Daniel T. Deacon

Daniel T. Deacon serves as an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School, specializing in administrative law and communications law. His research critically examines agency rulemaking processes, regulatory alternatives, and the intersection of law with emerging technologies.

His academic background includes:

• BA in History and Political Science with honors from the University of Wisconsin
• JD summa cum laude from New York University

Deacon's scholarly focus spans Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Communications Law, and Law and Technology. He investigates how agencies formulate regulations, respond to public input, and navigate judicial scrutiny—particularly regarding telecommunications infrastructure, internet governance, and data privacy frameworks. His work frequently analyzes tension between administrative expertise and constitutional constraints.

His publications appear in premier journals including Columbia Law Review, Virginia Law Review, and Yale Law Journal. Recent scholarship examines the Roberts Court's impact on administrative law doctrines, historical evolution of telecommunications regulation, and practical implications of the major questions doctrine following Chevron's overturning.

Key recognition includes:

• Richard D. Cudahy Writing Competition on Regulatory and Administrative Law (American Constitution Society, 2023)

Prior to academia, Deacon practiced at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, representing clients before the FCC and federal courts. He notably contributed to ACLU of Michigan's landmark Michigan Supreme Court victory establishing sexual orientation discrimination as civil rights violations. His teaching portfolio includes Administrative Law, Communications Law, Data Privacy Law, and Federal Courts, building on his clerkship with Judge A. Raymond Randolph of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.