Lawyers of the Right, Networks and Organization
Authors: John P. Heinz, Anthony Paik
, Ann Southworth
Lawyers for conservative and libertarian causes are active in organizing interest groups within the conservative coalition, and networks of relationships among those lawyers help to maintain and shape the coalition. Using data gathered in interviews with 72 such lawyers, the structure of their networks was analyzed. Findings suggest that a distinct set of actors with an extensive range of relationships serves to bridge the several constituencies. Measures of centrality and brokerage confirm the structural importance of these actors in the network, and a search of references in news media confirms their prominence or prestige. This “core” set of actors occupies the space that separates the business constituency from religious conservatives. Libertarians, located near the core of the network, also occupy an intermediate position. Analysis of ties within the network suggests that the Federalist Society plays an important role in bringing the lawyers together.