Faculty whose expertise includes legal research, human rights and technology, criminal law, and national security will join the University of 欧美口爆视频 Law School this August.

, Dean and Provost鈥檚 Professor of Law, is pleased to announce the appointment of three professors to 欧美口爆视频 Law鈥檚 full-time faculty: Shamika Dalton, Vivek Krishnamurthy, and Wadie Said join Pratheepan Gulasekaram and Blake Reid '10 as well as Maryam Jamshidi, Sarah Matsumoto, and Daria Roithmayr as 欧美口爆视频 Law's newest faculty.

鈥淲e are truly fortunate to welcome these wonderful scholars to our law school,鈥� said Dean Inniss. 鈥淭he future is bright at 欧美口爆视频 Law, and we are filled with optimism and gratitude for the knowledge and inspiration they will bring to our students and colleagues on the faculty!鈥�

Meet 欧美口爆视频 Law鈥檚 newest professors:

Shamika Dalton

At the University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Law, Dalton oversaw the daily operation of the Katz Law Library. She assisted the Associate Dean for Library and Technology Services with personnel, budget, and administrative activities for the library; taught legal research classes; lead the library鈥檚 faculty in supporting law student and faculty research; and contributed to the advancement of the profession through scholarship and professional service.

Dalton began her career as a reference librarian at the University of Florida Levin College of Law Legal Information Center in 2012 and rose through the ranks to become the Associate Director for Public Services and Professor of Legal Research. She has dedicated her research and professional service to celebrating the contributions of law librarians of color, educating the profession about the importance of racial diversity, and advocating for cultural competency in legal research instruction.

In July 2019, Dalton received the Joseph L. Andrews Award for her book, Celebrating Diversity: A Legacy of Minority Leadership in the American Association of Law Libraries (2nd edition). She holds a Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Library Science, and Juris Doctor degrees from North Carolina Central University.

Vivek Krishnamurthy

In August, Vivek Krishnamurthy will join the 欧美口爆视频 Law Faculty as Associate Professor of Law and director of the Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law and Policy Clinic. Krishnamurthy鈥檚 teaching, scholarship, and clinical legal practice focus on the complex regulatory and human rights-related challenges that arise in cyberspace.

Krishnamurthy currently serves as Samuelson-Glushko Professor of Law at the University of Ottawa and Director of CIPPIC鈥攖he Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic. In his work, he advises governments, activists, and companies on the human rights impacts of new technologies and is a frequent public commentator on emerging technology and public policy issues.

Prior to his role at the University of Ottawa, Krishnamurthy was the Assistant Director of Harvard Law School鈥檚 Cyberlaw Clinic and Counsel in the Global Business and Human Rights Practice at Foley Hoag LLP. He is a Rhodes Scholar and clerked for the Hon. Morris J. Fish of the Supreme Court of Canada upon his graduation from Yale Law School. Krishnamurthy is currently a Faculty Associate of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, a Senior Associate of the Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and an alternate member of the Global Network Initiative鈥檚 Board of Directors.

Krishnamurthy earned his Bachelor鈥檚 degree at University of Toronto, Master of Philosophy at University of Oxford, and his Juris Doctor at Yale University.

Wadie Said

A widely respected voice in criminal law, human rights, and national security law, Wadie Said will soon be joining the 欧美口爆视频 Law faculty as a Professor of Law.

Currently serving on the faculty at the University of South Carolina School of Law, Professor Said has also served as a visiting professor in the Law and Society Program at the University of California Santa Barbara, and as an assistant federal public defender in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Florida, where he represented one of the defendants in U.S. v. Al-Arian, a complex terrorism conspiracy case.

Professor Said鈥檚 scholarship analyzes the challenges and human rights implications of criminal prosecution and immigration enforcement in several areas of law that touch on national security and foreign policy. His book, Crimes of Terror: The Legal and Political Implications of Federal Terrorism Prosecutions, the first comprehensive legal analysis of the criminal terrorist prosecution in the United States, was published by Oxford University Press in 2015. He teaches courses in criminal law, criminal procedure, immigration law, and seminars on international human rights law and counterterrorism.

Upon graduation from law school, Said served as law clerk to Chief Judge Charles P. Sifton of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and as a litigation associate in the New York office of Debevoise and Plimpton. There, he helped coordinate the firm's pro bono political asylum program. He is an elected member of the American Law Institute and serves on the Board of Editors of Amerasia Journal.

Professor Said is a graduate of Princeton University and the Columbia University School of Law, where he served as an articles editor of the Columbia Human Rights Law Review.

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The overarching goals of this new position are:

• To bring to bear direct experience and knowledge of law teaching, law school learning, and law practice in designing strategies and leading efforts to foster a community and culture of belonging among students, faculty and staff as 欧美口爆视频 Law continues to innovate, diversify, and rise together.
• To strategize on, lead, and help coordinate existing and new projects focusing on culture, identity, race, and class among members of the law school community, with a close focus on how law students, law schools, and our entire legal community can participate in and contribute to these projects. 

With the creation of this role, 欧美口爆视频 Law joins law schools around the country in establishing a faculty-level position to lead this vitally important work. Welcome and congratulations, Associate Dean Chapin!

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Options to attend in-person, via livestream, or on-demand. 

The University of 欧美口爆视频 Law School's Mini Law School will enter its twelfth season this fall, with sessions featuring the school鈥檚 new faculty members from across the country. 

Modeled after the popular Mini Med School at the 欧美口爆视频 Anschutz Medical Campus, 欧美口爆视频 Law鈥檚 Mini Law School is designed to educate non-lawyers and help them better understand some of today鈥檚 most critical legal issues. 

This popular eight-week program provides an excellent lifelong learning opportunity for the Boulder community 鈥� and for participants across the country. The series kicks off on Sept. 6, with Associate Professor Blake Reid presenting on big tech and section 230. Each week, participants will hear from a new 欧美口爆视频 Law professor on a different topic, including: 

路 States as Immigration Battlegrounds (Professor Deep Gulasekaram) 

路 Foreign Policy and Criminal Prosecution (Professor Wadie Said) 

路 Digital Technologies and Human Rights: Friends, Foes, or Frenemies? (Professor Vivek Krishnamurthy) 

路 National Security as Police Power (Associate Professor of Law Maryam Jamshidi) 

路 The Contagiousness of Police Violence (Professor Daria Roithmayr) 

Participants will have the option of attending the lectures in person, watching the live televised lectures remotely, or viewing a recording of the lecture on-demand. 

鈥淢ini Law School provides a superb foundation for exploring topics that focus on the most critical aspects of the legal system today,鈥� one participant stated in an anonymous review of the program. 鈥淪tudents of law or any related field stand to benefit greatly from this condensed and fast-paced introduction into the legal fields impacting us today at local, national, and international levels." 

Registration is open now. Discounts are available for 欧美口爆视频 faculty, staff, and students; high school students; and K-12 teachers and administrators. Registrations are accepted on a first-come basis. For more information about the program, please email mini-law@colorado.edu or visit the program webpage. 

Key details 

When: 6 - 7:30 p.m., Sept. 6 to Oct.18 

Where: Wittemyer Courtroom at the Wolf Law Building on the Boulder campus. Livestream and on-demand viewing options are also available. 

Cost: Registration is $200 for the entire series.

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Widely recognized for its intellectual diversity and originality, the faculty at 欧美口爆视频 Law encompasses an array of prominent legal scholars who are widely cited, both in academia and throughout the national media landscape. We invite you to catch up on the latest faculty publications and media mentions with this round up. 

Faculty Publications

T. Markus Funk [欧美口爆视频 Law adjunct], Eugene Volokh & Andrew Boutros, , previewed on the Volokh Conspiracy (forthcoming Texas L. Rev.)

Helen Norton, , 3 J. Free Speech Law (2023).

Andrew Schwartz, , Oxford University Press (2023).  

Jonathan Skinner-Thompson, , SSRN.com, forthcoming Arizona State L.J, (June 5, 2023)

Notable Mentions, Newspaper Articles & Blogs

Douglas Beltman, Rising 欧美口爆视频 Law 2L, Matt Suoja, , Law Week 欧美口爆视频, (June 7, 2023).

Brad Bernthal, , BizWest, (June 6, 2023).

Harold Bruff, 欧美口爆视频 Law Professor Emeritus, Louis Jacobson, , Poynter, (June 21, 2023).

Harold Bruff, Louis Jacobson, ,  Poynter, (June 12, 2023).

Anne Castle, GWC, Jennifer Yachnin, ; E&E News, (June 12, 2023). 

Anne Castle, Juan Carlos Rodriguez, , Law360, (June 21, 2023).

Violeta Chapin, Nicole C. Brambila, , Denver Gazette, (June 18, 2023).

Richard Collins, , 2023 CO 39, (quoting Collins鈥� Senate Judiciary Committee testimony, (June 20, 2023).

Richard Collins, , No. 21鈥�1484, (U.S., June 22, 2023),Gorsuch鈥檚 dissent citing Collins鈥� Never Construed to Their Prejudice: In Honor of David Getches, 84 U. Colo. L. Rev. 1 (2013).

Matthew R. Cushing, 欧美口爆视频 Law Appellate Practicum students Jonathan Murray, Ricardo Rivera and Melpomene Vasiliou; Daniel Ducassi, , Law360, (June 16, 2023).

T. Markus Funk, The Daily Caller, (June 9, 2023).

T. Markus Funk, Kevin Cole, , CrimProf Blog, (June 14, 2023).

Deep Gulasekaram, Parker Yamasaki, Tatiana Flowers, & Ciara Zavala, , 欧美口爆视频 Sun, (June 6, 2023).

Douglas Kenney, Robyn White, , Newsweek, (June 13, 2023).

Suzette Malveaux, , Washington Post, (June 19, 2023), review of Built From the Fire, see also attached PDF.

Helen Norton, Eugene Volokh, , Volokh Conspiracy, (June 2, 2023).

Helen Norton, Lawrence Solum, , Legal Theory Blog, (June 21, 2023).

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Winter assumes this pivotal role at the GWC with a remarkable track record in environmental advocacy, education, and policy development. With 25 years of experience in the field of natural resources and environmental law, Winter has established himself as an attorney and advocate of extraordinary effectiveness, dedicating much of his career to public land management, environmental justice, and representing indigenous communities.

In 2001, Winter co-founded a non-profit law center based in Portland, Oregon, which represented public interest clients in federal and state courts across the Pacific Northwest. Over 17 years, he earned a reputation for winning challenging cases on behalf of grassroots organizations facing daunting odds and formidable opposition. Notably, Winter represented Alaska Native organizations in the U.S. Arctic, successfully protecting their subsistence activities from the impacts of offshore oil and gas exploration. He also served as lead counsel in Rosemere Neighborhood Ass'n v. U.S. E.P.A., a landmark case that shed light on the EPA's inadequate investigation of citizen complaints under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. His litigation record includes numerous victories on a wide range of issues in federal and state courts.

Most recently, Winter led a national advocacy organization working at the intersection of outdoor recreation and public land management. He spearheaded efforts to restore Bears Ears National Monument, promote human-powered outdoor recreation, and conserve public lands. Winter's extensive experience, particularly in engaging with diverse stakeholders and representing marginalized communities, uniquely positions him to lead the GWC.

"We are so glad to welcome Chris Winter as the new Executive Director of the Getches-Wilkinson Center, reaffirming our commitment to excellence in environmental law and policy," said , dean of the University of 欧美口爆视频 Law School. "We extend our gratitude to Professors Michael Pappas and Mark Squillace for their invaluable contributions as interim co-directors. With Chris at the helm, we are confident in the center's continued growth and its ability to shape the future of environmental law and policy."

Winter's deep expertise in environmental law and advocacy, combined with his passion for interdisciplinary collaboration, make him an ideal leader for the GWC. He has a proven ability to build partnerships and engage stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to address critical environmental issues.

"I am honored to join the GWC and contribute to its legacy of excellence," said Chris Winter. "For years the center has been a respected institution in environmental law scholarship and action. I am excited to build on that foundation in collaboration with 欧美口爆视频 Law鈥檚 extraordinary students as well as the state鈥檚 passionate and effective legal community."

Winter's appointment underscores the school's dedication to fostering a sustainable future through rigorous research, innovative solutions, and impactful engagement.

欧美口爆视频 the Getches-Wilkinson Center

The Getches-Wilkinson Center is a leading center for environmental law and policy at the University of 欧美口爆视频 Law School. It is committed to serving the people of the American West, the nation, and the world through creative, interdisciplinary research, bold, inclusive teaching, and innovative problem solving in order to further true sustainability for our lands, waters, and environment.

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After graduating from Stanford Law School and practicing with prestigious firms in Phoenix and San Francisco, Wilkinson embarked on a remarkable career that encompassed teaching, writing, and advocating for the rights of Indigenous Peoples and the environment. In 1971, he joined the newly formed in Boulder, 欧美口爆视频 as a staff attorney, helping to shape the organization鈥檚 pathbreaking advocacy for Tribes. Together with the late Dean David Getches, Professor Richard Collins, and NARF Executive Director John Echohawk, Wilkinson helped to secure landmark victories in tribal treaty rights litigation and establish a relationship between 欧美口爆视频 Law and NARF that endures to this day.

Wilkinson was a passionate and inventive teacher and mentor, educating and inspiring thousands of students and scores of colleagues at law schools throughout the country. As his colleagues and students would attest, Wilkinson left an indelible mark, not just on legal education and scholarship, but on those attributes that are the very essence of the American West.

鈥淐harles鈥檚 enormous legacy touches every aspect of public lands, natural resources, and American Indian law,鈥� reflected Professor . 鈥淗e blended fierce advocacy with deep scholarship. He wrote in ways that were accessible to the general public while also influencing policy makers at the highest levels of government. And he was a ceaselessly generous, optimistic, kind, and huge-hearted friend and mentor to generations of students and colleagues. To put it in a way Charles himself might have鈥擠ammit we will miss him, but how very lucky we were to know him.鈥� 

Most of Wilkinson's teaching career was spent at the Oregon and 欧美口爆视频 law schools, where his influence and impact were deeply felt. In 1997, the regents of the University of 欧美口爆视频 recognized Wilkinson as a Distinguished Professor, one of only twenty-five at the University. His gift for teaching and deep commitment to research were repeatedly acknowledged through numerous teaching and research awards throughout his illustrious career. Wilkinson was famous for hiring law students as research assistants and sending them out in the world to learn about legal problems. These opportunities were often life-changing, with dozens of his students going on to practice Indian Law and Public Land Law over the decades.

As a prolific writer, Wilkinson authored fourteen books, which stand as seminal works that shaped the fields of Indian Law and Federal Public Land Law. These include highly regarded casebooks and general audience books, including Crossing the Next Meridian, that tackled pressing issues related to land, water, the West, Indigenous rights, and the complex histories that shape our nation. His writings, marked by their clarity and profound insights, resonated with scholars, practitioners, and the general public, making him an influential voice in legal and environmental discourse. He was an early thought leader in the field of environmental justice, seeing early on that the rights of Native Americans had to be considered at the heart of public lands and conservation policy. 

鈥淐harles was a beloved person in Indian country," said Professor who directs the American Indian Law Program. 鈥淔rom the Navajo and Hopi people in the southwest deserts and canyons to the Yurok, Nisqually, and Siletz people along the rivers and coasts of the northwest, Charles spent much of his life working with tribes and they came to trust him. Charles Wilkinson's deep, respectful engagement with Indigenous Peoples is a model that the AILP will always share with our students."

Beyond the classroom, the written word, his work with tribes, and support for students, Wilkinson devoted himself to numerous special assignments for the U.S. Departments of Interior, Agriculture, and Justice. His expertise was sought after, and he played instrumental roles in critical negotiations and policy development. From facilitating agreements between the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe and the National Park Service to serving as a special advisor for the creation of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Bears Ears National Monument, Wilkinson's successes extended far beyond the confines of academia.

Charles Wilkinson's exceptional achievements were recognized through a multitude of prestigious awards and honors. These accolades include the National Wildlife Federation's National Conservation Award, which acknowledged his unwavering commitment to the preservation of our natural heritage. The Earle A. Chiles Award from the Oregon High Desert Museum celebrated his career-long dedication to the High Desert region, while the Twanat Award from the Warm Springs Museum recognized his tireless work in support of Indian people.

Wilkinson's visionary leadership and dedication to the 欧美口爆视频 Plateau were honored with the John Wesley Powell Award from the Grand Canyon Trust. Additionally, the Federal Bar Association bestowed upon him the Lawrence R. Baca Award for Lifetime Achievement in Indian Law, recognizing his profound contributions to the field. In 2021, the 欧美口爆视频 Center for the Book and 欧美口爆视频 Humanities honored Charles Wilkinson with the 欧美口爆视频 Book Awards Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the 欧美口爆视频 and national literary, history, and legal communities.

鈥淐harles Wilkinson's passing brings into sharp focus his extraordinary legacy鈥攁 legacy that embodies the very best of what our law school stands for. He was a brilliant advocate, and his life's work will continue to guide and inspire us,鈥� remarked Dean . 鈥淗is memory will remain a source of comfort and strength for so many as they carry forward his remarkable dedication and honor the profound difference he made.鈥�

Charles Wilkinson鈥檚 legacy will indeed continue to inspire generations to come, as those who knew him directly and those who were touched through his work strive to emulate his vision, passion, and commitment to creating a more just and sustainable world.

To Charles Wilkinson's family and loved ones, the University of 欧美口爆视频 Law School offers our deepest condolences during this difficult time. 

Details regarding a celebration of life will be shared as soon as possible.

Gifts in memory of Charles to the law school may be . We invite you to . Please send any questions to wilkinsontribute@colorado.edu.

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Professor served as Interim Executive Director through the end of the spring semester. Professor Bernthal begins work as Executive Director effective June 1.

"I am thrilled to be taking on this new role at the Silicon Flatirons Center," said Professor Bernthal. 鈥淪ilicon Flatirons helps shape technology and innovation to benefit people. This project is as important to the community today as it has ever been.鈥�

Professor Bernthal is a widely known and respected figure in the fields of entrepreneurial law, early-stage finance, and innovation policy. He has been an associate professor of law at the University of 欧美口爆视频 Law School since 2007. Professor Bernthal is the founder and director of the , which has been instrumental in supporting and fostering entrepreneurship in the region and connecting 欧美口爆视频 campus with the surrounding high tech entrepreneurial community. Professor Bernthal was part of the small cadre that launched 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 New Venture Challenge, which just finished its 16^th year.

As the new Executive Director, Professor Bernthal is responsible for leading the strategic direction and operations of the Silicon Flatirons Center, which works to propel the future of law, policy, and entrepreneurship in the digital age. Through the center鈥檚 initiatives, events, publications, and student programs, he will continue to build on the Center's work to catalyze critical conversations among diverse stakeholders and develop professionals ready to lead.

"It鈥檚 an honor to work with the extraordinary scholars and entrepreneurs in our community," reflected Professor Bernthal. 鈥淲e aspire to elevate the debate around technology and policy at a time when wisdom and foresight are imperative. The stakes are high, and our team is ready to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.鈥�

"We are very excited to have Brad take on this new role," said , dean of the University of 欧美口爆视频 Law School. "His experience, deep ties to 欧美口爆视频 Law, and expertise make him an excellent choice to lead the Center as we continue to explore the important legal and societal implications of developing technologies."

欧美口爆视频 the Silicon Flatirons Center:

The Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship is a leading interdisciplinary research center based at the University of 欧美口爆视频 Law School. The Center's mission is to explore the intersection of technology, law, and entrepreneurship and to engage in meaningful dialogue and research with stakeholders from industry, government, and academia. The Center is committed to fostering entrepreneurship in the region and to helping develop and promote a culture of innovation.

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Scholars, lawyers, advocates and leaders from across the country convened on April 14, 2023 for the University of 欧美口爆视频 Law School鈥檚 31st Annual Ira C. Rothgerber Jr. Conference: State of Resistance: The Role of States in the Midst of Federal Court Crisis. 

This year鈥檚 conference grappled with the role of the states in responding to the U.S. Supreme Court鈥檚 modern jurisprudence. With the disruption of long-standing rights, controversial rulings and procedures, and an increase in skepticism about the Court鈥檚 legitimacy, speakers examined the role of state and tribal courts, state constitutions, and state law in responding to growing threats to democracy. This interdisciplinary conference benefitted from a range of perspectives and experiences. The speakers included: doctrinal & clinical law professors, a mathematics professor, private practitioners and non-profit lawyers, activists, and policy makers. 

欧美口爆视频 Law鈥檚 Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law hosted the Rothgerber Conference. The Center鈥檚 director, Moses Lasky Professor of Law , gave opening remarks. Professor Malveaux set the stage, asking what role states should play in the face of waning confidence in the federal, judicial, and political branches. She flagged federalism, separation of powers and pre-emption as issues to look out for as states take opposing stances on what democracy looks like. Dean also kicked off the conference, explaining how democratic norms are under attack and urging attendees to be active participants in our collective future. 

, professor and Co-Director for the , gave the keynote address. Professor Shapiro discussed the importance of a republican form of government and how federalism enhances liberty for everyone. She explained how federalism requires a diverse and responsive government, citizen involvement, and the promotion of democracy. 

鈥淲e are experiencing not just the threat of, but actual, democratic erosion,鈥� Professor Shapiro said. She criticized the Supreme Court for failing to protect democracy and argued that the Court鈥檚 selection process, composition, and jurisprudence illustrate the need for court reform.

Three panels picked up the conversation from there, examining the growing role of states in the context of civil rights, voting rights, and reproductive rights.

The first panel, 鈥淪tate Responsibility in the Face of Civil Rights Regression,鈥� explored the current state of civil rights, with a focus on how BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities, in particular, have been impacted. Panelists highlighted how Tribal federal litigation over the protection of one civil liberty has a domino effect on other liberties. Panelists also highlighted the importance of diversity in the judiciary, including the recent confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. 

Panel 1: Professor Matthew Fletcher, Michigan Law; Michaela Calhoun '24; Siddhartha Rathod, Esq., Rathod | Mohamedbhai LLC; Tona Boyd, Esq., Legal Defense Fund

The second panel, 鈥淭he Gutting of the Voting Rights Act and Its Impact on Judicial Legitimacy,鈥� explored how the Supreme Court has eroded voting rights. The panelists discussed how many states, in response, are protecting the right to vote by enacting their own voting rights acts to protect voters. 

Panel 2: Professor Moon Duchin, Tufts University; Debo Adegbile, Esq., WilmerHale. (Not pictured: Professor Ruth Greenwood, Harvard Law School; Professor Doug Spencer, 欧美口爆视频 Law)

The third panel, 鈥淭he Battle Over Abortion at the State Level,鈥� explored the chaos of state abortion law in a post-Roe world. Panelists discussed the impact of this legal uncertainty on abortion providers, patients, and states themselves. Added to the mix were 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 own laws protecting abortion access, three of which were signed into law earlier that day.

Panel 3: Danielle Edwards '23; Kiki Council, Esq., The Lawyering Project; Dean Rachel Rebouch茅, Temple Law School; Professor Martha Davis, Northeastern University School of Law

Panelists and attendees connected with each other at the post-conference reception, reflecting on the issues raised. Casey Nelson, a second-year student and executive editor of the , noted, 鈥淭his year's Rothgerber Conference had such an excellent lineup. Hearing the professors and practitioners speak on what they're most passionate about was inspiring. It was especially interesting to hear their perspectives on current legal news, sometimes right as it was breaking.鈥�

Jenn Chalifoux-Gene, a second-year student and co-president of the 欧美口爆视频 Law chapter of If/When/How, also shared her thoughts.

鈥淭his year鈥檚 Rothgerber Conference was energizing for me! It鈥檚 been tempting to fall into despair about the Supreme Court, especially after Dobbs,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he Conference helped me feel more hopeful about our ability to protect rights in the states.鈥�

Many of the participants will be publishing their remarks and articles in a special symposium issue in the University of 欧美口爆视频 Law Review.

A full recording of the conference is available on .

Biographies of all panel participants can be found here in the event's program.

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Head to GoFundMe's website and, with just a few clicks, you鈥檒l find their claim to have raised approximately $9 billion from more than 120 million donations. On Kickstarter's homepage, they report having funded nearly 240,000 projects with over $7.2 billion directed towards creative work. Crowdfunding's role in the economy clearly goes far beyond 'small change'. In 2012, the federal  authorized investment crowdfunding鈥攚hich, as Professor explains below, "takes the concept one step further by allowing the crowd to buy stock or make some other financial investment on web-based platforms akin to Kickstarter."

In this interview, Professor Schwartz sits down with 欧美口爆视频 Law鈥檚 Robyn Munn to chat about his new book, , the culmination of a decade鈥檚 worth of research in this field. Professor Schwartz鈥檚 latest, brought to readers by Oxford University Press, provides readers with incisive insights born of the critical analysis of multiple comparative jurisdictions and many practical recommendations for how to construct an effective legal framework around this innovative approach to startup financing. 

RM: Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today! First question: What exactly is investment crowdfunding? Can you define it for us?

AS: It鈥檚 my pleasure, Robyn. Let me start with 鈥榗rowdfunding,鈥� which is a general term for raising money over the internet from lots of people (the 鈥榗rowd鈥�), each of whom contributes only a small amount. The original types of crowdfunding were 鈥榬eward鈥� crowdfunding, like on Kickstarter, and 鈥榙onation鈥� crowdfunding, like on GoFundMe.

Investment crowdfunding takes the concept one step further by allowing the crowd to buy stock or make some other financial investment on web-based platforms akin to Kickstarter. Previously, this would have been illegal, since federal law requires that a public offering of stock or other securities must go through the formal IPO process, and all the red tape that entails.

But the law can be changed at any time 鈥� and so it was. The federal Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, signed into law by President Obama in 2012, included a special regime to authorize investment crowdfunding in the United States. My book, Investment Crowdfunding (not a very creative title, I admit!), analyzes the JOBS Act and its related regulations, and compares them to analogous laws in the UK, EU, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

RM: It sounds like this law represents a sort of democratization or 鈥榦pening up鈥� of pathways for aspiring investors. Is that what inspired you to write Investment Crowdfunding?

AS: Yes, that鈥檚 right. Our securities laws have long had a well-intentioned rule that allows companies to raise money without going through a full-blown IPO (initial public offering)鈥攁s long as they only allow wealthy, so-called 鈥榓ccredited鈥� investors, to participate. The idea is that accredited investors have a financial cushion that allows them to lose their entire investment in a risky venture, while those of more modest means need protection against losing more than they can afford.

This is a sensible rule but the unfortunate result is that startups over the past few decades have scrupulously excluded the public from investing, and only allowed accredited investors to participate. This always seemed unfair and overly paternalistic to me; after all, grown adults in a free society may spend their money as they see fit鈥攅ven in ways that seem unwise to the powers-that-be.

When the JOBS Act changed the paradigm and invited 鈥榬etail鈥� investors to participate on the same footing as accredited investors, I knew this was an area of law that I wanted to devote myself to studying. I鈥檝e spent the past decade doing just that, and not only in the United States, as I鈥檝e conducted research all around the world, including substantial work in New Zealand, where I served as a Fulbright Scholar.

RM: Would it be fair to say investment crowdfunding provides some benefits to groups who have traditionally faced barriers to starting a business?

AS: Absolutely. Investment crowdfunding is designed to be inclusive not only with respect to the investors (as just discussed), but also with respect to entrepreneurs.

For entrepreneurs, the traditional sources of startup funding are venture capital (VC) and angel investors, but female and minority entrepreneurs only receive a very small percentage of such funding. Similarly, entrepreneurs in rural areas, far from VC hotbeds like Silicon Valley, have long found it difficult to raise capital without picking up and moving West.

With the advent of the internet, however, geography is no longer a constraint, and a more inclusive new form of startup finance has become suddenly possible. Using investment crowdfunding, entrepreneurs now have the ability to solicit investments directly from the broad public, rather than having to trek out to Palo Alto and convince a bunch of guys in fleece vests.

This is not only theory, but is playing out in practice. According to a recent report from the SEC that looked at investment crowdfunding companies that raised over $1 million, more than 40% had minority founders and nearly 50% had women founders. These are impressive numbers and much higher than we have traditionally seen.

RM: What are some of the critiques of investment crowdfunding? Do they have merit?

AS: The first concern is over fraud. Many people worry that con artists will post phony information on investment crowdfunding sites and trick the public into investing in phony companies that don鈥檛 even exist. By using the internet, they can hide their identities and create the illusion of a thriving company to fool retail investors.

A second concern is that all the best startup companies will get funded in the traditional way (VCs and angels), leaving the crowd with the leftovers that couldn鈥檛 catch a bid from the smart money. This issue is known as 鈥榓dverse selection鈥� (or, more colorfully, the lemons problem), and it is a legitimate issue.

The well-known online publisher, Substack, for instance, was recently unable to raise money from VCs, and so it pivoted to investment crowdfunding. Almost immediately after Substack announced its offering, the offering completely sold out, reaching the $5 million legal limit in less than a day. Maybe the VCs were right and Substack is a lemon; or maybe the crowd is right and it鈥檚 a cherry. Time will tell.

In addition, there are a lot of companies that might prefer to raise money from the crowd, so they pursue investment crowdfunding not as a last resort but as a first one. Consumer companies with a passionate group of customers, in particular, can invite them to invest in the company via investment crowdfunding, thereby cementing the relationship and generating publicity. These 鈥榖rand ambassadors,鈥� as I call them in the book, will buy the product, tell their friends about it, and share the company鈥檚 tweets and posts.

This is another way to look at Substack鈥檚 investment crowdfunding offering and is just how Substack has framed it. In fact, Substack has affirmatively reached out to its writers and subscribers to invest in the offering and will give them priority when allocating shares.

RM: This all sounds quite revolutionary! How do you envision your book being utilized within this new landscape?

AS: Yoga block, somewhere to lean an iPhone, helpful in crushing spiders . . .

More seriously, the book is a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about the law and practice of investment crowdfunding, as well as ideas for improvement.

I expect it to be useful for entrepreneurs considering their fundraising options and the lawyers who advise them, as well as legal scholars and law students interested in the field. Policymakers around the world will likewise benefit from the critical analysis of multiple comparative jurisdictions and my many practical recommendations for how to construct an effective legal system.

It鈥檚 also funny.

RM: Thank you so much for sharing your expertise! Where can readers find Investment Crowdfunding?

AS: Thank you for the opportunity, Robyn. The book is available for pre-order on and ; at OUP, readers can enter promo code ALAUTHC4 for 30% off the list price.

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The University of 欧美口爆视频 Law School is proud to announce that , associate professor of law and director of the Privacy Initiative at the , has been selected as a Fulbright Scholar for 2023-2024.

鈥淚 am honored to have been selected as a Fulbright Scholar and am excited for the opportunity to engage with colleagues in Europe and better understand the EU鈥檚 significant new laws regulating AI,鈥� said Professor Kaminski.

This is Professor Kaminski鈥檚 second Fulbright award. She received a 2018 Fulbright-Schuman Innovation Grant to study comparative and transatlantic approaches to privacy in the EU. Fulbright Scholar Awards are prestigious and competitive fellowships that provide unique opportunities for scholars to teach and conduct research abroad. Scholars play a vital role in U.S. public diplomacy, establishing long-term relationships between people and nations. The benefits of a Fulbright Scholar Award extend beyond the individual recipient, raising the profile of their home institutions as well.

鈥淲e are thrilled that Margot Kaminski has been selected as a Fulbright Scholar. Her scholarship and leadership bring so much to 欧美口爆视频 Law. I, along with her students, fellow faculty, and colleagues, look forward to the impact her research and engagement will have both abroad and at the University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder,鈥� said , dean of 欧美口爆视频 Law.

Professor Kaminski specializes in the law of new technologies, focusing on information governance, privacy, and freedom of expression. Recently, her work has examined autonomous systems, including AI. Her academic work has been published or is forthcoming in Columbia Law Review, UCLA Law Review, Minnesota Law Review, Boston University Law Review, and Southern California Law Review, among others, and she frequently writes for the popular press.

Professor Kaminski is a graduate of Harvard University and Yale Law School. While at Yale, she co-founded the (MFIA), a law school clinic dedicated to increasing government transparency, defending the essential work of news gatherers, and protecting freedom of expression. She was a law clerk to the Honorable Andrew J. Kleinfeld of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Fairbanks, Alaska. She worked at a literary agency prior to law school and has worked at Creative Commons and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. From 2011-2014 Kaminski served as the executive director of the Information Society Project at Yale Law School, an intellectual center addressing the implications of new information technologies for law and society. She remains an affiliated fellow of the Yale ISP. From 2014-2017, Kaminski was an Assistant Professor of Law at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Alumni include 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 78 MacArthur Fellows, and thousands of leaders and world-renowned experts in academia and many other fields across the private, public, and non-profit sectors.

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