On October 4, 2025, law and society scholars from the east coast region of the United States gathered at Ramapo College of New Jersey for the first Mid-Atlantic Law & Society Association (MALSA) conference in nearly ten years. Sponsored by the Law and Society Association Advance Grant Program and the Consortium of Undergraduate Law and Justice Programs, the free event featured 30 presentations on contemporary sociolegal issues.
One of the standout sessions of the day was a professional development panel, “Novel Approaches to Teaching Law and Society at the Undergraduate Level.” During the panel, participants shared multiple creative classroom presentations before exchanging observations about AI’s impact on critical reading and writing skill development among their students. New York University Professor Christine B. Harrington’s keynote address, “Gender Wars: What’s Law Got to Do with It?” reflected ongoing concerns about rule of law and diversity, equity, and inclusion in the United States.
Speakers and audience members engaged in meaningful conversations at each presentation, highlighting just how much the MALSA conference had been missed. The small, regional affair allowed undergraduates and other young scholars to learn about academic research presentations in an intimate, less overwhelming setting, while reminding all attendees about the depth and range of law and society research happening in their backyards. Invigorated by the successful meeting and determined not to let another ten years slip by, Ramapo Professors Atieh Babakhani, Sangha Padhy, and their fellow organizers intend to make the conference an annual occurrence. By meeting every year, the region’s sociolegal scholars will be able to cultivate and maintain fruitful networks of intellectual connection and academic support.