Micah J. Schwartzman
Hardy Cross Dillard Professor of Law
Micah J. Schwartzman is a leading scholar of law and religion, jurisprudence, and political philosophy who joined UVA Law in 2007. He directs the Karsh Center for Law and Democracy and holds a doctorate in politics from Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. His scholarship has been widely cited in debates about religious liberty, the Establishment Clause, and the role of public reason in constitutional adjudication. He clerked for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Teaching Style
Professor Schwartzman integrates philosophical reasoning with legal analysis in a deeply Socratic classroom. As a Rhodes Scholar with a doctorate in political philosophy, he pushes students beyond doctrinal analysis to engage with the normative foundations of constitutional law. He is methodical in his questioning, often building chains of hypotheticals that force students to confront the limits of their positions.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Prepare to engage with both legal doctrine and underlying philosophical arguments about religious liberty
- 2Be ready to discuss Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause cases with precision
- 3Think through the normative justifications for your positions, not just the case holdings
- 4Familiarize yourself with key concepts in political philosophy such as public reason and neutrality
Areas of Expertise
Education
- D.Phil., University of Oxford (Rhodes Scholar)
- J.D., University of Virginia School of Law
- B.A., University of Virginia
Notable Publications
- Religion, Equality, and Public Reason (Cambridge University Press)
Research Interests
More Professors at University of Virginia School of Law
Privacy Law, Civil Rights, Free Expression, Torts
Civil Procedure, Immigration Law and Policy, Federal Courts
Constitutional Law, Foreign Relations Law, Presidential Powers
Property, Local Government Law, Church and State, Urban Law and Policy
Administrative Law, Civil Procedure, Computer Crime, Conflicts of Law
Tax Law, Tax Policy, Behavioral Law and Economics