On October 11, 2024, the Raleigh Marriott City Center buzzed with excitement as it hosted the Federalist Society’s annual North Carolina Chapters Conference. This year’s event was particularly notable for High Point Law. With many High Point Law students in attendance, two of our esteemed faculty members filed the two faculty presenter slots of the conference and played central roles in the proceedings.
Former Chief Justice Mark Martin, High Point Law’s Founding Dean and Professor of Law, brought his wealth of experience to a panel on criminal justice reform. He provided a comprehensive review of the “Raise the Age” efforts in North Carolina, which have included numerous legislative changes affecting the way courts process 16- and 17-year-old criminal defendants.
Professor Scott Gaylord, High Point Law’s Constitutional Law Professor and Director of the Appellate Advocacy Clinic, moderated a forum for the two candidates running for the North Carolina Supreme Court. The forum involved a lively back and forth between Justice Allison Riggs (NC Supreme Court) and Judge Jefferson Griffin (NC Court of Appeals) about their experiences and judicial philosophies that they would bring to this vital position in the state judiciary.
The significant involvement of High Point Law in this scholarly event underscores the school’s growing influence in North Carolina’s legal community. Moreover, the presence of High Point Law students at the conference speaks volumes about their commitment to learning outside the classroom, engaging with some of the state’s most prominent legal minds on current legal issues. One student was even brave enough to ask the first question of the conference!
In reflecting on the day’s events, Dean Martin commented, “High Point Law was honored to be a part of this scholarly discussion on significant issues of jurisprudence in our day. I am particularly proud of Professor Gaylord and the exceptional fairness he displayed in moderating the Supreme Court Forum. I am also proud of our student and their enthusiastic participation.”
Professor Gaylord, when asked to provide his thoughts on High Point Law’s involvement at the conference, said: “High Point Law’s involvement in this conference is an extension of our commitment to freedom of thought and inquiry, seeking out opportunities to engage in robust, civil discussions about contemporary topics from a variety of vantage points.”