Three UNC School of Law faculty members recently had their scholarship spotlighted through citations in high-profile Supreme Court cases. Professors Osamudia James, Thomas Hazen, and Erika Wilson saw their academic work acknowledged in significant opinions, bringing attention to their pioneering research.
In Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, the controversial case assessing affirmative action in college admissions, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson cited Osamudia James’s article, Valuing Identity, 102 Minn. L. Rev. 127 (2017), in her dissent. James did not anticipate her work influencing this major case but felt deeply honored that Justice Jackson found her perspectives relevant in crafting a historic dissent. “I started screaming!” James said. “It was an exciting moment, but also bittersweet because I believe the Court got the decision wrong.” James believes citations like hers will preserve critical arguments for the future and hopes that one day, the Court will realize Justice Jackson was right all along.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor also dissented in the Harvard case by citing Wilson’s article, Monopolizing Whiteness, 134 Harv. L. Rev. 2382 (2021). Wilson closely tracked this litigation, given her related scholarship on weaknesses in affirmative action rationales. She was pleased her work was cited to acknowledge inequalities in K-12 education ignored by the majority, yet disappointed the majority failed to recognize this vital reality. Wilson hopes the citation expands the reach of her research on racial inequalities in education as policies change after the decision, keeping focus on how the law cements disadvantages for students of color.
The Court’s Slack Technologies, LLC v. Pirani decision repeatedly cited securities law expert Hazen’s treatise. Hazen felt gratified to have his research relied upon in this stock offering misstatements case as a decades-long expert in this area. He views Supreme Court validation as affirming his ongoing, valued contributions. Multiple citations, in one opinion, will further cement respect for Hazen’s reliability in interpreting relevant regulations.
These citations demonstrate the real-world relevance of Carolina Law scholarship. James stressed the importance of her research in light of ongoing racial concerns in America, which drive arguments regarding race-conscious measures such as affirmative action. Wilson wants the high-profile reference to continue focusing on addressing disparities as policies move. At the same time, Hazen’s increased credibility will increase future dependence on his securities law experience. The professors’ reactions demonstrate the great honor of having one’s work referenced in Supreme Court rulings. Ultimately, the renowned citations demonstrate Carolina Law’s contributions to significant scholarship and affecting discourse at the highest levels of the American legal system.
