WashU Law’s course Law and Courts in Authoritarian Regimes, taught by Distinguished Visiting Scholar Julio Rios-Figueroa, examined how legal institutions function under non-democratic rule and in political systems undergoing transition. The course explored how courts operate differently across regime types, moving beyond formal theories to consider the complex realities of countries that fall into the…
WashU Law has partnered with Koç University Law for an International AI Hackathon, bringing students together for an intensive, hands-on competition focused on the future of legal practice. The hackathon will take place in Istanbul February 28–March 1 and will challenge teams to use the SAGA platform and other tools to design practical, AI-assisted solutions to…
WashU Law alumnus Christian Menefee, JD ’13, was sworn in Monday as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives after winning last week’s special election runoff for the Houston-area congressional seat formerly held by the late Rep. Sylvester Turner. Menefee’s victory returns representation to the district following an 11-month vacancy after Turner’s death in…
In December, Professor Leila Sadat, WashU Law James Carr Professor of International Criminal Law, delivered the Human Rights Day keynote address at the University of Minnesota Law School, marking a signature event hosted by the school’s Human Rights Center. Professor Sadat’s lecture coincided with the 80th anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials and examined the development…
In January, WashU Law announced that it provided the District of Columbia Court of Appeals with specialized artificial intelligence training for all appellate judges. The program reflects a collaborative effort between WashU Law and the court to address the practical and ethical implications of AI use by judges and judicial clerks. The training was spearheaded…
WashU Law introduced the new course Law and the Holocaust this semester. The course offers students an in-depth examination of how legal systems operated before, during, and after one of history’s greatest atrocities. Taught by Dr. Isaac Amon, Lecturer in Law, the course explores the role of law in enabling tyranny, the responsibilities of legal actors, and…
WashU Law has partnered with non-profit Lawyers for Children to deliver education and training on the responsible use of artificial intelligence in legal practice. The training is designed for Lawyers for Children attorneys and professional staff and addresses how AI tools are increasingly used in legal practice, while emphasizing ethical obligations, professional responsibility, confidentiality, and the continued…
WashU Law Associate Professor Andrea Katz participated in a debate on presidential removal power at the 27th Annual Federalist Society Faculty Conference on January 7 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Professor Katz joined Professor Aditya Bamzai of the University of Virginia School of Law for a luncheon debate titled “Resolved: The President Has the Indefeasible Power…
Three WashU Law students were named finalists in the University of Texas at Austin School of Law’s inaugural AI Innovation and Law Writing Contest, a national competition that invited law students to examine legal reforms that could better support AI innovation. 1L Bernard Elegbede, 1L Cormac Glynn, and 2L Alicia Stout were among seven finalists…
WashU Law Dean Stefanie Lindquist and Co-Director of the WashU AI Collaborative Ryan Durrie were both honored in the Legal Tech Education category at the Legal Innovation Summit & Awards on November 20. The Summit brought together forward-thinking legal professionals, technology leaders, and innovators to explore the future of legal services and to learn how AI…
WashU Law 3L Elliot Mermel recently earned third place in the 2025 Judge John R. Brown Scholarship Foundation Award for Excellence in Legal Writing, a national competition recognizing outstanding legal scholarship by law students across the country. Elliot was honored for his article, “The Evolution of Standing and the Need for Foundational Realism: A Historical…
WashU Law Professor Andrea Katz has filed an amicus brief in Trump v. Slaughter, for which the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on December 8. In the case, former FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter argues that her dismissal by President Trump without cause contravenes the statute establishing the Federal Trade Commission in 1914. This statute intends for…