This list was updated in June 2012

The following UC Davis School of Law faculty are available to comment on cases pending before the U.S. Supreme Court during the 2011-12 session:

Environmental law: Sackett v. U.S. EPA, PPL Montana v. State of Montana

Richard Frank, professor of environmental practice, can comment on the two major, pending environmental cases currently before the court — Sackett v. U.S. EPA (concerning environmental enforcement policy; wetlands; water pollution) and PPL Montana v. State of Montana (state ownership of rivers; public trust doctrine). Frank is an expert in environmental and natural resources law. His scholarship has focused on climate change, private property rights, regulatory policy and water law. Contact: Richard Frank, School of Law, (530) 752-7422, rmfrank@ucdavis.edu.

Health care reform

Vikram Amar, associate dean and professor of law, is an expert on the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court practice and procedure. He is a co-author of the 2005 book, “Constitutional Law: Cases and Materials,” and writes a bi-weekly column for Justia.com (http://verdict.justia.com/author/amar). A former law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun, Amar can comment on legal challenges to the Obama health care reform act. Contact: Vikram Amar, School of Law, (530) 752-8808, (925) 858-8855 (cell), vdamar@ucdavis.edu.

Immigration and civil rights

Kevin R. Johnson, dean and Mabie-Apallas Professor of Public Interest Law and Chicana/o Studies, is an expert in immigration and civil rights law. He is a regular contributor on SCOTUSblog (http://www.scotusblog.com/author/kevinjohnson/) on immigration cases pending before the Supreme Court, including Judulang v. Holder. He is an editor for Immigration Prof Blog (http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration). He has commented widely for major national media on the effects of SB1070, the Arizona immigration law. He served on an immigration policy committee for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. http://www.law.ucdavis.edu/faculty/Johnson/ Contact: Kevin Johnson, School of Law, (530) 752-0243, krjohnson@ucdavis.edu.

Gabriel "Jack" Chin, professor of immigration law, criminal procedure and race and law is an expert on immigration law and the effects of SB 1070, the Arizona immigration law.  A recent article he wrote focuses on the unconstitutionality of state regulation of immigration through criminal law. http://www.law.ucdavis.edu/faculty/Chin/
Contact: Gabriel "Jack" Chin, School of Law, (520) 401-6586,  gjchin@ucdavis.edu.

Church and state: Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church & School v. EEOC

Alan Brownstein, professor of law, can comment on church-state disputes including a case before the U.S. Supreme Court this term, Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church & School v. EEOC. This case deals with the existence and scope of the “ministerial exception.” Brownstein has written extensively on a broad range of constitutional law subjects with a particular emphasis on the meaning of the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause doctrine as well as freedom of speech and freedom of association doctrine. Contact: Alan Brownstein, School of Law, (530) 752-2586, aebrownstein@ucdavis.edu.

Television nudity and expletives: FCC v. Fox 

Ashutosh Bhagwat, professor of law, can comment on FCC v. Fox Television Stations, which addresses whether the government’s standards for indecency on TV violate free speech rights. Bhagwat is an expert on constitutional rights, free speech and telecommunications law. He served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy. Contact: Ashutosh Bhagwat, School of Law, (530) 752-8687, (510) 387-6769 (cell), aabhagwat@ucdavis.edu.

Intellectual property, copyright: Mayo v. Prometheus, Golan v. Holder, American Society of Composers v. U.S.

Madhavi Sunder, professor of law, can comment on intellectual property cases including Mayo Collaborative Services v. Prometheus Laboratories (patents on doctors’ diagnostic methods), Golan v. Holder (whether Congress may take works out of the public domain and grant them copyright status), and American Society of Composers v. United States (iTunes downloads and copyright performance rights). Sunder’s expertise traverses numerous legal fields, from intellectual property to human rights law and the First Amendment. Contact: Madhavi Sunder, School of Law, (530) 752-2896, msunder@ucdavis.edu.

Stolen Valor Act, military honors: U.S. v. Alvarez

Carlton F.W. Larson, professor of law, can comment on United States v. Alvarez, a First Amendment challenge to the Stolen Valor Act, a federal law that criminalizes false statements about military honors. Contact: Carlton Larson, School of Law, (530) 754-5731, clarson@ucdavis.edu.

International issues, Israel: Zivotofsky v. Clinton

Vikram Amar, associate dean and professor of law, is an expert on the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court practice and procedure. He is a co-author of the 2005 book, “Constitutional Law: Cases and Materials,” and writes a bi-weekly column for Justia.com (http://verdict.justia.com/author/amar). He served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun. Amar can comment on the Zivotofsky v. Clinton case, which involves the political status of Jerusalem. Contact: Vikram Amar, School of Law, (530) 752-8808, (925) 858-8855 (cell), vdamar@ucdavis.edu.

Ashutosh Bhagwat, professor of law, can comment on Zivotofsky v. Clinton. The case involves whether the president can ignore a law requiring him to list Jerusalem as part of Israel on U.S. passports. Bhagwat is an expert on constitutional rights, free speech and telecommunications law. He served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy. Contact: Ashutosh Bhagwat, School of Law, (530) 752-8687, (510) 387-6769 (cell), aabhagwat@ucdavis.edu. 

Electronic surveillance: U.S. v. Jones

Vikram Amar, associate dean and professor of law, is an expert on the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court practice and procedure. He is a co-author of the 2005 book, “Constitutional Law: Cases and Materials,” and writes a bi-weekly column for Justia.com (http://verdict.justia.com/author/amar). He served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun. Amar can comment on the United States v. Jones case (on GPS tracking). Contact: Vikram Amar, School of Law, (530) 752-8808, (925) 858-8855 (cell), vdamar@ucdavis.edu.

Class actions and complex litigation

Katherine Florey, professor of law, can comment on issues related to complex and multiparty litigation in the wake of Wal-Mart v. Dukes and other recent Supreme Court cases. Florey is a specialist in jurisdiction and civil procedure. Her scholarship focuses on such topics as compulsory joinder, choice of law, the jurisdictional rules applicable to Native American tribes, and governmental immunity. Contact: Katherine Florey, School of Law, (530) 752-4360, kjflorey@ucdavis.edu.