"The Forever War and the First Amendment" 30+ journalists, scholars, lawyers, & activists, 2 days, 1 conversation on the ongoing impact of the Forever War on democratic rights, including freedoms of speech & the press. 📅 Sep 9–10 📍Columbia University 🔗 RSVP: knightcolumbia.org/events/the-f...

How is 9/11 still shaping our lives and freedoms, 25 years later? On Sept. 9–10, the Institute and @columbiajournalism.bsky.social’s Li Center for Global Journalism will host a symposium exploring how the post-9/11 era reshaped speech and the press. RSVP: knightcolumbia.org/events/the-f...

The court found that the policy “burdens protected speech and association on the basis of viewpoint, in violation of the First Amendment.” Read the full opinion: knightcolumbia.org/documents/d4...

International law was never built to enforce itself. In the final episode of “Lawyering Without Law,” Aslı Bâli explains why lawyers can be especially powerful on the international stage, and how legal advice can either defend public norms or help powerful actors evade them.

Read the full amicus brief: knightcolumbia.org/documents/v2...

The crisis in international law didn’t come out of nowhere. In Episode 6 of “Lawyering Without Law,” @tomdannenbaum.bsky.social traces how that crisis took shape, from Iraq and Libya to the torture memos and forever wars. The full episode featuring Tom Dannenbaum and Aslı Bâli drops this Friday.

@jameeljaffer.bsky.social is featured in "Floyd Abrams: Speaking Freely," a documentary about the First Amendment lawyer whose cases helped shape free speech law in the United States.

Now that SCOTUS has closed its term, it’s worth asking what happens when legal institutions stop serving as guardrails. In Episode 1 of ”Lawyering Without Law,” @kimlanelaw.bsky.social explains how legal systems can become vehicles for autocratic power. Listen: www.buzzsprout.com/2609059/epis...

What can lawyers do when authoritarianism works through the law? Episode 5 of “Lawyering Without Law” drops tomorrow. David Dyzenhaus and @jwmueller-pu.bsky.social join @katygb.bsky.social and Madhav Khosla to discuss lawyers, authoritarianism, and the fight to preserve the rule of law.

Mohsen Mahdawi joined the Knight Institute and @welch.senate.gov to discuss the stakes of the Trump administration’s use of immigration law. His remarks focused on a core constitutional principle: The First Amendment protects everyone in this country. Learn more: knightcolumbia.org/blog/knight-...

The George W. Bush administration asked whether torture could be legally authorized. It failed to ask whether it should be. In Episode 4 of “Lawyering Without Law,” Alberto Mora discusses the legal, moral, and strategic failures behind the post-9/11 torture program.

What did torture do to American law? Episode 4 of “Lawyering Without Law” drops this Friday. Alberto Mora, former General Counsel of the Navy, joins @katygb.bsky.social and Madhav Khosla to discuss how the Bush administration’s post-9/11 authorization of torture still shapes the rule of law today.

So what happened to DOJ lawyers? @debpearlstein.bsky.social argues that they were long perceived as being at the top of the profession. But when partisanship started paying off, it created an incentive loop that helps explain where we are now.

What happens when lawyers stop believing law and politics are different? Tomorrow, "Lawyering Without Law" returns with Episode 3. @debpearlstein.bsky.social joins @katygb.bsky.social to discuss legal ethics, the rule of law, and erosion inside the profession and its consequences for democracy.

The case returns to the Fourth Circuit, where the fight over immigration judges’ free speech rights continues. Statement from Holly A. D’Andrea, president of the National Association of Immigration Judges:

SCOTUS today reversed an appeals court ruling that had allowed our challenge to a DOJ policy silencing immigration judges to proceed in federal court. Statement from Knight Institute Litigation Director @alexabdo.bsky.social

Government pressure on broadcasters raises serious First Amendment concerns. @jameeljaffer.bsky.social joined @karaswisher.bsky.social on @onwithkaraswisher.bsky.social to discuss FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s recent threats against broadcasters and how regulatory threats can chill speech.

If you’re looking for a holiday weekend listen, start here. In Episode 2 of "Lawyering Without Law," @lessig.bsky.social asks whether AI could radically improve law by lowering its cost and reshaping how legal services are delivered. Listen to the full episode: www.buzzsprout.com/2609059/epis...

@laurenfeiner.bsky.social reports for @theverge.com on the lawsuit we and @protectdemocracy.org brought on behalf of @thecoalition.bsky.social. The case challenges a U.S. immigration policy targeting noncitizen researchers for their work studying social media. Read: www.theverge.com/policy/93017...

Independent researchers help the public understand how social media platforms, AI, and other technologies shape everyday life. Following yesterday’s hearing in CITR v. Rubio, @thecoalition.bsky.social's @geurkink.bsky.social spoke about what’s at stake when that work gets silenced.

We tend to think of corruption as bribery. @lessig.bsky.social says that’s “actually the least significant kind.” Episode 2 of "Lawyering Without Law" drops on Friday. Lessig joins us to discuss institutional corruption and how economic influence pulls Congress away from its representative purpose.

Congratulations to @jameeljaffer.bsky.social on receiving the 2026 George Barrett Award for Public Interest Law from @sidneyhillman.bsky.social. In accepting the award, Jameel paid tribute to the Institute’s clients and partners, whose work defending democracy “should be a model for all of us.”

“We’re very far into autocratic capture of our legal system.” That’s how @kimlanelaw.bsky.social describes the current moment—and what she breaks down in the first episode of Lawyering Without Law. Hosted by @katygb.bsky.social and Madhav Khosla. Listen: buzzsprout.com/2609059/episodes/19105365

Our first episode features @kimlanelaw.bsky.social of @princeton.edu delving into why “Big Law has just gone silent”—and what that signals for democracy in the U.S. Subscribe now so you don’t miss it: • Apple: bit.ly/4vZ8eeY • Spotify: bit.ly/3OW2eCX

Knight Institute Warns that #FCC Review of Disney Broadcast Licenses Raises First Amendment Concerns After Trump Calls for #Kimmel’s Firing. Our statement from @jameeljaffer.bsky.social below. knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...

New from the Knight First Amendment Institute: “Lawyering Without Law,” a podcast launching May 1. Hosted by @katygb.bsky.social and Madhav Khosla, it examines the role lawyers play in defending democracy or facilitating its decline. More: knightcolumbia.org/content/lawy...

The Knight Institute urges @mayor.nyc.gov to veto the “buffer zone” bill restricting protest near educational facilities and warns that both City Council measures raise serious constitutional concerns. Our statement from staff attorney @georgewang.bsky.social. knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...

Knight Institute Raises First Amendment Concerns Over Trump Threat to Compel Journalists to Reveal Sources Below is @jameeljaffer.bsky.social's statement. knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...

In a letter to Congress this week, #ICE confirmed it has approved the use of a powerful #spyware tool, raising serious civil liberties concerns. The Knight Institute urges Congress to limit ICE's use of spyware technology. See @nadinefj.bsky.social's statement: knightcolumbia.org/content/knig...

🚨EVENT TOMORROW (3/27): Can Middleware Save Social Media? In wrestling with the power social media platforms exert over free speech, Congress has repeatedly debated legislation that would protect user privacy and give users more control over their experience online. Info & RSVP: bit.ly/3P3Uf6M