The John Marshall Law Journal at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) sponsored a faculty presentation on campus featuring Professor Margie Alsbrook of the Mercer University School of Law faculty. Professor Alsbrook visited AJMLS as part of the Faculty Scholars’ Exchange Program, marking the first time the program has been hosted on campus in ten years. The event took place on Thursday, February 26, 2026 in the G. Alan Blackburn Courtroom, with the AJMLS faculty and members of the Law Journal present.
Professor Alsbrook presented her paper, A Right to Farm But No Right to Food, which explores the tension between state right to farm laws and the broader question of whether there is a legally recognized right to food. Her scholarship examines how agricultural protection statutes, often designed to shield farming operations from nuisance claims and local regulation, may not address issues of food access, equity, or food insecurity. The paper considers how legal frameworks shape food systems and evaluates whether existing protections for agricultural producers align with the needs of communities seeking reliable access to nutritious food. Her work on this subject has already received significant recognition, including the Board of Visitors Scholarship Award at Mercer.
Professor Alsbrook’s visit also reflects a renewed commitment to fostering scholarly dialogue between institutions. From 2007 through 2015, AJMLS regularly hosted faculty exchanges, creating opportunities for professors and students to engage with emerging legal scholarship. The return of the Faculty Scholars’ Exchange Program continues that tradition and supports the development of a strong academic community on campus. Editorial Board members and Line Editors of the Law Journal were invited to attend as part of the Journal’s ongoing efforts to encourage thoughtful discussion and collaboration.
In addition, Professor Suparna Malempati will serve as AJMLS’s Faculty Exchange Scholar to Mercer University School of Law this spring, further strengthening the academic partnership between the two institutions.
