiring legacy of global leadership development with the help of this transformative investment,” said 91̽��President Ana Mari Cauce. “The work of the Barer Institute to cultivate talented mid-career attorneys for the benefit of their home countries and the world is one of our law school’s most innovative and effective programs, and we are delighted to be able to expand its reach.”

Since its founding in 2010, the Barer Institute has contributed to the UW’s commitment to global engagement and impact, and upheld the University’s core value of educating a diverse student body to become responsible global citizens and future leaders.

In 2008, the Barers gave $4 million to establish an institute that would improve outcomes in governance and multi-dimensional development in low and lower-middle income countries and countries in political transition. Each year, the Institute brings three to four fellows to the 91̽��— there have been nearly 50 fellows since inception — where they earn a Master of Laws degree in Sustainable International Development.

“Receiving this gift during the School of Law’s 125th anniversary is special as we celebrate the transformative power of our graduates,” said Tamara Lawson, the Toni Rembe Dean of the School of Law. “Thanks to Stan and Alta’s generosity, the Institute will continue robust engagement and meaningful collaboration. 91̽��Law is furthering the life’s work of Stan Barer and his aim to impact law around the world.”

The new gift will build upon the Barer Institute’s original mission in several ways, including:

• Increasing support for fellowships and scholarships to recruit more students to the Institute and hire post-doctoral research fellows focused on human rights, global business and climate issues. The gift also will help pay for international travel to support the fellows and other Institute participants.
• Funding to recruit Juris Doctor students to the Barer Fellows Program.
• Reinforcing 91̽��School of Law’s impact on sustainable development while expanding its work on the rule of law, the global climate challenge and sustainable business in a changing world.
• Endowing a faculty appointment for a Barer Chair to lead the Institute and participate in cross-disciplinary and global conferences, symposia and networking events. Anita Ramasastry will be the inaugural chair.
• Providing critical program and operating support to develop the Institute into a robust and renowned hub known internationally for promoting global leadership and the rule of law. This will include hiring an executive director to develop and implement programming, as well as an assistant director to help manage programming, and recruit and provide support to the students interested in careers focused on global issues in government, public service and sustainable business. Jennifer Lenga-Long was tapped to serve in the inaugural executive director role.

“Stan’s impact on our state, region and the world cannot be overstated. One of his significant contributions as a leader was his work re-opening trade between the U.S. and China, and his dedication to finding shared values and connection in our global world. Stan’s lifelong work will continue to be felt around the world as this generous gift will empower global leaders and citizens to find innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing problems,” said former U.S. Ambassador to China and former Washington Gov. Gary Locke, a friend and colleague of Barer’s.

Stanley H. Barer, who went by Stan, was a world-renowned Seattle attorney, 91̽��Regent and 91̽��alumnus (Class of 1963), who died in 2021. He received the 2021 Gates Volunteer Service Award, the University’s highest honor for volunteer service, prior to his passing. His wife, Alta, preceded him in death in 2019.

The son of immigrants, Stan Barer grew up in Walla Walla before attending the UW, where he earned his undergraduate degree and then his Juris Doctor. Barer experienced bigotry, antisemitism and discrimination growing up and in the workplace when law firms wouldn’t hire Jews. He went to Washington, D.C., to work for Washington Sen. Warren G. Magnuson, eventually becoming his chief of staff. Barer learned that he could combat prejudice using the power of the law and he served as the U.S. Senate lawyer for the enactment the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act, helping to write the legislation. He also discovered that he needn’t be constrained by national borders, and that he could craft policy that supported global development. Barer was instrumental in re-establishing trade with China in 1979 and securing Seattle as a significant port-of-call.

Barer brought his years of experience to the UW’s highest levels of volunteer leadership, serving as a Regent from 2004 to 2012 and as a member of the 91̽��Foundation Board. He also held volunteer roles with 91̽��Law, 91̽��Medicine and the Burke Museum. Alta Barer also advocated for the transformative power of education and research. At the UW, she served on the Law Committee during a 91̽��fundraising campaign and, together with her husband, hosted numerous events at their home.

“This bequest exemplifies Stan and Alta’s belief in the power of education, the rule of law, and in the critical importance of focusing on what we have in common across cultures instead of what separates us,” said their daughter Leigh K. Barer. “We look forward to seeing the Institute expand and flourish because of their visionary gift.”

Together, Stan and Alta Barer left a decades-long legacy of philanthropy at the UW. They played central roles in the construction of William H. Gates Hall, the School of Law’s home. Across campus, the couple also endowed faculty positions in the College of the Environment, sponsored cancer research at 91̽��Medicine and supported graduate education in the sciences.

“The expanded Barer Institute will serve as a hub for graduate students interested in international careers in service of the global common good, including the advancement of human rights, global justice and the rule of law, and indigenous people’s rights. True to Stan’s vision, it will recognize and build upon multidisciplinary approaches to tackling the world’s greatest challenges by engaging with scholars and practitioners within and beyond the UW,” said Anita Ramasastry, director of the Barer Institute and the Henry M. Jackson Endowed Professor of Law.

For more information about The Barer Institute for Leadership in Law & Global Development, click .

Lawson will replace 91̽��Professor , who has served as interim dean since the beginning of the calendar year.

Lawson comes to the 91̽��from her position as dean and professor at St. Thomas University College of Law in Miami. Prior to becoming dean, she was the associate dean for academic affairs and associate dean for faculty development. She is the chair of the Law Professors Division of the National Bar Association and a board member of the Law School Admission Council. In addition, she is a member of the Board of Governors for the Society of American Law Teachers.

“Dean Lawson brings a wealth of experience and expertise in enrollment and student success, financial management, fundraising, and diversity and inclusion in the field of law, as well as impressive scholarship in criminal law,” Richards said. “We expect that, under Dean Lawson’s leadership, the 91̽��School of Law will be strengthened in each of these areas.”

As one of the nation’s oldest and leading public law schools, the 91̽��School of Law melds a traditional focus on the rule of law with a modern approach to solving problems and advancing social justice. Students are actively encouraged to explore their passions and equip themselves with the intellectual tools and hands-on legal experience they need to be practice-ready attorneys able to work in any field they choose.

“I’m inspired by 91̽��Law’s commitment to academic excellence while rooted in its core values of access to justice and public service,” Lawson said. “I’m thrilled to join the law school community to partner with the exceptional faculty, staff, students and alumni to realize our shared vision to be the best public law school measured by global impact.”

As administrative, financial and academic officer at St. Thomas University College of Law, Lawson’s areas of responsibility include development, budget, leadership of academic programs, bar passage initiatives, personnel management, alumni relations and external affairs. Under her leadership, the College increased enrollment by 38% — to 769 students — while raising entering credentials.

Lawson also has managed a successful American Bar Association (ABA) and American Association of Law Schools (AALS) site visit and accreditation process. She has chaired multiple sections of AALS, including Evidence, Law and Humanities, and Women in Legal Education, as well as being appointed to the AALS Deans Steering Committee. As associate dean, Lawson led the faculty, unanimously, to reform the College’s entire curriculum for the three-year J.D. program.

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Lawson guided law faculty efforts to move teaching and learning online, which continued into summer 2020 and attracted record enrollment that generated more than $1 million in additional tuition revenue compared to the previous summer.

Lawson brings demonstrated financial and fundraising experience to the UW. She secured a $10 million gift commitment, the largest in the University of St. Thomas’ history, and turned a budget deficit into a substantial surplus. Additionally, she founded the Benjamin L. Crump Center for Social Justice, which she launched with a $1 million leadership grant from Truist Financial. The pro bono service program provides 20,000 service hours each year.

Throughout her administrative career, Lawson has been engaged in teaching, scholarship and service. Recognized twice as Professor of the Year, she has taught courses in criminal law, criminal procedure and evidence, in addition to a seminar on race and the law. She also continues to publish regularly and provides implicit bias training to prosecutors, in addition to working as the reporter for the ABA’s National Task Force on Stand Your Ground Laws.

Prior to her academic career, Lawson served as deputy district attorney at the Clark County District Attorney’s Office in Las Vegas. As a criminal prosecutor, she worked in the Special Victims Unit for Domestic Violence, arguing multiple cases before the Nevada Supreme Court.

Lawson earned her Master of Laws with Distinction from Georgetown Law, her Juris Doctor from University of San Francisco School of Law, and her bachelor’s degree from Claremont McKenna College in California.