You are invited to the National Space Society Space Forum
Thursday, April 22, 2021, 9:00 to 10:15 PM EDT
New Perspectives on Filling the Gaps in Space Law to Support Future Communities in Space

Register today to reserve your seat and to submit your questions.

With special guests:

Join NSS President Michelle Hanlon as she hosts a panel of young lawyers discussing how to fill the gaps in international space law to support the development of sustainable and successful human communities in space. Today, as we lay the foundation for our evolution into a multiplanetary species, it is more important than ever to assure the proper balance between regulation and development. Hanlon, who is a professor of space law at the University of Mississippi School of Law will provide a brief introduction to space law. The panelists, Laura Brady, Bailey Cunningham, AJ Link, Christiana Paissios and Sam Thorpe will share their thoughts on how to address issues of space debris, heritage protection, human rights, commercial activity and the delimitation of space within the current legal and policy framework. Bring your questions!

Biographies:

Michelle Hanlon, elected NSS President for 2021 to 2023, was Chair of the NSS International Committee and a member of the NSS Policy Committee. Michelle is a Co-Director of the Center for Air and Space Law and an instructor of aviation and space law at the University of Mississippi School of Law. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Space Law, the oldest Journal in the world devoted to analyzing the legal problems arising out of human activities in space.  Michelle received her B.A. in Political Science from Yale College, her J.D. magna cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center, and her LL.M in Air and Space Law from McGill University. Prior to focusing on space law, Michelle was engaged in a private business law practice. Michelle is a Co-Founder and the President of For All Moonkind, Inc., a nonprofit corporation that is the only organization in the world focused on protecting human cultural heritage in outer space.

Laura Brady is a third-year law student at the University of Mississippi School of Law where she is part of the Space Law Concentration Program.  She worked as a legal fellow for the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee and is currently a legal intern for NASA Kennedy Space Center. Laura served as the philanthropy chairperson and currently serves as the secretary for the Ole Miss Air and Space Law Society. She has worked as a student editor for the Journal of Space Law and is active in Phi Alpha Delta. She also coaches high school cross country and track. Laura considers herself an avid runner and a space enthusiast.

Bailey Cunningham is a third-year law student at Florida State University. Prior to law school, Bailey attended the University of South Florida for her undergraduate degree, where she majored in Political Science and minored in both Astronomy and Intelligence Studies. At FSU Law, Bailey is an Executive Editor for Business Review, and the Vice President of Space for the Aviation and Space Law Society.

Bailey is currently a legal intern at NASA Headquarters for the Office of the General Counsel in the International Law Practice Group. Additionally, Bailey volunteers with For All Moonkind and serves as the Space Law Project Manager. Through this organization, Bailey has presented at the United Nations Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on the importance of preservation and sustainable practices in returning to the moon. Bailey also serves as the Vice-Chair for the NSS International Committee.

AJ Link received his JD from The George Washington University Law School. His studies focused extensively on disability law, international human rights, and space law. AJ has been actively involved with disability advocacy in the Washington, DC area and nationally within the United States. While at GW, he chaired the Diversity and Inclusion Assembly for the Student Association and the Student Life Committee. He also founded the Atypical Student Society, a student organization for neurodiverse and disabled law students, at the law school and served as its inaugural president. AJ was the president of the GW Law Space Law Society and co-chaired the Student Affinity Group Enterprise.

AJ was awarded the Michael Dillon Cooley Memorial Award by his graduating class for his compassion and humanity in serving his fellow students. He serves on several advisory boards that focus on disability advocacy and justice. AJ is openly autistic and was a 2020 Disability:IN NextGen Leader. AJ is currently pursuing an LL.M in Space Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law, while also chairing The Center for Air and Space Law Task Force on Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Aerospace and a Senior Editor of the Journal of Space Law. He works as a research director for the Jus Ad Astra project and serves as co-president of the National Disabled Law Students Association, which he co-founded.

Christiana Paissios is a second-year law student at the University of Mississippi. She is a Greek-American from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and double-majored in Anthropology and Political Science from the University of California, Irvine. Christiana is interested in Drone and Air Law while working to complete the Business Law concentration. She is the President of the LatinX Law Student Association, Director of Student Affairs for the Graduate Student Council and a Staff Editor for the Journal of Space Law.

Samuel Thorpe is a second-year law student at the University of Mississippi School of Law where he focuses his studies in Air and Space Law. Sam takes part in many extracurricular activities that focus on Air and Space Law. Recently Sam has become President of the Ole Miss Air and Space Law Society and a Senior Editor on the Journal of Space Law. Sam’s infatuation with space started as child when his parents would wake him up to watch shuttle launches from his front yard in Orlando, Florida. Sam rediscovered his love for space at the University of Central Florida in Professor Robert Bledsoe’s Space Law class. Sam hopes to publish his thoughts on the creation of space infrastructure, colonization, and mining before he graduates with his J.D. from the University of Mississippi.

Register today to reserve your seat and to submit your questions.

Register no later than April 22 at 8 pm EDT

Note: If you have difficulty registering, send an email to [email protected].