Professor Dr. James Pfander

Biography

James E. Pfander is the Owen L. Coon Professor at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. His research and teaching focus on judicial systems and constitutional democracies. His latest monograph, Cases Controversies: Uncontested Adjudication in Article III Courts (Oxford University Press 2021), explores the historical litigation mechanisms in U.S. courts, revealing Congress's power to assign federal courts the cognizance of non-adversarial claims. He has collaborated with several co-authors on the Hart & Wechsler’s Federal Courts Federal System, an authoritative examination of federal adjudication. Pfander's scholarly work includes significant analyses of federal tort law, constitutional torts, and judicial accountability. His publications are widely recognized, including articles in major law reviews discussing the nuances of federal judicial power, the standing of litigants, and the implications of historical legal perspectives on contemporary judicial practices. Pfander has also lectured internationally in various countries, enhancing the global dialogue on judicial oversight and federalism.

Research Interests

Experience