Matthew Stephenson

Matthew Stephenson is Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, where he teaches administrative law, legislation and regulation, anti-corruption law, and the political economy of public law. He has been a faculty member since 2005, promoted to full Professor in 2010, and remains an active academic. He holds a J.D. and Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard University and a B.A. from Harvard College.

• Assistant Professor of Law, Harvard Law School (2005–2010)
• Professor of Law, Harvard Law School (2010–Present)
• Clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (2003–2004)
• Clerk, Supreme Court of the United States (2004–2005)

His research centers on the application of positive political theory to public law, with a strong focus on administrative procedure, anti-corruption, judicial institutions, and separation of powers. He combines legal analysis with political science and economics to examine how institutions can be designed to promote integrity and effective governance.

Recent publications reveal a consistent scholarly trajectory in constitutional law, administrative law, statutory interpretation, and anti-corruption. His work frequently analyzes institutional workarounds, the legitimacy of judicial doctrines, and innovative strategies for legislative and regulatory reform. He has published in top journals such as Harvard Law Review, Texas Law Review, and Yale Journal on Regulation, and has contributed to policy-oriented platforms including the Washington Post and Compliance Week.

Notable scholarly contributions include:

• Critiques of the Major Questions Doctrine and textualism
• Proposals for reforming the Congressional Review Act
• Comparative studies on specialized anti-corruption courts
• Historical analysis of systemic corruption in the U.S.
• Conceptual frameworks for understanding corruption as a self-reinforcing trap

He has advised on international anti-corruption initiatives, including serving as a principal co-drafter of a United Nations guide on national anti-corruption strategies. He is also the co-author of a leading casebook, Legislation and Regulation: Cases and Materials, and maintains an active public presence through the Global Anticorruption Blog and media commentary.

His advising and grant activity is not detailed in the texts, but his collaborative research with scholars like Jody Freeman, John Manning, and Sofie Arjon Schütte suggests strong academic partnerships. He has no listed scientific awards in the provided materials.

Professor Stephenson leads and contributes to research teams focused on corruption, institutional design, and public law reform. His work is associated with initiatives such as the Global Anticorruption Blog and the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, indicating engagement with policy communities and interdisciplinary research networks.