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Ilya Somin
Adjunct Scholar
Ilya Somin is Assistant Professor of Law at George Mason University. Before his 2003 appointment at George Mason, he was the John M. Olin Fellow in Law at Northwestern University and clerked for Judge Jerry E. Smith of the Fifth Circuit. Somin is widely published in both the scholarly and popular press, including the Yale Law Journal, the Stanford Law Review, the Northwestern University Law Review, and also Reason, the LA Times, National Review Online, and Opinionjournal.com.
Somin's interests include participatory democracy, federalism, and property rights. As a member of the Volokh Conspiracy, he is a prominent blogger.
Media Contact: 202-789-5200
To Book a Speaking Engagement: 202-789-5226
Cato Studies
"Robin Hood in Reverse: The Case against Taking Private Property for Economic Development," Policy Analysis no. 535, February 21, 2005.
"When Ignorance Isn't Bliss: How Political Ignorance Threatens Democracy," Policy Analysis no. 525, September 22, 2004.
Opinion and Commentary
"Forfeiture Laws, the War on Drugs, and Alvarez v. Smith," FindLaw, October 14, 2009
"Eroding Constitutional Limits on Governmental Takings," Detroit Free Press, July 16, 2009
"Don't Count on Prop. 99," Los Angeles Times, May 19, 2008
"Battle over Eminent Domain is Another Civil Rights Issue," by David Beito and Ilya Somin, Cato.org, April 27, 2008
"Kelo, M.I.A.," National Review (Online), April 2, 2008
Speeches and Testimony
"Judge Sonia Sotomayor's Record on Constitutional Property Rights," July 16, 2009.
Multimedia
"(Rationally) Ignorant Voters" featuring Ilya Somin, September 24, 2008 [Flash Audio, 09:03]
"Nudging Paternalists" featuring Ilya Somin, September 8, 2008 [Flash Audio, 10:46]
"Post-Kelo Eminent Domain Reform" featuring Ilya Somin, April 9, 2008 [Flash Audio, 07:22]
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