Judge Anthony Johnstone will visit the UChicago American Constitution Society chapter for a discussion covering his career, his academic focuses, and current topics in constitutional law.
Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation
This event will feature Zaakir Tameez for a discussion of his new book, Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation. Mr. Tameez will appear via Zoom and a link will be made available in addition to the option of in-person attendance at the University of Nebraska College of Law.
ACS North Carolina: State of the Union: Networking Mixer
Please join the ACS North Carolina Lawyer Chapter for a networking mixer. We are also excited to announce that ACS Director of Strategic Engagement Thea Cohen will be in attendance. All are welcome!
Featuring:
Thea Cohen, Director of Strategic Engagement, American Constitution Society
Shaping the Courts: A Fireside Chat with Paige Herwig
Join ACS on November 5th for a fireside chat with Paige Herwig, the chief architect of the Biden Administration’s historic effort to build a more representative federal bench. As Senior Counsel in the White House Counsel’s Office, Herwig oversaw the vetting, nomination, and confirmation of 235 federal judges. Under her leadership, the Administration prioritized appointing judges whose perspectives and experiences have long been underrepresented in the federal judiciary–leading to record numbers of Black, Latinx, Asian American, women, and LGBTQ+ judges, as well as public defenders, civil rights attorneys, labor lawyers, and other public interest practitioners. These appointments stand among President Biden’s most distinctive and transformative legacies, reshaping the federal judiciary and creating new pathways for progressive jurisprudence. And now, these judges serve as a crucial bulwark against Executive Branch overreach.
This conversation will explore the mechanics and politics of the judicial nominations process, draw lessons from Herwig’s experience in both the Obama and Biden Administrations, and reflect on the broader project of building a judiciary that reflects the nation it serves, strengthens the rule of law, and advances dignity.
Co-sponsored with Law & Political Economy (LPE) and WSL+
Politics and the DOJ: Threats to Institutional Independence and Integrity
ACS will host former prosecutor, J.P. Cooney, for a conversation on the politicization of the Department of Justice. J.P. was a career prosecutor in the Department, and during this event, he will speak about his experience there, both before and after President Trump as well as compare his experiences during President Trump's first term and his second. Additionally, he will speak broadly about the consequences on the law of allowing politics into the DOJ, using the recent resignations and indictments as case studies.
First Amendment & Immigration Discussion
We will be co-sponsoring an event with Immigration Law Association at Akron Law. The event will focus on recent issues involving the First Amendment and immigration consequences such as the renovation of immigration benefits for student protests. The speaker will be Sarah McLaughlin, FIRE's senior scholar on global expression.