Dear Friends, 

As a Jesuit law school dedicated to educating the next generation of leaders, our mission and core values necessarily depend on our steadfast devotion to the rule of law. I invite you to read the recent lucid messages by the American Bar Association (ABA) and the Association of American Law Schools (AALS), setting forth our collective responsibility to protect the rule of law against all serious threats.

That responsibility transcends partisan politics. As the ABA recognized: “There is much that Americans disagree on, but all of us expect our government to follow the rule of law, protect due process and treat individuals in a way that we would treat others in our homes and workplaces.” In reaffirming its support for the “rule of law,” as a “beacon for our country,” the ABA reminds us that our very way of life depends on “a legal process that is orderly and fair.…”  

In its separate message, the AALS joins the ABA in calling for “every lawyer and legal organization to speak with one voice and to condemn the efforts of any administration that suggests its actions are beyond the reach of judicial review,” declaring:

“As Marbury v. Madison held long ago, we are a nation of laws, not of people, and our Constitution makes it 'emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is.' Every law student, in every one of our nation’s law schools, learns this lesson, as it sits at the foundation of the American vision of the rule of law and separation of powers.”

At Santa Clara Law, we have long embraced our heightened obligation as a Jesuit law school to champion the rule of law and democratic principles. As Fr. Matt Carnes, our Vice President for Mission and Ministry, recently articulated, our Jesuit mission is founded on the belief that every person is created in the image and likeness of God (“from” whom we “come”), and therefore must be treated with equal dignity and infinite respect. Based on this fundamental belief, our mission compels us to spread God’s love by building caring communities that promote equal justice under law (“to thee go”). 

In his address to members of the International Association of Jesuit Universities,  Rev. Arturo Sosa, S.J., Superior General of the Society of Jesus, likewise teaches us that Jesuit universities—and especially Jesuit law schools like ours—must “contribute to the deepening of the expansion of democracy” and insist that our leaders govern “based on truth, strong institutions, and the rule of law.” Those first principles foster “justice and fulfillment of life for all persons”—regardless of their station or status.  

In holding true to our Jesuit ideals, we will continue to vigorously uphold our constitutional democracy and the rule of law. I'd like to highlight just a few of the countless ways in which we have lived out our mission in recent days.

As part of our acclaimed Dean’s Democracy Series: Upholding Democratic Values, we conducted several immigration policy forums, including faculty-led discussions on the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship and the impact of serious immigration policy changes. On February 20, the Federalist Society convened a fascinating program on the Constitution and Unelected Executive Officials, which addressed the legality of various forms of executive action within our constitutional structure.  

Earlier this month, the law school co-hosted an Investor Protection Summit to explore human-centered and ethical approaches to the legal regulation of AI and cryptocurrency. The transdisciplinary Summit brought to Charney Hall the nation’s leading judges, practitioners, tech and finance industry leaders, ethicists, and scholars, including our expert law school professors Sue Guan, Linsey Krolik, Edward Lee, and David Yosifon, as well as Professor Ann Skeet from our Markkula Center for Applied Ethics and Professor Maya Ackerman from our School of Engineering.  

We also hosted the 21st Annual Judge William Ingram Symposium, celebrating the Ingram Inn of Court’s 40 years of promoting civility in the legal profession. After an esteemed panel of federal and state court judges, leading practitioners, and Law Professors Lisa Kloppenberg and Robert Peterson discussed the critical importance of civility and professionalism to our justice system, Jonathan Joannides (J.D., ’16) President-Elect (2026) of the Inn, led a tribute to our beloved Dean Emeritus Don Polden, who lived his life in dedication to forming leaders who promote the rule of law as a force for justice.  

Tonight, we will kick off our "Social Justice Weekend," starting with our Center for Social Justice and Public Service’s amazing Annual Benefit for Justice to raise funds for our students who pursue summer placements and post-graduate careers in public interest. Under the incredible leadership of Professor Evangeline Abriel, our Center’s mission is to promote “social justice through law.” The Benefit is a community-wide effort led by our students, including Head Chair Jack Ladgenski, Events Chairs Gavin Partington, Lauren Loeb, and Terra Bilhorn, Donations Chairs Colleen Gill and Melina Torres, and Finance Chair Thomas Dunbar. This signature event also features our star auctioneer and stand-up comic, Professor David Yosifon, as well as many donors and sponsors, including the Jachimowicz Law Group, Richard P. and Made S. Berg, Skip Paul (J.D. ’75), the Gluck Family, Professor Emeritus David Friedman, and friends of Supriya Bhatt, George Atkins, as well as our generous students, faculty, and staff-educators.

Our Social Justice Weekend continues on Saturday February 22, with the Santa Clara Law Review Symposium dedicated to a multi-disciplinary examination of the impact of the Supreme Court’s recent Grants Pass decision on unhoused members of the community. Rooted in our mission-based respect for the rule of law and the dignity of all people, the conference is led by Senior Symposium Editor Margaux Roush, Editor-in-Chief Ulises Solis, and Faculty Advisor Professor Stephen Smith, and features a keynote from San Jose Deputy City Manager Omar Passons, as well as presentations by Professors Marlene Bennett, Sean Bland, Jesilyn Faust, Lisa Kloppenberg, and Michelle Oberman.   

On February 27, Professor David Sloss will present People v. The Court: The Next Revolution in Constitutional Law, in which he discusses his forthcoming book about our affirmative, collective right under the Constitution to exercise control over the government through our lawfully elected officials.

As we navigate these complex times, I know that we will continue to come together to support each other, as well as our constitutional democracy and the rule of law. By embracing the infinite worth of every human being, supporting open-minded, reasoned, evidence-based, and rigorous debate, and developing appropriate responses to brazen attacks on equal justice under law, we will continue to build a community of care that lovingly lifts up our shared humanity and enduring values

With abiding love and gratitude, 

Michael J. Kaufman (He/Him/His)
Dean and Professor of Law
Santa Clara University School of Law
mjkaufman@scu.edu