Levin College of Law
CGR is active in many legal and policy arenas through lecture series, government consulting, amicus work, collaborative partnerships, and educational outreach. CGR also hosts multiple conferences per year on a variety of initiatives for lawyers, judges, policy-makers, students, and the general public.
The Center for Governmental Responsibility at the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law is the oldest and most influential legal research and public policy center in the State of Florida. Founded in 1972 by lawyers who opposed President Nixon’s refusal to spend Congressionally-authorized funds on housing and civil rights programs, CGR has leveraged its position in Florida’s flagship law school to promote government accountability, steer emerging democracies in their quest for the rule of law, and enable law and policy-makers to respond to changing times and environmental pressures.
In its first 50 years, CGR faculty and staff have received millions of dollars in grants to assist a variety of local and global legal initiatives and they have devoted countless hours to public interest work. CGR has testified before federal agencies and committees on occupational health issues; produced an Emmy-award winning documentary on the Everglades; trained lawyers in Poland to implement rule of law initiatives; provided assistance to Brazilian judges, prosecutors, and attorneys on effective administration of justice; developed a sustainable Everglades initiative; advanced bioregional policy in the Maya Forest; helped preserve the iconic Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine; and developed a shared plan to manage sea turtle populations, just to name a few.
CGR has received grants from entities as diverse as the MacArthur Foundation, Jessie Ball DuPont Fund, the National Park Service, the Everglades Foundation, the National Institution of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Academy of Sciences, USAID, and many others. As CGR begins its next half-century of public service, we look forward to continuing our role as thought-leaders and partners helping to find solutions to the policy challenges of the future.
CGR Faculty, Staff, Fellows, and Affiliates are nationally and internationally recognized experts in their fields. They provide valuable assistance around the globe to governments, NGOs, non-profit organizations, and individuals through their wide-ranging expertise in law and public policy. CGR Faculty and Staff produce cutting-edge research on legal issues across the spectrum and strive to make legal research accessible to law-makers, litigators, and government and non-government staff. Click on a faculty member to learn more about their contributions to CGR and UF Law.
Bill of Rights • Constitutional Law • Cyber Law • Equal Rights Amendment • Executive Powers • First Amendment • Florida Constitution • Florida Sunshine Act • Fourteenth Amendment • Latin America • Legislation • Presidential Powers • Privacy • Social Media • Statutory Interpretation
Bill of Rights • Constitutional Law • Equal Rights Amendment • Estates & Trusts • Feminist Jurisprudence • Fifth Amendment • Fourteenth Amendment • Future Interests • Legal History • LGBT Issues • Marriage Equality • Property Law • Railroads and Railroad Law • Sexual Orientation • Takings Clause Jurisprudence • Women, Gender and the Law
Bill of Rights • Constitutional Law • Florida Constitution • Fourteenth Amendment • Legal Writing
Civil Rights • Clinical Legal Education • Criminal Law • Criminal Procedure • Privacy • Trial Procedure
Privacy • Reputation • Social Media • Journalism • Technology • Surveillance • Literacy • Engagement • Culture • Intellectual Property
The Center for Governmental Responsibility at the University of Florida College of Law began in 1972 as the result of a $66,000 grant from the McIntosh Foundation of South Florida. CGR was tasked with examining the reduction in housing and civil rights programs funding. CGR played a role in federal lawsuits, filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court, and other high-profile cases. As a result of these achievements, the McIntosh Foundation continued to provide financial support to CGR.
CGR was organized permanently for research and public policy work under founding director Jon Mills, UF Law Dean Emeritus. Dean Mills continues to lead the center after fifty years along with constitutional law scholar and public policy advocate, Professor Danaya Wright.
Over the years, CGR has evolved to cover a variety of major projects, policies and programs. CGR expanded to include domestic and international programs in environmental law, social policy law, government law, and trade law. Each year multiple members of the UF Law faculty partner with CGR faculty and staff in various activities.
Likewise, CGR constituencies have expanded from Florida courts and lawyers to the U.S. Supreme Court and other federal agencies. Lawyers and students are involved on four continents.
