Robert Weisberg
Edwin E. Huddleson Jr. Professor of Law
Robert Weisberg is the Edwin E. Huddleson Jr. Professor of Law at Stanford Law School, where he has taught since 1981 and has won numerous teaching awards. He is the founder and co-director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center. Before entering law, Weisberg earned a Ph.D. in English from Harvard and was a tenured English professor. He clerked for Chief Judge J. Skelly Wright and Justice Potter Stewart of the U.S. Supreme Court. He served as interim Dean of Stanford Law School in 2023-2024.
Teaching Style
Professor Weisberg combines his unique background in literary studies with legal analysis, bringing a distinctive humanistic perspective to criminal law. He uses the Socratic method effectively, cold-calling students and expecting them to engage with both the legal doctrine and the deeper moral and narrative dimensions of criminal cases. His questions often push students to consider the human stories behind the legal rules.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Think beyond the black-letter rules to the policy justifications and moral dilemmas in criminal law
- 2Be prepared to discuss sentencing policy and its real-world effects on the criminal justice system
- 3Understand the Model Penal Code framework and how it compares to common law approaches
- 4Consider the narrative and literary dimensions of the cases -- Weisberg values thoughtful interpretation
Areas of Expertise
Education
- B.A., City College of New York
- M.A. and Ph.D., Harvard University (English)
- J.D., Stanford Law School
Notable Publications
- Literary Criticisms of Law
Research Interests
More Professors at Stanford Law School
Constitutional Law, Constitutional Litigation, Voting Rights, Civil Rights
Intellectual Property, Patent Law, Antitrust, Law and Technology
Constitutional Law, First Amendment, Church and State, Separation of Powers
Family Law, Employment Discrimination, Race and the Law
Constitutional Law, Election Law, Law of Democracy, Technology and Governance
Constitutional Law, Legislation and Statutory Interpretation, Sexuality and the Law