Professor Steven D. Schwinn of The John Marshall Law School in Chicago gave his final presentation as the 2015-2016 Edward T. & Noble W. Lee Chair in Constitutional Law on April 27. His lecture, co-sponsored by the American Constitutional Law Society, focused on the right to a remedy for torture.
“It has truly been an honor to serve as the Edward T. and Noble W. Lee Chair in Constitutional Law,” Schwinn said. “I have always been passionate about constitutional law, both in the U.S. and in other countries around the world. This position gave me a wonderful opportunity to continue my research and advocacy to promote access to justice, and to explore how constitutional standards intersect with international human rights.”
Schwinn kicked off his yearlong position last year with an interactive discussion on the U.S. Supreme Court’s October 2015 term. He also delivered a lecture on the right to a judicial remedy against the United Nations for Haitian victims of cholera and hosted another interactive discussion on current and future issues at the Supreme Court.
To complement his scholarly work, Schwinn also filed an amicus brief on access to justice in a torture case out of Guantanamo Bay and another amicus brief on access to justice in the case against the United Nations for contaminating Haiti’s water systems with cholera.
Schwinn teaches, practices and writes in the areas of U.S. constitutional law, comparative constitutional law and human rights. He specializes in separation of powers and access to justice. He also serves as director of John Marshall’s Clinical Program and co-director of John Marshall’s International Human Rights Clinic. In addition to his active clinical practice, he frequently works with area high school teachers and students on civics education, history and government.
Schwinn is the co-founder and co-editor of the Constitutional Law Prof Blog, and he serves on the Board of Advisors of the Chicago Lawyers Chapter of the American Constitution Society. He is a regular contributor to the ABA Preview of U.S. Supreme Court Cases and a frequent media commenter on issues related to constitutional law and human rights.
About the Edward T. & Noble W. Lee Chair in Constitutional Law
Edward T. and Noble W. Lee dedicated their lives to The John Marshall Law School. Edward T. Lee was one of the law school’s founders in 1899 and later served as dean for 34 years. Noble W. Lee followed in his father’s footsteps, first serving as a member of the faculty and then as dean for 30 years, in addition to service in the Illinois legislature. Together they dedicated more than 90 years of service – 64 years as dean – to John Marshall students and the legal community. The Edward T. & Noble W. Lee Chair in Constitutional Law is made possible by generous gifts from the extended Lee Family and alumni and friends of The John Marshall Law School.
