Jerry Dickinson

Jerry Dickinson is the Dean and Professor of Law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. His academic career is marked by a focus on constitutional law, civil rights, and judicial federalism. As Dean, he champions academic excellence and community engagement, strengthening ties with local legal institutions. His research explores state constitutional influence on federal law, property rights, and democratic processes.

Key publications include Judicial Laboratories (2025) and Abortion Rights from the Bottom-Up (forthcoming 2026), emphasizing state-level legal innovations. His work frequently examines federal-state dynamics in constitutional interpretation and property jurisprudence. Dickinson's commentary appears in major media outlets, reflecting his role as a public intellectual.

He holds awards such as the 2024 Drum Major Justice Award and was named to Pittsburgh’s 2023 '20 People to Know in Law.' His career spans legal practice at Reed Smith LLP, a Fulbright in South Africa, and a clerkship with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Dickinson actively engages with local legal communities, advocating for equitable policies.