Civic Empowerment Series: The Constitution Today: Rights, Power & the Supreme Court

Attend in-person at the Schaumburg Library, or online on Zoom

Political Analyst Paul Lisnek moderates a non-partisan panel discussion with Chicagoland university professors on topics such as the First Amendment, the power structure of the federal branches, and an update on recent cases heard by the Supreme Court.

About the Moderator: Dr. Paul Lisnek served as the political and legal analyst for WGN-TV for 18 years. Paul has been a lawyer for 40 years, is a former Assistant Dean and Professor at Loyola Law School, and taught at DePaul, University of Illinois in Urbana, and Pepperdine. He teaches Constitutional law and ethics for the Lawyers bar exam. He was a disciplinary commissioner for lawyers for 25 years, and he served as a legal and jury expert for NBC News and CNN. 

Panelists

Steven D. Schwinn: Professor Schwinn teaches Constitutional Law, First Amendment, Comparative Constitutional Law and Human Rights, and Lawyering Skills I: Civil Rights at UIC Law. He previously served as co-director of the International Human Rights Clinic, director of the clinical program, and the Edward T. and Noble W. Lee Chair in Constitutional Law for the 2015-2016 school year and in the Spring Semester 2023. Professor Schwinn earned his B.A. from Michigan State University and his J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law. He practiced full time in the Office of the General Counsel at the Peace Corps.

Robert E. Shapiro: Robert is a trial lawyer and litigator at Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP with more than 40 years of experience, he handles commercial disputes in trial and appellate courts, ADR forums, and administrative and governmental proceedings nationwide and abroad. He is an adjunct professor of philosophy at Saint Xavier University in Chicago and St Bonaventure University in New York and have taught courses on philosophy, the American Constitution, and the American legal system at universities in Poland, the Czech Republic, Turkey, China, India and Vietnam. Robert has appeared on local television as a commentator on a range of international, political, and legal topics and hosts of a weekly radio show on classical music on WXAV, Saint Xavier’s student radio station.

The Civic Empowerment Series 2026 is brought to you in partnership with Skokie Public Library, Vernon Area Public Library, Blue Island Public Library, Highland Park Public Library, Aurora Public Library District, La Grange Public Library, Fox River Valley Public Library, Algonquin Area Public Library District, and Oak Park Public Library. 

You can choose to attend this program in-person or watch online on Zoom. Please indicate your preference when registering. After registering, you receive a link to the Zoom webinar at least three hours before the program. If the event is full, or if you prefer, you can watch the live stream on YouTube.com/@SchaumLib. A recording of this program is available at YouTube.com/@SchaumLib approximately 24 hours after the program is completed