State of the First Amendment Address to focus on free speech, free exercise and the establishment clause

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The event is free to the public and the University of Kentucky community at the Rosenberg College of Law’s Grand Courtroom from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26.
2024 First Amendment Address speaker, Michael Abate

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 6, 2024) — Michael (“Mike”) Abate — preeminent First Amendment advocate, defender of government transparency and litigator with Kaplan, Johnson, Abate & Bird in Louisville — will deliver the State of the First Amendment Address, 5 p.m. Sept. 26. The address is titled “The Rapidly Evolving First Amendment: Free Speech, Free Exercise and the Establishment Clause in the Roberts Court Era.” The James Madison Award presentation will follow.

The event is free to the public and the University of Kentucky community at the Rosenberg College of Law’s Grand Courtroom.

Abate has worked with journalists from numerous news organizations and groups, including the Courier Journal, Louisville Public Media and the Kentucky Press Association, since moving to Kentucky from Washington, D.C., more than 10 years ago. Abate’s career has demonstrated his consistent and unrelenting commitment to government transparency, most recently leading numerous efforts on First Amendment and open records issues in Kentucky. He has also represented media organizations and private citizens in several important cases on defamation, transparency of governmental social media accounts, gerrymandering and the rights of voters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abate earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and his juris doctor from Stanford Law School.

UK’s Scripps Howard First Amendment Center, housed in the School of Journalism and Media in the College of Communication and Information, is the sponsor of the address, delivered annually in celebration of First Amendment rights.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.