Pepperdine Law Review Symposium 2026
The Second Amendment After Bruen and Rahimi: Revisiting History and Tradition
March 27, 2026 – 08:15–16:00
Pepperdine Law Review cordially invites you to attend its 53rd annual symposium:
“The Second Amendment After Bruen and Rahimi: Revisiting History and Tradition.”
The symposium will bring together scholars, practitioners, and policy advocates to explore the evolving landscape of Second Amendment jurisprudence. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s Bruen and Rahimi decisions, historical tradition has become an integral part of constitutional interpretation, and so, we seek to deconstruct, analyze, and highlight this shift in constitutional analysis.
In light of this history and tradition framework that scholars and practitioners are now wrestling with, the symposium will explore the doctrinal, historical, and normative dimensions of Second Amendment law to discuss how to uncover historical analogues. We are currently planning four to five panels covering topics such as the methodology behind the history and tradition test and its impact in and beyond the Second Amendment law, how race, class, and gender have shaped American gun laws, and the future of gun rights and regulation.
We hope to create an environment that will foster a diverse academic dialogue that will be thought-provoking and fruitful for all participants and attendees.
Building on what we hope will be a tremendous day, we are also looking for papers for the next volume of the Pepperdine Law Review. We will accept submissions on a rolling basis until the issue is filled.
Please reach out to Marcello Jones, Pepperdine Law Review Symposium Editor, at marcello.jones@pepperdine.edu if you have any further questions.
We hope you can join us for this exciting day in March 2026.
Minimum Continuing Legal Education. This symposium has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit by the State Bar of California for 6 credit hours. Pepperdine University School of Law certifies that this activity conforms to the standard for approved education activities prescribed by the rules and regulations of the State Bar of California governing minimum continuing legal education.
Day's Schedule:
Friday, March 27th, 2026
8:15-9:00 – Breakfast for panelists
9:00-9:15 – Welcome
9:15-10:30 – Panel 1: Methodology After Bruen: Defining “Relevant Tradition” & Judging Historical Facts
Moderator: Professor Barry McDonald
Panelists:
- Professor Joel Alicea
- Professor Darrell Miller
- Professor Megan Walsh
10:30-10:45 – Break
10:45–12:00 – Panel 2: Rahimi and the Shifting Second Amendment
Moderator: Professor Joel Johnson
Panelists:
- Professor Mary Anne Franks
- Professor Haley Proctor
- Professor Eric Ruben
12:00-12:15 – Break
12:15-1:15 – Lunch and Keynote Q&A: Judge Jason Pulliam in conversation with Professor Charles
1:15-1:30 – Break
1:30–2:45 – Panel 3: Race, Reconstruction, and the Selective Memory of the Second Amendment
Moderator: Professor Jacob Charles
Panelists:
- Professor Saul Cornell
- Professor Christine Goodman
- Professor Nicholas Johnson
2:45-3:00 – Break
3:00-4:15 – Panel 4: Beyond Guns–Bruen’s Ripple Effect on Other Constitutional Rights
Moderator: Professor David Han
Panelists:
- Professor Brittney Lane Kubisch
- Professor Francesca Procaccini
- Professor Adam Winkler
4:15-4:30 – Closing and Thanks