Jacob Bronsther researches the theoretical foundations of criminal law and sentencing. His current projects examine the “debt to society” that people may incur when they commit an offense, and the possible means of repayment; the similarities between the death penalty and certain prison sentences; and the moral and legal significance of intentions. Beyond the criminal law, Jake also writes about political partisanship, the legislative process, and the politics of climate change.

Before joining the MSU College of Law in 2021, Jake was a Climenko Fellow and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School. He received a Ph.D. in Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he studied under Professors Nicola Lacey and Peter Ramsay. Prior to his doctoral work, Jake practiced white collar criminal defense for three years in New York. He earned a J.D. from the New York University School of Law, an M.Phil. in Political Theory from Oxford University (Balliol College), and a double B.A. in Philosophy and Government from Cornell University. Jake was also a Fulbright Scholar to Mauritius.

Jake’s scholarship has appeared or is forthcoming in leading law reviews, such as the Virginia Law Review, the Cornell Law Review, and the Minnesota Law Review, as well as in faculty-edited journals, such as Legal Theory, Daedalus, Criminal Law and Philosophy, the New Criminal Law Review, and The Washington Quarterly. His commentary has appeared in outlets such as The Washington Post, The New Republic, Lawfare, Salon, and The Christian Science Monitor.

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Ph.D. London School of Economics and Political Science
J.D. New York University School of Law
M.Phil. Oxford University
B.A. Cornell University