Empowering Communities: Maximizing Access and Opportunity 2026

Opportunity for every client

When policies shift or protections are weakened, the people who feel it first are often those whose rights, identities, or resources are under scrutiny. Whether your clients are families striving to meet basic needs, employers, individual employees, or communities seeking representation, informed, responsive advocacy can make all the difference.

Empowering Communities: Maximizing Access and Opportunity brings together practitioners who work daily on the front lines of equity and inclusion. Explore the intersections of immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, and special needs law, and gain a clearer view of how federal and state developments are shaping what’s possible for your clients.

You’ll learn how to:

• Identify recent shifts in U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policy and practice
• Evaluate the impact of immigration enforcement expansion and detention trends on case strategy
• Recognize how key rulings—from Obergefell to Skrmetti—influence future litigation over LGBTQ+ rights
• Understand the ripple effects of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on constitutional protections outside the scope of abortion
• Assess developments in special needs law and public benefit eligibility

With additional insights on government assistance programs and evolving eligibility rules, this program provides a comprehensive update on how lawyers can help clients bridge the divide between access and advocacy.

Strengthen your understanding, sharpen your advocacy, and help clients find justice with Empowering Communities Maximizing Access and Opportunity.