Professor of Law, Notre Dame Law School
Professor Samuel L. Bray joined the Notre Dame Law School faculty in 2018. Before coming to Notre Dame, he was an assistant professor of law at UCLA from 2011 to 2016, and a professor of law from 2016 to 2018. In addition, he was a Harrington Faculty Fellow at the University of Texas-Austin for the 2016-2017 academic year.
Bray is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School, and he clerked for then-Judge Michael W. McConnell on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. After clerking, he practiced law at Mayer Brown LLP, was an associate-in-law at Columbia Law School, and was executive director of the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School.
Chairman and Partner, Earth & Water Law Group
Earth & Water Group Founder, Brent Fewell, has over 25 years of experience in public policy, advocacy, and environmental law.
As an environmental lawyer and former corporate executive and senior U.S. EPA official in EPA’s Offices of Water and Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations, Brent brings a wealth of knowledge and unique perspective to his clients in navigating the regulatory and political arenas in Washington DC. As a highly regarded thought leader on environmental policy and governance matters, his counsel and opinions are sought out by corporate and government leaders around the globe. Brent brings unparalleled energy and passion to the issues in a way that few do to help his clients navigate in an increasingly complex and nuanced regulatory environment.
Brent received his B.S. in Wildlife Management from the University of Maine (high distinction), a Masters in Environmental Management from Duke University, and J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law. (Licensed in PA and DC)
Chairman and Partner, Earth & Water Law Group
Earth & Water Group Founder, Brent Fewell, has over 25 years of experience in public policy, advocacy, and environmental law.
As an environmental lawyer and former corporate executive and senior U.S. EPA official in EPA’s Offices of Water and Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations, Brent brings a wealth of knowledge and unique perspective to his clients in navigating the regulatory and political arenas in Washington DC. As a highly regarded thought leader on environmental policy and governance matters, his counsel and opinions are sought out by corporate and government leaders around the globe. Brent brings unparalleled energy and passion to the issues in a way that few do to help his clients navigate in an increasingly complex and nuanced regulatory environment.
Brent received his B.S. in Wildlife Management from the University of Maine (high distinction), a Masters in Environmental Management from Duke University, and J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law. (Licensed in PA and DC)
Laurence A. Tisch Professor of Law and Director, Classical Liberal Institute, New York University School of Law; Director, Classical Liberal Institute, Civitas Institute University of Texas at Austin
Richard A. Epstein is the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of Law, at New York University, a senior research fellow at the Civitas Institute at the University of Texas Austin, and a senior Lecturer, the University of Chicago. He received an LL.D., h.c . from the University of Ghent, 2003 , and an LLD h.c . from the University of Siegen in 2018 and the Bradley Prize in 2011. He has been a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences since 1985. He has edited both the Journal of Legal Studies (1981-1991) and the Journal of Law and Economics (1991-2001). He is also a founder and director of the Classical Liberal Institute at NYU Law School. His most recent book is The Classical Liberal Constitution: The Uncertain Quest for Limited Government (2014). His other books include Takings: Private Property and the Power of Eminent Domain ( 1985); Bargaining with the State (1993); Simple Rules for a Complex World (1995); Principles for a Free Society: Reconciling Individual Liberty and the Common Good (1998); Skepticism and Freedom: A Modern Theory of Classical Liberalism (2003); Design for Liberty: Private Property, Public Administration and the Rule of Law (2011), and most recently, The Myth of Birthright citizenship—and Beyond (2026). He has taught courses in , administrative law, antitrust, constitutional, contracts, environmental law, land use planning; real property, torts and water law. He has written and spoken extensively on a wide range of topics, and is writes a regular column for Defining Ideas.
Partner, Jones Day
Ben Ginsberg represents numerous political parties, political campaigns, candidates, members of Congress and state legislatures, governors, corporations, trade associations, vendors, donors, and individuals participating in the political process. He represents a variety of clients on election law issues, particularly those involving federal and state campaign finance laws, ethics and gifts rules, pay-to-play laws, election administration, government investigations, redistricting, communications law, and election recounts and contests.
Prior to joining Jones Day in 2014, Mr. Ginsberg served as national counsel to the Bush-Cheney presidential campaigns in the 2004 and 2000 election cycles and played a central role in the 2000 Florida recount. In 2012 and 2008, he served as national counsel to the Romney for President campaign. He also has represented the campaigns and leadership PACs of numerous members of the Senate and House as well as the national party committees. He serves as counsel to the Republican Governors Association and has extensive experience on the state legislative level through Republican redistricting efforts.
Before entering law school, Mr. Ginsberg spent five years as a newspaper reporter at The Boston Globe, Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, The Berkshire Eagle (Massachusetts), and The Riverside Press-Enterprise (California). He has been a guest lecturer at the Stanford University Law School, a Fellow at Harvard University's Institute of Politics, and an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center. Mr. Ginsberg recently served as co-chair of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration.
Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1982
University of Pennsylvania, A.B., 1974
Founder, Law Office of Eileen J. O'Connor PLLC
After nearly 30 years as a national tax specialist with the IRS and major accounting firms, Eileen J. O’Connor, now an attorney in private practice, was Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Tax Division for six years during the administration of President George W. Bush and a member of then-President-elect Trump’s Treasury Department Transition Team. She focuses on federal administrative and tax law.
Former Adjunct Professor of Law; former Special Counsel to the President; former federal prosecutor, Georgetown Law (ret.)
Bill Otis is a former Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University, a one-time federal prosecutor, and a former Special White House Counsel for President George H. W. Bush. After graduating from Stanford Law School, he started his career in the Criminal Division of the Justice Department, then became chief of appeals for the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. In the 1980's he served on the Department's "Train the Trainer" team, which taught US Attorneys Offices across the county how to implement the then-new Sentencing Reform Act. He has held several posts in the federal government, including Special Assistant to the Secretary of Energy and Counselor to the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, in addition to the White House post. He has testified before Congress on issues in criminal procedure, illegal drugs, the US Sentencing Commission, and the death penalty, and has given numerous media interviews on those and other subjects. He currently teaches a seminar at Georgetown Law titled "Conservatism in Law in America" with his wife, Federalist Society co-founder Lee Liberman Otis.
Professor of Law, Vanderbilt University Law School
Richard A. Nagareda, whose scholarship focuses on mass tort litigation, heads the law school's Cecil D. Branstetter Litigation & Dispute Resolution Program. Professor Nagareda's recent scholarship explores the impact of class action lawsuits on the pursuit of legal rights. In 2003, he was appointed as Associate Reporter for the American Law Institute project on Principles of the Law of Aggregate Litigation. He teaches courses on evidence and complex litigation and a year-long seminar for third-year students on the civil litigation system. Professor Nagareda previously taught on the faculty of the University of Georgia School of Law and as a visitor at the University of Texas School of Law. Before joining the academy, Professor Nagareda clerked for Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg, of the D.C. Circuit, and practiced in the Office of Legal Counsel of the United States Department of Justice and as an associate at Shea & Gardner in Washington, D.C. In 2002 he won the Hartman Award for Excellence in Teaching.
J.D. University of Chicago
A.B. Stanford University
Legal Director & General Counsel, Criminal Justice Legal Foundation
Kent S. Scheidegger has been the Legal Director of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation since December 1986. He also served as Chairman of the Criminal Law Practice Group of the Federalist Society 2003 to 2005. His articles on criminal and constitutional law have been published in law reviews, national legal publications, and congressional reports. Legal arguments authored by Mr. Scheidegger have been cited and incorporated in several precedent-setting United States Supreme Court decisions.
After receiving a degree in physics with honors from New Mexico State University in 1976, Mr. Scheidegger served for six years in the United States Air Force as a Nuclear Research Officer. He took his law degree with distinction from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 1982 and practiced civil law in Northern California. He was general counsel of California Cooler, Inc. from 1984 until 1986, when he joined the Foundation.
Partner, Mayer Brown LLP
Marcia Madsen was Chair of the Government Contracts practice and co-chair of the National Security Practice at Mayer Brown. She represented contractors in regulatory, policy, transactional, litigation, and investigative matters involving virtually every federal agency. Her clients included defense contractors, information technology and systems integrators, telecommunications companies, engineering firms, insurers, and manufacturing companies. Ms. Madsen's practice included defense of False Claims Act matters, internal investigations, audits, bid protests, claims and disputes before administrative forums and in the federal courts. She was a former Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Public Contract Law and currently co-chairs the Section’s Procurement Fraud Committee. She also is a member of the Federalist Society Administrative Law and Regulation Executive Committee. In addition, Marcia was a member of the Court of Federal Claims Advisory Council - Emeritus, and a recipient of the Court's Golden Eagle award. She was a Past President of the Board of Contract Appeals Bar Association. She was appointed by the Executive Office of the President to chair the Section 1423 Panel which recommended revision of the acquisition laws. She spoke and wrote frequently on government contracts and litigation topics.
Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M., 1980
American University - Washington College of Law, J.D., 1976
University of Utah, B.A., 1972
SCOTUScast 4-28-08 featuring Samuel Bray
Samuel L. Bray
MetLife v. Glenn
On April 23, 2008, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in MetLife v. Glenn. The...
Federal Regulation of Water Transfers
Steve McKinney, James Nutt, Gil Rogers, Brent A. Fewell
Birmingham Lawyers Chapter and Environmental Law & Property Rights Practice Group
Traditionally, water has been abundant in the Eastern United States, and water transfers from one...
Federal Regulation of Water Transfers
Steve McKinney, James Nutt, Gil Rogers, Brent A. Fewell
Birmingham Lawyers Chapter and Environmental Law & Property Rights Practice Group
Traditionally, water has been abundant in the Eastern United States, and water transfers from one...
SCOTUScast 4-25-08 featuring Richard Epstein
Richard A. Epstein
Engquist v. Oregon Dept. of Agriculture
On April 21, 2008, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Engquist v. Oregon Dept....
SCOTUScast 4-24-08 featuring Benjamin Ginsberg
Benjamin L. Ginsberg
Davis v. FEC
On April 22, 2008, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Davis v. FEC. The...
SCOTUScast 4-22-08 featuring Eileen O'Connor
Eileen J. O'Connor
MeadWestvaco Corp. v. Illinois Dept. of Revenue
On April 15, 2008, the Supreme Court decided MeadWestvaco Corp. v. Illinois Dept. of Revenue, ruling...
SCOTUScast 4-21-08 featuring William Otis
William G. Otis
Kennedy v. Louisiana
On April 16, 2008, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Kennedy v. Louisiana. The...
SCOTUScast 4-21-08 featuring Richard Nagareda
Richard A. Nagareda
Taylor v. Sturgell
On April 16, 2008, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Taylor v. Sturgell. At...
SCOTUScast 4-21-08 featuring Kent Scheidegger
Kent Scheidegger
Baze v. Rees
On January 7, 2008, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Baze v. Rees, a...
The False Claims Act
R Cook, Jonathan Diesenhaus, Andrew Grosso, Marcia G. Madsen, Shelley Slade
Administrative Law & Regulation and Criminal Law & Procedure Practice Groups
Congress is considering several amendments to the False Claims Act which would broaden whistleblower protection...