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Profs & Pints: Understanding Whistleblower Law

Profs and Pints presents: Understanding Whistleblower Law, with Stephen Kohn, adjunct professor at the Northeastern School of Law, co-founder of the National Whistleblower Center, and author of The New Whistleblower's Handbook: A Step-By-Step Guide to Doing What's Right and Protecting Yourself.

The multiple whistleblower complaints filed against President Donald Trump have provoked controversy over whistleblower law, policy, and procedures. Come learn how U.S. whistleblower law developedand what protections it offers the intelligence community whistleblowers and the rest of usfrom one of the nations preeminent whistleblower lawyers, scholars, and advocates.

Well start out in the winter of 1777, mere months after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Thats when ten revolutionary sailors and marines met in secret not to plot against the kings armies, but to discuss their concerns about the commander of the Continental Navy, who had tortured captured British sailors. In subsequently bringing their concerns to Congress, they knew they faced sure retaliation. Indeed, the commander sued them for criminal libel, and two of them were jailed. In July 1778, these men wrote to Congress, pleading they had been arrested for doing what they then believed and still believe was nothing but their duty. Congress responded by enacting Americas first whistleblower protection law.

Since that first law unanimously passed in 1778, a complex and robust framework of whistleblower laws and protections has developed in the United States. Stephen Kohn will discuss the evolution of such laws and protections and what they look like today. Youll leave knowing one of the great secrets of American democracy: the integral role of the brave individuals who are willing to risk their livelihoods to expose waste, fraud, and corruption at all levels. (Advance tickets: $12. Doors: $15, save $2 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later. Please allow yourself time to place any orders and get seated and settled in.)