Brian Highsmith

Brian Highsmith is an Assistant Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law and a PhD candidate in Government and Social Policy at Harvard University. His research examines the intersection of law, political institutions, and economic inequality, with emphases on fiscal federalism, local democracy, criminal justice reform, and constitutional design. He holds a JD from Yale Law School (2017) and a BA from Furman University (2010).

Highsmith's research explores how legal architectures shape democratic outcomes, including studies on corporate power in local governance, jurisdictional fragmentation in metro areas, and the political economy of courts. His interdisciplinary approach bridges law, political science, and economics to analyze systemic inequities.

Highsmith has held prestigious fellowships including:

• Steven M. Polan Fellow in Constitutional Law (Brennan Center)
• Fellow in Law and Public Policy at Princeton SPIA (2022-23)
• Academic Fellow in Law and Political Economy at Harvard Law School (2023-25)
• Skadden Fellowship at the National Consumer Law Center

His professional background includes policy advisory roles at the Obama administration's National Economic Council, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and Senator Cory Booker's office.