Engaging with a prominent constitutional law scholar
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of UC Berkeley School of Law, spent time on campus last week engaging in discussions with UR students, staff, faculty, and the broader Richmond community. Chemerinsky, a noted constitutional law scholar, was named the most influential person in legal education in the United States by National Jurist magazine in 2024.
Nearly 100 students, staff, and faculty members from the law school took part in a lunchtime discussion with Chemerinsky, where he discussed some of the most pressing free speech-related topics.
“It was amazing to hear from someone who has so much experience, and his knowledge of the First Amendment is so vast,” said Caleb Jennings, a second-year law student. “I really appreciated that he was willing to talk about so many of the unresolved questions related to free speech.”
Chemerinsky spoke highly of the University of Richmond’s policies around free expression.
“It’s clear to me that this campus has chosen to value free speech and follow the First Amendment, even though it doesn’t have to as a private institution,” he said. “That’s encouraging.”
During the Q&A portion of the event, law students asked Chemerinsky about how the internet influences free speech.
“The internet is the best invention since the printing press in terms of the ability to reach a mass audience. People can receive information instantaneously, but the flip side is when something like false speech can be spread widely and quickly. It’s a complex relationship,” he said.
Chemerinsky also met with about a dozen undergraduates who are all current or former students of philosophy professor David Lefkowitz, founder and coordinator of UR’s philosophy, politics, economics, and law (PPEL) program. To prepare for the session, the students read a chapter from Chemerinsky’s 2017 co-authored book Free Speech on Campus and developed questions to ask him.
“The students really enjoyed the opportunity to ask one of America’s leading constitutional scholars about his views on restricting campus speakers; time, place, and manner regulations on speech; mandating the use of trigger warnings; the scope of academic freedom; and the policing and punishment of protests that violate campus rules,” Lefkowitz said.
In the evening, Chemerinsky was the featured speaker at the final event in the University of Richmond's 2024 Sharp Viewpoint Speaker Series. During the event, he fielded questions from UR President Kevin F. Hallock in a wide-ranging fireside chat-style conversation that considered various aspects and applications of the First Amendment. Topics included the differences and overlaps between academic freedom and First Amendment protections, the power and legal limits of free speech, and the role of the First Amendment in enabling free inquiry and open discourse at universities and throughout democratic societies.
Chemerinsky noted that he strongly believes we as a society need to do a better job of civic education starting at a young age to help people better understand the First Amendment.
“Understanding is a first step of embracing,” he said. “There is a human tendency to stop speech we don’t like. Embracing free speech does not come naturally.”
Kate Chasin, a junior from San Diego double majoring in leadership studies and PPEL, with a concentration in politics, attended the three Sharp Series events in 2024 and participated in student engagement sessions with each featured speaker.
“Over the past few years, free speech, especially on college campuses, has emerged as a huge discussion point,” Chasin said. “The Sharp Series is an incredible opportunity to have some of the most influential scholars come to campus, share their thoughts and ideas, and deepen our understanding of how to create a safe space for students to speak their minds.”