Adrian Vermeule
Ralph S. Tyler Jr. Professor of Constitutional Law
Adrian Vermeule is the Ralph S. Tyler Jr. Professor of Constitutional Law at Harvard Law School. His theory of 'common good constitutionalism' has become one of the most debated frameworks in contemporary constitutional scholarship, offering a fundamental critique of both originalism and living constitutionalism. He clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court and previously taught at the University of Chicago Law School. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2012.
Teaching Style
Professor Vermeule is known for his intellectually provocative teaching style that challenges students across the ideological spectrum. He uses the Socratic method intensively, cold-calling students and pushing them to examine their assumptions about constitutional interpretation and the administrative state. His questions are precise and demanding, and he expects students to engage with institutional and structural arguments rather than purely rights-based reasoning.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Understand the debate between originalism, living constitutionalism, and common good constitutionalism
- 2Be prepared to discuss the role of administrative agencies and why deference doctrines exist
- 3Know the institutional arguments about separation of powers -- Vermeule thinks structurally about constitutional questions
- 4Read his work on common good constitutionalism to understand his distinctive interpretive framework
Areas of Expertise
Education
- A.B., Harvard College
- J.D., Harvard Law School
Notable Publications
- Common Good Constitutionalism
- Law's Abnegation: From Law's Empire to the Administrative State
- The Constitution of Risk
Research Interests
More Professors at Harvard Law School
Constitutional Law, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Supreme Court Advocacy
Constitutional Law, Law and Religion, International and Comparative Law, First Amendment
Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Behavioral Law and Economics, Regulatory Policy
Environmental Law, Administrative Law, Energy Law and Policy, Climate Change Law
Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Mass Incarceration
American Legal History, Constitutional Law, Property