September 9, 2022

Constitution Day '22 Celebrated by Southwestern Law Community

Southwestern Law School's Constitution Day Lecture is held annually to commemorate the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787.

We have Dean Chemerinsky's complete talk available on YouTube.

This year,  the yearly celebration of American democracy came early to Southwestern Law School. On Friday, September 9, Southwestern's Office of the President and Dean, along with the newly formed Southwestern chapter of the American Constitution Society, welcomed the world-renowned U.S. Constitution cause célèbre, Dean Erwin Chemerinsky.

With the stunning Bullocks Wilshire Louis XVI Room as an appropriately grand setting, the iconic scholar and educator delighted a standing-only crowd (and over 100 remote attendees) with a riveting analysis of originalism and why he believes it to be undesirable and dangerous. Dean Chemerinsky described his preferred theory of a "living" constitution and fielded questions from attendees.

During Dean Darby Dickerson's introduction, she warmly described the keynote as the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) of U.S. Constitution scholars. She emphasized his generosity in making time to speak and educate organizations, other scholars, law students, and laypeople on our Constitution. Several attendees prevailed in the Consitution-themed-book raffle that included copies of Dean Chemerinsky's newly released Worse Than Nothing: The Dangerous Fallacy of Originalism, Yale University Press (2022).

At the program's conclusion, students, staff, and faculty alike clamored to greet and exchange a few words with Dean Chemerinsky. He exuded grace, humility, and good humor throughout the lunchtime event. Please enjoy some photos from Friday's event.

Photos clockwise from top left: Dean Chemerinsky with students from Southwestern's chapter of the American Constitution Society; Dean Chemerinsky's reaction to being introduced as the greatest of all time (G.O.A.T.); Dean Chemerinsky at the podium; and Dean Chemerinsky with Southwestern Faculty.

About the speaker

Erwin Chemerinsky is Dean, and Jesse H. Choper, Distinguished Professor of Law, UC Berkeley School of Law.  Before assuming this position, he was the founding dean of the University of California, Irvine School of Law, and a professor at Duke Law School, University of Southern California Law School, and DePaul Law School. 

He is the author of 15 books and over 200 law review articles.  He frequently argues appellate cases, including in the United States Supreme Court.  He is the 2022 President of the Association of American Law Schools.

Read Dean Chemerinsky's faculty profile.