Claire Finkelstein

Claire Finkelstein is the Algernon Biddle Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania and the Founder and Faculty Director of Penn’s Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL). Her current research addresses democratic governance, presidential authority, the law of armed conflict, civilian-military relations, and professional ethics for lawyers. Her more philosophical interests have focused on criminal law theory, moral and political philosophy relating to sovereignty and contractarianism, Hobbes’ moral and political philosophy and various topics in philosophical rational choice theory. Finkelstein is a co-editor of The Oxford Series in Ethics, National Security, and the Rule of Law, and an editor of six of its volumes. She has published widely in law reviews and other fora on topics relating to democratic governance and most recently was the primary author of a brief filed on behalf of155 members of Congress before the U.S. Supreme Court involving the Illinois National Guard. Finkelstein is also a sought-after national security consultant, briefing individuals, Pentagon officials, U.S. Senate staff, and JAG Corps members on issues relating to national security law and practice. She is also regularly consulted on matters of personal and professional ethics. She is a frequent radio, podcast, broadcast, and print commentator and has published op-eds in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Bloomberg, the Guardian, Lawfare, Just Security and other outlets.