Biography

Michael Rappaport

Michael Rappaport
Phone: (619) 260-2329
Office: PLRC-316
Assistant:

Zoe Bozzay
zbozzay@SanDiego.edu
(619) 260-4263

Hugh and Hazel Darling Foundation Professor of Law; Director, Center for the Study of Constitutional Originalism; 2025-2026 University Professor

  • JD, 1985, Yale Law School
  • DCL (Political Philosophy), 1990, Yale Law School

Areas of Expertise

Constitutional Law, Constitutional Interpretation, Administrative Law, Originalism, Separation of Powers, Federalism, Comparative Constitutional Law

Professional Experience

Rappaport worked in the Office of Legal Counsel in the U.S. Department of Justice and practiced appellate law with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Washington, D.C.  He was a law clerk to Judge Dolores Sloviter of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Honors and Affiliations

Rappaport is the Director of the Center for the Study of Constitutional Originalism and is the founder of the Originalism Blog. He has taught overseas at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, and at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel. He is also a member of the Administrative Law & Regulation Executive Committee of The Federalist Society. Most recently, Proferssor Rappaport was named a 2025-2026 University Professor, the highest academic honor bestowed by the University on faculty in any field.

Scholarly Work