Friday, September 25, 2026
8:45 a.m.–4:45 p.m.
| MCLE Credit: | 5.5 (anticipated) |
| Live-Interactive Credit: | 5.5 (anticipated) |
Celebrate America’s 250th and join us for a full day of engaging CLE exploring the Commonwealth’s contributions to constitutional history. Be inspired by opening remarks from Carly Fiorina, national honorary chair of the Virginia 250 Commission, a keynote by the Honorable William C. Mims, senior justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, and other outstanding faculty.
PLEASE NOTE: This seminar is not eligible for Virginia CLE discounts, and Virginia CLE Online Bundle credits and Unlimited Online Passes may NOT be used to register for this program.
In honor of the United States’ 250th anniversary and Virginia’s foundational role in shaping American constitutionalism, the Constitutional Law Institute gathers legal leaders, scholars, historians, educators, students, and the general public to examine the Commonwealth’s contributions to constitutional history and Virginia’s ongoing work in building a “more perfect union.”
Presented in partnership by the Virginia Law Foundation and George Washington’s Mount Vernon, this full day of CLE will explore Virginia’s constitutional legacy, its central role in civil rights litigation, gender equality under the Constitution, and the foundations of colonial Virginia law. The Institute will begin with welcome remarks by Carly Fiorina, national honorary chair of the Virginia 250 Commission. As a former Fortune 50 CEO, passionate civics advocate, and 2016 presidential candidate, her address will underscore the significance of the year and will be followed by a keynote by the Honorable William C. Mims, senior justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Those participating are also invited to attend Mount Vernon’s Founding Debates series on September 24. At this public program, legal scholars Dr. Mary Sarah Bilder, professor at Boston College Law School, and Sarah Isgur, editor of SCOTUSblog and a legal analyst for ABC News, will explore Virginia’s central role in shaping the nation’s founding. To attend, please register separately at this link.
If you have a disability that requires special accommodation, please contact Virginia CLE well in advance of the program date.
| Webcast: | 10 minutes prior to the seminar. If you register for a webcast the day of the seminar, your e-mail receipt will include a link to launch the seminar and download the materials. |
| Live on Site: | Online registration ends at 11:59 p.m. the day preceding the seminar Walk-in registration is permitted on a space-available basis |
Cancellation Policy: Cancellation/transfer requests will be honored until 5:00 p.m. the day preceding the seminar. You will, however, be charged $90 if you cancel or transfer your registration to a different seminar after the link to the materials has been e-mailed by Virginia CLE.
Full refunds or transfers are available up to two days after a webcast in the unlikely event that you experience technical difficulties.
Dietary Restrictions: If you have dietary restrictions and are attending the seminar in person, please email deanna.mcglothlin@vacle.org.
MCLE Credit Caveat: The MCLE Board measures credits by the time you spend in attendance. If you enter a seminar late or leave it early, or both, you must reflect those adjustments accurately in the credits you report on your credit reporting form. A code will be given at the end of the seminar, which must be written on your MCLE form.
Private recording of this program is prohibited.
E-mail distance_ed@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program is made available as an online or USB seminar.
E-mail publications@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program’s seminar materials are made available for sale.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2026
7:00 pm | Founding Debates Speaker Series
Free and open to the public, but advanced registration is required. Sign up to attend at this link.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2026
8:00 am | Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:45 am | Opening Ceremony – Virginia and the Constitution: A 250-Year Legacy
9:45 am | From Madison to Marshall: Virginia’s Constitutional Impact (90 minutes)
James Madison and John Marshall, two of Virginia’s early leaders, set the foundation for American law and governance. This panel will explore how their ideas continue to resonate today, connecting Virginia’s role in shaping our constitutional history with the present-day challenges.
11:15 am | Coffee Break
11:30 am | Virginia: Ground Zero for Civil Rights Litigation – Then and Now (90 minutes)
From the doctrines of Separate but Equal and Massive Resistance to its role in landmark court rulings and legislative reforms, Virginia has stood at the forefront of America’s civil rights struggles. This panel discussion will trace the Commonwealth’s pivotal role in shaping civil rights law – past and present – highlighting key cases, legislation, and ongoing debates on issues including education, voting rights, marriage equality and free expression
1:00 pm | Lunch and Networking
2:00 pm | Gender Equality in Virginia: The Constitution, Equal Protection, and the Courts (90 minutes)
This session will examine the evolving legal landscape of gender equality in Virginia, focusing on constitutional principles, equal protection jurisprudence, and the role of courts in shaping rights and remedies, focusing on how gender equality continues to be litigated and interpreted in the Commonwealth and helps to shape the larger, national conversation.
3:30 pm | Coffee Break
3:45 pm | Looking Back to Look Ahead: How Virginia’s Legal Past Informs How Lawyers in the Commonwealth Address Emerging Legal Issues (60 minutes)
This panel examines Virginia’s legal history as a practical “pattern-recognition” tool to spot what is emerging now and what is likely to become a recurring challenge for practitioners across the Commonwealth.
4:45 pm | Adjournment
Professor Jamie Abrams, Washington College of Law at American University / Washington, DC
Dan Alban, Institute for Justice / Arlington
Dr. Douglas Bradburn, George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Patrick Campbell, James Madison’s Montpelier / Orange
Victor O. Cardwell, Woods Rogers / Roanoke
Professor Henry L. Chambers, University of Richmond School of Law / Richmond
Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky, George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon / Mount Vernon
Llezelle Agustin Dugger, Charlottesville Circuit Court / Charlottesville
Carly Fiorina, Virginia 250 Commission / Lorton
David J. Gogal, Blankingship & Keith, PC / Fairfax
Professor Risa L. Goluboff, University of Virginia School of Law / Charlottesville
Brigadier General (Ret.) Alison Martin, Virginia Law Foundation / Charlottesville
The Honorable Stephen R. McCullough, Supreme Court of Virginia / Richmond
The Honorable William C. Mims (Ret.), Supreme Court of Virginia / Newport News
Dr. Mark Peterson, Yale University / New Haven, CT
The Honorable Stuart Raphael, Court of Appeals of Virginia / Arlington
The Honorable Jane Marum Roush (Ret.), The McCammon Group / Arlington
Professor Jonathan K. Stubbs, University of Richmond School of Law / Richmond
Professor G. Edward White, University of Virginia School of Law / Charlottesville
In this historic anniversary year, the Virginia Law Foundation celebrates and reaffirms the principles that have guided our nation since its founding—the same principles that steer our mission. By examining the vital foundation of our legal system, the Constitutional Law Institute equips attorneys with the knowledge, judgment, and perspective required to meet the legal challenges of a new millennium.
Your gift of $250 (or more!) honors this milestone and continues the ever-ongoing work of our mission to form a more perfect union and a more just Virginia. More than supporting a single program, your generosity strengthens the Rule of Law by energizing the leaders who carry these enduring principles into courtrooms, classrooms, and communities.
