Dru Stevenson, Professor of Law

Webinar Attendance: June 2, 2026 Today I attended the live webinar " Place Matters: How Neighborhoods Shape Patterns of Gun Violence ," hosted by the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium at the Rockefeller Institute of Government . Core Tracking Data Event Source: Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium (Rockefeller Institute of Government) Panelists: Bryce Hruska (Syracuse University), Margaret Formica, and Jaclyn Schildkraut Focus Area: How the built environment and local infrastructure changes—specifically the ongoing I-81 Viaduct Project in Syracuse, New York—intersect with gun violence risks and prevention strategies. Participation: I participated in the live session, where the panelists addressed two policy and infrastructure questions I submitted during the Q&A. I asked how this research overlapped or differed from Jens Ludwig's "Unforgiving Places" model, which was focused on Chicago, not Syracuse. The panelists were unfamiliar with this...

A brief record of my participation in the April 23, 2026 ABA CLE on SB 1362 and Anti‑ERPO laws, including strategic context, subject‑matter highlights, and metadata for indexing. Overview of Professional Activity On April 23, 2026, I participated in the American Bar Association (ABA) national webinar and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program titled " SB 1362 and the Concerning Rise of Anti-ERPO Laws ." This event addressed the critical intersection of state-level preemption statutes and federal constitutional standards regarding Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs).  Law Professor Dru Stevenson’s LinkedIn announcement for the ABA CLE event "SB 1362 and the Concerning Rise of Anti-ERPO Laws," emphasizing the strategic shift toward legal community outreach. A presentation slide from the April 23, 2026, ABA webinar, outlining the legal framework of ERPOs, preemption statutes, and a technical deep dive into Texas SB 1362. Strategic Evolution of the CLE Strategy Th...

On April 22, 2026, I participated in a virtual discourse hosted by Jennifer Mascia of The Trace , featuring Mark Barden (Co‑Founder of Sandy Hook Promise) and filmmaker Josh Seftel . The session focused on Seftel’s documentary All the Empty Rooms and the broader sociological impact of firearm‑related trauma in the United States. It was especially valuable to hear Seftel describe how he selected this project and approached its development and production. Mark Barden’s perspective—as a parent who lost a child in a school shooting—added a level of moral clarity and lived experience that is often missing from policy debates. His discussion of Sandy Hook Promise’s most impactful initiatives underscored the importance of sustained, evidence‑informed advocacy. Narrative evidence of the kind presented in the film provides a qualitative counterweight to the quantitative data typically used in administrative rulemaking or legislative testimony on firearm policy. It also serves as a rea...

Source: Jiru, G. B., & Worrall, J. L. (2026). Disaggregating enforcement: Evidence on certainty, severity, and firearm homicide under the ATF zero tolerance policy. Journal of Criminal Justice, 104, 102643. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2026.102643 Which violence-prevention policies actually "work," or are most effective for reducing gun violence? Here is a fascinating new study about the Biden-era crackdown on gun dealers. Warning letters and expectation of inspections reduced gun violence; severe sanctions like FFL revocation, not so much. For those of us advocating for safer gun laws, a new study in the Journal of Criminal Justice (Jiru & Worrall, 2026) offers a critical piece of evidence-based strategy. The researchers analyzed the impact of federal enforcement on firearm homicides, and the results are revelatory for our policy agendas. The article is  Disaggregating Enforcement: Evidence on Certainty, Severity, and Firearm Homicide Under the ATF Zero Toler...

Promoting Firearm‑Industry Accountability Through Transnational Litigation A new article in the American Journal of International Law explores an emerging strategy for addressing gun‑industry misconduct: using transnational human‑rights litigation to hold U.S. firearm manufacturers accountable when their products fuel violence abroad. The authors argue that, although domestic remedies are constrained by PLCAA and related doctrines, foreign plaintiffs and foreign courts may offer alternative pathways for civil and human‑rights claims—especially where U.S.‑made weapons contribute to abuses in other countries. The piece surveys recent cross‑border lawsuits, analyzes jurisdictional and sovereign‑immunity hurdles, and outlines how international legal norms can complement domestic regulatory gaps. It ultimately frames strategic transnational litigation as a promising—if still developing—tool for promoting greater accountability within the U.S. gun industry. Full article: https://...

  Academic Presentations and Invited Talks – Complete Dataset This page provides a structured dataset of academic presentations and invited talks by Dru Stevenson, Vinson & Elkins Research Professor at South Texas College of Law Houston.  Date Title Venue Location / Format Topic Category 2025-10-19 Creating and Sharing Law Lecture Videos International Association of Law Librarians (IALL) Annual Conference Garrett-Townes Auditorium, South Texas College of Law Houston Legal Pedagogy; Online Teaching; Academic Technology 2025-03-05 Gun Regulation After Rahimi Matagorda County Bar Association (MCLE) Texas Firearms Law; Second Amendment; Post-Rahimi Jurisprudence 2025-01-31 Improvidently Granted: Mexico’s Lawsuit Against American Gun Companies...