April 30th Religion and the Law Symposium (Hosted by J. Reuben Clark Law Society, OC Chapter)

The J. Reuben Clark Law Society, Orange County Chapter, will host its 22nd Annual Religion and the Law Symposium on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Western State College of Law.

This year’s program features Professor William L. Saunders, who will present “Good News from the Swamp: The Constitution is Winning.” The discussion will focus on recent developments in religious liberty decisions, including trends emerging from the current U.S. Supreme Court.

Event Details

Date: Thursday, April 30, 2026

Location: Western State College of Law, 15101 Redhill Ave., Tustin, CA

Schedule:

• Check-in & Lunch: 11:30 a.m.
• Program: 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

MCLE Credit: 1.5 hours available

Admission:

• In Person (includes lunch): $25 advance / $35 at the door
• Via Zoom: $15 (MCLE credit) / Free to observe

Registration: Please click here to register

Contact: Jeffrey W. Shields (jeff@shieldslawoffices.com)

About the Speaker

Professor William L. Saunders is Chair Emeritus of the Federalist Society’s Religious Liberties Practice Group and Director of the Center for Human Rights at The Catholic University of America. He is a widely published scholar in religious liberty, bioethics, and human rights, and has authored numerous briefs in state, federal, and international courts.

May 1st The Citizenship Clause at a Crossroads: A Conversation with Professor John Eastman

Professor John Eastman, Senior Fellow at the Claremont Institute, former Dean at Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law, and one of the nation’s leading constitutional scholars, has been at the center of some of the most consequential debates in constitutional law. His scholarship and commentary often challenge prevailing interpretations of the Constitution’s text and original meaning, particularly in the areas of federalism, separation of powers, and citizenship.

In this lunchtime program hosted by the Orange County Federalist Society, Professor Eastman will lead a discussion on birthright citizenship in light of the pending Supreme Court case Trump v. Barbara. The case raises fundamental questions about the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause, who qualifies as “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States, and whether the current interpretation of automatic citizenship for children born to non-citizens on U.S. soil aligns with the Constitution’s original intent.

Please join us as Professor Eastman explores the historical foundations of the Citizenship Clause, the implications of Trump v. Barbara for immigration and constitutional law, and how this decision may reshape the boundaries of American citizenship for generations to come.

When: Friday, May 1, 2026 at 11:45 a.m. (registration), 12:00 Noon (lunch)

Where: 2nd Floor Conference Room, 2040 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Irvine, CA.

Cost: $30/members, $35/non-members, $20/students, for lunch and 1 hour of MCLE credit (the Federalist Society is a California State Bar approved provider of MCLE).

RSVP and Pay: To RSVP and pay by credit card, please visit the Federalist Society event page here.

To pay by cash or check at the door, please send an RSVP to Tim Kowal at OCFedSocPresident@gmail.com and make checks payable to “The Federalist Society.”

Please email us if you have any dietary concerns.

About the Speaker:

Dr. John Eastman is the former Henry Salvatori Professor of Law & Community Service and former Dean at Chapman University's Dale E. Fowler School of Law, where he had been a member of the faculty since 1999, specializing in Constitutional Law, Legal History, and Property. He is a founding director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, a public interest law firm affiliated with the Claremont Institute that he founded in 1999. He has a Ph.D. in Government from the Claremont Graduate School and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, and a B.A. in Politics and Economics from the University of Dallas. He serves as the Chairman of the Board of the National Organization for Marriage.

Prior to joining the Chapman law faculty, Dr. Eastman served as a law clerk to the Honorable Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States, and to the Honorable J. Michael Luttig, Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and practiced law with the national law firm of Kirkland & Ellis. Dr. Eastman has also represented numerous clients in important constitutional law matters and has argued before the Supreme Court. On behalf of the Claremont Institute Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, he has participated as amicus curiae before the Supreme Court of the United States, U.S. Courts of Appeals, and State Supreme Courts in more than one hundred cases of constitutional significance, including Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (the school vouchers case), Kelo v. New London, Ct. (eminent domain), and Van Orden v. Perry (the 10 Commandments case). He has also appeared as an expert legal commentator on numerous television and radio programs, including C-SPAN, Fox News, PBS, NewsHour, and The O'Reilly Factor.

April 15, 2025 — OC Federalist Mixer

The Orange County Federalist Society invites you to an OC Federalist Mixer, bringing together members of the legal community for an evening of networking and conversation.

This informal gathering offers a valuable opportunity to connect with attorneys, judges, legal scholars, and law students, while strengthening relationships across the broader Federalist Society community in Orange County.

Whether you are early in your legal career or a seasoned practitioner, this event provides an opportunity to:

• Build lasting professional relationships
• Exchange ideas across a diverse legal community
• Engage with the Federalist Society’s commitment to liberty, the rule of law, and constitutional governance

When: Wednesday, April 15, 2025 | 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Where: Hangar 24 Craft Brewing, Irvine, CA

Cost: Free to attend (food and drink available for purchase)

Please email us if you have any dietary concerns.

About the Event:

Join the Orange County Federalist Society for a relaxed mixer bringing together attorneys, judges, law students, and faculty. This event offers a meaningful opportunity to connect across experience levels, share perspectives, and build relationships within the legal community.

Federalist Society members, alumni, and guests are welcome.

Attire: Casual.