Lawrence Lessig

(back to index)

Lawrence Lessig is a Professor of Law most noted for his activism for copyright reform. Lessig has published several popular books in regards to his activism including Free Culture, Remix: Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy, and Republic, Lost.

Early Life

Lessig was born on June 3rd, 1961 in Rapid City, South Dakota. He grew up in a church-going, “right-wing lunatic Republican” family in Williamsport, PA where his father started a steel-fabrication business. As a teenager, Lessig served as the president of the Pennsylvania Teenage Republicans. During the 1980 election, Lessig served as the youngest member of a delegate in the Republican convention supporting Ronald Reagan for president. Lessig remained politically active before attending college by running the campaign of a Republican candidate for state senator who was later beaten.

College and Higher Education

Lessig went on to attend the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated with a B.A. in economics and a B.S. in management. Upon graduating, Lessig attended Trinity College at the University of Cambridge in England to study philosophy. After graduating from Trinity College with an MA in philosophy, Lessig went on to attend Yale Law School to earn his JD. While at Yale, Lessig clerked for Judge Richard Posner in Chicago and then clerked for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Lessig passed the bar in the state of Illinois and began a professorship at the University of Chicago Law School. Lessig began to show his interest in cyberspace in spring 1995 where he created one of the first classes on cyberspace law as a visiting professor at Yale University.