Heritage Foundation Leadership for America

Robert Alt is a Senior Legal Fellow and Deputy Director of the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation. 

Alt has written and lectured extensively on issues of constitutional law, with particular emphasis on civil rights law, election law, separation of powers, antiterrorism law, and the law of war. He also has extensive first-hand experience in scrutinizing the legal implications of the War on Terror after spending five months in Iraq in 2004. During this time, he observed and wrote about the shift to the Transitional Administrative Law and the transfer of governmental control.

Prior to joining Heritage for a second time in 2008, Alt taught national security law, criminal law, and legislation at Case Western University School of Law in Cleveland. He first served at Heritage as Deputy Congressional Liaison from 1997 to 1999.

In addition to his Heritage duties, Alt is also a Fellow in Legal and International Affairs at the John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs at Ashland University in Ohio, where he has taught constitutional law and political parties and interest groups. 

Alt has testified before Congress on the legality of the Terrorist Surveillance Program and proposed revisions to Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), and before the Federal Election Commission concerning issues of constitutional and administrative law.

He has published articles in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, The Daily Standard, The San Diego Union -Tribune and is a regular contributor to National Review Online, where he has published more than 60 articles. He also has provided commentary on CNN, Fox News, and on numerous syndicated radio programs.

Alt graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in 2002, after which he clerked for Judge Alice Batchelder on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. In 1998, he also received a bachelor's degree in political science and philosophy from Azusa Pacific University in California.