Legal Scholar Chemerinsky to Deliver Prestigious Peck Lecture

Renowned free speech expert to discuss free speech controversies at Wabash College event

Apr. 10, 2026 at 1:22pm

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An extremely abstracted, out-of-focus photograph in warm tones depicting a blurred college campus scene with students walking, representing the academic environment where free speech debates take place.The Peck Lecture at Wabash College will provide a forum for exploring the complex free speech issues that have gripped campuses and communities nationwide.Irvine Today

Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California School of Law and a leading legal scholar, will present the annual Peck Lecture at Wabash College on April 16, 2026. Chemerinsky's lecture, titled 'Why is Free Speech Under Attack and What Can We Do About It?', will explore the growing controversies around free speech in the media, on college campuses, and in the legal system.

Why it matters

As free speech debates continue to dominate headlines, Chemerinsky's expertise and insights will provide valuable perspective on the complex issues at the heart of these disputes. The Peck Lecture offers an opportunity for the Wabash community and the public to engage with a renowned authority on constitutional law and the First Amendment.

The details

Chemerinsky, who was named the most influential person in legal education in the U.S. in 2024, is a prolific author and frequent Supreme Court advocate. In addition to his role as dean at UC Berkeley, he is a professor of law with a focus on constitutional law and law and society. Following the lecture, Wabash will host the Peck Dinner, which provides students interested in law the chance to connect with alumni lawyers and benefit from the wisdom of the Peck Medal recipient.

  • The Peck Lecture will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, 2026.
  • The Peck Dinner will be held immediately following the lecture.

The players

Erwin Chemerinsky

Dean of the University of California School of Law, a renowned legal scholar, and a free speech expert.

Wabash College

A private liberal arts college in Crawfordsville, Indiana, that is hosting the Peck Lecture and Dinner.

David W. Peck

A Wabash College alumnus from the Class of 1922, who founded the litigation department at Sullivan & Cromwell, served as presiding justice of the appellate division of the New York Supreme Court, and was a long-time member of the Wabash College Board of Trustees.

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What they’re saying

“New free speech controversies seem to arise every day, including in the media, on college campuses, with respect to law firms, and even in how we teach our nation's history. No one is better qualified to explain why these controversies are arising or what we should do about them than Dean Chemerinsky.”

— Scott Himsel, Associate Professor of Political Science and Pre-Law Advisor, Wabash College

What’s next

Following the Peck Lecture, Wabash College will host the Peck Dinner, which provides an opportunity for students interested in law to connect with lawyer alumni and benefit from the wisdom of the Peck Medal recipient.

The takeaway

As debates around free speech continue to dominate national discourse, Erwin Chemerinsky's expertise and insights as a renowned legal scholar and constitutional law expert will offer valuable perspective on these complex and contentious issues.