Edmundson named Regents' Professor
September 15, 2010
ATLANTA - The Board of Regents voted at its August meeting to name College of Law Professor William A. Edmundson a Regents’ Professor. He is one of only 30 at Georgia State University to receive this recognition.
A Regents’ Professorship represents the highest academic status bestowed by the University System of Georgia, and is meant to recognize a substantial, significant and ongoing record of scholarly achievement that has earned high national esteem over a sustained period.
Edmundson, who has a joint appointment in the Department of Philosophy, is the first professor in the College of Law, and the first law professor in the University System, to receive this honor. He joined the College of Law 21 years ago.
"Bill’s nomination portfolio consisted of peer review letters from the most accomplished scholars in law and philosophy," said College of Law Dean Steve Kaminshine.
Kaminshine added, "Their reviews made plain that Professor Edmundson’s work places him at the elite level of his discipline, nationally and internationally, that he is one of the best political philosophers writing these days (Andrei Marmor), is in the first row of professionals in the field (Stanley L. Paulson), is one of the best legal theorists currently working in the United States (Brian Bix), and ’is in the top rank of legal philosophers in the world’ (Lawrence Solum)."
Edmundson said "I was grateful and humbled when I found out. Maybe a little embarrassed, because there are so many worthier people here at Georgia State and in the College of Law. Dean Kaminshine’s support and the support of colleagues in the Philosophy Department were key. I think the interdisciplinary role I’ve been privileged to serve is what won over the nominating committee."
Edmundson has written on legal moralism, coercion, the duty to obey the law, capital punishment, and a variety of other topics at the intersection of moral and political philosophy and the philosophy of law. He is the author of books, including "Three Anarchical Falacies," and "An Introduction to Rights." His articles have appeared in such journals as the Michigan Law Review, Legal Theory, the Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, and elsewhere.
He is co-editor of the series, Cambridge Introductions to Philosophy and Law. Edmundson received his Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkeley, and J.D., cum laude, from Duke University, where he was an article editor for the Duke Law Journal and member of the Order of the Coif.
He served as law clerk to Judge John C. Godbold of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Previously he was an associate in the law firm of Gibbs and Holmes, and an assistant professor at the University of Mississippi.
At GSU, Edmundson is a faculty advisor for the joint J.D. and M.A. in Philosophy program.