This series brings together noted figures in the world of law – lawyers, professors, journalists, and activists – to join in dialogue about their lives in the law along with how their work bears on some of the most controversial issues of our time. Ronald Collins, a retired law professor and the Library’s first Distinguished Lecturer, will host the series including conducting interviews and inviting dialogue. The series is meant for laypersons and specialists alike. Audience participation by way of questions and comments is welcome and encouraged.

Schedule to date:
Thursday, January 21 | Stanley Goldman: The Lingering Effects of the Holocaust
Monday, January 25 | David Cole: The Future of Civil Rights & Civil Liberties in the Roberts Court
Monday, February 1 | Amy Howe: SCOTUSblog and the Supreme Court
Monday, February 8  | Floyd Abrams: The Life of a First Amendment Lawyer
Monday, February 15 |  Laurence Tribe: Friend of the Court
Wednesday, February 17 | Richard Hasen: A Post-Mortem on the 2020 Elections and the Way Forward

Until September 2016, Amy Howe served as the editor and reporter for SCOTUSblog, a blog devoted to coverage of the Supreme Court of the United States; she continues to serve as an independent contractor and reporter for SCOTUSblog. Before turning to full-time blogging, she served as counsel in over two dozen merits cases at the Supreme Court and argued two cases there. From 2004 until 2011, she co-taught Supreme Court litigation at Stanford Law School; from 2005 until 2013, she co-taught a similar class at Harvard Law School. She has also served as an adjunct professor at American University’s Washington College of Law and Vanderbilt Law School. Amy is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds a master’s degree in Arab Studies and a law degree from Georgetown University.

Ronald Collins is the former Harold S. Shefelman scholar at the University of Washington Law School. He served as a Supreme Court fellow for Chief Justice Warren Burger. He is the editor of the weekly blog First Amendment News and is on the editorial board of SCOTUSblog.  He is also the co-chair of The First Amendment Salons and the co-director of the History Book Festival. He is the author of some dozen books on everything from artificial intelligence and free speech to campaign finance law, and on individuals including Justice Holmes, Machiavelli, comedian Lenny Bruce, and poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

NOTE: this meeting is being conducted through Zoom. You MUST REGISTER to receive instructions for joining the meeting.

If you have need assistance with registration or getting your Zoom invitation, please email us.

Basic written instructions for using Zoom may be found here and a brief video tutorial may be found here.