As we reflect on the first 40 years of our Federalist Society, I stand in awe of what we have achieved together. Our journey started with humble beginnings when we were a small student group interested in core ideas on just a few law school campuses. That humble group has grown into a national movement with a substantial impact on our nation’s law schools, judiciary, and legal profession. Our success bears witness to what we know to be true: in law, as in other important fields of human endeavor, ideas matter. This is particularly so given the centrality of the rule of law to the American project.

I am proud of the many ways in which, over the past 40 years, the Society has broadened, deepened, and elevated the discussion of consequential ideas, bringing to bear civility and reasoned discourse—which are in all too short supply in our nation today. As we take a step back to reflect, there is reason to hope that this work will have a deep and lasting effect. For this we are most grateful, as we are for the faithful support of our members and benefactors over the years.

2022 was a year of rapid improvement for the Federalist Society. COVID-19 had posed a major threat to the Federalist Society’s model of operation. In-person programming is at the center not only of how students and lawyers in the Society hear ideas, but also how they discuss them and get to know each other. They learn to work together with others who share key principles, and they do this throughout law school and their legal careers. By gathering face-to-face to discuss and better understand both ideas they agree with and ideas they disagree with, those who participate in our programs grow as people and as lawyers. Fortunately, in-person programming became the norm again in 2022, and we now exceed previous levels of activity and have added many new virtual offerings to support our work.

The second threat to our model reached its height last spring with increasing attempts to suppress views that made some students feel “uncomfortable.” This movement expressed itself through disrupting speakers, stigmatizing Federalist Society student leaders, and discouraging the expression of views activist students did not like. But in the fall of 2022, spurred perhaps by embarrassing press stories, the law school campus environment started improving for the first time in several years. As we go to press, Stanford is the most recent exception, but this disruption seemed to be a step too far even for many on the political Left, and it may have caused a counterreaction. I predict that—at law schools, at least—principles of free speech and free inquiry are on the upswing.

But merely protecting free speech needs to be only a start. To truly encourage free inquiry requires changing the atmosphere on campus and indeed in the public discussion overall. When we disagree, we need to attack ideas, not people. Otherwise, ad hominem arguments overwhelm—and ultimately discourage— the exploration of ideas that is so vital to a flourishing society.

The past 40 years for the Federalist Society have set the table for the major challenges that lie in our path. I hope you will read with interest the following pages to see the highlights of our work and how it has successfully supported our mission. We foresee an extremely productive 2023 as serious discussion of our core principles of limited government, the separation of powers, and the rule of law becomes more essential than ever.

As always, we thank you—our volunteers, benefactors, leaders, and supporters—for making this all possible. You inspire us and give us hope. You are the reason we can take great pride in our achievements. Thank you.

Note from the Editor: The Federalist Society takes no positions on particular legal and public policy matters. Any expressions of opinion are those of the author. We welcome responses to the views presented here. To join the debate, please email us at [email protected].