Michael C. Dorf
Robert S. Stevens Professor of Law
Michael C. Dorf is the Robert S. Stevens Professor of Law at Cornell Law School, where he has taught since 2008. He previously taught at Columbia Law School for thirteen years and Rutgers-Camden Law School for three years. After law school, he clerked for Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the Ninth Circuit and Justice Anthony M. Kennedy of the Supreme Court. He has authored or co-authored six books and over one hundred scholarly articles, and writes a bi-weekly column for Justia's Verdict.
Teaching Style
Professor Dorf employs a rigorous Socratic method, often cold-calling students to work through hypothetical variations of cases. He expects students to have read not just the assigned cases but also his blog posts on Dorf on Law for additional context. His questioning style builds incrementally, starting with basic doctrine before pushing students to identify tensions between competing constitutional principles.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Read the assigned cases carefully and identify the holding, reasoning, and any concurrences or dissents
- 2Be prepared for hypothetical variations that test the limits of the doctrine discussed
- 3Follow his blog Dorf on Law for insight into his analytical approach to current constitutional issues
- 4Practice articulating counterarguments to every position you take on a case
Areas of Expertise
Education
- J.D., Harvard Law School
- B.A., Harvard University
Notable Publications
- The Oxford Introductions to U.S. Law: Constitutional Law (with Trevor Morrison)
- Beating Hearts: Abortion and Animal Rights (with Sherry Colb)
- Constitutional Law Stories
Research Interests
More Professors at Cornell Law School
Criminal Law, International Law, International Criminal Law, Laws of War
Constitutional Law, First Amendment, Law and Religion
International Economic Law, Law and Development, International Trade, Immigration Law
Law and Technology, Health Law, Information Privacy, Administrative Law
Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Legislation and Regulation, Law and Political Economy