How has What has The Federalist Society Contribute to The Future of America Schools

The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies is an American non-profit organization focused on reforming the legal system and protecting the Constitution. Founded in 1982, the Federalist Society has a membership of over 40,000 law students, law professors, judges, and legal professionals. (Andrea 10-25)

The Federalist Society describes itself as:

“…committed to the principles that the state exists to preserve freedom, that the separation of governmental powers is central to our Constitution, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what it should be. The Society seeks to promote awareness of these principles and to further their application through its activities.” (Andrea 10-25)

There are no ideological requirements for membership, but members generally believe in the importance of the separation of powers, and faithful interpretation of the original text of the Constitution. Intellectual diversity and disagreement is welcomed, and the chairman of the board has described the group as “a debate club.”

The Federalist Society's first student chapters were founded in 1982, at the law schools of Yale University and the University of Chicago. Chapters at other prestigious law schools soon followed, and there are now student members at every accredited law school in the United States.

In the interest of promoting thoughtful legal discourse, the Federalist Society hosts lectures, debates, conferences, and other activities across the nation. Student chapters host approximately 1,000 events annually, giving attendees a chance to hear from the top minds in the legal realm. The group produces a variety of publications, including a quarterly newsletter called The Federalist Paper and Engage, a journal of the Society's practice groups. Another project, “ABA Watch,” serves to monitor the activities of the American Bar Association. In 2001 the White House changed the ABA's role in pre-screening judicial nominees, after the Federalist Society exposed a systematic liberal bias in the ABA's evaluations. (Andrea 10-25)

The Federalist Society Pro Bono Law Centre is a new project that matches lawyers with opportunities for pro bono work “in the cause of individual liberty, traditional values, limited government, and the rule of law." (Andrea 10-25)

Among the Society's expanding range of projects, Global Governance Watch raises awareness of global governance issues, including transparency at the United Nations and the influence of international organizations on domestic policymaking. Global Governance Watch is a joint project with the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington DC-based think tank. In 2009, the Harry and Lynde Bradley Foundation awarded the Bradley Prize to the Federalist Society's founding members and leaders. The honourees were founders Spencer Abraham, Steven G. Calabresi, David McIntosh, and Lee Liberman Otis, along with president Eugene B. Meyer and executive vice president Leonard Leo. (Andrea 10-25)

The Federalist Society has been the focus of some political controversy over the years. In 2005, Supreme Court nominee John Roberts' past membership in the Society was attacked during his confirmation hearings. Partisan criticism of Chief Justice Roberts, and the Society, as ...