On Wednesday, May 1, Cooley Law School celebrated Law Day 2024 with a virtual event, featuring Colin Maguire, a Cooley Law School adjunct professor and assistant chief counsel with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Maguire, who was the keynote speaker for Cooley’s event, shared his perspective on this year’s Law Day theme, Voices of Democracy. Maguire noted that he attended the event in his personal capacity and as an adjunct professor, explaining the views expressed in his remarks were his own and not those of the Department of Homeland Security.
“We are almost singularly unique in our First Amendment protections, which protect the voices of our democracy,” said Maguire. “When someone says I'm in favor of free speech, but … That should really raise the haunches of our American spirit of democracy.
“The First Amendment to me was designed to protect difficult speech,” Maguire continued. “It is divisive – the First Amendment is more important than ever in a divisive world, and that we are able to express ourselves, and it is used as an outlet for us to engage in civil discussion in a civil society.
"It's very important that people can express their views, and that people have a release valve to be able to express themselves, even if that speech is offensive to someone else.”
Law Day, is a national day to celebrate the rule of law. Held annually on May 1, Law Day provides an opportunity to understand how law and the legal process protect our liberty, strive to achieve justice, and contribute to the freedoms that all U.S. citizens share.
During Law Day, Cooley students and staff joined others throughout the country in advancing the legal profession as a “Voice of Democracy” and demonstrate that Cooley is committed to being an agent for positive change in our communities and the legal profession.