FedSoc Events

On September 9, 1988, then-presidential candidate Ron Paul spoke on a panel at the Federalist Society's second Annual Lawyers Convention on "Improving National Drug Policy." There has been an increasingly loud tide of opinion of late that our nation's current policy toward illicit drugs is not working. Proposed solutions range from the deployment of full-scale military force, to greater and more s...

On May 2, 2018, the Montgomery Federalist Society and Faulkner University hosted candidates running for the Alabama Office of Attorney General in the 2018 primary elections on campus for an informational forum. Allen Mendenhall, Ph. D., the president of the Montgomery Federalist Society, associate dean of Faulkner’s Jones School of Law and executive director of The Blackstone and Burke Cente...

On March 6, 1988, Hon. Robert H. Bork spoke to the Federalist Society's National Student Symposium at the University of Virginia. Judge Bork discussed the campaign against his recently failed Supreme Court nomination and its implications for future judicial nominations, constitutional law, politics, and culture. As always, the Federalist Society takes no particular legal or public policy positions...

On January 30-31, 1987, the Federalist Society hosted its first-ever national lawyers convention at the Mayflower Hotel. The conference featured a panel on the timeless topic, "Methods of Statutory Construction." Featuring: -Hon. Antonin Scalia, United States Supreme Court -Prof. Laurence Tribe, Harvard Law School -Hon. Frank Easterbrook, United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit -Hon. Laure...

On April 16, 2018, the Georgetown Law Federalist Society presented its Lifetime Service Award to Sen. Rand Paul. The Senator gave a short presentation and answered questions. Hon. Rand Paul, United States Senator, Kentucky Introduction: Mr. Ryan McNulty, Director of Events, Georgetown Student Chapter Welcome: Mr. Ethan Womble, President, Georgetown Student Chapter Co-sponsored by the Article I Ini...

The Sixth Annual Executive Branch Review Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, April 17 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. and will examine the increase in federal regulatory activity and the legal and practical considerations of regulatory reform. This daylong conference will feature plenary panels, addresses, and breakout panels. Prof. Gail Heriot, Professor of Law, University of San Dieg...

The Sixth Annual Executive Branch Review Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, April 17 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. and will examine the increase in federal regulatory activity and the legal and practical considerations of regulatory reform. This daylong conference will feature plenary panels, addresses, and breakout panels. Mr. William S. Consovoy, Partner, Consovoy McCarthy Park PL...

The Sixth Annual Executive Branch Review Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, April 17 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. and will examine the increase in federal regulatory activity and the legal and practical considerations of regulatory reform. This daylong conference will feature plenary panels, addresses, and breakout panels. Mr. Theodore Cooperstein, General Counsel, Office of Person...

The Sixth Annual Executive Branch Review Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, April 17 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. and will examine the increase in federal regulatory activity and the legal and practical considerations of regulatory reform. This daylong conference will feature plenary panels, addresses, and breakout panels. Hon. Paul R. Michel, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit...

The Sixth Annual Executive Branch Review Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, April 17 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. and will examine the increase in federal regulatory activity and the legal and practical considerations of regulatory reform. This daylong conference will feature plenary panels, addresses, and breakout panels. Hon. W. Neil Eggleston, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP M...

The Sixth Annual Executive Branch Review Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, April 17 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. and will examine the increase in federal regulatory activity and the legal and practical considerations of regulatory reform. This daylong conference will feature plenary panels, addresses, and breakout panels. Ms. Ilona Cohen, Chief Legal Officer, Aledade, Inc. Dr. Ste...

The Sixth Annual Executive Branch Review Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, April 17 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. and will examine the increase in federal regulatory activity and the legal and practical considerations of regulatory reform. This daylong conference will feature plenary panels, addresses, and breakout panels. Opening Remarks: Hon. Brendan Carr, Commissioner, Federal C...

The Sixth Annual Executive Branch Review Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, April 17 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. and will examine the increase in federal regulatory activity and the legal and practical considerations of regulatory reform. This daylong conference will feature plenary panels, addresses, and breakout panels. Hon. Neomi Rao, Administrator, Office of Information &...

What methods of interpretation should Ohio courts use in constitutional matters and in cases involving disputes over statutory text? Does the Ohio Supreme Court have obligations or restrictions different from those facing federal courts? Are there systemic problems in the Ohio judicial system that the Ohio Supreme Court needs to address? Has the Ohio Supreme Court improperly ignored established pr...

Demand for criminal justice reform appears to be growing across the political spectrum. Bipartisan coalitions have formed to address over criminalization, prison reform, bail bond reform, sentencing guidelines reform, and more. Panelists will explore these efforts. Are reforms truly needed, or does the criminal justice system already work well? If reforms are needed, what reforms are best—an...

Earlier this year the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31. The case turns on the question of whether “agency fee” arrangements—which require workers to pay union fees to public sector unions to cover the unions’ activities other than political action—violate the First Amendment t...

Since the 1980s, the originalist approach to constitutional interpretation has gained greater and greater acceptance in legal circles, and the number of originalists within the Supreme Court and the federal judiciary has grown. At the same time, originalism still has fierce critics who argue that it is an inappropriate method for constitutional interpretation. Likewise, in the last decades of the...

Introduction to the 2018 Ohio Chapters Conference made by Chad A. Readler, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice. Chad A. Readler, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice

On Thursday, March 29, Professor Josh Blackman was invited to speak at CUNY Law about free speech on campus. Upon arrival at the law school, he was met with protesters and hecklers who attempted to disrupt the event. Warning: Audio and video contain strong language. Prof. Josh Blackman, South Texas College of Law, Houston As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or p...

In both the House and the Senate, it has become extremely difficult to build consensus, which in turn creates gridlock, dysfunction, and partisanship. Does Congress need to reform its processes altogether? Or should it return to earlier methods of committees, conferencing, and compromise? Machalagh Carr, Josh Chafetz, David Schoenbrod, and David Hoppe reflect on the processes of Congress which ena...

Under the Constitution, the legislative branch possesses full authority over trade policy. Congress, however, has delegated much of this power to regulate trade to the executive branch, creating a number of serious issues, from trade wars to favoritism to economic depression. What can Congress do to counteract the consequences of their abdication? Mike Lee discusses the history of Congress' trade...

As the upper chamber of Congress, the Senate functions as a check on the legislative process. Many have complained, however, that the Senate is obstructionist, anti-majoritarian, and overly partisan. Is the Senate broken? Or is it operating as intended by the framers of the Constitution? Daniel Flores, Christopher DeMuth, Matt Glassman, and James Wallner discuss their views on Senate reform. Watch...

The Constitution was carefully designed to balance powers between three federal branches and the states, but over the years disparities between both the federal and the state governments and the executive and legislative branches have become increasingly pronounced. Does the balance of powers still function as intended by the Founders? John Kyl examines the gradual deterioration of the constitutio...

Since the passage of the The 1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act, Congress has successfully managed to follow the twelve-step budget process only four times. Why does Congress continue the pretense of following a system that doesn't work? Is there any way to reform the budget process to account for deficits, debt, overspending, and the bigger picture? James Lankford explores pote...