COURSE PLANNER
Stephen P. Halbrook, Ph.D., Attorney at Law / Fairfax
“Stephen Halbrook is an attorney with extensive knowledge of the historical underpinnings of the Second Amendment and practical knowledge of litigating in this rapidly evolving area of law. His writings include topics as diverse as Gun Control in the Third Reich and The Founders’ Second Amendment, and he was heavily involved in Heller and McDonald.” — U.S. District Judge Michael J. Reagan, in Shepard v. Madigan, 2014 WL 4825592, *7 (S.D. Ill. 2014) (awarding attorney’s fees). See further http://stephenhalbrook.com/.
Mr. Halbrook has been engaged in civil litigation and criminal defense since 1978. He is a member of the Virginia State Bar, District of Columbia Bar, U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeals—all circuits, other federal courts. He has testified in U.S. Senate and House Committees on numerous firearm bills and on the nominations of executive branch and Supreme Court nominees. Georgetown University Law Center, J.D. (1978); Florida State University, Ph.D. Philosophy (1972). Assistant Professor of Philosophy 1972-81, George Mason University, Howard University, Tuskegee University. Senior Fellow, The Independent Institute.
Mr. Halbrook argued and won Castillo v. U.S., 530 U.S. 120 (2000); Printz v. U.S., 521 U.S. 898 (1997); U.S. v. Thompson/Center Arms Co., 504 U.S. 505 (1992). Co-counsel in Small v. U.S., 544 U.S. 385 (2005), and for NRA in McDonald v. Chicago, 561 U.S. 742 (2010). Counsel for amici curiae 55 Senators, the Senate President, and 250 Representatives in D.C. v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008).
Books authored:
• The Right to Bear Arms: A Constitutional Right of the People or Privilege of the Ruling Class? (Post Hill Press 2021).
• Firearms Law Deskbook: Federal and State Criminal Practice (Thomson/West 2020).
• Gun Control in Nazi-Occupied France: Tyranny and Resistance (2018).
• Gun Control in the Third Reich: Disarming the Jews and “Enemies of the State” (2013).
• The Founders’ Second Amendment (2008, new ed. 2019). Cited in McDonald v. Chicago.
• Freedmen, the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Right to Bear Arms (1998). New edition: Securing Civil Rights (2010). Cited in McDonald v. Chicago and DC v. Heller.
• That Every Man Be Armed: The Evolution of a Constitutional Right (1984, new edition 2013). Cited in Printz v. U.S.
FACULTY
Peter D. Greenspun, Greenspun Shapiro PC / Fairfax
A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Peter Greenspun graduated from LaSalle College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1975 and obtained his Juris Doctor from George Mason University School of Law in 1978.
Widely considered by his peers as an expert litigator, Mr. Greenspun has advocated for the rights of his clients in criminal and civil matters ranging from the simplest to the most complex. With over 30 years of experience trying countless cases, he has obtained exceptional results in local, state, and federal trial and appellate courts.
Since 1997 Mr. Greenspun has repeatedly been recognized by the Washingtonian magazine as being among the best lawyers in the Washington, DC, Metropolitan area. In December 2011, he was listed as the top Virginia lawyer. He has also been listed in the Best Lawyers in America since 1999 for white-collar and non-white-collar criminal defense, and has been listed by Virginia Business as a member of “The Legal Elite.” In recognition of his commitment to high ethical and professional standards, he has been awarded the prestigious AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and has received Martindale-Hubbell’s Client Distinction Award.
Mr. Greenspun has tried numerous high-profile, unusual, and complex cases throughout his career. He is also a regular speaker and lecturer on trial technique and strategy at Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars throughout Virginia, and is a past President of the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Fairfax Bar Association, and the Fairfax Bar Foundation. It is rumored that he can be seen walking in Fairfax City with his office dog, a Portuguese Water Dog named Rockie.