In a time of rising political polarization and institutional strain, the U.S. Constitution’s system of checks and balances faces unprecedented challenges. Professor Peter Larsen, Assistant Professor of Constitutional Law at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, invites you to a timely exploration of the separation of powers—how it was designed to function, how it’s being undermined, and what these shifts mean for the future of American democracy.
This talk will examine the erosion of democratic protections, the dangers of executive overreach, legislative gridlock, and judicial partisanship, and offer concrete ideas for civic engagement, institutional reform, and legal accountability. Whether you’re an activist, engaged citizen, or policymaker, this discussion will clarify the stakes—and the steps needed to uphold our constitutional democracy.
Peter Larsen is an Assistant Professor of Constitutional Law at Mitchell Hamline. Before joining academia, he worked as a civil rights litigator in private practice, held policy and governance roles with several Minnesota nonprofits, served on the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission and as Chair of the Minneapolis Television Network, and clerked for Iowa Supreme Court Justice Brent Appel.
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