Alan Dershowitz

Alan Dershowitz

Professor, Harvard Law School

Alan Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at the Harvard Law School. In addition to his teaching, Dershowitz is a prolific author who makes frequent media and public appearances, and who is known for his commentary on the Arab-Israeli conflict as well as his work on numerous high-profile cases. As a criminal appellate lawyer, Dershowitz successfully argued to overturn the conviction of Claus von Bulow for the attempted murder of his wife, Sunny. He also served as the appellate advisor in the criminal trial of O.J. Simpson.

Dershowitz joined the faculty of Harvard Law School as an assistant professor of law in 1964. He was made a full professor of law in 1967, at the age of 28, becoming, at that time, Harvard's youngest full law professor in the school's history. Dershowitz is also the author of more than 20 works of fiction and non-fiction, including Blasphemy: How the Religious Right is Hijacking the Declaration of Independence (2007), The Case for Israel (2003), the bestseller Chutzpah (1991), and Reversal of Fortune (1986), which was made into an Academy Award-winning film. More than a million of his books have been sold worldwide and in numerous languages.

Dershowitz joined the faculty of Harvard Law School as an assistant professor of law in 1964. He was made a full professor of law in 1967, at the age of 28, becoming, at that time, Harvard's youngest full law professor in the school's history. Dershowitz is also the author of more than 20 works of fiction and non-fiction, including Blasphemy: How the Religious Right is Hijacking the Declaration of Independence (2007), The Case for Israel (2003), the bestseller Chutzpah (1991), and Reversal of Fortune (1986), which was made into an Academy Award-winning film. More than a million of his books have been sold worldwide and in numerous languages.

8mins
Dershowitz discusses his work in crafting the jurisprudence behind the ‘preventative state’.
2mins
Dershowitz would like to pick the brain of an innovative psychologist.
Democracy by soundbite is not democracy, says Alan Dershowitz.
1mins
Though there is great leadership in business, there is a severe shortage in governments the world over.
2mins
Even tyrants know that civilized society needs law.
1mins
The volatile mix of poverty and fundamentalism.
3mins
Dershowitz talks of the need for a Continuum of Civilianality.
1mins
Alan Dershowitz on regulating beatings and waterboarding.
1mins
Can we hold people? And for how long can we hold them? And under what circumstances can we hold them because we strongly suspect that they are planning to do […]
Dershowitz wishes academics would go back to first principles.
Everybody should be subject to one standard, Alan Dershowitz says.
4mins
Homo sapiens are more used to living without the law than with the law.
1mins
Alan Dershowitz discusses growing up Jewish in America during the period of the second World War.
5mins
Give people more of a stake in the success of the global economy.
2mins
Things would look a lot rosier if people with big ideas went into politics.
3mins
The myth of the hereafter, Alan Dershowitz says, is one of the worst ideas humans have ever created.
6mins
Everything needs a jurisprudence.