Groundbreaking Research Fellows Program

Established in Fall 2024 by Faculty Director Stephanie Barclay, the newly named Scott and Cyan Banister Research Fellows Program is a cornerstone of the Center’s commitment to cultivating the next generation of constitutional law professors. This premier non-residential fellowship program provides 28 early-career academics with unparalleled support and mentorship, bridging the gap between emerging voices and the nation’s most distinguished legal minds.

The hallmark of the program is its rigorous review process, granting junior scholars direct, dedicated commentary from preeminent faculty at elite institutions—including constitutional leaders such as Cass Sunstein (Harvard Law), Eugene Volokh (UCLA Law), Justin Driver (Yale Law), Nicole Garnett (Notre Dame Law), Larry Solum (UVA Law), and Will Baude (UChicago Law)—through both our in-person conference and virtual workshops throughout the year.

Georgetown-Stanford Research Fellows Annual In-Person Conference 

A core element of the program is an in-person conference that takes place in the Fall, featuring selected papers and dedicated commentary from elite senior scholars.

Starting in 2026, we are pleased to announce that we will join forces annually with Stanford Law School’s Research Fellows Program to co-host an in-person conference. Alternating each year between Georgetown and Stanford venues, this symposium brings together junior scholars and senior faculty from both institutions’ elite programs for intensive feedback, collaboration, and community building.

Key Program Metrics & Highlights:

• Junior Scholars: 28
• Senior Scholar Commentators: 21 Preeminent Faculty Experts
• Research Papers Workshopped: 22 Original Constitutional Law Papers
• In-Person Conferences: 2 Major Symposia (Fall 2024 & Fall 2025)
• Virtual Masterclasses: 17 Workshopped Papers

“That article that I workshopped at the Center back in December was accepted for publication by the Yale Law Journal. Honestly, none of this would have happened without the workshop and getting comments from you, the senior commentator Justin Driver, and other fellows.”

— Wanling Su, Indiana University, 2024–2026 Research Fellow

To learn more about applying to become a Banister Research Fellow, click here.