In America’s 250th Year, MSU Law Launches Leaders in Law Series

Summary

MSU Law is launching its Leaders in Law series during America’s 250th anniversary, bringing four prominent legal thinkers to campus in 2026–27 to explore constitutional democracy, civil rights, election law, international law, and the rule of law. The Leaders in Law series is supported by a generous gift from Clarkson Law Firm, P.C.

As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, Michigan State University College of Law is launching a new speaker series designed to examine one of the nation's enduring questions: How does the Constitution continue to shape American democracy?

The inaugural Leaders in Law series will bring four of the country’s most influential legal thinkers to campus during the 2026-27 academic year.

Litigating Before the Supreme Court in a Time of Constitutional Change

Cecillia Wang, National Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union, comes to MSU Law after winning a closely watched birthright citizenship case before the U.S. Supreme Court. In June, the Supreme Court agreed with her position that the 14^th Amendment extends to “every free-born person in this land.” On September 1, 2026, Wang will share insights from arguing before the Supreme Court in a time of constitutional change. Click here to register and join us.

Cecillia Wang: Litigating the Constitution in Real Time

For Cecillia Wang, constitutional law is not an academic exercise. It is the framework within which some of the nation’s most consequential legal disputes unfold.

Wang is National Legal Director of the ACLU, and in April argued a closely watched birthright citizenship case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In late June, the Court issued a ruling that favored the position advanced by the ACLU, prompting the organization to declare that “the Constitution—not the President—defines who gets to be a citizen.”

In April, Wang argued in support of birthright citizenship before the Supreme Court. In late June, the Court handed down a 6-2 decision agreeing with her.

“This historic decision reaffirms that the Constitution – not the president – defines who gets to be a citizen,” said Wang.

Defending immigrants’ rights is personal for Wang. She told the New York Times in April 2026 that her parents moved to the United States from Taiwan in the late 1960s to attend graduate school. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which lifted race-based quotas on immigration from Asia, allowed her parents that opportunity.

She was born in 1971 in Oregon when her parents were still on student visas, making her a U.S. citizen by birth.

She grew up in Fremont, Calif., and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and Yale Law School.

After clerking for Judge William A. Norris of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Wang served as a law clerk to retired Justice Harry A. Blackmun while working in the chambers of Justice Stephen G. Breyer during the Supreme Court’s 1996–97 term.

As the ACLU’s National Legal Director, Wang oversees more than 200 attorneys and legal professionals. In addition to immigration law, she has worked on cases involving due process, equal protection and civil rights.

Outreach and Engagement

These scholars and public servants represent a remarkable group of experts in constitutional law, immigration law, civil rights, election law, international law, and human rights, who have been influencing court decisions, public policy, and education for decades.

Students and faculty across campus are invited to engage directly with these scholars and leaders of the profession during the fireside chats.

The Leaders in Law series is supported by a generous gift from Clarkson Law Firm, P.C.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity for our students to learn from people whose scholarship and advocacy have helped define some of the most important constitutional questions of our time,” Dean Michael Sant’Ambrogio said. “The practice of law requires careful analysis, engagement with different viewpoints, and a deep understanding of the institutions that sustain our constitutional system. These conversations embody those values.”

Launching the series during America’s semi-quincentennial gives it added significance. While the anniversary invites reflection on the nation's founding, it also encourages consideration of the Constitution as a living framework that has evolved through interpretation, legislation, and civic engagement over two and a half centuries.

Together, the programs will address questions that lawyers increasingly confront throughout their careers: How should constitutional principles be applied to contemporary challenges? What role do courts play in protecting democratic institutions? How do domestic and international legal systems interact in an increasingly interconnected world?

The series also reflects MSU Law’s broader educational philosophy – bringing students into the conversations shaping the legal profession in real time.

Open to the campus community and the public, the Leaders in Law series is expected to draw participants from across disciplines, including political science, public policy, international relations, history, and James Madison College, as well as alumni and members of the profession.