William N. Eskridge Jr.
Alexander M. Bickel Professor of Public Law
William N. Eskridge Jr. is the Alexander M. Bickel Professor of Public Law at Yale Law School, where he has taught since 1998. One of the most cited law professors in America, his work spans statutory interpretation, constitutional law, and LGBT legal rights. He pioneered the field of sexuality and the law and was an early advocate for marriage equality, representing a gay couple in a landmark case in the 1990s. He previously taught at the University of Virginia and Georgetown Law.
Teaching Style
Professor Eskridge combines rigorous Socratic questioning with a deeply humanistic approach to law. He cold-calls regularly and expects students to grapple with both statutory text and the broader social context behind legislation. His classes are known for their intellectual depth and for connecting doctrinal analysis to real-world struggles for civil rights and equality.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Master the canons of statutory interpretation -- Eskridge expects fluency in textual, purposive, and dynamic approaches
- 2Be prepared to analyze legislative history and its role in statutory construction
- 3Understand the evolution of constitutional protections for LGBT rights and how they connect to broader equal protection doctrine
- 4Read the assigned statutes and cases closely; Eskridge values precise textual analysis
Areas of Expertise
Education
- B.A., Davidson College
- M.A., Harvard University
- J.D., Yale Law School
Notable Publications
- Statutes and the Creation of Public Policy (casebook)
- Sexuality, Gender, and the Law (casebook)
- The Case for Same-Sex Marriage
Research Interests
More Professors at Yale Law School
Constitutional Law, Constitutional History, Criminal Procedure
International Law, Human Rights, National Security Law, Transnational Litigation
Constitutional Law, Election Law, Federalism
Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Policing and Public Policy
Contracts, Legal Ethics, Distributive Justice
Contracts, Antitrust, Property, Law and Economics