Epstein Named Henry Wade Rogers Professor at Northwestern

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Lee Epstein, Beatrice Kuhn Professor of Law and professor of political science at Northwestern University, has been named the Henry Wade Rogers Professor.

Epstein, a well-known expert on judicial politics, joined the Northwestern law faculty in 2006 after a term as the Jack N. Pritzker Distinguished Visiting Professor.

A fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Academy of Political and Social Science, she is a recipient of 10 grants from the National Science Foundation for her work on law and legal institutions.

She currently is working with the papers of Justice Harry Blackmun for a book on agenda setting on the court. Her recent projects include "Strategic Defiance of the U.S. Supreme Court," an examination of the circumstances leading lower courts to comply with or defy higher courts; "Ideological Drift," an exploration of the extent to which Supreme Court justices remain committed to a particular doctrinal course over time; and "Super Medians," an analysis of why strong swings emerge on the court.

Epstein has authored, co-authored or edited more than 100 articles and essays, as well as 14 books. The "Constitutional Law for a Changing America" series won the Teaching and Mentoring Award from the Law and Courts Section of the American Political Science Association. "The Supreme Court Compendium" received a Special Recognition Honor from the Law and Courts Section of the American Political Science Association and an Outstanding Academic Book Award from Choice, the journal for academic libraries. "The Choices Justices Make" received the Pritchett Award for the Best Book on Law and Courts.

Epstein is a former chair of the Law and Courts Section of the American Political Science Association and a past president of the Midwest Political Science Association. She is a co-editor of the Journal of Law, Economics & Organization and has served on the editorial boards or advisory panels of many other journals.