An Endowed Chair Lecture Celebrating Alison Siegler’s Appointment as the Lillian E. Kraemer Clinical Professor in Public Interest Law — Freedom Denied: The Fight to Restore the Rule of Law in the Federal Bail System

Since founding the Federal Criminal Justice Clinic in 2008, Professor Alison Siegler has spearheaded systemic reform efforts in the federal criminal system, including challenging discriminatory policing. Recently, she and her students investigated, exposed, and helped rectify a nationwide federal pretrial jailing crisis. The clinic’s data-driven Freedom Denied report revealed that federal judges regularly misapply bail laws, jailing people without lawyers and imposing unlawful cash bail. Professor Siegler will highlight her clinic’s successful interventions—including court-watching, litigation, engaging with the judiciary, testifying before Congress, and conducting evidence-based trainings for thousands of stakeholders. These efforts helped align courtroom practices with statutory mandates, restoring the rule of law in the federal bail system.

Join us following the lecture in the Courtroom Corridor for a light reception.

Please RSVP by Monday, October 6

Questions? Please contact the Office of Events at lawevents@law.uchicago.edu