Engage & Enlighten feat. United Nations Special Rapporteur David Kaye

Engage & Enlighten event focuses on human rights in the digital age.

Ferguson Case Orr Paterson LLP (FCOP), Ventura County’s largest law firm, will host law professor and United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression David Kaye as featured speaker for its summer Engage & Enlighten event, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., August 26, at the Museum of Ventura County, 100 E. Main St., Ventura. Kaye, one of the world’s leading voices on human rights in the digital age, will talk about his newly published book, “Speech Police: The Global Struggle to Govern the Internet.” The event is open to the public and free to attend but requires reservations.

The Internet, more than any other communication development of the past century, has transformed the way information is exchanged. It impacts how billions of people interact and influences how they see the world. As the struggle to control the Internet intensifies, governments, platforms and activists compete to control online discourse.

“We are thrilled to have David Kaye as our speaker for Engage & Enlighten. He is at the forefront of one of the most consequential free speech debates in human history,” said Michael Velthoen, FCOP’s managing partner.

Kaye, a graduate of Westlake High School, is currently a clinical professor of law at University of California, Irvine, where he teaches international human rights law and international humanitarian law and directs a clinic in international justice. His research and writing focus on accountability for serious human rights abuses and the law governing use of force. He has collaborated with local and national governments, major international NGOs as well as those at the grassroots, international organizations and academic institutions around the world. In August 2014, Kaye was appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

In addition to his teaching and research, Kaye has lectured around the world, including at the United Nations and the International Criminal Court. He has taught courses in public international law, international humanitarian law and human rights at Georgetown University, Whittier Law School and summer courses at the universities of Toulouse and Amsterdam. He co-founded the International Human Rights Program of the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, and founded its International Justice Clinic, working on projects dealing with accountability for international crimes around the world. Kaye began his legal career as a lawyer with the U.S. Department of State.

Kaye has served on numerous local, national and international boards over the course of his career. He has been an active member of the American Society of International Law, for which he served on its executive council and executive committee and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of California, Berkeley.

FCOP’s Engage & Enlighten community series was developed as a way for the law firm to give back to the community. The August 26 event, which will be held at the Museum of Ventura County at 100 E. Main St. in Ventura, will begin with a reception from 5:30–6 p.m. followed by the main program. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public however reservations are required. RSVP to aclinton@fcoplaw.com or call (805) 659-6800. There will be books for sale and signing by the author.

For over 35 years, FCOP has been providing quality solutions and personal attention to clients throughout California. Conveniently located in Westlake Village and Ventura, our two full-service offices offer expert counsel across 15 specialized practice groups. With commitment and pride, we also serve the community through pro bono services and by volunteering and sponsoring a variety of civic, professional and charitable organizations. For more information, visit www.fcoplaw.com.