The plan is for Professor Forman to speak at the Overby Center on the 14th at 5:30 P.M., as part of the Center’s fall series, to which the law school and the university community at large, as well a the public, are invited. Earlier in the day Tuesday Professor Forman will be on campus/at the law school — perhaps for a talk over lunch and/or to visit classes.

Professor Forman graduated from Brown University and Yale Law School, after which he clerked for Judge William Norris of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Justice Sandra Day O’Connor of the United States Supreme Court. After clerking, he joined the Public Defender Service in Washington, D.C., where for six years he represented both juveniles and adults charged with crimes. During his time as a public defender, Professor Forman became frustrated with the lack of education and job training opportunities for his clients. So in 1997, along with David Domenici, he started the Maya Angelou Public Charter School, an alternative school for school dropouts and youth who had previously been arrested.

On a personal note, Professor Forman and I are long-time friends. I can assure you that he’s a terrific speaker — very smart, down-to-earth, funny and earnest. He can really connect with any number of audience types, especially students. To the extent possible given your schedules — personal and class — I really urge you to take advantage of his visit. The Overby Center function will be great — a conversation between Professor Forman and an interlocutor — and will include time for questions. I’d encourage you to get your students to that event. Professor Forman is still finalizing some travel plans, but let me know if you’re interested in having your students interact with him in some way that day — and we will also follow up this e mail with more specific plans as they get made.