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Location: The Heritage Foundation's Allison Auditorium
The Center for Legal and Judicial Studies is honored to host
Professor John C. Harrison as the second speaker of our aptly named
Joseph Story Distinguished Lecture Series. The namesake of
the series - the eminent jurist Joseph Story - became the youngest
Associate Justice ever to serve on the United States Supreme Court
when he was appointed by President Madison in 1812. Story
made a significant mark on American law in his thirty-three years
on the bench, but his greatest contribution to jurisprudence is his
renowned Commentaries on the Constitution, in which he set
forth a philosophy of judicial restraint. Story famously
declared: "A constitution of government is addressed to the common
sense of the people and never was designed for trials of logical
skill or visionary speculation." Professor Harrison, who has
written prolifically on originalist interpretation, will offer his
insights into the pertinent constitutional debates of Justice
Story's day.
Professor Harrison has been a professor of law at the University
of Virginia since 1993. During 2008, he was on leave from the
Law School to serve as counselor on international law in the Office
of the Legal Adviser at the U.S. Department of State. Prior
to joining the UVA faculty, he worked with the Department of
Justice from 1983-93, serving in numerous capacities, including
deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Counsel
(1990-93). He has also been an associate at Patton Boggs
& Blow in Washington, D.C. and a law clerk for The Honorable
Robert Bork on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia Circuit. Harrison earned his law degree in 1980 at
Yale where he served as editor of the Yale Law Journal and
editor and articles editor of the Yale Studies in World Public
Order. He received his undergraduate degree from the
University of Virginia in 1977.