Carolina Liberty Conference

A Legacy of Liberty.
A Future of Innovation.

Feb. 27-28, 2026
Raleigh, NC

What is CLC?

The John Locke Foundation’s Carolina Liberty Conference (CLC) brings together policymakers, scholars, community leaders, and citizens from across the state to explore the challenges and opportunities of advancing freedom in today’s political and cultural climate.

CLC 2026 will take place February 27–28, 2026, at the StateView Hotel in Raleigh, North Carolina.

This year’s gathering is especially significant as we begin celebrating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.

Join us at CLC to connect with like-minded individuals, explore the most pressing cultural and policy challenges of our time, and help build a stronger movement—one conversation at a time.

Keynote Speaker

Daniel Hannan, Lord Hannan of Kingsclere, is a British writer, columnist and advocate for free trade. A former Conservative MEP who served for 21 years, he currently serves as president of the Institute for Free Trade, international secretary of the Conservative Party and a senior fellow at the Independent Institute.

Hannan is the author of nine books, including the New York Times bestseller “Inventing Freedom” and the Brexit-focused “Vote Leave” and “What Next.” He writes regularly for The Daily Telegraph and contributes to outlets such as The Washington Examiner and The Daily Mail. Educated at Marlborough and Oriel College, Oxford, he lives in London with his wife and two daughters.

Guest Speaker

Paul Newby is the chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. Newby spent nearly two decades as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina before he was first elected to the North Carolina Supreme Court in 2004. He served on the court as an associate justice continuously until he was elected chief justice in 2020, making him the state’s 30th chief justice.