Stephen Pershing

Stephen Pershing serves as a Professorial Lecturer in Law at the George Washington University Law School, teaching voting rights law since 1999. He maintains an active public interest litigation practice focused on civil rights, currently operating a solo practice and serving as of counsel to Hall & Sethi, PLC in Reston, Virginia.

His educational background includes:

• BA from Harvard University (1979)
• JD from the University of Virginia School of Law (1987)
• Law clerk to U.S. District Judge Julian A. Cook, Jr. (1987-1989)

Pershing's research and professional work centers on voting rights litigation for racial and language minorities, constitutional challenges, and civil liberties advocacy. He has participated in four decennial census cycles litigating voting rights cases nationwide, with notable expertise in First Amendment protections stemming from his successful lawsuit against the University of Virginia during law school. His career demonstrates deep integration of academic instruction with real-world civil rights litigation.

Throughout his career, he has held significant positions including senior attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department (1996-2005), legal director of the Virginia ACLU (1989-1996), and founder of a nonprofit law school consortium for Washington semester programs (2011). He has also taught as an adjunct at William & Mary and American University.

While specific advising relationships and grant funding aren't detailed in source materials, his teaching spans over two decades across multiple institutions with consistent focus on civil rights education. His professional activities are augmented by personal pursuits including classical violin performance, voice-over artistry, and cycling.