Anthony M. Dillof

Anthony M. Dillof is a Professor of Law at Wayne State University Law School, where he has been on faculty since 2002. He teaches Torts, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Appellate Advocacy, alongside past courses like Civil Rights and Jurisprudence. His research focuses on exploring the foundational principles of civil, criminal, and constitutional law, with a particular emphasis on legal theory, punishment assessment, and doctrinal challenges in criminal justice.

Education:

• Bachelor’s in Philosophy (A.B.) from Harvard University
• J.D. and LL.M. from Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and Law Review member

Research interests include the moral justification of legal defenses (e.g., entrapment), the philosophical underpinnings of hate crime laws, and the theoretical frameworks governing punishment and retribution. His scholarship spans critical analyses of transferred intent, unlawful entrapment, and the intersections between free speech and bias crime statutes.

Recent articles emphasize doctrinal puzzles in torts and criminal law, such as causation in personal injury cases and modal retributivism in sanctioning attempts. His work often bridges legal theory with practical implications for modern penal codes.

Awards:

• Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar (Columbia Law School)
• Columbia Law Review membership

Advocacy and Grants: Prior to academia, Dillof clerked for Ninth Circuit Judge William C. Canby, worked at the Center for Law in the Public Interest, and held roles at the ACLU and New York City Law Department, handling high-profile civil and appellate litigation. These experiences inform his teaching and research on civil rights and legal ethics.

Outside law, he pursues chess, aerogami, mathematics, book collecting, and performs in punk rock bands.