A Conversation Between Robert Tsai & Stephen Bright About “Equal Justice," Moderated by Jed Shugerman

Please joins us for a conversation between Robert Tsai and Stephen Bright on March 28th 6:00–7:30pm in Barristers Hall, where they will discuss their books: Demand the Impossible: One Lawyer’s Pursuit of Equal Justice for All (Norton Mar. 12, 2024) The Fear of Too Much Justice, Race Poverty, and the Persistence of Inequality in the Criminal Courts Please see below for book reviews: “Stephen Bright emerged on the scene as a cause lawyer in the early decades of mass incarceration, when inflammatory politics and harsh changes to criminal justice policy were crashing down on the most vulnerable members of society. He dedicated his career to unleashing social change by representing clients that society had long ago discarded, and advocated for all to receive a fair trial. In Demand the Impossible, Robert L. Tsai traces Bright’s remarkable career to explore the legal ideas that were central to his relentless pursuit of equal justice. For nearly forty years, Bright led the Southern Center for Human Rights, a nonprofit that provided legal aid to incarcerated people and worked to improve conditions within the justice system. He argued four capital cases before the US Supreme Court―and won each one, despite facing an increasingly hostile bench. With each victory, he brought to light how the law itself had become corrupted by the country’s thirst for severe punishment, exposing prosecutorial misconduct, continuing racial inequality, inadequate safeguards for people with intellectual disabilities, and the shameful quality of legal representation for the poor." Light hors d’ouevres and appetizers will be served.