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The Federalist Society
for Law and Public Policy Studies
BACKGROUND:
Founded in 1982, the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies is a
group of conservatives and libertarians dedicated to reforming the current legal
order. We are committed to the principles that the state exists to preserve
freedom, that the separation of governmental powers is central to our
Constitution, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary
to say what the law is, not what it should be. The Society seeks to promote
awareness of these principles and to further their application through its
activities.
In its mission and purpose, the Federalist Society is unique. By providing a
forum for legal experts of opposing views to interact with members of the legal
profession, the judiciary, law students, academics, and the architects of public
policy, the Society has redefined the terms of legal debate. Our expansion in
membership, chapters, and program activity has been matched by the rapid growth
of the Society's reputation and the quality and influence of our events. We have
fostered a greater appreciation for the role of separation of powers;
federalism; limited, constitutional government; and the rule of law in
protecting individual freedom and traditional values. Overall, the Society's
efforts are improving our present and future leaders' understanding of the
principles underlying American law.
The Society is a membership organization that features a Student Division, a
Lawyers Division, and a newly-established Faculty Division. The Student Division
includes more than 5,000 law students at approximately 145 ABA-accredited law
schools, including all of the top twenty law schools. The national office
provides speakers and other assistance to the chapters in organizing their
lectures, debates, and educational activities.
The Lawyers Division is comprised of over 20,000 legal professionals and others
interested in current intellectual and practical developments in the law. It has
active chapters in sixty cities, including Washington, D.C., New York, Boston,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, San Francisco, Denver, Atlanta, Houston,
Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Indianapolis. Activities include the annual National
Lawyers Convention, a Speakers Bureau for organizing lectures and debates, and
15 Practice Groups.
The Federalist Society established its Faculty Division in early 1999 with a
conference that was attended by many of the rising stars in the legal academy.
The objective of the Faculty Division is to provide events and other tools to
help encourage constructive academic discourse. This encouragement will help
foster the growth and development of rigorous traditional legal scholarship.
Finally, the Federalist Society provides opportunities for effective
participation in the public policy process. The Society’s ongoing programs
encourage our members to involve themselves more actively in local, state-wide,
and national affairs and to contribute more productively to their communities.
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