GlobalconstitutionalexpertRichardAlberthasseenhisresearchrelieduponnumeroustimesincountriesaroundtheworldreviewingorrewritingtheirconstitutions.In2021,headvisedtheConstitutionalConventionofChileondesigningproceduresofconstitutionalreformforthecountry’sproposedconstitution.Andin2022,theSupremeCourtofKenyareliedextensivelyonhistheoryofconstitutionaldismembermentinitsdecisiononamajordisputeoveraconstitutionalreform.
Now,Prof.AlbertishelpingJamaica—thecountrywherehisparentsmetandhisgreat-great-grandfatherwasborn—initstransitionfromaconstitutionalmonarchytoarepublic.Albertisoneof15peopleappointedbytheJamaicanPrimeMinistertoserveontheConstitutionReformCommittee,helpingtolaythegroundworkforanewgovernmentalframework.
AccordingtoAlbert,theCRChasthreeobjectives.“One,toreplacetheKingwithaJamaicanHeadofState,”saysAlbert.“Two,tomodernizethecountry’sconstitutionalarrangements.Andthree,topatriatetheConstitution–tobringithome,atlast,fromtheUnitedKingdom.”
WithinminutesoftheannouncementoftherecentU.S.SupremeCourtopinionin303Creativev.Elenis,Prof.ElizabethSepperfoundherselfontheradioexplainingthepotentiallyfar-reachingimplicationsofthecourt’sdecisionandherconcernsaboutthem.“Thecentralissuewaswhetherstatescanapplyanti-discriminationlawtoacommercialbusinessthatusessomeexpressionintheproductionoftheirproducts.Thecourtsaid,no,thatthefreespeechclausebarsthatapplication.Andthatappliesacrossthenationtoapplicationsofpublicaccommodationsanti-discriminationlaws,andpotentiallyfurtherintootherareasofanti-discriminationlaw.”
Sepper,oneofthenation’sforemostexpertsonpublicaccommodationslaws,wascitedinJusticeSotomayor’sdissentin303Creative.Shehaswrittenextensivelyonhowthehistoryofanti-discriminationlawsrelatestocurrentconflictsbetweentheselawsandtherightsoffreespeechandfreeexerciseofreligion.
Withafocusattheintersectionsofequality,healthcare,andreligiousrights,herextensivescholarshipprobestheambiguitiesandpotentialconflictsamongthesesubjects.“Idon’tthinkIfitinabox.I’mabitofachameleon,”saysSepper.
Whenmanylawyersthinkaboutthefirstyearoflawschool,theyrecallcoffee-fueleddiscussionsaboutthetheoriesbehindcontractconsiderationandtortlawremedies.Prof.ErikEncarnacionwantstochangethewaytheprofessionthinksaboutthesefoundationalconcepts.
Encarnacion’snewresearchincludesaseriesofarticlesonhowresiliencecanshapetraditionalprivatelaw.Hiswritingandspeakingonresiliencethusfarhavefocusedontortlawremedies,butthislawyerandphilosopherhopestoopenthedoortoquestionsaboutthebasesformodernlaw.In“Resilience,Retribution,andPunitiveDamages,”Encarnacionintroducestheconceptof“retributiveresilience”inpunitivedamages.
Thepaperarguesthatratherthanrepresentinganunjustified“windfall,”awardsofpunitivedamagespaidtotheplaintiffcaninappropriatecasesbe“acrucialavenuebywhichvictimsmayattainaconstructiveformofretributivejusticethatallowsthemtodemonstrate,tothemselvesandothers,theirresilience.”Thisisadeparturefromthewidely-heldviewthatpunitivedamagesareinherentlyopposedtotortlaw’scompensatoryaims,andEncarnacionsaysheresists“knee-jerkhostilitytopunitivedamages.”
“It’sthebestclassIevertaughtinmylife.”That’showProf.A.MecheleDickerson,describes“COVIDandtheLaw,”thecourseshecreatedin2021todiscusslessonsinlawandsocietylearnedfromthepandemic.Becausethatpandemicwasstillongoingasthecoursebegan,Dickersonrealizedthatthebestwaytoteachitwastobringinguestlecturersfromaroundtheentireuniversity.Ineachweeklysession,studentsheardfromexpertsonmedicalissues,environmentaljustice,therightsofpeoplewhoareinjails,prisons,anddetentionfacilities,workplacehealthandsafetylaws,intellectualpropertylaw,andmore.
ThebroadscopecapturedessentialpartsofDickerson’sapproachtobothherscholarshipandteaching:embraceinterdisciplinarylearningandfindinspirationinreal-worldchallenges.
“Texas,intermsofmyscholarshipandmyteaching,isabsolutelyperfect,becausewe’reaverylargeresearchuniversity,whichmeansthatIamgivengraceandflexibilitytoteachwheremyresearchisgoing,”saysDickerson,whohasbeenrecognizedforbothherteachingandherscholarshipasanelectedmemberoftheAmericanLawInstituteandaninducteeintotheUniversityofTexasAcademyofDistinguishedTeachers.