In Memoriam: Richard H. Fallon, Jr.
On July 13, Professor Richard H. Fallon, Jr. passed away. We are heartbroken by the loss of a colleague and friend who has been a bright light in the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics community for so long.
A cornerstone of Harvard Law School since 1982, Dick was a world-renowned scholar of constitutional law and an admired teacher. To us, he was at once a towering intellect and a deeply modest man. He first joined what is now the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics in 1995 as a Faculty Fellow and, for nearly three decades since, has remained an indispensable part of the Center, serving as a Faculty Associate and a dedicated member of our Faculty Committee.
Dick was the finest of advisors to the Center—wise, insightful, and completely without ego. This was never more apparent than in the quiet, meticulous work he undertook nearly every year reviewing fellowship applications. His deeply reasoned assessments, as rigorous as they were constructive, reflected his characteristic care and were often instrumental in shaping our annual cohort. Beyond this essential work, he was a frequent and engaged participant in Center events, contributing with the same integrity and humility that defined his career. Even in his final weeks, Dick took the time to share his wisdom at our Faculty Committee meeting in late May.
As Center Director Eric Beerbohm remarked,
“There are brilliant people, and there are generous people, but it is rare to find someone where those two qualities exist in such perfect, humble balance. That was Dick Fallon. For all his renown as a preeminent constitutional scholar, his greatest impact may be in the lives he quietly changed. The most powerful testament to his legacy is the remarkable number of former students I've met who trace their path to public interest law directly back to him. He showed them that the highest use of a great intellect is to serve others with kindness and conviction."
Former Center Director Danielle Allen shared,
“Dick Fallon was an extraordinary member of the Safra Center community while I was Center Director. So generous in his participation, wise in his counsel, and sound in his judgments. It will continue to give me great encouragement that so many generations of students learned constitutional law from him, just as I benefited over many years from his direct encouragement of my efforts to cultivate a rich, productive intellectual environment for thinking about ethics at Harvard. I will miss him.”
Indeed, we all will miss him profoundly. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and to all who knew and loved him.
Dick will be honored at a Harvard Law School event this fall; the Law School will share details in the coming weeks. Read more about Dick’s extraordinary life and legacy here.
