Dear Friends,

In the hectic days since January 20, the Edley Center on Law and Democracy has had its work cut out for it. Day 1 of the new Administration featured a slew of executive orders. Those have been followed by unprecedented actions such as abolishing agencies and withholding billions of dollars of congressionally mandated spending.

At this point, we see an urgent need to promote public understanding of these developments, their legal dimensions, and their implications for democracy. Our efforts have included a flurry of interviews for press, radio, and TV outlets; podcasts; and webinars. 

Law school talks

Along with the law school administration, we are cosponsoring a series of lunchtime panels on the Administration’s actions, which include discussions of substantive actions as well as their implications for democracy. We already have recordings available of our first two panels, which were focused on executive actions relating to the environment (Jan. 27) and immigration (Feb.10).

As a reminder, the recordings from our speaker series last semester are available on our website. You may find the panel on Democracy and Presidential Power especially relevant today. 

We are also planning an event in the spring about administrative actions that may threaten the independence and integrity of scientific research. 

White papers

We have been in the process of preparing white papers on various issues relating to democracy, with a focus on democratic institutions and the rule of law. Many of Trump's Administrative actions have now been subject to a slew of coverage and analysis. Our goal is to provide a concise overview of the key issues relating to the impact of these actions on democratic governance to provide guidance to journalists, policymakers, and members of the public. 

Search for an executive director

We’re delighted to announce the launch of our search for this crucial position. Please help by spreading the word to people who might be interested. Here’s the application page, which also contains a job description and other information: JPF04751.

Supporting our work

As we launch and grow the Center, we would benefit from your help in spreading the word to friends and colleagues who you think might be interested in our work. We'd also be grateful for any contribution that you can make to support the Center. In these early days, as we prepare to bring on an executive director and then additional staff, your support is crucial in ensuring that we establish a strong foundation for the future. And please forward this email to anyone who might be interested.

With best regards,

Dan Farber & Jonathan Gould

Faculty Co-Directors