Erwin Chemerinsky

Erwin Chemerinsky

Erwin Chemerinsky became the 13th dean of University of California Berkeley Law on July 1, 2017, when he joined the faculty as the Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law. Prior to assuming this position, from 2008-2017, he was the founding dean and Distinguished Professor of Law, and Raymond Pryke Professor of First Amendment Law, at University of California, Irvine School of Law, with a joint appointment in political science. Before that he was the Alston and Bird Professor of Law and Political Science at Duke University from 2004-2008, and from 1983-2004 was a professor at the University of Southern California Law School, including as the Sydney M. Irmas Professor of Public Interest Law, Legal Ethics, and Political Science. He also has taught at DePaul College of Law and UCLA Law School.

He is the author of eleven books, including leading casebooks and treatises about constitutional law, criminal procedure, and federal jurisdiction. His most recent books are, We the People: A Progressive Reading of the Constitution for the Twenty-First Century (Picador Macmillan) published in November 2018, and two books published by Yale University Press in 2017, Closing the Courthouse Doors: How Your Constitutional Rights Became Unenforceable and Free Speech on Campus (with Howard Gillman).

He also is the author of more than 200 law review articles. He writes a regular column for the Sacramento Bee, monthly columns for the ABA Journal and the Daily Journal, and frequent op-eds in newspapers across the country. He frequently argues appellate cases, including in the United States Supreme Court.

In 2016, he was named a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2017, National Jurist magazine again named Dean Chemerinsky as the most influential person in legal education in the United States.

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Guest Appearances
October 13, 2021

How SCOTUS enabled police abuses of civil rights–and what we can do about it

Dean Chemerinsky discusses why the Supreme Court did not address police powers during the first century of its existence; why the Warren Court was an aberration when it came to curtailing police...

October 5, 2021

The New Supreme Court Term

What awaits us at the Supreme Court? Erwin Chemerinsky stops by to make predictions about the important cases of this term.

January 13, 2021

Supreme Court’s Latest

What’s happening with our Supreme Court and how will it impact the future? Berkeley School of Law dean Erwin Chemerinsky explains.

September 23, 2020

The case for separating Church and State

Erwin Chemerinsky and Howard Gillman are sounding a warning about the direction of SCOTUS rulings on the separation of church and state.

February 6, 2020

Erwin Chemerinsky: Litigator, Educator, Scholar

Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California Berkeley School of Law, shares insights from his career and offers guidance to today’s law students.

October 16, 2019

CLA 2019 Annual Meeting: Dean Erwin Chemerinsky–“Closing the Courthouse Door”

Dean Erwin Chemerinsky shares highlights from his presentation at the Alexander F. Morrison lecture series titled, “Closing the Courthouse Door.”

August 6, 2018

ABA Annual Meeting 2018: Blockbuster Supreme Court Decisions in a Partisan Era

Kevin Davis and Dean Erwin Chemerinsky take a look at the state of the Supreme Court during this time of intense polarization.

September 4, 2015

Justified Shooting or Police Misconduct? A Year In Review After Ferguson

Names like Michael Brown and Eric Garner bring forth opinions on both sides of the police power debate. One side cries abuse of power while the other claims self defense. It’s been...

March 11, 2014

The Ramifications of NSA Monitoring on Attorney-Client Privilege and the Bill of Rights

Attorney-Client Privilege predates US history and is a fixture of Western Law. Pro advocates of its proliferation declare its necessity to a fair and adequate defense. According to many legal experts, NSA...

September 10, 2009

The Unveiling of UCI Law School

It’s back to school and many law students face a new curriculum, the large workload and the hefty price of tuition. But University of California, Irvine School of Law stands out with...

June 12, 2008

The Emergence of New Law Schools

A sign of the times ~ more law schools? According to the National Law Journal, law schools are on the rise with as many as ten new ones, and a majority set...

October 10, 2007

2 Year Anniversary with Dean Chemerinsky and Chancellor Drake

It is official! This is the 2 year Anniversary Show of Lawyer 2 Lawyer! The past two years have been action-packed, covering a wide range of topics from controversial Supreme Court rulings...

August 31, 2005

Inaugural Show – Two great guests!

“Coast to Coast” with J. Craig Williams and Robert Ambrogi from Law.com’s arsenal of top law bloggers debuts with a great show! American Bar Association President Michael S. Greco is our special...