The Law of Life Summit is an annual conference held each year in Washington, D.C., on the eve of the annual March for Life. Founded in 2011, the first Summit was produced in 2012. Over the years speakers have included numerous pro-life leaders, attorneys, members of the media and activists. Past speakers include: Nellie Gray, Father Michael Orsi, Kristan Hawkins, Lila Rose, Jeanne Mancini, Abby Johnson, Reggie Littlejohn, Ryan Bomberger, Samuel Casey, Tom Brejcha, Ann, Joe and Eric Scheidler, Rep. Dan Lipinski, Nick Loeb, Casey Mattox, Bishop Paprocki, David Daleiden, Peter Breen, Rebecca Keissling, Lauren Muzyka, Janet Morana, Tom McClusky, and numerous others.
In 2023 the Summit expanded from an annual event to also include regional events such as the Naples Pro-Life Summit. Read the history below:
Brief History
2011. After attending several March for Life’s, then law student Royce Hood asked a question: How can we get people marching together all year long and not just one day per year? Having promoted numerous events from concerts to fundraisers Hood decided to organize a pro-life conference that would focus on the law and media. Shortly after Hood read an article about a Lt. Col. who happened to be a PhD in atomic physics who was organizing teams to run in pro-life marathons across the Country. Hood reached out and Dr. Pat Castle agreed to join the effort to produce the first Law of Life Summit.
2012. In January of 2012 the Inaugural Law of Life Summit was held in at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on the day before the national March for Life. Nellie Gray, founder of the March for Life graced the inaugural Law of Life Summit with a moving speech. Nellie was a lawyer in addition to being an activist. She was intrigued by the idea of cultivating the future lawyers and leaders of the pro-life movement through conference like the Law of Life Summit. Additional speakers included attorney Stuart Nolan from the Legal Works Apostolate, John-Henry Westen from Life Site News, Fr. Frank Pavone from Priests for Life and numerous other leaders and lawyers.
2013 through 2015. San Francisco, Naples and Washington, D.C. The Law of Life Summit was subsequently held in several locations including Naples, Florida in conjunction with the anniversary of the death of Terri Schiavo. Bobby Schindler along with Kristen Hawkins from Students for Life participated the Naples Summit held at the Ave Maria School of Law. Several Summits were also produced in conjunction with the West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco.
2015 to 2019. The Law of Life Summit continues to grow in prominence as an annual forum for pro-life leaders to share their work.
2020. The year of COVID-19. 2020 included the annual Law of Life Summit in Washington, D.C. In addition the first virtual mini-Summit’s were launched throughout the year and coincided with unprecedented shut downs of churches, lockdowns and other events associated with COVID-19 and political unrest.
2021. The Annual Law of Life Summit – due to COVID-19 restrictions was held virtually for the first time on January 28.
2022. The Annual Law of Life Summit was held in Washington, D.C., on January 20. With the decision by the United States Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, 2022 was a big year for the Summit which saw the first ever two-day Summit hosted in Schaumburg July 27 through the 28. The Schaumburg Summit was the first major gathering of pro-life leaders after the Dobbs decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
2023. The Annual Law of Life Summit was held in Washington, D.C., plus the first ever Naples Pro-Life Summit – leadership retreat, was hosted in Naples, Florida. The Naples Summit is a leadership retreat and conference which is poised to become THE national pro-life retreat for leaders and advocates. The Naples Summit showcases local pro-life resources with national strategy. In addition participants are invited to attend excursions for team building, fellowship and community service. A Kansas City Summit and Retreat will follow. Last, a mini Law of Life Summit is also in the works for North Dakota.
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