Seven University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School professors were recognized as members of the Top 100 Legal Scholars by librarians at George Mason University.
The 2025 ranking was compiled based on how frequently published articles from 2019-21 are cited in law review pieces. Penn was the only university on the list to have two individuals ranked as top 10 scholars — Penn Carey Law professors Jill Fisch and Elizabeth Pollman.
George A. Weiss University Professor of Law & Sociology Dorothy Roberts told The Daily Pennsylvanian that it was “gratifying” to see her work being cited, adding that academic citations show researchers that their scholarship is “having an impact.”
Roberts’ “Abolition Constitutionalism” paper about the origins of the Reconstruction amendments and the prison abolition movement was recognized as the most-cited article across the three years of data collection. Roberts expressed hope that the article would reach both legal scholars and activists, describing her work as a “bold move” in advancing an understanding of abolition.
Penn Carey Law and Wharton professor Herbert Hovenkamp was recognized for work involving antitrust law, with a focus on competition between major technology firms.
Hovenkamp told the DP that he was “proud” of the “certain level of recognition” the ranking signifies. He added that the main contribution to a legal piece’s influence is “the extent to which courts rely on it.”
The DP also spoke with Penn Carey Law professor Sandra Mayson who expressed that while her recognition was “lovely,” it was “not all that momentous.”
Mayson, whose work centers on criminal law and procedure, with a focus on pre-trial detention and bail, explained that the measure is “under inclusive.” According to her, the ranking doesn’t “fairly capture” colleagues who have published books or work across multiple disciplines.
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“One thing I love about legal scholarship is it is meant to be accessible to a wide readership — to ordinary people, as well as to lawyers and judges,” Mayson added.
Penn Carey law professors Cary Coglianese and David Hoffman were also recognized in the 2025 ranking.
This ranking marks George Mason University’s third compilation of top legal scholars. The seven Penn professors recognized in 2025 are the same scholars who were recognized in the 2024 rankings.
In the prior two rankings, Penn Carey Law had the most legal scholars on the list of any school. This year, the Penn moved to number two — Harvard Law School took the top spot with nine recognized authors.
The recognition follows Penn Carey Law’s drop to No. 5 in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings. For the two years before that, Penn Carey law was listed No. 4, alongside Duke University School of Law, Harvard Law School, and the University of Virginia School of Law.
