‘Distinguished’ LSU law professor emeritus John Baker dies

BATON ROUGE – Louisiana State University law professor emeritus John Baker has died.

Baker died September 7.

Baker served on the LSU Law faculty as the Dale E. Bennett Professor of Law and taught over a dozen different subjects. His main areas of interest were Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Anti-Terrorism Law, International Law, Health Care Law, Mediation and Comparative Law.

In 2005, Baker became the fifth LSU Law professor to be a granted a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award. He later became a Fulbright Specialist at the Universidad de los Andes, Chile in 2012. Baker served as a visiting professor, adjunct professor or visiting fellow at several institutions, including Georgetown Law, the University of Oxford and the University of Lyon III.

“Very sorry to see the loss of my friend Professor John Baker,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill posted on social media. “He made great contributions to the study and practice of law. His conservative voice impacted scores of law students at LSU Law School and beyond.”

Baker received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Dallas. He also earned a Ph.D. in Political Thought from the University of London.

He argued in federal court, including two oral arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court. He also wrote several law review articles, books and textbooks, and his writings often appeared in The Wall Street Journal.

He taught courses for the Federalist Society on separation of powers with Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

“Over the course of his distinguished career, Professor Baker exemplified the highest ideals of scholarship and service,” the Federalist Society said in a post about his passing. “Known for his intellectual rigor and passion for educating and challenging not just his law school students, but also members and leaders of the Federalist Society, he inspired generations to pursue knowledge with curiosity, discipline, and integrity. …

We remember Professor John Baker not only for his professional accomplishments but for his humanity — his generosity of spirit, his faith, his sense of humor, and his unwavering belief in the transformative power of education, debate, and discussion. He was an intellectual leader to many in the ranks of the Federalist Society, and he will be deeply missed.”

Following law school, Baker served as a law clerk in federal district court and as an assistant district attorney in New Orleans before joining LSU in 1975. 

He is survived by his wife Dayle and their nine children.