In an article adapted from a lecture given in London, Professor Matthew Finkin lays out a case comparing the actions of the Trump administration today to those of the German National Socialist party in the 1930s. The unprecedented actions of the current United States president have been foreshadowed by the early actions of the Third […]

After a 36-year career at the University of Illinois College of Law, Swanlund Endowed Chair and Professor Matthew Finkin officially retired and was granted emeritus status in the fall of 2024. A prolific and highly respected labor law scholar, Finkin has been honored at several significant events in recent months.  In June, a session on […]

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker recently signed the Worker Freedom of Speech Act into law, prohibiting employers from subjecting their employees to mandatory “captive audience” meetings. The law was swiftly challenged by the conservative Illinois Policy Institute, who argue it infringes on free speech rights. Professor Matthew Finkin shared his take on the dispute with Courthouse […]

Professor Matthew Finkin’s scholarly expertise was recently in demand in the Northeast. On Wednesday, March 20, Professor Finkin testified before a committee of the Vermont Legislature concerning a proposal to amend the state’s constitution to add a worker rights provision. The proposal would follow Illinois in enshrining the right of collective bargaining into the state’s […]

Professor Matthew Finkin submitted an amicus brief to the Massachusetts Supreme Court in Wortis v. Trustees of Tufts College, a case that is expected to define the legal content of tenure and academic freedom in American higher education. Writing for amici, Finkin argues that their brief shows that “(1) Tufts’ tenure and academic freedom policies […]