Former Deputy Attorney General and Georgetown Law Distinguished Lecturer Sally Q. Yates and other leading voices from across the political spectrum will discuss “Democracy in the Balance: The Essential Role of Democratic Institutions and Norms” at a half-day convening at Georgetown Law on Thursday, April 26.

WHAT

The event will feature opening remarks by Former Deputy Attorney General and Georgetown Law Distinguished Lecturer Sally Yates, followed by three panel discussions exploring current challenges to longstanding democratic institutions and norms in the United States. Leading experts – including U.S. judges, former White House and Department of Justice officials, scholars and journalists – will discuss three topics: The Rule of Law, A Free Press and An Independent Judiciary. Speakers will identify ways to preserve the foundational aspects of our democracy and explore the potential of nonpartisan cooperation to do so. Presidential historian and author Jon Meacham will also offer remarks.

See the full schedule below.

WHEN

Thursday, April 26, 2018
1:00 – 4:00 pm

A reception will follow.

WHERE

Georgetown University Law Center
Hart Auditorium
600 New Jersey Ave.
Washington, DC 20001

MEDIA

Media interested in attending and/or conducting interviews with participants should contact mediarelations@law.georgetown.edu.

SCHEDULE

1:00-1:15 Welcome and Opening 

William Treanor, Georgetown Law Dean
Sally Q. Yates, former Deputy Attorney General and Georgetown Law Distinguished Lecturer

1:15-2:00 Free Press Panel

Cliff Sloan, Former Special Envoy for Guantanamo Closure (Moderator)
Bruce Brown, Executive Director of the Reporters Committee for a Free Press
Carol Leonnig, Washington Post Investigative Journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner
Nicolle Wallace, Host of MSNBC’s Deadline: White House, former White House Communications Director

2:00-2:45 Rule of Law Panel

Matthew Axelrod, former Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General (Moderator)
Robert Bauer, former White House Counsel
John Bellinger, former Legal Adviser for the State Department
Jack Goldsmith, Harvard Law School Professor, former Assistant Attorney General
Donald Verilli, former Solicitor General

2:45-3:30 Independent Judiciary Panel

Martin Lederman, Georgetown Law Professor, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General (Moderator)
Judge Paul Friedman, United States District Court for the District of Columbia
Judge Timothy Lewis, U.S. Circuit Judge (Ret.)
Larry Thompson, former Deputy Attorney General
Judge Patricia Wald, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (Ret.)

3:30-3:50 “Our Better Angels: The Art of American Resilience”

Remarks by John Meacham, Pulitzer Prize Winner, Presidential Historian & Author

3:50-4:00 Closing by Sally Q. Yates

4:00-5:00 Reception