Matthew Lawrence
@mblawrence.bsky.social
Law professor at Emory Law. Admin law, health law, addictions.
Addiction and Liberty: https://www.cornelllawreview.org/2023/04/26/addiction-and-liberty/
Selected works: https://works.bepress.com/matthew-lawrence/
Addiction and Liberty: https://www.cornelllawreview.org/2023/04/26/addiction-and-liberty/
Selected works: https://works.bepress.com/matthew-lawrence/
Reposted by Matthew Lawrence
Well over 150 UC law faculty have just made public this open letter to the UC Regents arguing, point by specific point, for why the Regents should not accept any of the major demands the Trump administration has made of UCLA.
We argue it's not a genuine settlement offer, but a form of extortion.
We argue it's not a genuine settlement offer, but a form of extortion.
Home
UC Law Faculty to Regents: Resist the Unlawful Demands
sites.google.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Well over 150 UC law faculty have just made public this open letter to the UC Regents arguing, point by specific point, for why the Regents should not accept any of the major demands the Trump administration has made of UCLA.
We argue it's not a genuine settlement offer, but a form of extortion.
We argue it's not a genuine settlement offer, but a form of extortion.
This is interesting!
“Given the severity of the threats social media companies pose to democracy and fundamental rights, policy responses cannot merely tinker around the edges,” writes Christine Galvagna. The EU must act now—fund decentralized, public service social media to protect democracy and digital rights.
Public Service Social Media as a Democratic Safeguard | TechPolicy.Press
Christine Galvagna proposes an EU fund to support decentralized, public service focused social media networks to protect digital rights and democracy.
www.techpolicy.press
November 7, 2025 at 8:42 PM
This is interesting!
Now that Character.AI is 18+ the pressure on other companies to age gate will grow.
Delighted to share my piece with Brett Frischmann and Avi Sholkoff, "Tort Liability for Failure to Age Gate: A Promising Regulatory Response to Digital Public Health Hazards," www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...
Delighted to share my piece with Brett Frischmann and Avi Sholkoff, "Tort Liability for Failure to Age Gate: A Promising Regulatory Response to Digital Public Health Hazards," www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...
November 1, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Now that Character.AI is 18+ the pressure on other companies to age gate will grow.
Delighted to share my piece with Brett Frischmann and Avi Sholkoff, "Tort Liability for Failure to Age Gate: A Promising Regulatory Response to Digital Public Health Hazards," www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...
Delighted to share my piece with Brett Frischmann and Avi Sholkoff, "Tort Liability for Failure to Age Gate: A Promising Regulatory Response to Digital Public Health Hazards," www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi...
Is the Trump admin going to appeal the RI court's order requiring SNAP distributions? DOJ's latest filing suggests they are considering it, asking for a written order to help them decide.
Meanwhile the MA court says funds *are legally available* and asks admin to say if they will pay by 11/3.
Meanwhile the MA court says funds *are legally available* and asks admin to say if they will pay by 11/3.
November 1, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Is the Trump admin going to appeal the RI court's order requiring SNAP distributions? DOJ's latest filing suggests they are considering it, asking for a written order to help them decide.
Meanwhile the MA court says funds *are legally available* and asks admin to say if they will pay by 11/3.
Meanwhile the MA court says funds *are legally available* and asks admin to say if they will pay by 11/3.
Two very different memos: Here is (1) the first Trump Admin's explanation that they'd made funds available to protect SNAP beneficiaries from shutdown-related disruptions, dated January 9, 2019, and (2) the second Trump Admin's explanation that they would not do so, posted by Axios last Friday.
October 28, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Two very different memos: Here is (1) the first Trump Admin's explanation that they'd made funds available to protect SNAP beneficiaries from shutdown-related disruptions, dated January 9, 2019, and (2) the second Trump Admin's explanation that they would not do so, posted by Axios last Friday.
Reposted by Matthew Lawrence
Can the power of the purse be protected? Professors @mblawrence.bsky.social, Eloise Pasachoff, & Zachary Price analyze the Trump Admin's dramatic shift away from Congressional power and toward unilateral executive control over spending. bit.ly/appropriatio...
October 28, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Can the power of the purse be protected? Professors @mblawrence.bsky.social, Eloise Pasachoff, & Zachary Price analyze the Trump Admin's dramatic shift away from Congressional power and toward unilateral executive control over spending. bit.ly/appropriatio...
Awesome presentation at Emory by Yale Law’s Nicholas Parrillo to discuss “Administrative Law as a Choice of Business Strategy.” If you’re in admin law (health care, energy, envt, consumer protection, etc.) you really ought to read this groundbreaking paper. tinyurl.com/3ejdm5a8
October 24, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Awesome presentation at Emory by Yale Law’s Nicholas Parrillo to discuss “Administrative Law as a Choice of Business Strategy.” If you’re in admin law (health care, energy, envt, consumer protection, etc.) you really ought to read this groundbreaking paper. tinyurl.com/3ejdm5a8
“If the President could later alter the bargain by negating provisions they disfavored, why would senators or representatives ever vote for a package including provisions they dislike?”
-Me, Pasachoff & Price last spring on how appropriations presidentialism causes shutdowns. tinyurl.com/59uwsu42
-Me, Pasachoff & Price last spring on how appropriations presidentialism causes shutdowns. tinyurl.com/59uwsu42
October 2, 2025 at 5:53 PM
“If the President could later alter the bargain by negating provisions they disfavored, why would senators or representatives ever vote for a package including provisions they dislike?”
-Me, Pasachoff & Price last spring on how appropriations presidentialism causes shutdowns. tinyurl.com/59uwsu42
-Me, Pasachoff & Price last spring on how appropriations presidentialism causes shutdowns. tinyurl.com/59uwsu42
For anyone trying to understand how government shutdowns work, I will post a couple pieces I've done on them in the reply. But first I'd read @joshchafetz.bsky.social on "Congress's Constitution." yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300...
Congress's Constitution
A leading scholar of Congress and the Constitution analyzes Congress’s surprisingly potent set of tools in the system of checks and balances. Congress is w...
yalebooks.yale.edu
September 30, 2025 at 2:57 PM
For anyone trying to understand how government shutdowns work, I will post a couple pieces I've done on them in the reply. But first I'd read @joshchafetz.bsky.social on "Congress's Constitution." yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300...
Now, there have been arguments in the past that section 687 empowering GAO to sue is itself unconstitutional.
But at this point, if the courts are going to say that, we need them to actually do so—and then, if 687 is unconstitutional, they should sever any preclusion and let APA suits in.
But at this point, if the courts are going to say that, we need them to actually do so—and then, if 687 is unconstitutional, they should sever any preclusion and let APA suits in.
On this: One reason the Supreme Court just said others can’t sue is *because Congress gave the power to GAO*. But GAO hasn’t sued.
Right or wrong, yesterday’s ruling is SCOTUS’s invitation for GAO to go to court. GAO works for Congress, so it will be interesting to see if members call for this.
Right or wrong, yesterday’s ruling is SCOTUS’s invitation for GAO to go to court. GAO works for Congress, so it will be interesting to see if members call for this.
September 27, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Now, there have been arguments in the past that section 687 empowering GAO to sue is itself unconstitutional.
But at this point, if the courts are going to say that, we need them to actually do so—and then, if 687 is unconstitutional, they should sever any preclusion and let APA suits in.
But at this point, if the courts are going to say that, we need them to actually do so—and then, if 687 is unconstitutional, they should sever any preclusion and let APA suits in.
On this: One reason the Supreme Court just said others can’t sue is *because Congress gave the power to GAO*. But GAO hasn’t sued.
Right or wrong, yesterday’s ruling is SCOTUS’s invitation for GAO to go to court. GAO works for Congress, so it will be interesting to see if members call for this.
Right or wrong, yesterday’s ruling is SCOTUS’s invitation for GAO to go to court. GAO works for Congress, so it will be interesting to see if members call for this.
September 27, 2025 at 3:38 PM
On this: One reason the Supreme Court just said others can’t sue is *because Congress gave the power to GAO*. But GAO hasn’t sued.
Right or wrong, yesterday’s ruling is SCOTUS’s invitation for GAO to go to court. GAO works for Congress, so it will be interesting to see if members call for this.
Right or wrong, yesterday’s ruling is SCOTUS’s invitation for GAO to go to court. GAO works for Congress, so it will be interesting to see if members call for this.
Delighted to share that “Platform Politicization and the Constitution” is forthcoming in Emory Law Journal. The paper explores what open integration b/w social media platforms and political parties would/will mean for freedoms of speech and association.
Sharing abstract, dm for draft!
Sharing abstract, dm for draft!
September 26, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Delighted to share that “Platform Politicization and the Constitution” is forthcoming in Emory Law Journal. The paper explores what open integration b/w social media platforms and political parties would/will mean for freedoms of speech and association.
Sharing abstract, dm for draft!
Sharing abstract, dm for draft!
Reposted by Matthew Lawrence
Fascinating(yet depressing) plenary session at the Health Law Professors Conference ft. @ninakohn.bsky.social @mayamanian.bsky.social @mblawrence.bsky.social Medha Makhlouf Joan Krause Aaron Kessleheim: Updates on healthcare law & policy in tumultuous times. #HLP2025
June 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Fascinating(yet depressing) plenary session at the Health Law Professors Conference ft. @ninakohn.bsky.social @mayamanian.bsky.social @mblawrence.bsky.social Medha Makhlouf Joan Krause Aaron Kessleheim: Updates on healthcare law & policy in tumultuous times. #HLP2025
Reposted by Matthew Lawrence
I always like to see what other LPE and LPE Adjacent Scholars are up to. Thanks to @lpeblog.bsky.social for highlighting my article alongside other people whom I like reading such as @mblawrence.bsky.social, Bijal Shah, and Fred Jacobs, amongst others.
With summer just around the corner, are you looking to indulge in some juicy, page-turning scholarship?
Today, the Blog highlights some of the hottest new forthcoming LPE and LPE-adjacent articles. 🔥🔥
Today, the Blog highlights some of the hottest new forthcoming LPE and LPE-adjacent articles. 🔥🔥
Some of the Best New LPE and LPE-Adjacent Scholarship
With summer just around the corner, are you looking to indulge in some juicy, page-turning scholarship? As always, the Blog has you covered with our biannual roundup of some of our favorite…
lpeproject.org
May 24, 2025 at 4:29 PM
I always like to see what other LPE and LPE Adjacent Scholars are up to. Thanks to @lpeblog.bsky.social for highlighting my article alongside other people whom I like reading such as @mblawrence.bsky.social, Bijal Shah, and Fred Jacobs, amongst others.
"Within only a couple months, Sewell became addicted to the app."
Big decision denying motion to dismiss on 1A grounds today in Garcia v. Character A.I., the first case against a chatbot for allegedly contributing to a teen's death.
Full opinion here: tinyurl.com/496s4epn
Big decision denying motion to dismiss on 1A grounds today in Garcia v. Character A.I., the first case against a chatbot for allegedly contributing to a teen's death.
Full opinion here: tinyurl.com/496s4epn
May 21, 2025 at 7:05 PM
"Within only a couple months, Sewell became addicted to the app."
Big decision denying motion to dismiss on 1A grounds today in Garcia v. Character A.I., the first case against a chatbot for allegedly contributing to a teen's death.
Full opinion here: tinyurl.com/496s4epn
Big decision denying motion to dismiss on 1A grounds today in Garcia v. Character A.I., the first case against a chatbot for allegedly contributing to a teen's death.
Full opinion here: tinyurl.com/496s4epn
Reposted by Matthew Lawrence
My book won the 2025 Neustadt award for best book on the American presidency.
Presidents enact bad policies, on purpose, because it helps them define their brand & gives the impression they're in charge. If that basic message resonates, please give it some of your reading time: lnkd.in/dVPsriXt
Presidents enact bad policies, on purpose, because it helps them define their brand & gives the impression they're in charge. If that basic message resonates, please give it some of your reading time: lnkd.in/dVPsriXt
May 20, 2025 at 7:22 PM
My book won the 2025 Neustadt award for best book on the American presidency.
Presidents enact bad policies, on purpose, because it helps them define their brand & gives the impression they're in charge. If that basic message resonates, please give it some of your reading time: lnkd.in/dVPsriXt
Presidents enact bad policies, on purpose, because it helps them define their brand & gives the impression they're in charge. If that basic message resonates, please give it some of your reading time: lnkd.in/dVPsriXt
Surreal honor to be among a truly impressive list of experts recently appointed to serve as public members and senior fellows of the Administrative Conference of the United States. www.acus.gov/article/admi...
Administrative Conference Appoints New Public Members and Senior Fellows | Administrative Conference of the United States
www.acus.gov
May 20, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Surreal honor to be among a truly impressive list of experts recently appointed to serve as public members and senior fellows of the Administrative Conference of the United States. www.acus.gov/article/admi...
Thank you to the wonderful editors of the Indiana Law Journal for bringing "Super-Groups: Legal Empowerment and Public Law" to print!
My best effort to explore who the "powerful" are and the role of law in making them that way.
www.repository.law.indiana.edu/ilj/vol100/i...
My best effort to explore who the "powerful" are and the role of law in making them that way.
www.repository.law.indiana.edu/ilj/vol100/i...
May 19, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Thank you to the wonderful editors of the Indiana Law Journal for bringing "Super-Groups: Legal Empowerment and Public Law" to print!
My best effort to explore who the "powerful" are and the role of law in making them that way.
www.repository.law.indiana.edu/ilj/vol100/i...
My best effort to explore who the "powerful" are and the role of law in making them that way.
www.repository.law.indiana.edu/ilj/vol100/i...
Reposted by Matthew Lawrence
There's relatively little substantive content in the text of the MFN EO, but this section is emblematic of the many, many questions people should have about its scope. Where will the Secretary get this pricing information? How will they decide "price targets"? For which drugs? Which countries? Etc.
May 12, 2025 at 3:40 PM
There's relatively little substantive content in the text of the MFN EO, but this section is emblematic of the many, many questions people should have about its scope. Where will the Secretary get this pricing information? How will they decide "price targets"? For which drugs? Which countries? Etc.
Reposted by Matthew Lawrence
Sharing some of my thoughts on the unconstitutionality of impoundment at @dorfonlaw.bsky.social
Thoughts welcome!
Thoughts welcome!
Each of the Trump admin's funding cutoffs to universities, agencies, NGOs, etc., violates its own specific statutory and constitutional provisions. The overall approach is also unconstitutional impoundment in violation of separation of powers, as @ggkrishnamoomoo.bsky.social explains on the blog.👇
Clinton v. City of New York, Line-Item Vetoes, and Impoundment
In the whirlwind of constitutional questions, I want to return to the issue of impoundment. Impoundment refers to the President withholding ...
www.dorfonlaw.org
May 12, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Sharing some of my thoughts on the unconstitutionality of impoundment at @dorfonlaw.bsky.social
Thoughts welcome!
Thoughts welcome!
Reposted by Matthew Lawrence
"in effect the early second Trump Administration seems to have substituted OMB’s legal authority over apportionment (which now must be exercised transparently) with DOGE’s functional control over federal payment systems"
www.yalejreg.com/nc/secret-co...
Great piece on by @mblawrence.bsky.social
www.yalejreg.com/nc/secret-co...
Great piece on by @mblawrence.bsky.social
Secret Conditions Move from DOGE to OMB, by Matthew B. Lawrence - Yale Journal on Regulation
As Eloise Pasachoff, Zachary Price, and I describe in a forthcoming essay, the second Trump Administration is implementing unilateral executive control over federal spending—or “appropriations preside...
www.yalejreg.com
May 6, 2025 at 10:31 PM
"in effect the early second Trump Administration seems to have substituted OMB’s legal authority over apportionment (which now must be exercised transparently) with DOGE’s functional control over federal payment systems"
www.yalejreg.com/nc/secret-co...
Great piece on by @mblawrence.bsky.social
www.yalejreg.com/nc/secret-co...
Great piece on by @mblawrence.bsky.social
Reposted by Matthew Lawrence
Very cool-looking new paper from Dave Pozen and @mblawrence.bsky.social. Check it out! papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Drug Scheduling as Institutional Design
The United States makes bad choices when it comes to psychoactive drugs. Under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), U.S. drug law has simultaneously fueled mass
papers.ssrn.com
May 11, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Very cool-looking new paper from Dave Pozen and @mblawrence.bsky.social. Check it out! papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Incredible to see "Moral Panic or Public Health Crisis? Lessons From Drugs and Gambling for 'Addictive' Design" now out in print!
With my amazing @EmoryLaw 2L coauthor, Kevin Yan.
When was the last time you saw a Music Man epigraph?
digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/cgi/viewcont...
With my amazing @EmoryLaw 2L coauthor, Kevin Yan.
When was the last time you saw a Music Man epigraph?
digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/cgi/viewcont...
May 6, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Incredible to see "Moral Panic or Public Health Crisis? Lessons From Drugs and Gambling for 'Addictive' Design" now out in print!
With my amazing @EmoryLaw 2L coauthor, Kevin Yan.
When was the last time you saw a Music Man epigraph?
digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/cgi/viewcont...
With my amazing @EmoryLaw 2L coauthor, Kevin Yan.
When was the last time you saw a Music Man epigraph?
digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/cgi/viewcont...
Doing our best to explain what is going on with checks and balances when it comes to federal spending!
On Lawfare Daily, @mollyereynolds.bsky.social spoke to @mblawrence.bsky.social, Eloise Pasachoff, and Zach Price about their new paper on “Appropriations Presidentialism,” or how the executive branch attempts to control the process of allocating federal funds at the expense of Congress.
April 29, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Doing our best to explain what is going on with checks and balances when it comes to federal spending!
Reposted by Matthew Lawrence
Over at the Notice and Comment blog, today's Ad Law Reading Room entry is "Appropriations Presidentialism," by @mblawrence.bsky.social, Eloise Pasachoff, and Zachary Price. Check it out! www.yalejreg.com/nc/ad-law-re...
Ad Law Reading Room: "Appropriations Presidentialism," by Lawrence, Pasachoff, and Price - Yale Journal on Regulation
Today’s Ad Law Reading Room entry is “Appropriations Presidentialism,” by Matthew B. Lawrence, Eloise Pasachoff, and Zachary S. Price, which is forthcoming in the Georgetown Law Journal Online. Here i...
www.yalejreg.com
April 28, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Over at the Notice and Comment blog, today's Ad Law Reading Room entry is "Appropriations Presidentialism," by @mblawrence.bsky.social, Eloise Pasachoff, and Zachary Price. Check it out! www.yalejreg.com/nc/ad-law-re...