Committing to Tradition and Constitutional Studies

“Strike the flame and let it rise.”  

With these words, Father Bonaventure Chapman, O.P., introduced Columbus School of Law Professor J. Joel Alicea as he assumed the St. Bellarmine Endowed Chair of Law on March 18, 2025.

By selecting Professor Alicea as the inaugural chairholder, Catholic University reaffirms its commitment to academic excellence and engagement with the ideas shaping our nation and world. During his illustrious career, Alicea has focused his work on Constitutional Originalism as inspired by Hegel and St. Thomas Aquinas, two crucial philosophers for understanding the intersections of Catholic doctrine, morality, and modern law.

This chair was made possible through the generosity of Leonard Leo, trustee of both the Marble Freedom Trust and Catholic University. As President Kilpatrick noted during the ceremony, the chair is named for St. Robert Bellarmine, the cardinal who “engaged in intellectual debate to defend Catholic principles” and serves as a patron for ethical legal scholarship.

After receiving these honors, Professor Alicea addressed his family and colleagues. With immense gratitude, he recalled a conversation with the Dean of the Columbus School of Law, Stephen Payne, about his invitation to join the school as an associate professor back in 2020. 

Still hesitant, Alicea met with Payne who told him: “I know what I’m about to tell you probably won’t affect your decision much, but I want you to consider whether you’re being called by the Lord to help me build up this law school as a service to the Church.” With this in mind, Alicea started his professorship at Catholic University and has played a significant role in promoting the flourishing of the school for the past five years.

Prior to joining Catholic University, Alicea practiced at the law firm Cooper & Kirk, PLLC, where he specialized in constitutional litigation. He also previously served as a clerk for Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., on the U.S. Supreme Court and for Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Now, as the inaugural St. Robert Bellarmine Professor of Law and Director of the Law School’s Center for the Constitution and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, Alicea seeks to inspire future legal minds to integrate faith and reason in the pursuit of justice.

Watch Prof. Alicea's Lecture, "Constitutional Theory at a Catholic University":