Congratulations to Fanaaka Chidakwa, who successfully defended his SJD candidacy. Fanaaka's research focuses on how advances in AI are reshaping international humanitarian law. His dissertation interrogates concepts such as perfidy. I look forward to seeing how Fanaaka continues to develop this work. Photo: with Fanaaka's supervisor, Professor Ido Kilovaty, peers who came to support him, as well as my colleagues Professor Amy C. Gaudion and Lindsey Kurtz, who joined me as committee members for Fanaaka's oral defense.

What an extraordinary few days at the 33rd Annual Emily C. and John E. Hansen IP Institute Intellectual Property Law & Policy Conference at Fordham Law School, co-organized with Penn State Dickinson Law's Intellectual Property and Innovation Initiative. This year’s conference was the largest yet: 31 panels and more than 500 registrants from around the world. But what made it truly special was not the scale alone. It was the community, the culture, and the continuity of Founding Director Professor Hugh Hansen's vision of gathering the intellectual property and technology communities to "learn, debate, and have fun." We welcomed judges, scholars, practitioners, policymakers, industry leaders, and students from across jurisdictions and disciplines. At a moment when the legal and geopolitical landscape is increasingly fraught, gatherings like these matter even more. As Margaret Mead put it, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Thank you to our moderators, panelists, sponsors, institutional partners, staff, volunteers, and everyone who traveled from near and far to make this gathering possible. And thank you to everyone who joined us in New York. It was a privilege to spend these days with you. Website link: https://fordhamipinstitute.com/program/2026-33rd-annual-ip-conference/

Few careers embody the law’s highest aspirations as fully as my former colleague, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law Professor Michael Seng. Mike joined me recently for Penn State Dickinson Law’s Profiles in Leadership series. From his work with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund during the civil rights era, to litigation that reached the Supreme Court of the United States, to decades of leadership in fair housing, restorative justice, and comparative rule-of-law initiatives, His life’s work reminds us that law is, at its best, a vehicle for human dignity. His continuity of purpose through every chapter of his career is remarkable: civil rights advocacy in Mississippi and Cairo, Illinois; the creation of pioneering fair housing programs in Chicago; long-standing rule-of-law partnerships with the Masaryk University in the Czech Republic; and his enduring commitment to educating generations of students. Whether in civil rights work, fair housing, or restorative justice, Mike underscored that meaningful legal change begins with understanding the lived experiences of those most affected. His career is a reminder that the law is not only about rules and institutions, but about hope, service, and the steady work of building a more just society. Grateful for his wisdom, example, and lifelong commitment to justice. Episode link: https://youtu.be/icMxrkuFqpU Past episodes: https://dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/profiles-in-leadership