Jay Sekulow, J.D., Ph.D.

Bio

Dr. Jay Sekulow, a respected defender of religious freedom and an accomplished judicial advocate, brings nationally recognized expertise to the Regent Law faculty and provides current students with unparalleled opportunities to contribute to the most important legal cases of our time.

As Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which is a premier national public interest law firm specializing in constitutional law and the defense of religious and civil liberties, Sekulow has argued several landmark cases before the United States Supreme Court that have become part of the legal landscape in the area of religious liberty litigation. In Westside School District v. Mergens, Sekulow cleared the way for public school students to form Bible clubs and religious organizations on their school campuses. In Lamb’s Chapel v. Center Moriches School District, Sekulow defended the free speech rights of religious groups, ensuring that they be treated equally with respect to the use of public facilities.

Regent Law’s relationship with the ACLJ, which has offices on Regent University’s campus, allows students a competitive opportunity to apply for paid and unpaid positions assisting ACLJ attorneys. It also provides students with extraordinary opportunities to participate in historic projects such as the ACLJ’s Supreme Court victory in Pleasant Grove City v. Summum. Sekulow’s argument resulted in a unanimous First Amendment decision clearing the way for governments to accept permanent monuments of their choosing (including Ten Commandments monuments) in public parks. Regent Law students assisted Sekulow in preparing and researching the brief and arguments in this landmark decision.

Additionally, as part of the ACLJ Spring Semester Program, Regent Law and the ACLJ offer select students the chance to study constitutional law, the courts, and Congress in Washington, D.C., alongside practicing constitutional law experts. Students participate in the daily research and advocacy of the ACLJ in its office across the street from the United States Supreme Court.