Outline and Boxes on a Blue Blackground

Administrative Law and Public Policy

The contemporary American legal system is largely statutory and increasingly defined by regulations. Congress and state legislatures vest in administrative agencies the ability to regulate behavior, both public and private, both individual and corporate; administrative agencies and Congress make laws regarding fundamental issues such as elections, health care, tax collection; and statutory interpretation has become a central issue of our time. 

How can the administrative state meet today’s policy challenges while honoring our constitutional commitment to separation of powers?

Columbia Law School professors, who have a wide range of perspectives on the reach and effectiveness of agency action, are at the forefront of discussions about administrative law and the roles of federal, state, and local government in implementing public policy and protecting individual rights. Through their teaching, advising, and mentorship, faculty help students prepare for careers in government, politics, advocacy, and NGOs.

Why Columbia Law?

Study the legislative process, statutory interpretation, and the structure and constitutional position of administrative agencies.

Join clinics that assist individuals, new businesses and small organizations to navigate a range of government bureaucracies.

Explore policy solutions for issues such as antitrust violations, privacy and cybersecurity, religious freedom, environmental harms, and LGBTQ+ rights.

Related Centers and Programs

Center for Constitutional Governance

The Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG) is a nonpartisan legal and policy organization devoted to the study of constitutional structure and authority. CCG invites academics, students, government officials, practitioners, and community members to engage with major constitutional and governance issues of the day, from health care to civil rights, immigration, financial regulation, and national security. 

 

Areas of Study

Center for Public Research and Leadership

The Center for Public Research and Leadership (CPRL) aims to revitalize public education while filling substantial gaps in professional education. CPRL’s rigorous coursework, skills training, and research and consulting projects prepare graduate students in law, business, and public policy for careers in the education sector. With an eye toward improving outcomes for all children, CPRL utilizes the latest techniques in education, such as organizational design, democratic accountability, team-based problem-solving skills, and socio-emotional learning. Students can also participate in a semster-long intensive around transformational change in public education by enrolling in the Public Education Policy Lab-Seminar and Skills courses. 

 

Constitutional Democracy Initiative

From research to teaching, institutional design to public conversations across political and other boundaries, the Constitutional Democracy Initiative investigates democracy’s crises and what democracy demands of us.

Areas of Study

Related Student Groups and Journals

Related Experiential Learning Opportunities

Related Faculty

Professor Kate Andrias smiling

Kate Andrias

  • Patricia D. and R. Paul Yetter Professor of Law
Prof Judge image

Kathryn Judge

  • Harvey J. Goldschmid Professor of Law; Vice Dean for Intellectual Life
Professor Tim Wu

Timothy Wu

  • Julius Silver Professor of Law, Science and Technology