Lexington, KY
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REGISTRATION CLOSED
2026 Kentucky Chapters Conference
Mark your calendars for the 2026 Kentucky Chapters Conference!
Thursday, September 24
Fasig-Tipton
2400 Newtown Pike
Lexington, KY 40511
CONFERENCE PRICING
Student Member: $30
Member: $100
Non-Member: $175
CLE
This event has been approved by the
Kentucky Bar Association CLE Commission for
3.75 Total Credits
Attendees must sign in at the event to receive CLE credit.
Questions? Check out our CLE FAQ page.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE AND REFUNDS
Registration will close at 5:00 p.m. Eastern on Monday, September 21, 2026. This is also the deadline to receive a refund for a cancellation. No refunds will be given after the deadline has passed.
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10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Registration
2026 Kentucky Chapters Conference
11:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Welcome Remarks
2026 Kentucky Chapters Conference
Lexington, KY
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Panel I: America 250: The Enduring Constitution: Ordered Liberty and the Rule of Law
2026 Kentucky Chapters Conference
CLE
1.25
hours
Ethics
0
hours
Lexington, KY
Description
As the Nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this panel will examine the enduring principles that have sustained the American experiment in self-government. From the Founders' vision of ordered liberty to the Constitution's role in preserving a free and limited government, the discussion will explore how America's constitutional structure has weathered periods of profound conflict, change, and challenge. Panelists will consider the Constitution's original design, its continued relevance in addressing contemporary legal and political debates, and the responsibilities of lawyers, judges, and citizens in preserving the rule of law for the next 250 years.
Featuring:
- Hon. John K. Bush, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- Hon. John B. Nalbandian, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- Hon. Justin Walker, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia
- Moderator: Brett Nolan, Senior Attorney, Institute for Free Speech
Speakers
12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Luncheon & Keynote Discussion
2026 Kentucky Chapters Conference
Lexington, KY
Description
Featuring:
- Hon. Chad Meredith, United States District Judge, Eastern District of Kentucky
- Michael Fragoso, Partner, Torridon Law PLLC
Speakers
2:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Panel II: Election Law in the Courts: Voting, Redistricting, and Election Administration
2026 Kentucky Chapters Conference
CLE
1.25
hours
Ethics
0
hours
Lexington, KY
Description
Election litigation has become a defining feature of modern American politics. This panel will examine recent cases involving voter registration, election administration, financing, redistricting, and federal-state authority, and consider what election law means for the American experiment at 250.
Featuring:
- Athie Livas, Litigator, Cooper & Kirk PLLC
- Eric Lycan, General Counsel, Office of the Speaker of the House
- Lauren LaRue Topping, Of Counsel, Holtzman Vogel PLLC
- Hon. Bradley A. Smith, Chairman, Institute for Free Speech and Former Commissioner, Federal Election Commission
- Moderator Joe A. Bilby, Owner, Bilby Law PLLC
Speakers
3:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Panel III: The Second Amendment After Bruen: Unresolved Questions
2026 Kentucky Chapters Conference
CLE
1.25
hours
Ethics
0
hours
Lexington, KY
Description
New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen replaced means-end scrutiny with a "text, history, and tradition" test for Second Amendment claims, but left much unsettled: how specific a historical analogue must be, how the framework applies to modern firearms and non-violent offenders, and where the line falls between individual rights and public safety regulation. Subsequent decisions—including Rahimi and this year's rulings on carry restrictions and status-based gun bans—have offered partial answers while opening new questions of their own. This panel explores how lower courts are applying (and struggling with) the Bruen framework, which doctrinal questions remain genuinely open, and what the Court may address next.
Featuring:
- Amy Swearer, Senior Legal Fellow, Advancing American Freedom
- David C. Tryon, Director of Litigation, The Buckeye Institute
- Philip D. Williamson, Partner, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
- Prof. Andrew Willinger, Assistant Professor of Law, Georgia State University College of Law
- Moderator: Hon. Laurance B. VanMeter, Chief Justice of the Commonwealth (Ret.), Kentucky Supreme Court
Speakers
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Closing Reception
2026 Kentucky Chapters Conference
