For most law professors, their relevance to "real world" issues is limited. Sure, there are the famous or ambitious profs who testify in front of Congress or take leaves of absence to do brief stints in government, and there are those ranks of professors who are simultaneously judge and law professor (Guido, Posner, Ralph Winter), but for the rank and file, participating in amicus briefs or doing consulting is usually the peak of our influence.
Until Obama. The Times this afternoon has a fascinating study of Obama as law professor (he was a lecturer at Chicago for twelve years), with various other law professors analyzing his performance there to glean insights into his potential worthiness for President. They even interviewed former students who are now law professors. Truly, it's about as close to law professor nirvana -- teaching skills! collegiality! disdain for footnotes! -- as presidential analysis can get.
Law Profs Honor Roll (i.e., mentioned or interviewed in article, in order of appearance):
Dennis Hutchinson (Chicago)
Richard Epstein (Chicago)
Abner Mikva (formerly of Chicago)
Douglas Baird (Chicago)
Michael McConnell (formerly Chicago, now Utah)
Richard Pildes (NYU)
Salil Mehra (Temple)
Daniel Sokol (Florida)
David Franklin (De Paul)
Dan Kahan (Yale)
Cass Sunstein (Chicago, Harvard)
Daniel Fischel (Chicago)
It's a law prof extravaganza!
(updated to change Mitch McConnell to Michael McConnell--oops!)
"[F]or the rank and file, participating in amicus briefs or doing consulting is usually the peak of our influence."
Except, you know, educating, mentoring, and influencing the next generation of attorneys in America and around the world.
Posted by: John C | July 30, 2008 at 09:35 AM
Yes, but as important as that is, it's a secondary kind of influence, not a direct one.
Posted by: Laura | July 30, 2008 at 02:48 PM
I'm pretty confident you mean Michael McConnell (who also is "currently Utah" in addition to "formerly Chicago") -- not the Senate Minority Leader.
Posted by: David Schraub | July 30, 2008 at 05:12 PM
I don't know that I would necessarily define the influence of a teacher/mentor as "secondary" and not "direct" to "real world issues" (as opposed to "fake world issues"?). Is not a "real world issue" the preparation of attorneys?
Posted by: John C | July 31, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Poor Ralph Winter ... needs both a first and last name to be recognized.
Posted by: ben | August 01, 2008 at 01:09 PM
Secondary meaning that those you teach will turn around and have an impact on the profession. Primary meaning that your activities per se directly impact the profession and environs.
With the first, you can have a broader impact over time. They are both important.
Anyway, I think the point here is that being a major party Presidential nominee has more of a real-world impact than the 47th critique of the Coase Theorem.
Posted by: David | August 01, 2008 at 04:10 PM
Secondary meaning that those you teach will turn around and have an impact on the profession. Primary meaning that your activities per se directly impact the profession and environs.
With the first, you can have a broader impact over time. They are both important.
Anyway, I think the point here is that being a major party Presidential nominee has more of a real-world impact than the 47th critique of the Coase Theorem.
Posted by: David | August 01, 2008 at 04:11 PM