Michael Moreland

Michael Moreland was appointed University Professor of Law and Religion and Director of the Eleanor H. McCullen Center for Law, Religion and Public Policy in 2017. Dr. Moreland joined the Villanova faculty in 2006 and served as Vice Dean from 2012 to 2015. At Villanova, he has taught Torts, Evidence, Bioethics and the Law, Advanced Torts, Constitutional Law II (First Amendment and Equal Protection), Justice and Rights (1L elective), and seminars in law and religion.

As University Professor, Dr. Moreland will promote cross-campus research, programming and collaboration; foster high-visibility academic initiatives at the national and international levels; have the ability to teach across the University; and position Villanova as a leader at the crossroads of law, religion and public policy. In his role with the McCullen Center, Dr. Moreland will oversee the creation of innovative academic programming, a visiting scholars program and conferences on emerging issues in these fields.

A renowned scholar of constitutional law, torts, bioethics and religious freedom, Dr. Moreland is frequently sought for commentary at national and international conferences, in the media, and before Congress. He has published articles in leading legal, public policy and medical journals, including Notre Dame Law Review, Journal of Intensive Care Medicine, Georgetown Journal of Law & Public Policy and Law and Contemporary Problems. His chapters on law, ethics and religion have been featured in numerous books, including titles published by Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press.

Most recently Dr. Moreland was a Visiting Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame and the Mary Ann Remick Senior Visiting Fellow at the Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture from 2015 to 2017. He was the Forbes Visiting Fellow at Princeton University in the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions during academic year 2010-11. Dr. Moreland served as the project leader for The Libertas Project, a program from 2013 to 2015 at Villanova sponsored by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation exploring religious and economic freedom in the context of law and religion in American public life.

Dr. Moreland received his BA in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, his MA and PhD in theological ethics from Boston College, and his JD from the University of Michigan Law School. Following law school, Professor Moreland clerked for the Honorable Paul J. Kelly Jr., of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and was an associate at Williams & Connolly LLP in Washington, DC, where he represented clients in First Amendment, professional liability, and products liability matters. Before coming to Villanova, he served as Associate Director for Domestic Policy at the White House under President George W. Bush, where he worked on a range of legal policy issues, including criminal justice, immigration, civil rights, and liability reform.

Practice Experience

• Judicial Clerk to Hon. Paul J. Kelly, Jr., United States Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
• Williams & Connolly LLP (Washington, D.C.)
• The White House
• Joined the faculty in 2006

Recent Publications & Media Appearances

• Published “Justices rightly defend churches’ autonomy on who teaches the Faith” for Our Sunday Visitor on July 9
• Interviewed for Voice of America News, “Trump's Supreme Court financial battle” on July 9
• Quoted in the Washington Examiner, “Supreme Court religious liberty wins could signal landmark conservative victory in gay adoption case” on July 13
• Published “Defending the Freedom of the Church” in First Things on July 14
• Quoted in the Deseret News, “Should churches be excluded from mask mandates?” on July 16
• Presented “First Amendment: Establishment and Free Exercise of Religion” at the National Constitution Center's Summer Teacher Institute on the First Amendment in Philadelphia on July 20
• Joined an amicus brief in support of petitioner in the U.S. Supreme Court in Small v. Memphis Light, Gas & Water (No. 19-1388) on July 20
• Interviewed for NBC10, “Tom Ridge Says ‘Cold Day in Hell' Before He'd Let Feds Patrol Pa. Cities Uninvited” on July 22
• Quoted in the Washington Examiner, “'Predictable': Supreme Court transgender decision leads to religious liberty legal battle” on July 23
• Participated in the Growth Through Innovation Summit for University Center Leaders sponsored by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University on July 27-29
• Quoted in Catholic News Service, “Executive actions seen providing minimal boost to economy hit hard by COVID-19” on August 11
• Interviewed for NBC10, “Did the RNC violate the Hatch Act last night?” on August 25
• Joined an amicus brief in support of petitioners in the U.S. Supreme Court in Dalberiste v. GLE Associates, Inc. (No. 20-11101) on August 6
• Hosted Law and the Augustinian Tradition Lecture, “Black Dignity and Augustinian Political Theology” with Professor Vincent Lloyd (Villanova) on September 1
• Interviewed for NBC10, “Judge: Pennsylvania's Pandemic Restrictions Unconstitutional” on September 14
• Delivered Ryan Center Constitution Day Lecture, “The Constitution in 2020” on September 18
• Interviewed for NBC10, “Ruth Bader Ginsburg Received Liberty Medal This Year” on September 18
• Quoted in Washington Post, “A new conservative Supreme Court justice could boost religious rights at the cost of LGBTQ protections” on September 22
• Interviewed for NBC10, “Judge Declines to Stay Ruling on Pennsylvania Crowd Size” on September 22
• Quoted in Catholic News Service, “Court appointment one more issue for the Catholic vote, legal experts say” on September 22
• Interviewed for 6ABC, “Local caterers among those hoping courts uphold ruling that Pennsylvania shutdowns were unconstitutional” on September 23
• Interviewed for NBC10, “Can the state of PA control capacity limits for restaurants and bars?” on September 23
• Webinar on “Religious Liberty at the Supreme Court” with Professor Stephanie Barclay (Notre Dame) on September 24
• Published “Amy Coney Barrett and the ‘Dual Loyalty’ Canard” in National Review on September 25
• Quoted in Washington Post, “Amy Coney Barrett, Supreme Court nominee, spoke at program founded to inspire a ‘distinctly Christian worldview in every area of law’” on September 27
• Interviewed for KYW News Radio, “Law professors weigh in on new Supreme Court nominee” on September 27
• Ryan Center Podcast, “Amy Coney Barrett and the Supreme Court” on September 29