Thanks to all participants for a successful
2012 Dialogues on Freedom program!

Volunteers were recently emailed a feedback survey. If you participated in 2012 Dialogues and did not receive an emailed survey, please complete one here by December 20, 2012 if possible. Thank you.

The Dialogues on Freedom program facilitates dialogues in local high schools, focused on the liberties and values our country is attempting to defend and preserve. Dialogues are conducted by a joint team of a volunteer lawyer and a judge in high school classes around Los Angeles County, and the materials are revised yearly in light of current events and issues.

2012 Prompts and Training Materials

Commemorating the tragedy of September 11, 2001, the need to inspire and educate our young people about the law and constitutional freedoms has never been greater. One hour of your time will have a lasting impact in the life of a high school student. Join the other members of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and volunteer as a Dialogue leader for our 2012 program.

Read our press release about the 2012 Dialogues on Freedom

Program Overview

• United States Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy founded Dialogues on Freedom in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks.
• Dialogues on Freedom are situation-based topics facilitated by lawyers and judges that challenge students to examine and discuss their perspectives on the balance of personal freedom versus security from crime.
• The program explores American civil values and traditions and help students understand how these values make each of them individually "American."
• The program encourages students to consider the broad concepts of freedom, law and justice by examining situations they might face at home and school.
• Dialogues on Freedom is a LACBA program in partnership with the Los Angeles Superior Court and Los Angeles Unified School District.

• Provides students with an opportunity to meet and interact--many for the first time--with judges and lawyers and expose them to the possibility of pursuing a career in law.
• You'll join the ranks of the hundreds of volunteers who have participated in Dialogues on Freedom since 2002, including former California Supreme Court Justice Carlos Moreno, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and LASC Presiding Judge Lee Edmon. 
• Each Dialogues on Freedom session takes a one- to two-hour commitment based on the number of classes that you agree to lead. Schools will be assigned based on regions that you request to the extent possible.

In the photo below, Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich interacts with students from Humanitas Academy of Arts and Technology at Esteban Torres during the 2011 Dialogues on Freedom.

 

Dialogues Training Session Video (from 2012)