FedSoc Events

RESOLVED: The Free Exercise Clause guarantees a constitutional right of religious exemption from general laws when such an exemption would not endanger public peace and good order. On November 16, 2019, the Federalist Society held the twelfth annual Rosenkranz Debate at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. The participants discussed whether the Free Exercise Clause guarantees a constitutional ri...

On November 15, 2019, the Federalist Society held the 19th Annual Barbara K. Olson Memorial Lecture at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. The lecture featured Attorney General William Barr, who discussed the development of the role of the executive in the federal government. On September 11, 2001, at the age of 45 and at the height of her professional and personal life, Barbara K. Olson was mu...

On November 15, 2019, the Federalist Society's Labor & Employment Practice Group hosted an address by Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. Secretary Scalia discussed his plans as the Secretary of Labor as well as some important constitutional decisions involving labor and employment law. ******* As always, the Federalist Society takes no particular legal o...

On November 14, 2019, The Federalist Society opened its 2019 National Lawyers Convention at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC with a speech by Governor Ron DeSantis (FL). Governor DeSantis focused his remarks on the Florida Supreme Court and the balance of powers in the federal government. ******* As always, the Federalist Society takes no particular legal or public policy positions. All opini...

On October 28, 2019, the George Washington Student Chapter presented A Conversation with Senator Mike Lee. The Senator reflected on the current state of Congress and the Judiciary. Featuring: Hon. Mike Lee, United States Senate, Utah * * * * * As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speaker.

On October 24, 2019, The Federalist Society held its annual Third Circuit Chapters Conference. This panel debated the merits of civil juries. The American civil jury has all but disappeared. Cases are rarely heard by juries, which might be a good thing: juries are expensive, time-consuming, and unpredictable. On the other hand, they are a constitutional right – in the federal constitution an...

On October 24, 2019, The Federalist Society held its annual Third Circuit Chapters Conference. This panel discussed and debated the proper government response to Big Tech. In recent years, a small number of big tech companies have amassed enormous power and influence in our society. Growing concerns regarding the roles these companies play have led to numerous government investigations and biparti...

On October 24, 2019, The Federalist Society held its annual Third Circuit Chapters Conference. The keynote address here is by Don McGahn, former White House Counsel. Featuring: Hon. Don McGahn, Former White House Counsel Introduction: Matthew J. Hank, President, The Federalist Society Philadelphia Lawyers Chapter * * * * * As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or...

On October 24, 2019, The Federalist Society held its annual Third Circuit Chapters Conference. This panel focused on the Supreme Court's recent opinion in Kisor v. Wilkie and the increased attention given to deference that is paid by administrative agencies' legal interpretations. In judicial opinions, such as the Supreme Court’s recent opinion Kisor v. Wilkie, and in academia, there is incr...

On October 7, 2019, The Federalist Society held a panel on The First Amendment at its annual Kentucky Chapters Conference. From Twitter blocking to Peace Crosses to religious exemptions and commercial speech, the First Amendment remains perhaps the most hotly and frequently contested aspect of constitutional law. Those disputes are playing out in federal and state courts, and under federal and sta...

On October 7, 2019, The Federalist Society held a panel on Stare Decisis at its annual Kentucky Chapters Conference. This spring, Justice Breyer wrote, in response to the Supreme Court's decision to overrule Nevada v. Hall, "Today’s decision can only cause one to wonder which cases the Court will overrule next." But is the Roberts Court actually more aggressive in overruling precedents than...

On October 15, 2019, the Federalist Society's International & National Security Law Practice Group hosted a panel at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. The topic of the panel was "Fair Trade: Reinvigorating American Leadership in the 21st Century". Many conservative-leaning thinkers and commentators are swift to attack the President’s embrace of tariffs and other tough trade tools. T...

The concept of states serving as important test cases for national governance dates to the founding of the country. In part 2 of our series, this panel will discuss how lessons from how different state legislatures operate today could be incorporated to increase the effectiveness of our federal legislature. The panel will begin with a presentation on a study from the Center for Legislative Strengt...

On March 7, 1986, The Federalist Society hosted its annual National Student Symposium at Stanford Law School. Professor Emeritus Milton Friedman delivered opening remarks on economics and free speech. Featuring: Brian J. Brille, Symposium Director, Stanford Federalist Society John Hart Ely, Dean, Stanford Law School Milton Friedman, Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Chicago * * * * *...

On September 9, 1988, President Ronald Reagan delivered this address at the Second Annual National Lawyers Convention. Featuring: Steven Calabresi, Co-Chairman, The Federalist Society T. Kenneth Cribb, Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs Hon. Ronald Reagan, President of The United States * * * * * As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy...

On September 10, 2019, The Federalist Society hosted a luncheon cosponsored with the Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO). CEO released and presented a new study and report entitled “Race and Ethnicity in Undergraduate Admissions at Five Virginia Universities," which examined how admissions programs at five Virginia public universities (University of Virginia, College of William & Mary, Vi...

On August 22, 2019, the Federalist Society's Montgomery Lawyers Chapter hosted an event at the Capitol Hill Club in Montgomery, Alabama on "Justice versus Social Justice." Featuring: Dr. Jason Jewell, Department Chair and Professor Humanities, Faulkner University Introduction: Dr. Allen P. Mendenhall, Associate Dean and Executive Director of Blackstone & Burke Center for Law & Liberty, Faulkner Un...

On July 29, 2019, The Federalist Society's practice groups cosponsored a panel titled "Citizenship: The Road Ahead" at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. After the Supreme Court's decision in Department of Commerce v. New York at the end of the latest term, is there a road forward for addressing citizenship on the US census or otherwise collecting the relevant data? In what ways can executive...

On July 19, 2019, the Federalist Society's Article I Initiative cosponsored a two-part panel with the Constitutional Sources Project at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC. The topic of the first panel was early state constitutions and their influence on the legislative branch. The concept of states serving as important test cases for national governance dates back to the founding...