Eugene Volokh Awarded 2026 Richard D. McLellan Prize for Advancing Free Speech and Expression
The Richard D. McLellan Prizes is pleased to announce today that Eugene Volokh, an influential legal scholar and fellow at the Hoover Institution (Stanford University), has been named the recipient of the third annual McLellan Prize of $50,000 for Advancing Free Speech and Expression. A distinguished blue-ribbon jury selected Volokh for his unparalleled impact on our understanding of the First Amendment freedoms of all Americans.
Eugene Volokh is one of the most prolific and influential legal scholars of our time. He is the Thomas M. Siebel Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, and the Gary T. Schwartz Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus at UCLA School of Law. He is editor-in-chief and founder of the Journal of Free Speech Law and is also known for his legal blog, The Volokh Conspiracy — a must read in the conservative legal community and in the highest courts, including the Supreme Court.
From Prodigy to Production
Volokh was born in the USSR; his family emigrated to the U.S. when he was seven years old. Volokh exhibited extraordinary mathematical abilities from an early age. At the age of 9, he was attending university-level mathematics courses.
At the age of 12, he began working as a computer programmer and was enrolled as a sophomore at UCLA. He graduated from UCLA at age 15 with a B.S. degree in mathematics/computer science, and has written many articles on computer software. Volokh later attended the UCLA Law School, graduating in 1992, and then clerked for Judge Alex Kozinski on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Unparalleled Impact
Volokh is the author of the textbooks The First Amendment and Related Statutes (8th ed. 2023), and Academic Legal Writing (5th ed. 2016), as well as over 100 law review articles. His work has been cited by opinions in twelve Supreme Court cases and over 400 court opinions in total, as well as over 12,000 academic works indexed in Google Scholar. Three of his academic articles, for instance, were cited by the majority opinion in the landmark Second Amendment decision in D.C. v. Heller.
Volokh is a member of The American Law Institute and a member of the American Heritage Dictionary Usage Panel. Volokh has also filed briefs (mostly amicus briefs) in more than 200 cases and argued over 40 First Amendment appellate cases in state and federal courts throughout the country.
A Unanimous Selection
The jury was unanimous in our choice of Eugene Volokh. There are few scholars of the First Amendment as prolific and influential as Eugene Volokh. His work is enlightening and indispensable. Thanks to our distinguished jury members, Gov. John Engler, Judge James Ho, Heather Mac Donald, Roger Ream, Nadine Strossen, Susan Goldberg, Dr. James Stoner, John R. Wood Jr, and Kristen Waggoner.
He brings to the McLellan Prizes intellectual seriousness and the highest caliber of understanding. For decades, scholars, judges, and students of the law have owed Eugene Volokh a debt of gratitude for his contributions. Today, the McLellan Prizes is glad to recognize his work on strengthening America’s free-speech tradition.
Upon hearing that he was awarded the 2026 McLellan Prize, Volokh wrote:
“Free speech – which must necessarily include the freedom to err and not just the freedom to say what others label correct – is critical to a healthy political system, a healthy culture, and a healthy soul. The Russell Kirk Center’s work is a major contribution to the noble endeavor of defending and promoting free speech, and I feel deeply honored to have been given the Center’s Richard D. McLellan Prize for playing my small part in this unending project.”
About the McLellan Prize
The Richard D. McLellan Prize for Advancing Free Speech and Expression honors the life and legacy of Michigan attorney and public servant Richard D. McLellan, whose career exemplifies commitment to the First Amendment. It is administered by the Russell Kirk Center. Awarded annually, the $50,000 prize recognizes those whose work ensures that freedom of speech—America’s first freedom—is appreciated and protected for future generations.
For more information about the upcoming McLellan Prize Award Gala on November 19, 2026 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, including sponsorship opportunities, please contact Kirk Center Events director, Emily Corwin (ecorwin@kirkcenter.org). Tickets for the event are available here. Hope you can join us in Washington for this evening celebration of free speech.