Ohio State faculty excellence initiative launches with appointment of chief judge

Ohio State faculty excellence initiative launches with appointment of chief judge

Leading constitutional scholar to join Moritz College of Law

The Ohio State University announced today that it is appointing a chief judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals and one of the nation's leading constitutional scholars to the Moritz College of Law, kicking off a key faculty excellence initiative that will bring exceptional talent to Ohio and elevate the university's academic stature.

Beginning next January, Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton, a former Ohio Solicitor General and acclaimed author who has served with distinction on the Sixth Circuit for 23 years, will become the new Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence at the college.

His appointment is the first under Ohio State's new Game Changer Scholars initiative, a program to attract more world-class faculty to the university in line with President Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. and Executive Vice President and Provost Ravi Bellamkonda's vision for academic excellence. Academic excellence is a foundational pillar of Carter's Education for Citizenship 2035 strategic plan, unveiled last fall.

"Chief Judge Sutton joining the faculty of Moritz College of Law is an exciting moment for Ohio State," Bellamkonda said. "By bringing a nationally respected jurist back to his alma mater, we will provide students enhanced access to legal thought and experience, offer faculty a dynamic collaborator, and advance the college's reputation as a national leader in legal education and scholarship."

Sutton is one of the leading scholars in the country on state constitutional law. He has co-authored a textbook on the topic and has written two highly acclaimed books about it: "51 Imperfect Solutions" and "Who Decides?"

Sutton's service to the legal community has been furthered through key judicial committees he has chaired and the clerks he has mentored, many of whom have gone on to clerk for the U.S. Supreme Court. He was a former law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justices Lewis Powell and Antonin Scalia, and a partner at Jones Day, one of the country's leading law firms. Sutton is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

"I am thrilled to take on these new responsibilities at Moritz, which has a dynamic faculty and student body and an array of nationally recognized scholars," said Sutton. "It's an honor to return to the law school where I got my start and where I had such a terrific experience as a student."

Sutton's appointment through Ohio State's Game Changer Scholars initiative is part of a program for the university and its colleges to recruit exceptional faculty whose contributions advance their academic units through their extraordinary experience, achievements and expertise.

Sutton has taught at Harvard Law School, serves on the council of the American Law Institute and has been a long-time adjunct faculty member at Moritz. In his new role at Moritz, he will teach constitutional law and state constitutional law while continuing his critical research on state constitutional law, jurisprudence and federalism. Although his caseload will be lighter, Sutton will continue to serve as a judge on the Sixth Circuit and maintain his chambers in Columbus.

"We are honored to have one of the most acclaimed jurists of his generation joining us to educate the next generation of lawyers and leaders," said Kent Barnett, dean of Moritz College of Law. "Through Chief Judge Sutton's instruction in a core pedagogical course like constitutional law, our students will have a firm foundation for their legal education."

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