Adam Benforado is a professor, writer, and lawyer.
As a legal scholar, his principal interest is in applying insights from the mind sciences—most notably cognitive psychology—to law and legal theory. He is particularly focused on issues arising in criminal law and corporate law.
Conducting novel experiments and developing existing findings, Professor Benforado's research is dedicated to uncovering how our legal system may reflect unappreciated aspects of our cognitive frameworks and processes, and, as a consequence, how the law may fail to align with our purported values and fall short of meeting our needs. He is currently a co-principal investigator on several experimental projects in progress with psychologist collaborators .
As an undergraduate, Professor Benforado studied at Yale University and Oxford University. He received his J.D. from Harvard Law School and was a Frank Knox Fellow and Visiting Scholar with the Cambridge University Faculty of Law. He clerked for Judge Judith Rogers on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Professor Benforado also worked at Jenner & Block, LLP in Washington, D.C., where he handled trial and appellate litigation matters. He joined the Drexel University School of Law as an assistant professor in 2008 and was granted tenure in 2013. He was a visiting professor at Brooklyn Law School in Spring 2013.
His recent scholarly work includes three chapters in Ideology, Psychology, and Law (Oxford University Press) and articles in the Emory Law Journal (four articles), Maryland Law Review, Indiana Law Journal, Cardozo Law Review, Oregon Law Review, Florida State University Law Review, St. Louis University Law Journal, Entrepreneurial Business Law Journal, Topics in Cognitive Science, and Cognitive Science.
His first book, Unfair: The New Science of Criminal Injustice, was published by Crown in June 2015.
Professor Benforado's op-eds, essays, and letters have appeared in a variety of publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Providence Journal, The Baltimore Sun, The Houston Chronicle, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, The Legal Times, and Boston Review. He is also a contributor to The Situationist, the blog of the Project on Law and Mind Sciences at Harvard Law School, and has been a guest blogger at Concurring Opinions, The Faculty Lounge, and PrawfsBlawg.
As an emerging leader in the field of law and mind sciences, Professor Benforado has been invited to speak at a diverse array of public venues and schools around the country including Harvard, Columbia, Ohio State, Vanderbilt, Temple, Wake Forest, Tulsa, Florida State, and the University of Pennsylvania. Although he no longer takes cases, he remains a member of the Washington, D.C. and New York bars.
Contact: Website
Adam Benforado on KCRW
More from KCRW
Emerald Fennell: ‘Promising Young Woman’
ArtsWriter-director Emerald Fennell on why subtlety is overrated.
Johnson and Johnson vaccine is paused. Don’t panic, says doctor
CoronavirusThe federal government decided this morning to pause Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Role of kids in spreading COVID, tips for protecting vaccine cards
CoronavirusAs states continue to reopen, COVID-19 cases are spiking nationwide, and variants are starting to make up a growing share of them. That includes the highly infectious U.K.
Carrots over sticks
NationalJosh Barro talks with panelists Jamelle Bouie and Lanhee Chen about the housing aspect of Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan, how governors have fared in the pandemic and Georgia’s new…
Curtains close on Cinerama Dome, all ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres locations
ArtsArcLight and Pacific Theater locations all over LA and the country are closed for good now.
Remote work could be here to stay
CoronavirusAs California gears up to reopen in mid-June, the prospect of returning to the office is creating anxiety for the workforce that was forced to work from home due to the COVID-19…
Joe Mathews: Climate change touches every issue in California
Environment"Judging California’s climate change policies by greenhouse gas emissions is backwards.
LA’s Muslim community celebrates pandemic Ramadan with drive-thru Iftars and Zoom gatherings
Los AngelesThis week marks the beginning of Ramadan, the most sacred month in Islam.
“Moffie” links white supremacy and homophobia as macho perversions
ArtsWriter-director Oliver Hermanus discusses his new film and the complex history of his native South Africa on this week’s “Scheer Intelligence.”