Segal Lecture in Law and Ethics – Jewish Theological Seminary Inspiring the Jewish World Thu, 21 Sep 2023 17:10:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 After Dobbs: Jewish Advocacy for Abortion Rights /torah/after-dobbs-jewish-advocacy-for-abortion-rights/ Thu, 14 Sep 2023 19:05:46 +0000 /?post_type=post_torah&p=24026

The Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture in Law and Ethics

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned 50 years of constitutional protection for abortion in June 2022. Since the landmark ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, many states have banned or severely limited abortion access, leading the Jewish community to become increasingly involved in advocacy efforts around abortion rights.

On September 11, 2023, 91첥 screened the acclaimed new documentary short “Under G-d,” introduced by its award-winning director and producer Paula Eiselt. The film chronicles efforts by members of the Jewish community to ensure abortion access, including the successful legal challenge of an Indiana abortion ban based on the principle of religious freedom.

We then heard from two experts on abortion rights: Dr. Michal Raucher (91첥 List College, ‘05), scholar of reproduction and religion and Associate Professor of Jewish Studies at Rutgers University, and Dr. Christine Ryan, Associate Director of Columbia Law School’s Law, Rights, and Religion Project, who directs its program on religious liberty and reproductive rights. Our speakers reflected on various legal strategies to counter abortion restrictions and their prospects for broader, long-term success, as well as other initiatives within and beyond the Jewish community to secure and support the right to abortion.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

  • To organize a screening of “Under G-d” for your organization or synagogue, please the film’s representatives.
  • : This informational resource by Dr. Christine Ryan of Columbia Law School’s Law, Rights, and Religion Project also includes a list of abortion funds and practical support organizations.
  • “Jews Who Have Had Abortions” Research Study: Dr. Michal Raucher of Rutgers University is conducting a study which aims to gather nuanced data and document the abortion experiences of Jewish people in the United States. If you had an abortion in the U.S. since 1973, identified as Jewish at the time of the abortion, and are currently over the age of 18, you are invited to participate by taking a 30-minute anonymous . Eligible participants are also invited to participate in a 45-minute confidential phone interview; sign-up is available in the survey. Interview participants will receive a $10 gift card. Please reach out to Dr. Michal Raucher with any questions.
]]> Hate on Trial: The Charlottesville Case /torah/hate-on-trial-the-charlottesville-case/ Thu, 31 Mar 2022 20:35:11 +0000 /?post_type=post_torah&p=17220 The Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture in Law and Ethics
Part of 91첥’s Opening Season Events

In August 2017, white nationalists orchestrated a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia—with torch-carrying marchers chanting, “Jews will not replace us.“ The result was intimidation, violence, and death. In November 2021, at a landmark trial in Charlottesville, a jury found the rally organizers liable and awarded more than $25 million in damages.

This is a conversation about this significant legal victory with Roberta Kaplan, a lead attorney in the case, Risa Goluboff, dean of University of Virginia School of Law, and Alan Levine, a member of the legal team and chair of the 91첥 Board of Trustees. They will discuss the innovative legal strategy used, related issues of constitutional law, and how the case’s outcome showed that antisemitic and other hate groups can successfully be fought in court.

They will also share personal reflections on the issues at stake from a Jewish perspective, offering insights that will enrich the conversation about ensuring the future of our democratic nation and the American Jewish community.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Risa Goluboff is the twelfth, and the first female, dean of the University of Virginia School of Law, and a professor of history at the university. A renowned legal historian, her scholarship and teaching focus on American constitutional and civil rights law, and especially their historical development in the 20th century. She is the author of The Lost Promise of Civil Rights and Vagrant Nation: Police Power, Constitutional Change, and the Making of the 1960s. She is also co-editor of Civil Rights Stories and the author of numerous shorter works. She has been quoted or cited by the New York Times, Time, the Atlantic, and more, and her commentaries frequently appear in Slate. She has appeared on PBS documentaries and the popular radio podcast BackStory. Before joining the Law School in 2002, she clerked for Judge Guido Calabresi of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Justice Stephen Breyer of the US Supreme Court.

Roberta “Robbie” Kaplan is the founding partner of Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP. In July 2017, she left Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP after 25 years to found Kaplan Hecker & Fink, seeking to build what she calls a “new fashioned, old fashioned” law firm that combines a cutting-edge civil and criminal litigation practice with a groundbreaking commitment to using the courts to serve the public interest. A renowned litigator with decades of experience in commercial, higher education, and civil rights litigation, Chambers observed that Ms. Kaplan “defines a modern-day legal giant. A towering intellect and a genius in court, with the instincts of a street fighter.” She is perhaps best known for successfully arguing before the US Supreme Court on behalf of her client Edith Windsor in United States v. Windsor, the landmark marriage equality case. She was one of the two lead attorneys in Sines v. Kessler, the Charlottesville case.

Alan Levine is senior counsel and former head of the international law firm of Cooley LLP and a leading trial lawyer in the United States. He is a partner in the commercial litigation and White Collar & Regulatory Defense practice groups of Cooley LLP’s litigation department. He has also been chair of the 91첥 Board since 2015. During his legal career, spanning nearly 45 years, he has represented numerous individuals and companies in complex civil, criminal, and regulatory matters, and has appeared in federal and state courts throughout the country, including the US Supreme Court. He has also held key leadership positions in the legal community, including recently being elected board president of the New York City Legal Aid Society. He has a long and distinguished career of leadership and involvement in the Jewish community in addition to his service at 91첥. He was a key member of the legal team in the Charlottesville case. 

ABOUT THE SEGAL MEMORIAL LECTURE

The annual Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture was established by 91첥 in honor of the late philanthropist and community leader. Mr. Segal was the first Jewish president of the American Bar Association and the first Jewish chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

]]> HATE: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship /torah/hate-free-speech-not-censorship/ Thu, 11 Oct 2018 14:23:02 +0000 /torah/hate-free-speech-not-censorship/ A discussion with Nadine Strossen, John Marshall Harlan II Professor, New York Law School; former President, American Civil Liberties Union.

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The fall 2018 Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture in Law and Ethics

Nadine Strossen, John Marshall Harlan II Professor, New York Law School; former President, American Civil Liberties Union, discusses her acclaimed new book, HATE: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship.

We have recently witnessed a worrisome rise in the use of speech that denigrates and demonizes groups of people. Should hate speech be censored? Can that lead to negative consequences? What is the best way to respond? And how should we approach these questions in the context of historical and current anti-Semitism and Nazism?

Following her presentation, Ms. Strossen and Rabbi Daniel S. Nevins explore comparative perspectives on harmful speech and free speech in American and Jewish law.

Cosponsored by the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies of 91첥

About the Speaker

Nadine Strossen, John Marshall Harlan II Professor at New York Law School, has written, lectured and advocated extensively in constitutional law and civil liberties, including through frequent media interviews. From 1991 through 2008, she was President of the American Civil Liberties Union, and she currently serves on the ACLU’s National Advisory Council, as well as the Advisory Boards of EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center), FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education), and Heterodox Academy. Strossen has also held leadership positions in other human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch. The National Law Journal has named Strossen one of America’s “100 Most Influential Lawyers,” and several other national publications have named her one of the country’s most influential women. When Strossen stepped down as ACLU President, three Supreme Court Justices–Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Antonin Scalia, and David Souter–participated in her farewell tribute luncheon.

About the Segal Memorial Lecture

The annual Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture was established by 91첥 in honor of the late philanthropist and community leader. Mr. Segal was the first Jewish president of the American Bar Association and the first Jewish chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

]]> Supreme Court Cases and Jewish Values /torah/supreme-court-cases-and-jewish-values/ Wed, 18 Apr 2018 17:18:56 +0000 /torah/supreme-court-cases-and-jewish-values/ Seth P. Waxman, former Solicitor General of the United States and leading Supreme Court advocate, discusses three high-profile, momentous cases are currently before the US Supreme Court.

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The Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture in Law and Ethics

Speaker: Seth P. Waxman, former Solicitor General of the United States and leading Supreme Court advocate

Three high-profile, momentous cases before the US Supreme Court:

  • Trump v. Hawaii: Should the administration’s so-called “travel ban” denying entry to nationals of eight designated countries stand?
  • Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission: Is the First Amendment violated by a state nondiscrimination law that requires a baker opposed to gay marriage to design a wedding cake for a gay couple?
  • McCoy v. Louisiana: May a criminal defense attorney admit a client’s guilt over the client’s objection if the attorney believes doing so would save the client’s life?

What are the constitutional and legal issues raised? And what Jewish values underlie the legal questions at play? 

About the Speaker

Solicitor General of the United States from 1997 to 2001, Seth P. Waxman is considered by many to be the premier Supreme Court advocate of his generation. Earlier this year, he delivered his 80th oral argument in the Supreme Court. A graduate summa cum laude of Harvard College and of the Yale Law School, he is a partner at Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale and Dorr and a member of the faculty at the Georgetown University Law Center. His clients range from financial institutions to consumer, industrial, and media companies; from death-row inmates to local, state, and national governments. Mr. Waxman devotes hundreds of hours each year to pro bono clients in cases involving religious liberty, discrimination, habeas corpus, individual rights, and criminal justice. He has long been involved in Jewish organizations.  

About the Segal Memorial Lecture

The annual Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture was established by 91첥 in honor of the late philanthropist and community leader. Mr. Segal was the first Jewish president of the American Bar Association and the first Jewish chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

]]> The Criminal Justice System: Honoring Tradition, Championing Reform /torah/honoring-tradition-championing-reform/ Wed, 05 Apr 2017 14:27:24 +0000 /torah/honoring-tradition-championing-reform/ Flaws in the criminal justice system threaten the social fabric of our country. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. shares new approaches to criminal justice reform, including initiatives to promote alternatives to incarceration, address implicit bias, and enhance relations between law enforcement and the communities they serve. He also addresses contemporary public safety issues like human trafficking and cybercrime.

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The 2017 Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture in Law and Ethics

Flaws in the criminal justice system threaten the social fabric of our country. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. shares new approaches to criminal justice reform, including initiatives to promote alternatives to incarceration, address implicit bias, and enhance relations between law enforcement and the communities they serve. He also addresses contemporary public safety issues like human trafficking and cybercrime.

Moderated by Marc Gary, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer, 91첥, and Former General Counsel, Fidelity Investments and BellSouth Corporation.

About the Speaker

Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., Manhattan District Attorney since 2010, has enhanced the DA’s office as a national leader in criminal justice by expanding its expertise on an array of 21st century crimes. His many achievements include the takedown of violent street gangs, dismantling domestic and international cybercrime and identity theft operations, and the first local terrorism convictions in New York State courts.

In recent months, DA Vance has taken a national leadership role in addressing the issue of race in the criminal justice system. Using funds obtained through sanctions cases against international financial institutions, he has also made significant investments in a series of transformative criminal justice initiatives in New York City and nationally, including a program aimed at reducing the number of individuals with behavioral health issues in the criminal justice system. 

About the Segal Memorial Lecture

The annual Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture was established by 91첥 in honor of the late philanthropist and community leader. Mr. Segal was the first Jewish president of the American Bar Association and the first Jewish chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

]]> Free Speech vs. Hate Speech: The Changing Contours of Free Expression /torah/free-speech-vs-hate-speech-the-changing-contours-of-free-expression/ Thu, 31 Mar 2016 21:27:33 +0000 /torah/free-speech-vs-hate-speech-the-changing-contours-of-free-expression/ Frederick M. Lawrence—Yale Law School senior research scholar, past president of Brandeis University, and a leading  expert on civil rights, free expression, and bias crimes—explores the boundaries of free expression in the 2016 Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture.

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The Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture in Law and Ethics

Speaker: Frederick M. Lawrence, Senior Research Scholar at Yale Law School, Professor of Politics at Brandeis University, and former President of Brandeis

The proper boundaries of free expression have been severely challenged by the rise of hate speech, especially in the context of social media. How do we draw lines when three core values—free expression, protecting members of the community, and eradicating unlawful discrimination—clash?

Can we protect free speech in public spaces and still protect against genuine threatening behavior, and speak out against racist, anti-Semitic, and xenophobic activities?

Frederick M. Lawrence is Senior Research Scholar at Yale Law School, Professor of Politics at Brandeis University, and the former president of Brandeis. An accomplished scholar, teacher, and attorney, he is one of the nation’s leading experts on civil rights, free expression, and bias crimes. He has written, lectured, and testified widely on civil rights crimes and is the author of Punishing Hate: Bias Crimes Under American Law.

Prior to Brandeis, Lawrence was dean and Robert Kramer Research Professor of Law at George Washington University Law School. His legal career was distinguished by service as an assistant U.S. attorney for the southern district of New York, where he became chief of the Civil Rights Unit.

]]> Defeating DOMA: The Changing Nature of Equality Under the US Constitution /torah/defeating-doma-the-changing-nature-of-equality-under-the-us-constitution/ Wed, 23 Dec 2015 00:55:47 +0000 /torah/defeating-doma-the-changing-nature-of-equality-under-the-us-constitution/ Roberta Kaplan, Partner, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, who successfully argued before the United States Supreme Court the landmark U.S. V. Windsor marriage equality case, which struck down a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), explores this groundbreaking ruling. Dozens of courts have relied explicitly on this case to accord gay couples equal rights under the law.

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An exploration of the US Supreme Court’s groundbreaking Windsor ruling. Dozens of courts have relied explicitly on that case to accord gay couples equal rights under the law.

Speaker: Roberta Kaplan, Partner, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, who successfully argued before the United States Supreme Court the landmark U.S. V. Windsor marriage equality case, which struck down a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

Moderator: Marc Gary, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer, 91첥; Former General Counsel, Fidelity Investments and BellSouth Corporation

The Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture in Law and Ethics

]]> Making Our Democracy Work /torah/making-our-democracy-work/ Fri, 18 Dec 2015 01:36:00 +0000 /torah/making-our-democracy-work/ The 2012 Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture in Law and Ethics
Why does the American public accepts the Court's decisions? What must the Court do to maintain the public's trust? How do our courts make our democracy work? This and more is discussed in this lecture by Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer of the United States Supreme Court.

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The 2012 Bernard G. Segal Memorial Lecture in Law and Ethics
Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer of the United States Supreme Court examines such matters as why the American public accepts the Court’s decisions, what the Court must do to maintain the public’s trust, and how our courts make our democracy work.

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