A Transformative Conversation on Criminal Justice Reform
THURSDAY, APRIL 24 ◾11:30 AM-1PM
University Park Library
Join us for an insightful talk on criminal justice reform with Professor Pamela Metzger, Executive Director of the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center at SMU Dedman School of Law. This event, part of our Catalyst Speaker Series, will explore the intersection of legal advocacy, research, and policy, with a focus on improving the criminal justice system.
The Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center works to advance reform by offering legal assistance to underserved communities and advocating for policies that ensure equal access to justice. By combining academic research, legal practice, and public policy advocacy, the Center aims to challenge and transform systems that disproportionately impact marginalized populations.
Aligned with the spirit of tikkun olam, NCJW Dallas is committed to creating a more just society. Our mission to promote equality and justice complements the Deason Center’s efforts to drive systemic change in the criminal legal system.
**Tickets include a buffet-style lunch with mini sandwiches, chips, cookies, brownies, and fresh fruit.
MEET OUR CATALYST: Professor Pamela Metzger
Professor Pamela Metzger is the Executive Director of the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center at SMU Dedman School of Law. She is a nationally recognized expert on the Sixth Amendment right to counsel, public defense, and criminal legal ethics, and her research focuses on combining theory and practice to improve our criminal legal system. Professor Metzger came to SMU in 2017 from Tulane University School of Law in New Orleans, where she taught for 16 years. From 2001 to 2008 she directed Tulane’s Criminal Litigation Clinic, becoming a leading voice in reforming the criminal justice system in Louisiana.
When Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, she fought tirelessly to help 8,000 indigent defendants left incarcerated without legal representation. Professor Metzger oversees the Deason Center’s independent research on the Sixth Amendment right to counsel, criminal legal systems in small, tribal, and rural (STAR) communities, prosecutorial discretion, and early-stage criminal procedure. She has helped secure millions of dollars in funding for the Deason Center to conduct innovative research and amplify compelling stories that promote criminal legal reform.
Professor Metzger’s work has appeared in publications such as the Yale Law Journal, George Washington Law Review, Vanderbilt Law Review, and Southern California Law Review, and has been cited by leading authorities and by the United States Supreme Court.
After receiving her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth and her J.D. from New York University School of Law, Professor Metzger served as an Assistant Federal Defender in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. She also worked in private criminal practice in New York City. She was also a visiting law professor at Washington and Lee University, where she directed the Alderson Legal Clinic for Women in Prison.
KEY DISCUSSION TOPICS
• The Role of the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center: Learn how the Center is working to ensure that the criminal justice system serves everyone fairly, with a particular focus on public defense and the Sixth Amendment right to counsel.
• Intersection of Research and Policy: Understand how research integrates theory and practice to influence policy change, especially in areas where the criminal justice system often fails to provide equitable outcomes for all individuals.
• Advocacy and Impact: Find out how evidence-based advocacy and legal research can drive systemic change in criminal justice practices, from local communities to national reform efforts.