American Constitution Society

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New York Law School

Contact Information
  • Email: michael.leigh[at]law.nyls.edu
  • Phone:
Location
57 Worth Street
New York, NY 10013
United States
See map: Google Maps
Chapter Contacts
  • Michael Leigh - Co-President, michael.leigh[at]law.nyls.edu
  • Sara Mirsky - Co-President, sara.mirsky[at]law.nyls.edu
  • Joan O'Hara - Secretary, Joan.OHara[at]law.nyls.edu
  • Rachel Newman - Treasurer, rachel.newman[at]law.nyls.edu
Recent Stories

Witness to Innocence: Capital Punishment or Cruel Injustice?

On Wednesday, March 24, 2010, the New York Law School American Constitution Society hosted exonerated death row inmate Ron Keine, who told his story and described his experiences with the criminal justice system. The event was moderated by New York Law School Professor Rebecca Roiphe.

Movie Screening: Fog of War

On Monday, March 22, 2010, the New York Law School American Constitution Society screened Errol Morris’s documentary The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara.

Current Issues in Democracy & Voting, Part 5: Thom Hartmann on When Corporations Become People

On Friday, March 19, 2010, the New York Law School American Constitution Society and Demos welcomed over 200 people to hear nationally syndicated progressive radio host Thom Hartmann. Hartmann read from and discussed the revised version of his book Unequal Protection: The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights. Hartmann discussed the dominance of corporations in U.S. society and pointed out the many ways in which he believes that dominance does disservice to individual liberty. Hartmann discussed a grassroots revolution and how people have and can take action. Part of a series on democracy and voting.

Current Issues in Democracy & Voting, Part 4: Election Reform in an Electronic Age

On Monday, March 15, 2010, the New York Law School American Constitution Society hosted Lawrence Norden, Senior Counsel to the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU. Mr. Norden has authored several nationally recognized reports and articles related to voting rights, voting systems, and election administration. Most recently, he served as Chair of the Ohio Secretary of State's bipartisan Election Summit and Conference, authoring a report to Secretary Brunner for the purpose of improving Ohio's election administration practices and laws. Mr. Norden discussed current issues in electronic voting and election reform. Part of a series on democracy and voting.

Current Issues in Democracy & Voting, Part 3: Voting Rights Since 2000: Have We Made Progress?

On Thursday, March 4, 2010, the New York Law School American Constitution Society co-sponsored Professor Alex Keyssar, who discussed his Pulitzer Prize finalist book, The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States. Keyssar was joined by Debo Adegbile of the NAACP LDF who discussed progress in the federal courts between 2000 and 2010, and Tova Wang, Senior Democracy Fellow at Demos, who gave an overview of voting rights on a state level. Scott Novakowski, Senior Policy Analyst in the Democracy Program at Demos, moderated the event. Part of a series on democracy and voting.

Current Issues in Democracy & Voting: Voting Rights Since 2000: Have We Made Progress?

On Thursday, March 4, 2010, the New York Law School American Constitution Society co-sponsored Professor Alex Keyssar, who discussed his Pulitzer Prize finalist book, The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States. Keyssar was joined by Debo Adegbile of the NAACP LDF who discussed progress in the federal courts between 2000 and 2010, and Tova Wang, Senior Democracy Fellow at Demos, who gave an overview of voting rights on a state level. Scott Novakowski, Senior Policy Analyst in the Democracy Program at Demos, moderated the event.

Current Issues in Democracy & Voting, Part 2: An Agnostic View of the Electoral College

On Tuesday, March 2, 2010, the New York Law School ACS chapter hosted R.B. Berstein, Distiguinshed Adjunct Professor of Law at New York Law School, who discussed the history of the electoral college and why it remains our country's method of electing the President and Vice President. Part of a series on Current Issues in Democracy and Voting.

Mandatory Health Insurance: Is It Constitutional?

On Monday, March 1, 2010, the New York Law School ACS Chapter sponsored a discussion with Simon Lazarus on the constitutionality of a federal mandate that Americans purchase health care. Mr. Lazarus is Public Policy Counsel to the National Senior Citizens Law Center, assisted in drafting the "Findings" portion of the Senate health care legislation, and recently authored an ACS Issue Brief on the topic of the constitutionality of a federal mandate. Mr. Lazarus discussed why a federal mandate is vital to health care reform, why a federal mandate is constitutional, and how proponents should seek to debunk and defeat arguments to the contrary.

Executive Power in a Post-9/11 World

On Tuesday, September 9, 2008, the American Constitution Society's New York Law School chapter co-sponsored with the school's Federalist Society chapter and Muslim-American Law Student chapter a panel discussion on post-9/11 executive power. Representing ACS was Mr. Josh Denbeaux of the law firm Denbeaux & Denbeaux, which represents Guantanamo Bay detainees; representing MALSA was Mr. Shamil Idriss, Director of the Alliance of Civilizations at the U.N; and representing the Federalist Society was New York Law School Professor Robert Blecker. New York Law School Professor Stephen Ellmann moderated the event.

Current Issues in Democracy & Voting, Part I: A Discussion of Citizens United

On Monday, February 8, 2010, the American Constitution Society’s New York Law School Chapter hosted a debate between two notable First Amendment practitioners on the meaning and implications of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Citizens United v. FEC. Susan M. Liss, Director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School, represented the perspective of the dissenting justices in Citizens United. Steve Simpson, Senior Attorney at the public interest law firm Institute for Justice, represented the perspective of the justices in majority.

Current Issues in Corrections: Rehabilitation & Re-Entry

On Tuesday, February 2, 2010, the American Constitution Society’s New York Law School Chapter hosted a discussion on current issues in corrections. Dr. Lior Gideon, Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, presented his research and scholarship on public attitudes toward rehabilitation and criminal offender re-entry. Dr. Jeff Mellow, also Professor at John Jay, discussed his research and scholarship on individual-level barriers to offender re-entry.

“Access Denied: The Fight for Corporate Accountability”

On Monday, January 25, 2010, the American Constitution Society’s New York Law School Chapter screened the video ”Access Denied: The Fight for Corporate Accountability.” The documentary tells the story of Diana Levine and the Supreme Court case of Levine v. Wyeth, in which the Court held that federal approval of labels giving warnings about effects of drugs does not bar lawsuits under state law claiming inadequate warnings of a health risk.

TNL

On Thursday, November 15, 2007, ACS sponsored Thursday Night Live at Grace Restuarant. ACS members and new recruits met, mingled, and discussed the future of our chapter.

Condemned Then Exonerated: The Margin of Error in a System of Justice

On Thursday, November 8, 2007, American Constitution Society's New York Law School Chapter presented "Condemned Then Exonerated: The Margin of Error in a System of Justice." Exonerated former death row prisoner Ray Krone discussed his experience on death row and his battle to prove his innocence. An introduction was provided by Professor Robert Blecker.

Constitution Day

On Monday September 17, 2007, the NYLS chapter of ACS commemorated Constitution Day with a showing of first episode of PBS's "The Supreme Court" featuring professors Jim Simon and Annette Gordon-Reed.

ACS First Week Lunch

On Monday, August 20, 2007, the NYLS chapter of ACS hosted a lunch for incoming students.

New York Lawyer Chapter Hosts Debate on "The Alito Nomination, the Supreme Court and the Abortion Debate"



2006/01/17 | New York | Abortion Debate

On Tuesday, Janaury 17, over 200 people attended a debate on the new U.S. Supreme Court and abortion rights. The event was co-sponsored by the New York Chapter of the Federalist Society. Debaters included Jennifer Brown, Vice President and Legal Director of Legal Momentum (formerly NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund) and Wendy E. Long, Legal Counsel, Judicial Confirmation Network. The debate was moderated by Judge Loretta A. Preska, United States District Court Judge for the Southern District of New York.

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