Study the Theory & Practice of Constitutional Originalism at Georgetown Law

I am pleased to announce that the Georgetown Center for the Constitution is now accepting applications from law students and recent graduates for its second annual Originalism Boot Camp to be held from Sunday May 21 to Friday May 26. In response to student feedback, our already stimulating curriculum has been restructured for greater substance, more divergent viewpoints, and better flow. (For program brochure click here)

Our lecturers/speakers (in alphabetical order) will be Jack Balkin (Yale Law School), Will Baude (University of Chicago Law), Janice Rogers Brown (United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit), Thomas Colby (George Washington Law), Alan Gura (Gura & Possessky), Justice Tom Lee (Utah Supreme Court), historian Joyce Malcolm (George Mason Law), Sai Prakash (University of Virginia Law), Michael Rappaport (University of San Diego School of Law), philosopher Scott Soames (University of Southern California), Judge Diane Sykes (United States Court of Appeals for 7th Circuit)

Topics and schedule will be:

Monday: The Normative & Empirical Rationales For Originalism & the Interpretation/Construction Distinction (Barnett, Larry Solum); and Criticisms of Originalism (Colby) (Afternoon visit with Justice Alito at SCOTUS)

Tuesday: Living Constitutionalism vs Living Originalism (Balkin); and Original Methods Originalism (Rappaport) (Luncheon with Ed Meese)

Wednesday: History, Originalism, & the Second Amendment (Malcolm, Gura) (luncheon address by Judge Dianne Sykes

Thursday: Research Methods, Philosophy of Language, & Corpus Linguistics (Baude, Soames , Lee) (Afternoon visit with Justice Thomas at SCOTUS)

Friday: Executive Power & Originalism (Prakash); panel of constitutional litigators (Concluding Keynote by Judge Brown)

For application information click here.

Here are some additional details:

Application:

Please submit your résumé, transcript, and a brief (250 word) statement of interest by February 15, 2017. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with priority for honoraria given to early applicants, and should be submitted to Fran Djoukeng at [e-mail]. The statement of interest should explain how you would be benefited by participation in the Boot Camp.

Eligibility

Current law students who will have completed their first year of law school by the start of the program or recent graduates; PhD candidates are also eligible

Completion of at least one course in constitutional law by the start of the Boot Camp

Interest in a judicial clerkship is not required, but is encouraged

Attendees must be able to participate in the entire Boot Camp

Duration

Five-day course runs from Monday, May 22 to Friday, May 26, with welcome dinner on May 21

Morning sessions beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Luncheon and/or afternoon meeting each day

Farewell Reception on May 26

Honorarium

Up to thirty accepted applicants will receive a $3,000 honorarium for their participation in the Summer Boot Camp. To receive the honorarium, participants must attend all five days of the seminar.

Housing and Travel

The Georgetown Center for the Constitution will cover travel costs and provide housing for non-resident participants. Travel will be arranged with the assistance of Georgetown Law's travel agent.

Cancellation Policy

Students who wish to decline their acceptance must do so by March 30, 2016.