Columbia Law SchoolFederalist Society

History

A chapter record across four decades.

Since the earliest days of the Federalist Society, the Columbia chapter has grown from a handful of students to a nationally recognized chapter with two Student Symposia hosted, five Feddie Awards (including two Chapter of the Year Awards), hundreds of speakers and events, and thousands of members and alumni.

At a glance

Two Student Symposia · Five Feddie Awards

Chronology

The chapter through the years

  1. Archive

    Earliest located chapter record

    The March 30, 1984 issue of the Columbia University Record lists an April 2 lecture, “Judicial Activism and the Need for Constitutional Reform,” by Judge Malcolm Wilkey of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The notice identifies the Columbia Federalist Society at the School of Law as the sponsor.

    Full page
    Full page 4 of the March 30, 1984 Columbia University Record
    Magnified detail
    Magnified calendar listing for the Columbia Federalist Society lecture on April 2, 1984
    Page 4 of the Columbia University Record for March 30–April 12, 1984, followed by a magnified view of the April 2 lecture listing in Room E of the Law School.

  2. National Student Symposium

    25th Annual National Student Symposium

    International Law and the State of the Constitution

    Columbia Law School hosted the Federalist Society’s 25th Annual National Student Symposium on February 24–25, 2006. Panels and debates examined executive power, the war on terrorism, international tribunals, foreign law, and constitutional interpretation.

    View the official program
    Title card for a panel at the 2006 National Student Symposium at Columbia Law School
    Title card for “How Does International Law Limit the War on Terrorism?,” a panel held at Columbia Law School on February 25, 2006. Image: The Federalist Society.

  3. National Award

    Inaugural James Madison Chapter of the Year

    Columbia received the first-ever James Madison Chapter of the Year Award. The national Federalist Society recognized the chapter’s excellence in organizing debates and speeches and its contribution to the intellectual life of Columbia Law School.

    Read Columbia Law School’s announcement
    Columbia Federalist Society students with Justice Clarence Thomas and the inaugural Chapter of the Year award
    From left: Jake Beiswenger ’12, Jeff Ober ’13, Lauren Barlow ’13, Branden Berns ’12, Justice Clarence Thomas, Ammon Simon ’11, an unidentified student, Michael Arnold ’13, Brittani Yriarte ’12, Jonathan Berry ’11 (holding the James Madison Award), and Mac Stone ’12. Photo: Columbia Law School.

  4. National Award

    James Madison Chapter of the Year

    Columbia won the James Madison Chapter of the Year Award for a second time at the 2015 National Student Symposium. At the time, Columbia was the only chapter to have earned the award twice since its creation four years earlier.

    Read Columbia Law School’s announcement
    Columbia Law School delegation holding the 2015 James Madison Chapter of the Year award
    Front row, from left: David C. McDonald ’16, Alyss Vavricka, Renuka Agarwal, Katherine E. Hamm ’16. Standing: Kory J. Hines ’17, Richard S. Cleary ’15, John B. Goerlich ’16, Browning VanMeter ’15 (holding the award), Alexander N. Gross ’16, Shiva H. Logarajah ’17, and Jacob G. Lewis ’17. Photo: Columbia Law School.

  5. National Student Symposium

    36th National Student Symposium

    The First Amendment in Contemporary Society

    Columbia hosted the Federalist Society’s 36th National Student Symposium on March 3–4, 2017. The program considered freedom of the press, campaign finance, professional responsibility, religious liberty, speech on campus, and the continuing development of First Amendment law.

    View the official program
    Title card for the Privacy and Freedom of the Press panel at the 2017 National Student Symposium
    Title card for Panel 1, “Privacy & Freedom of the Press,” at the 2017 National Student Symposium at Columbia Law School. Image: The Federalist Society.

  6. National Award

    Samuel Adams Award for Membership Growth

    Columbia received the Federalist Society’s Samuel Adams Award for Membership Growth in March 2023, recognizing the chapter’s success in expanding its student membership.

    View the 2023 awards program
    Columbia Federalist Society members with Justice Brett Kavanaugh during a 2023 visit to the Supreme Court of the United States
    Columbia Federalist Society members with Justice Brett Kavanaugh during their February 23, 2023 visit to the Supreme Court of the United States. Photo: Columbia Federalist Society.

  7. National Award

    Thomas Paine Award for Creative Publicity

    The Federalist Society honored Columbia with the 2025 Thomas Paine Award for Creative Publicity, recognizing the chapter’s distinctive work communicating its programs and building interest in chapter life.

    View the official announcement
    Federalist Society announcement naming Columbia the 2025 Thomas Paine Award recipient for Creative Publicity
    Still from the Federalist Society’s March 10, 2025 announcement naming Columbia University Law School the Thomas Paine Award recipient for Creative Publicity.

  8. National Award

    Feddie Award for Membership Growth

    The Federalist Society recognized Columbia Law School with its 2026 Feddie Award for Membership Growth, honoring the chapter’s success in expanding and strengthening its student community.

    View the official announcement
    Columbia Federalist Society members holding the 2026 Feddie Award for Membership Growth
    Members of Columbia FedSoc pose with the 2026 Feddie Award for Membership Growth at the National Student Symposium. Photo provided by Columbia FedSoc.