Join the ACS New York Lawyer Chapter, the Leitner Center for International Law & Justice, and ACS Fordham Law School Student Chapter for a discussion on the First Amendment Right. A number of U.S. states and the federal government have taken actions and enacted legislation to restrict rights protected by the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Such restrictions include book bans, censorship of speech in educational settings, libraries, museums and private corporations, restrictions on press access, penalizing lawful dissent and protest, and more. Our distinguished speakers will discuss ongoing infringements of these 1st Amendment guarantees, and the legal challenges and advocacy their organizations are undertaking to counter these infringements.
Featuring:
Carey Dunne, Founder and Chair, Free + Fair Litigation Group
Elly Brinkley, Staff Attorney, U.S. Free Expression Programs, PEN America
Moderator:
Jeanmarie Fenrich, CSR Program Director, Leitner Center for International Law & Justice, Fordham University School of Law
Register here!
To attend virtually, register here!
Professor Paul Koster is giving a presentation on the rule of law. This event explores the relationship between the rule of law and the pursuit of justice, inviting participants to examine when actions that may violate existing laws either undermine or further the rule of law. Using historical and contemporary case studies—including the May Day protests of 1971, the January 6, 2021 Capitol events, and the legal controversies surrounding sanctuary jurisdictions—attendees will analyze foundational principles of the rule of law such as independence, equality, transparency, fairness, human dignity, and due process. Through guided reflections and discussion, participants will consider distinctions between rightful civil disobedience and wrongful lawlessness, and between permissible governmental discretion and abuse of power. The event encourages participants to critically engage with how legal actors and citizens can act to support or challenge the rule of law, fostering skills, knowledge, and values that emphasize justice, ethical responsibility, and principled legal practice.
From detaining student protesters to threatening to deport rival politicians, President Trump has weaponized the immigration system to suppress dissent. In this event, Professor Alina Das and advocate Ramya Krishnan will discuss how these attacks chill speech across the board, examine the unique challenges of defending free speech in the immigration context and describe how lawyers can resist efforts to silence non-citizens and citizens alike.
Featuring:
Alina Das, James Weldon Johnson Professor and co-director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic at New York University
Ramya Krishnan, senior staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute and a lecturer in law at Columbia Law School
Taonga Leslie, Director of Policy and Program for Racial Justice, American Constitution Society
The American Constitution Society is pending approval as a State Bar of California CLE provider. Upon approval, this event will be worth 1.0 hours of California MCLE credit. Click here for the CLE Documentation, CA MCLE Cert. of Attendance, Non-CA CLE Cert. of Attendance, Evaluation Form, and CLE Attendance Verification form.
ACS will host Rachel Cohen, former BigLaw associate who quit when her firm accepted the terms that President Trump set to avoid becoming the target of an Executive Order. She will discuss how she saw her big law firm change from before to after President Trump's challenges to the rule of law. Professor Rudy Monterrosa, founder of a small immigration law firm and public defender, will moderate a fireside chat, providing his perspective on President Trump's challenges from the small firm and public perspectives.
General meeting and introduction for new members. Give a broad overview of who we are and what we do to the student population. Take requests and ideas for events that students might be interested in.
ACS LA and Veterans Law Society at UCLA will host Yale Law School Professor Eugene R. Fidell to discuss the U.S. military's recent strikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and the Pacific. The discussion will focus on the legal justifications, consequences, and implications of these acts.
