 Society logo featuring a silhouette of James Madison | |
| Formation | April 23, 1982 |
|---|---|
| Founded at | University of Chicago |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) nonprofit |
| Purpose | Legal advocacy |
Professional title | Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies |
| Location |
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| Coordinates | 38°54′04″N 77°02′28″W / 38.901°N 77.041°W |
Membership | ≈70,000 (2019)[1] |
President | Eugene B. Meyer[2] |
Budget | Revenue: $33,866,191 Expenses: $24,508,301 (FYE September 2022)[3] |
| Website | FedSoc.org |
| This article is part of a series on |
| Conservatism in the United States |
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| This article is part of a series on |
| Libertarianism in the United States |
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The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies (FedSoc) is an American conservative and libertarian legal organization that advocates for a textualist and originalist interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.[4][5][6] Headquartered in Washington, D.C., it has chapters at more than 200 law schools and features student, lawyer, and faculty divisions; the lawyers division comprises more than 70,000 practicing attorneys in ninety cities.[1] Through speaking events, lectures, and other activities, it provides a forum for legal experts of opposing conservative views to interact with members of the legal profession, the judiciary, and the legal academy.[7] It is one of the most influential legal organizations in the United States.[8][9]
The Federalist Society was founded in 1982 by a group of students from Yale Law School, Harvard Law School, and The University of Chicago Law School with the aim of challenging liberal or left-wing ideology within elite American law schools and universities. The organization's stated objectives are "checking federal power, protecting individual liberty and interpreting the Constitution according to its original meaning",[1] and it plays a central role in networking and mentoring young conservative lawyers.[5] According to Amanda Hollis-Brusky, the Federalist Society "has evolved into the de facto gatekeeper for right-of-center lawyers aspiring to government jobs and federal judgeships under Republican presidents."[8] It vetted President Donald Trump's list of potential U.S. Supreme Court nominees; in March 2020, 43 out of 51 of Trump's appellate court nominees were current or former members of the society.[10]
In January 2019, The Washington Post wrote that the Federalist Society had reached an "unprecedented peak of power and influence." Of the current nine members of the Supreme Court of the United States, at least five are current or former members of the organization—Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Amy Coney Barrett.[1][11] Chief Justice John Roberts previously served as a member of the steering committee of the Washington, D.C., chapter, but denies ever being a member.[12] Politico wrote that the Federalist Society "has become one of the most influential legal organizations in history—not only shaping law students' thinking but changing American society itself by deliberately, diligently shifting the country's judiciary to the right."[13]
- ^ a b c d Montgomery, David (January 2, 2019). "Conquerors of the Courts". Washington Post Magazine. Archived from the original on 29 January 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ "Our Purpose". Federalist Society. Archived from the original on 27 September 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ "Federalist Society for Law & Public Policy Studies". Nonprofit Explorer. ProPublica. 9 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2 February 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:2was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
holliswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Montgomery, David (January 2, 2019). "Conquerors of the Courts". The Washington Post Magazine.
The conservative and libertarian society for law and public policy studies has reached an unprecedented peak of power and influence.
- ^ Rosen, Jeffrey (May 10, 2013). "Packing the Courts". Sunday Book Review. New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
- ^ a b Fletcher, Michael (July 29, 2005). "What the Federalist Society Stands For". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
- ^ Farrell, Henry (May 17, 2017). "Trump's values are abhorrent to the Federalist Society of conservative lawyers. That doesn't stop them from helping him". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ Ruiz, Rebecca R.; Gebeloff, Robert; Eder, Steve; Protess, Ben (2020-03-16). "A Conservative Agenda Unleashed on the Federal Courts". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
- ^ "'She's been groomed for this moment': Amy Barrett's Supreme Court preparation began early". Politico. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
- ^ Lane, Charles (July 25, 2005). "Roberts Listed in Federalist Society '97–98 Directory". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 11, 2008. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
krusewas invoked but never defined (see the help page).