Nicholas Stephanopoulos

Nicholas Stephanopoulos is the Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. His career spans roles at the University of Chicago Law School, Columbia Law School, and legal practice at Jenner & Block LLP. He leads Harvard Law School’s Election Law Clinic and co-founded PlanScore and TrueViews.

• Educational Background:
  • A.B. in Government, Harvard College (2001)
  • M.Phil. in European Studies, University of Cambridge (2002)
  • J.D., Yale Law School (2006)

Stephanopoulos’s research bridges democratic theory, empirical political science, and U.S. electoral systems. He focuses on proportional representation, partisan gerrymandering, and voting rights, advocating for systems that balance minority inclusion and electoral efficiency. His work often intersects with constitutional law and administrative law, analyzing judicial interpretations and policy frameworks.

His recent publications explore ranked-list proportional representation, gerrymandering metrics, and voting rights federalism. Articles frequently appear in top journals like Harvard Law Review, Yale Law Journal, and Stanford Law Review, with keywords spanning political economy, electoral reform, and civil rights.

• Scientific Awards:
  • The Politico 50 list
  • National Law Journal’s 'Chicago’s 40 Under 40'
  • Member, American Law Institute

Stephanopoulos has advised litigation in U.S. Supreme Court cases on partisan gerrymandering and contributed to policy reform via the Campaign Legal Center. He graduated summa cum laude from Harvard, served as Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Journal of International Law, and clerked for Judge Raymond C. Fisher.