NJSBA Democracy Series Program 2 – How to Defend Freedom of Speech in a Divisive World
Category: On Demand
Member Price: $100
Non-Member Price: $125
Areas of Law: For All Attorneys
| NJ CLE: | NJ CLE information: This program has been approved by the Board on Continuing Legal Education of the Supreme Court of New Jersey for 3.3 hours of total CLE credit (Full Credits Available: NJ General: 3.3). |
| NY CLE (t&nt): | NY Professional Practice Transitional: 3.0 |
| PA CLE: | PA Substantive Credit: 2.5
New: No PACLE fee is required for this program. To earn PA CLE credits, a valid PA Bar ID number must be entered into the CLE form provided after attending the program. |
Featured Speaker
- Alex Abdo
- Litigation Director, Knight First Amendment Institute, Columbia University
Moderator
- Lawrence S. Lustberg, Esq.
- Co-Chair, White Collar & Investigations Group
FBT Gibbons, Newark
Presenters
- Thomas J. Cafferty, Esq.
- Former Director and General Counsel, FBT Gibbons, Newark
- Jeanne LoCicero, Esq.
- Legal Director, ACLU of New Jersey, Newark
- Kate Zernike
- National Correspondent, New York Times
Introductory remarks by Christine A. Amalfe, Esq., NJSBA President
Few constitutional rights are as celebrated, or as contested, as the freedom of speech. From political protests and social media expression to cancel culture and workplace dialogue, First Amendment issues continue to shape public discourse and challenge legal boundaries. Both the New Jersey and U.S. Constitutions enshrine this essential right, but in an era of polarization, misinformation, and shifting cultural norms, how can lawyers effectively uphold and defend it?
Join the New Jersey State Bar Association for an insightful morning program exploring the past, present, and future of free speech in America. The seminar begins with a keynote address by Alex Abdo, Litigation Director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. He will be followed by an engaging roundtable discussion featuring leading First Amendment advocates who have been on the front lines of defending this cornerstone of democracy. The insightful panel will be led by Lawrence S. Lustberg, the former co-director of the John J. Gibbons Fellowship in Public Interest & Constitutional Law at FBT Gibbons., including noted attorney Thomas J. Cafferty, formerly of FBT Gibbons; ACLU of New Jersey Legal Director Jeanne LoCicero; and New York Times National Correspondent Kate Zernike.
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of current challenges to free expression, key legal developments, and practical strategies for protecting speech in a variety of contexts.
Agenda:
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9:00 | Welcome and Introduction - Christine A. Amalfe, Esq., NJSBA President
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9:05 | Is the First Amendment Missing in Action? - Keynote address by Alex Abdo, Knight First Amendment Institute, Columbia University
It has become routine for the Trump Administration to use state power to pressure its political opponents and critics into silence. In most of these cases, there's very little doubt that the administration's conduct violates the First Amendment. But rather than sue, the administration’s targets mostly seem to fold. Why hasn't the First Amendment proven to be more of a bulwark against these forms of unconstitutional coercion? -
10:05 | Break
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10:15 | Roundtable Discussion on Issues Related to Free Speech and Themes from the Keynote Address
Moderator:
- Lawrence S. Lustberg, Esq., FBT GibbonsPanelists include:
- Thomas J. Cafferty, Esq., Former Director and General Counsel, FBT Gibbons, Newark
- Jeanne LoCicero, Legal Director, ACLU of New Jersey
- Kate Zernike, National Correspondent, New York Times -
12:00 | Adjourn