New Books in Law Brad Snyder, "Democratic Justice: Felix Frankfurter, the Supreme Court, and the Making of the Liberal Establishment" (Norton, 2022)
Sep 28, 2025
Brad Snyder, a legal historian and professor at Georgetown University, delves into the life of Felix Frankfurter, a pivotal figure at the Supreme Court. He challenges conventional views, depicting Frankfurter as a pro-civil rights liberal who upheld judicial restraint, advocating for change through democracy. Snyder discusses Frankfurter's relationships with presidents, his controversial involvement in landmark cases like Brown v. Board of Education, and the enduring relevance of his judicial philosophy amidst modern challenges.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
From Immigrant Child To Roosevelt's Peer
- Felix Frankfurter arrived in the U.S. at age 11 speaking no English and rose rapidly through public schools to City College and Harvard Law.
- By age 26 he was friends with Theodore Roosevelt, illustrating his swift social and professional ascent.
Rejected By Firms, Saved By Stimson
- Frankfurter graduated first in his Harvard Law class but faced anti-Jewish hiring discrimination on Wall Street.
- Henry Stimson rescued his trajectory by hiring him as an assistant U.S. attorney, launching his public-service career.
Scholar-Practitioner Power
- Frankfurter combined practice and scholarship, making him a public-facing legal expert in labor, administrative, and criminal law.
- His versatility made him unusually influential beyond the ivory tower.
