Marci Hamilton

Marci Hamilton is a Professor of Practice in the Department of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Founder, CEO, and Academic Director of CHILD USA, a nonprofit think tank addressing child abuse and neglect through legal and policy analysis. Previously, she held the Paul R. Verkuil Chair in Public Law at Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University.

Education:

• B.A., Vanderbilt University, summa cum laude
• M.A. in English (fiction writing, High Honors) and Philosophy, Pennsylvania State University
• J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School, magna cum laude (Editor-in-Chief, University of Pennsylvania Law Review)

Research & Focus: A global leader in child sex abuse statutes of limitation (SOL) reform, religious liberty critiques, and constitutional law. She co-chairs the Global SOL Reform Task Force and has testified in all states with significant SOL reforms. Her work bridges legal advocacy, policy analysis, and social science to combat child abuse. She also challenges extreme religious liberty claims, notably in Boerne v. Flores (1997) and Committee of Unsecured Creditors v. Listecki (2015).

Key Contributions:

• Authored influential books on child protection and religious liberty
• Filed pro bono amicus briefs in U.S. Supreme Court and state courts
• Developed a global SOL dashboard for policy advocacy

Awards:

• 2019 Distinguished Daughters Award
• 2018 Louis H. Pollak Award
• Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize (2014)

Labs/Teams: Leads CHILD USA, integrating legal and social science research to shape child protection policies. Her work is amplified through partnerships with legislators and global advocacy networks.