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Chapman Law Review

Symposium: Honoring the Scholarship of Ronald D. Rotunda

Introduction

The Chapman Law Review is pleased to publish the second issue of volume twenty-two dedicated to our annual physical symposium. On January 25, 2019, the Chapman Law Review hosted a symposium honoring the life and scholarship of the late-Professor Ronald D. Rotunda. This event provided a forum for colleagues, mentees, friends, and other legal scholars to share the impact Professor Rotunda had on their lives and scholarship. This symposium also facilitated discussion of scholarship in two of Professor Rotunda’s areas of expertise: Constitutional Law and Professional Responsibility.

This issue opens with a transcript of Judge O’Scannlain’s Constitution Day Address for the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy, delivered at Chapman Dale E. Fowler School of Law on September 15, 2018 to celebrate Constitution Day. Judge O’Scannlain speaks to the democratic legitimacy of textualism and how it upholds and promotes a government by the people—an idea also supported by Professor Rotunda.

The symposium portion then opens with a transcript of Professor Hugh Hewitt’s keynote address, in which he discusses Professor Rotunda’s career and accomplishments as well as his own experiences with Professor Rotunda. Next, Professor Stephen Presser highlights the “constitutional heroism” of Professor Rotunda’s scholarship and the benefits of faithfulness to the original understanding of the Constitution. Professor John Dzienkowski reflects on the origins of Professor Rotunda’s contribution to the field of Professional Responsibility. Professor Denis Binder examines Professor Rotunda’s many accomplishments throughout his career and the impact they had on him and the legal field. Professor Josh Blackman discusses Professor Rotunda’s roles as teacher, mentor, and colleague. Then, Professor Redding discusses Professor Rotunda’s role in Professor Redding’s joining the Chapman faculty as well as their ensuing friendship. Mr. Jack Park discusses the imprudence of ABA Model Rule 8.4(g) and Professor Rotunda’s opposition to its adoption. Next, Dean Rodney Smolla highlights Professor Rotunda’s legal ethics and free speech scholarship and offers his own examination of ABA Model Rule 8.4(g) and the First Amendment rights of legal professionals. Professor John Eastman dedicates his analysis of the Citizenship Clause and Wong Kim Ark to the constitutional scholarship of Professor Rotunda. Lastly, we are pleased to publish the late-Professor Rotunda’s final article. In this article, Professor Rotunda explores an individual’s right to speak of hateful or disagreeable speech under the protections of the First Amendment.

This issue then closes with two student comments. First, Chapman Law Review’s current Articles Editor George Brietigam explores the quiz show scandal of the 1950s, the subsequent passage of 47 U.S.C. 509, and its application for today’s “fake” reality television shows. Second, current Managing Editor Hope Blain explains the use of adult adoption for same-sex couples, examines each state’s current revocation statutes for those adoptions, and proposes a workable solution to the problem.

The Chapman Law Review is grateful for the support of the members of the administration and faculty that made the symposium and the publication of this issue possible. We would especially like to thank Professors John Eastman and Celestine Richards McConville for supporting and assisting us throughout the planning and executing of this symposium, including recruiting the esteemed authors and panelists as well as their personal contributions to the conversation. We would also like to thank Dean of Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law, Matthew Parlow; our faculty advisor, Professor Celestine Richards McConville; and our faculty advisory committee, Professors Deepa Badrinarayana, Scott Howe, Janine Kim, Ron Steiner, and Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Development, Donald Kochan.

Lastly, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the staff of the 2018–2019 Chapman Law Review. It was an honor to work with such a hard-working, talented, and passionate group of people.