I have been appointed Constitutional Advisor to the Constitutional Convention of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The process to enact a constitution for the U.S. Virgin Islands is specified in a congressional law. There are rules on how to convene a constitutional convention, who may serve as delegates, what the constitution must contain, and how to approve the constitution. This appointment will entail a lot of challenging and truly important work. I am looking forward to lending my assistance to the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands as they endeavor to do the most important thing a people can do for themselves: to draft, enact, and implement a home-grown constitution.
Richard Albert
Does Your Country Respect the Rule of Law?
Ten years ago, the Venice Commission adopted a Rule of Law Checklist to assess whether a country is fulfilling expectations for modern governance. The Checklist is clear and comprehensive, and it is presented as a series of questions on subjects ranging from judicial independence to emergency powers to constitutional supremacy and beyond. The Checklist – which was updated in December 2025 – is easy to use. It is also a good way to learn, discuss, and debate what the rule of law requires in the 21st century.
A new book on Comparative International Law examines different traditions in the application, reception, and enforcement of international law around the world, across time. Edited by Robert Schütze and Mathias Siems, the book features 13 chapters by excellent scholars. It is worth reading!
If you are interested in learning about constitutional reform, this new book is a must-read: The Law and Politics of Constitution Making, edited by Eduardo Alemán and Sebastián Soto Velasco. The book focuses on the dramatic and decisive popular rejections of new constitutions proposed to the Chilean people. Chapters are authored by lawyers, political scientists, delegates to the Chilean Constitutional Conventions, and others.
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This book is published in the Routledge Series on Comparative Constitutional Change, which I am pleased to co-edit with Xenophon Contiades and Alkmene Fotiadou. If you would like to publish your manuscript in this Series, please contact anyone of us. We will be happy to hear from you!
The 2025 Global Review
We have published the Global Review of Constitutional Law for nine consecutive years. This year we will publish our tenth anniversary edition. We are pleased to invite scholars and judges to join us in this global collaboration. The Global Review features country chapters on constitutional developments over the past year. We welcome expressions of interest to contribute a country chapter for 2025. Check out last year's edition here.
A Colleague and Friend Retires
My dear colleague and friend Bob Bloom will retire from Boston College Law School after 40 years of distinguished service on the faculty. The Law School has published a touching account of his final class. Among the moving tributes to him, this passage stands out: “Bloom ended his teaching career the same way he lived it: showing care for his students, fostering joy, and centering moral conscience.” What a “lovely human,” as he would say.
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Bob Bloom has been a mentor and friend to me, for many years. We have traveled together to Ireland, attended basketball and football games, and spent hours talking about law and life. Here are a couple of photos of the two of us, both taken about a decade ago.
A New Leadership Team
Here is the 2026-27 leadership team for the Section on Constitutional Law in the Association of American Law Schools. I am pleased to Chair the Section, which was founded in 1973. I am looking forward to working with this outstanding team. Please contact any of us by phone or email if you would like to get involved in the work of the Section!
Colleagues around the world have joined me on #Mission365. The newest members of the team are Alexandra Flynn,Natalie Fox, and Bert Kwan. Thank you! Your participation gives me added motivation.
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This year I am on a mission to exercise every day of the year. (I missed three days last year.) I have been posting a daily photo of my exercise routine on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, and on my website. Public accountability keeps me striving for my goal.
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Please let me know if you, too, will take the challenge!
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