b. 1953
Lawrence Solum is a prominent American legal philosopher and constitutional theorist, currently a professor at Georgetown University Law Center. He is best known for developing 'Semantic Originalism,' a sophisticated theory of constitutional interpretation grounded in the original public meaning of constitutional text. His work bridges analytic philosophy of language and constitutional law, contributing foundational concepts to the 'New Originalism' movement.
Developed Semantic Originalism, distinguishing the Fixation Thesis (meaning fixed at ratification) from the Contribution Thesis (original meaning determines legal content)
Articulated the 'Construction Zone' concept, separating constitutional interpretation from constitutional construction
Major contributor to the 'New Originalism' movement, shifting focus from original intent to original public meaning
Extensive work on procedural justice and the 'due process' conception of fair adjudication
Prolific legal theorist whose Legal Theory Blog and SSRN papers shaped contemporary jurisprudence debates