30th Jorde Symposium: Against Constitutional Theory

The 30th Jorde Symposium, titled "Against Constitutional Theory," was held on October 20, 2025, at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. This annual event, organized by Berkeley Law in partnership with the Brennan Center for Justice, features prominent scholars discussing critical constitutional issues.

The symposium featured Dean Erwin Chemerinsky of UC Berkeley School of Law, who delivered a lecture titled "Against Constitutional Theory." In his address, Dean Chemerinsky critiqued the longstanding pursuit among constitutional law scholars and judges to develop a theory that constrains courts and reconciles judicial review with democracy. He argued that such efforts are misguided, as no theory can successfully achieve these goals, and that this quest creates a false impression of constitutional decision-making. The lecture was followed by commentary from Khiara M. Bridges, Professor of Law at UC Berkeley, and Lawrence B. Solum, Professor of Law at the University of Virginia School of Law.

The event took place in the Booth Auditorium of the Law Building at UC Berkeley School of Law, located at 2745 Bancroft Ave, Berkeley, CA 94720. A reception in the Donor Lobby followed the symposium, providing attendees with an opportunity to engage with the speakers and fellow participants.

The Jorde Symposium is an annual event established in 1996 to honor Thomas M. Jorde, a former Brennan clerk and Professor of Law at Berkeley Law School. It aims to generate scholarly discourse on vital legal issues facing contemporary society. The proceedings of the symposium are typically published in the California Law Review.