LIES AND THE LAW
Presented by
GENEVIEVE LAKIER
Professor of Law, Herbert and Marjorie Fried Teaching Scholar

Concern over the role that lies and misinformation play in public life in the United States has reached new heights in the last few years. What some describe as an epistemic crisis of truth has prompted calls from many quarters for the government to take stronger action to curb harmful lies about the outcome of the presidential election, the efficacy of coronavirus vaccines, and the seriousness of COVID-19, among other matters. What does the First Amendment say about this? How do we tackle the problem of lies in a system in which freedom of speech is vigorously protected? These are the important and vexing questions that Genevieve Lakier will discuss during this year’s Emeritus Lecture.

Genevieve Lakier teaches and writes about freedom of speech and American constitutional law. Her work examines the changing meaning of freedom of speech in the United States, the role that legislatures play in safeguarding free speech values, and the fight over freedom of speech on the social media platforms.

Genevieve has an AB from Princeton University, a JD from New York University School of Law, and an MA and PhD in anthropology from the University of Chicago. Between 2006 and 2008, she was an Academy Scholar at the Weatherhead Center for International and Area Studies at Harvard University. After law school, she clerked for Judge Leonard B. Sand of the Southern District of New York and Judge Martha C. Daughtrey of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Before joining the faculty, Genevieve taught at the Law School as a Bigelow Fellow and Lecturer in Law.

There is no charge for this event. Executive box lunches will be provided for this classroom discussion. Street parking and visitor parking passes will be available.

RSVP by Friday, June 2. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of External Affairs at alumni@law.uchicago.edu or 773-834-6569.