Episode 4 of the University of Miami School of Law's Constitutional Crisis Seminar features Ilya Somin, Professor of Law at George Mason University and the B. Kenneth Simon Chair in Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute. His research focuses on constitutional law, property law, democratic theory, federalism, and migration rights. He is a prolific writer: In addition to writing many academic articles, he is the author of four books, and co-author of two more including author of:

• Free to Move: Foot Voting, Migration, and Political Freedom ,
• Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government is Smarter , and
• The Grasping Hand: Kelo v. City of New London and the Limits of Eminent Domain
• And co-editor of Eminent Domain: A Comparative Perspective (Cambridge University Press, 2017).

He is a regular contributor at Reason.com where in addition to arguing for constitutional fidelity, he takes what Professor Foomkin, organizer of the seminar series, calls "a very principled and consistently libertarian perspective on issues like takings, ‘foot voting’ and the harms caused by restrictive laws such as zoning and licensing of trades and professions."

Professor Somin is not just a scholar and very significant public intellectual; he’s also an effective advocate in court. He has been involved in the litigation concerning the Trump tariffs since its outset. His recent victory in the Federal Circuit will be reviewed by the Supreme Court in an expedited calendar which will have oral argument sometime during the week beginning November 3. Meanwhile the tariffs remain in place.