4/29/2025

The greater Delaware law community recently gathered to engage in conversations about the universal, inherent, and inalienable rights of humanity at the Dignity Law Summit: Education and Advocacy.

The summit was hosted by the Delaware Law School’s Dignity Law Institute, the only law school program in the country dedicated to the legal right to live with dignity, and was co-sponsored by People-to-People Delaware, a nonprofit that aims to enhance international understanding and friendship through educational, cultural and humanitarian activities involving the exchange of ideas and experiences directly among diverse cultures.

Across eight engaging hours, over a dozen panelists and countless attendees shared insightful dialogue, bridging past experiences with forward-thinking ideas. Guest speakers represented organizations including:

• The ACLU of Delaware
• The Women’s Law Project
• The Guttmacher Institute
• The Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University
• HELP: MLP, a medical-legal partnership
• The Inside-Out program

Key highlights from the event focused on integrating dignity into policymaking and exploring its definition.

Alicia Kelly, vice dean for academic affairs and distinguished professor of law at Delaware Law School, was among the faculty who contributed to the daylong event. During her panel discussion, Kelly suggested an approach to finding common ground in the concept.

"If we peel away some of the meaning of the umbrella term, our wellness as people is grounded in our dignity,” Kelly said.

Future lawyers will play a crucial role in ensuring dignity remains at the core of legal practice. Student panelists, moderated by Associate Professor Geeta Tewari, offered thoughtful and inspiring reflections on their experiences with dignity.

Leah Ferro, a third-year law student, discussed the connection between her experiences with dignity and her approach to legal practice.

“Before entering law school, I was involved in competitive ballet. If you didn’t lose weight fast enough after having a baby, you could be fired. If you joined the union, you could be fired. I didn’t think about this as interfering with my basic rights at the time but now I do,” Ferro said.

Fellow third-year law student Victor Urbaez explained how his approach to making a difference is rooted in spreading understanding.

“What's the point of having an expensive law degree just to hoard knowledge and gatekeep it to the ones that can afford it? Through everyday interactions with my neighbors, if there's an opportunity to share my legal knowledge in order to better serve the community, then I won't hesitate to do so, try and be a part of the solution, and stand up for the dignity of oppressed folks all around the world,” Urbaez said.

Erin Daly, professor emerita at Delaware Law and the director of the Dignity Rights Clinic and Dignity Rights Institute, posed a question to all at the event--what does dignity mean to you? Daly has dedicated her career as a dignity rights advocate both in and out of the classroom. Her work with the students at the Dignity Rights Clinic led to the publication of a comprehensive guide on dignity in the criminal legal system. Daly noted that in her global research, regardless of political affiliation, socioeconomic background, or geographic location, there is a common core set of words people use to describe the concept.

Through her remarks, Daly underscored the deep commitment behind Delaware Law's dignity rights initiatives and its wider impact.

“We see dignity in its absence but also in our strengths. It's how we experience our sense of self. Protecting dignity brings us closer to justice,” Daly said.

Delaware Law School’s Dignity Rights Clinic.

Erin Daly wraps up the day by leading a thoughtful round table discussion in the Vale Moot Court Room.

Moderated by Professor Geeta Kohli Tewari, students Annie Sanker, Leah Ferro, Victor Urbaez, and Mimi Nielsen share their insights during a lunch panel discussion at the Barristers’ Club.