Constitution Center

The 2026 Originalism Summer Seminar concluded yesterday with a visit to the Supreme Court of the United States. Our participants had the extraordinary opportunity to experience the halls where constitutional history is made every day. This visit served as the perfect bookend to our program, allowing our cohort to reflect on the practical application of the theories discussed throughout the week.

@JesusOseteDOJ It was an honor to have you join us!

It was an honor to speak today at Georgetown’s Center for the Constitution Originalism Summer Seminar — an event I had the privilege of attending just a short time ago. I had a great time speaking to such impressive law students. The future is bright, America! 🇺🇸

An unforgettable evening for our 2026 participants! Last night, we gathered at the National Archives for the Thomas M. Cooley Gala to celebrate a week of rigorous scholarship. Attendees were treated to a distinguished judicial lecture from Judge Elizabeth L. Branch, one of the many highlights of the night. Congratulations to Zaakir Tameez on winning this year's book award for Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation. This special event brought our cohort together to connect and celebrate surrounded by the nation's founding documents.

The 2026 Originalism Bootcamp is officially underway! We are honored to host Cass Sunstein, Jack Balkin, Stephen Sachs, and many other brilliant minds for a week of rigorous constitutional study. Our impressive cohort of over 80 students is already diving into the complexities of interpretation and original meaning. Stay tuned for more updates throughout the week!

Time is almost running out to apply for the Georgetown Center for the Constitution’s Research Fellowship! This is a two-year non-residential fellowship opportunity for early-career and aspiring scholars in constitutional law and theory, featuring monthly workshops, senior-scholar feedback, and an in-person gathering at Georgetown Law on Nov. 19–20. As a reminder, the application deadline is Friday, May 29 at 11:59 ET. Find out more about the fellowship here: law.georgetown.edu/constitution-c… @shbarclay @GeorgetownLaw

We are now accepting applications for the Georgetown Center for the Constitution’s Research Fellowship. This is a two-year non-residential fellowship for early-career and aspiring scholars in constitutional law and theory, featuring monthly workshops, senior-scholar feedback, and an in-person gathering at Georgetown Law on Nov. 19–20. The deadline to apply is Friday, May 29 at 11:59 p.m. EST. For more information, click here: law.georgetown.edu/constitution-c… @shbarclay @GeorgetownLaw

Today Professor @shbarclay will be joining a webinar regarding the leaked Supreme Court memos and the emergency docket at 3pm. If you want to join the conversation, feel free to register at this link: fedsoc.org/events/from-ch…

Day two of our Collective Action and Legal Responsibility conference is officially underway. Our impressive lineup of scholars have been assessing collective action at the intersection of law and philosophy. Looking forward to further conversations today.

Tomorrow morning, the Georgetown Center for the Constitution hosts "Collective Action and Legal Responsibility," a two-day conference focused on how groups act and are held accountable in legal settings. This interdisciplinary gathering explores the intersection of moral philosophy, business ethics, and legal doctrine to examine the nature of group personhood. Our work often involves analyzing how a group of individuals established a lasting legal framework. Because of this, studying collective agency and shared intent is essential to understanding the roots of our legal system. Professor @shbarclay 's contribution, for example, will examine how collective action is relevant to the framing and interpretation of constitutions. Over the next two days, other topics we will explore include: - The moral implications of collective guilt and group accountability. - How shared intention relates to public meaning and constitutional ratification. - The intersection of corporate character and compelled speech. - Collective agency within state administrations and private law. By investigating these themes, we aim to better understand the initial intent behind our legal structures and maintain our commitment to the historical meaning of the law. We’re excited to be joined by impressive scholars such as @BrianBixLawPhil , @DavidLuban, @PiaChible, and many more!

The Georgetown Center for the Constitution celebrates Faculty Director @shbarclay for her appointment as an Anne Fleming Research Professor at Georgetown Law! 🏛️ A leading expert in constitutional law, her scholarship is frequently cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and featured in top law journals. As a former clerk to Justice Neil Gorsuch, she brings invaluable experience to our originalist mission. Congratulations, Professor Barclay!

Yesterday at Georgetown Law, Professor @RandyEBarnett and Professor @JonathanTurley sat down to discuss "Felony Review." The conversation explored Professor Barnett’s early career in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office during the 1970s and '80s. It was a fascinating look at the gritty realities of Chicago’s legal history and the experiences that shape a leading legal thinker. Thank you to everyone who joined the conversation!

Yesterday on @BBCWorld, I discussed the Supreme Court's ruling in Chiles v. Salazar. The Court's 8–1 decision spans the ideological spectrum — a major victory for free speech and patient autonomy. The core principle: the government cannot strip a conversation of First Amendment protection simply by relabeling it a "treatment." When a patient voluntarily seeks talk therapy consistent with her own values and life goals, the state may not silence the therapist's side of that conversation based on viewpoint. Importantly, this is an as-applied ruling — it doesn't invalidate all conversion therapy laws. But it makes clear that any law permitting therapists to affirm one direction while prohibiting them from helping clients who want to go the other way is suspect viewpoint discrimination, not traditional medical regulation. youtube.com/watch?v=J5it8P…

Looking forward to joining tomorrow's Federalist Society Courthouse Steps discussion on Chiles v. Salazar. Yesterday's 8-1 decision, authored by Justice Gorsuch, held that Colorado's ban on certain counseling conversations regulates speech based on viewpoint and must survive strict scrutiny — a significant ruling at the intersection of free speech, professional regulation, and government neutrality. I'll be discussing the opinion and its implications with Paul Avelar, moderated by @CaseyMattox_. Register here to join: fedsoc.zoom.us/webinar/regist…

Tomorrow, our Faculty Co-Director, Professor Stephanie Barclay, will join the Federalist Society’s Courthouse Steps discussion on Chiles v. Salazar. Yesterday’s 8–1 decision, authored by Justice Gorsuch, held that Colorado’s ban on certain counseling conversations regulates speech based on viewpoint and must satisfy strict scrutiny. Professor Barclay will discuss the opinion and its implications with Paul Avelar of the Institute for Justice, moderated by Casey Mattox. Register here: fedsoc.zoom.us/webinar/regist… @shbarclay @RandyEBarnett @GeorgetownLaw @FedSoc