Adam Chemerinsky

Erwin Chemerinsky was born May 14, 1953 in Chicago, Illinois and currently serves as founding dean for both University of California Irvine School of Law and Berkeley School of Law.

His research interests lie primarily in United States constitutional law and civil procedure. A prolific commentator on legal topics, he is strongly in support of affirmative action programs as well as having represented clients at Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

Early Life and Education

Adam Chemerinsky hails from Chicago, Illinois. He attended Northwestern University before going on to Harvard Law School where he earned both undergraduate and law degrees – becoming one of the world’s foremost constitutional law scholars and Supreme Court litigators.

From 1980-1984 he taught at DePaul University College of Law and served as Director of Northwestern University’s National High School Forensics Division from 1981-1982. His primary areas of research include Constitutional Law and Federal Civil Procedure.

He was appointed founding dean of UC Irvine School of Law. However, in 2007 they temporarily withdrew their offer before reversed course and hired him back despite concerns that the decision had been influenced by his political opinions.

Professional Career

Chemerinsky is internationally acclaimed in Constitutional Law and Federal Civil Procedure. Additionally, he is an esteemed scholar of First Amendment Law; National Jurist magazine recently honored him as its Most Influential Individual in Legal Education for 2017.

Chemerinsky taught at DePaul University (1980-1984), USC Gould School of Law from 1983 to 2004 (Gould Professor), and Duke University as Alston and Bird Professor from 2004-2008 as Alston and Bird Professor of Law and Political Science. Additionally, in 2008 he was appointed founding Dean of UC Irvine School of Law until 2021 – serving as its 13th Dean during this time period.

This collection consists of teaching notes, evaluations and other materials from classes taught by Chemerinsky. There are also administrative files and correspondence related to his time as an educator as well as five cases he argued before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Achievement and Honors

Adam Chemerinsky is one of the foremost scholars on United States Constitutional law and federal practice, earning recognition from several bodies including American Academy of Arts and Sciences as a fellow, National Jurist magazine as being most influential person in legal education, as well as being named as fellow by National Jurist magazine.

He has taught at three law schools over his academic career: University of Southern California Gould School of Law (1984-1987), DePaul University College of Law (1987-84) and Duke University School of Law (1988-2004). Additionally, he served as director for Northwestern University’s National High School Forensics Division which offers summer debate experiences to high school students.

Chemerinsky became embroiled in controversy as dean of the UCI School of Law, when in September 2007 his hiring was abruptly cancelled by Chancellor Michael V. Drake who claimed his polarizing comments violated academic freedom principles.

Personal Life

Adam Chemerinsky is an American legal scholar, professor, and former dean of Berkeley Law. He has published over 200 law review articles and 11 books over his long career.

Chemerinsky also works as an attorney, representing a client detained at Guantanamo Bay detention center. He strongly advocates for affirmative action policies while criticizing the United States Supreme Court.

Chemerinsky became Berkeley Law’s thirteenth Dean in July 2017. An author of numerous works on legal education, National Jurist magazine has honored him with being named their Most Influential Legal Educator of 2017.

Net Worth

Adam Chemerinsky has an estimated net worth of $30 Million. He is an American attorney and law professor – serving as founding dean at University of California Irvine School of Law – with particular expertise in United States constitutional law and federal civil procedure; in addition, his courses cover First Amendment issues like free speech.

He began his legal career working for the U.S. Department of Justice as a trial attorney, later working at Dobrovir Oakes & Gebhardt law firm in Washington D.C. He earned his Juris Doctor (cum laude) from Harvard Law School in 1978 and published numerous articles as a noted scholar of First Amendment Law before appearing before the United States Supreme Court arguing numerous cases. Furthermore, he has become an authority on press’s role in maintaining democratic societies.