Invitation to a Lecture by Professor Scott Cummings
Leading Scholar of Lawyers’ Role in Democratic Backsliding Awarded Honorary Doctorate at SDU
New Honorary Doctor at SDU Researches Lawyers’ Role and Responsibility When Democracy Is Under Pressure
Professor Scott L. Cummings of the UCLA School of Law has been appointed Honorary Doctor at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU). Internationally recognized for his research on lawyers’ role and ethical responsibility in safeguarding democracy, as well as the importance of legal institutions for the rule of law, Professor Cummings will share insights from his work during his visit to SDU.
Scott L. Cummings will receive the honorary doctorate at SDU’s Annual Celebration on 30 October 2026, as one of six distinguished researchers to be awarded an honorary doctorate by the university this year.
“Scott L. Cummings has made significant contributions to research on lawyers’ role and ethical responsibility in times of democratic backsliding, thereby advancing our understanding of how legal professions and institutions shape and influence democracy. He has also been a valued collaborator with the Department of Law at SDU for many years,” says Head of Department Ole Hammerslev.
A Long-Standing Collaboration with SDU
The appointment is based on a long-standing collaboration between Scott L. Cummings and the research community at the Department of Law, particularly in the fields of legal professions, access to justice, and democracy.
Most recently, Scott L. Cummings co-edited the Elgar Research Handbook on the Sociology of Legal Ethics together with Professor Ole Hammerslev and fellow researchers. He has also contributed to the development of legal education at SDU by sharing experiences from UCLA School of Law, including approaches to practice-oriented teaching and perspectives on the role of law in society, particularly in relation to marginalized communities.
Public Lecture at SDU
In connection with the honorary doctorate, Scott L. Cummings will visit SDU in Odense, where he will take part in a range of academic activities. He will also deliver a public lecture entitled:
“Lawyers v. The Law: Far-Right Legal Mobilization and the Unmaking of American Democracy”
The lecture is open to all interested participants.
Date and time: Friday, 30 October 2026, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
Venue: DIAS Auditorium, SDU Odense
For more information and registration, please click here.
Law’s Role in Democracy
Scott Cummings is the founder and director of the Program on Legal Ethics and Democracy at UCLA School of Law. His research has played an important role in the international debate on lawyers’ ethical responsibilities, strategic litigation, and the role of legal professionals during periods when democratic institutions are under pressure.
A central theme of his work is the role that lawyers and legal institutions play in strengthening democratic resilience, as well as the professional and ethical responsibilities lawyers bear when fundamental democratic principles are challenged.
His research therefore extends beyond the legal profession itself, raising broader questions about the importance of law in sustaining a healthy democracy and the responsibility of legal actors to protect and uphold the rule of law.
If you would like to attend the lecture online, please use the link below:
https://syddanskuni.zoom.us/j/68605358047?pwd=IK9bPb4Guy4QmBT0Is4nmQhm8s279l.1
Contacts
Ole Hammerslev
Head of the Department of Law
ohv@sam.sdu.dk
+45 65 50 27 06
Hibba Yousef
PA to the Head of Department
hib@sam.sdu.dk
+45 65 50 30 66
