Biography
Professor Samuel A. Marcosson has been a member of the Brandeis School of Law faculty since 1996. His teaching and scholarship focus on constitutional law, employment discrimination, and the civil rights of LGBTQ+ individuals.
After graduating from Yale Law School in 1986, Professor Marcosson clerked for Judge George C. Pratt on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He then joined the appellate staff of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington, D.C., where for eight years he briefed and argued cases in the federal courts of appeals. While at the EEOC, he also helped design and conduct the agency’s training program following the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1992.
Professor Marcosson is the author of Original Sin: Clarence Thomas and the Failure of the Constitutional Conservatives (2002), a critical examination of constitutional originalism and judicial consistency. His articles and commentary explore the Fourteenth Amendment, equal protection, and evolving civil rights issues. He has served on the board of directors of the National Lesbian and Gay Legal Association, coordinated programming for its annual conference, and served on the coordinating committee of Louisville’s Fairness Campaign. Since 2013, he has been a member of the Kentucky State Advisory Committee for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
At Brandeis Law, Professor Marcosson has held leadership roles as associate dean for student life (2004–06) and as chair of the admissions committee (2005–12). He continues to be a respected teacher and mentor to students, bringing his deep experience in civil rights litigation and constitutional law to the classroom.
Research Interests
Professor Marcosson's research and writing focuses on the Constitution and the Supreme Court's approaches to interpreting it. His principal focus is on the Fourteenth Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause in particular.
Degrees and Certifications
Yale University
Bradley University