Professor Browne Lewis

Through a competitive process, Leon and Gloria Plevin Professor of Law Browne Lewis has been selected to present a public lecture at Gresham College, the oldest higher education institution in London. Gresham College is an independent institution, governed by the Council and with the Lord Mayor of London as its President.  For over 400 years, Gresham College has hosted free public lectures in the City of London.  The College, named after Sir Thomas Gresham, is one of the most prestigious academic institution in the United Kingdom.

The lecture is scheduled for Monday, January 25, 2016.  The topic is “The Ethics of Physician-Assisted Suicide.” The legalization of assisted suicide in the UK is as controversial as the Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) that led to its decriminalization in Oregon in 1994.  The United States Supreme Court subsequently rejected an attempt to have the law declared unconstitutional but steps seem to be needed to address the ethical concerns raised by members of the academic, political, and religious communities, including safeguards to protect vulnerable people. What can be learned in the UK from the USA experience?

Professor Lewis will spend the spring 2016 semester in the United Kingdom as a Fulbright Scholar.  Her host institution will be King’s College in London.