On March 24, 2026, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) Professor Suparna Malempati visited Mercer University School of Law to present her latest law review article to faculty through the Faculty Scholars’ Exchange Program. The program was organized by AJMLS Professor Jeffrey A. Van Detta and Mercer University School of Law Professor Scott Titshaw.
Earlier this year, AJMLS welcomed Mercer Professor Margie Alsbrook, who presented her work to faculty and the John Marshall Law Journal as part of the same exchange.
Professor Malempati’s paper offers a feminist critique of common marital and paternal naming practices, including the tradition of women adopting a husband’s surname at marriage and children receiving the father’s surname. The article examines the legal history and policy foundations behind these customs and proposes a specific reform.
The return of the Faculty Scholars’ Exchange Program reflects a renewed commitment to sustained collaboration between institutions and to scholarship that questions long-standing legal and cultural norms.
