Jenner & Block Partner Paul M. Smith will be honored by the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) at the “Annual Celebration of Free Speech & Its Defenders,” in New York City on November 29, 2011 at Tribeca Three Sixty°. NCAC is a coalition of more than 50 national nonprofit organizations, including civil rights, labor, education, artistic and religious groups dedicated to defending free speech through education and advocacy efforts.
While Smith’s active Supreme Court practice has spanned two decades, including oral arguments in 14 Supreme Court cases, he is best known by gamers as the man that delivered the First Amendment arguments in Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association (2010) before the U.S. Supreme Court. His hard work contributed to overturning a California ban on the sale of "Mature" rated video games to minors.
Other notable cases include Crawford v. Marion County Election Board (2008), the Indiana Voter ID case; LULAC v. Perry (2006), and Vieth v. Jubelirer (2003), two congressional redistricting cases; Lawrence v. Texas (2003), involving the constitutionality of the Texas sodomy statute; and United States v. American Library Association (2003), involving a First Amendment challenge to the Children's Internet Protection Act.
NCAC will honor Smith along with the Young Adult novelist Laurie Halse Anderson (Speak), and novelist, memoirist and teacher Kaylie Jones. Jones garnered critical acclaim when she released an uncensored version of the classic From Here To Eternity written by her father, James Jones.
"We are delighted to honor a group so dedicated to free speech in culture and our society," said Joan Bertin, Executive Director of NCAC. "The evening is an opportunity to celebrate the past year's victories in the defense of free expression and commend those who continue to stand up to censorship in its many forms."
Tickets are on sale now for the event at www.ncacbenefit.org.
