Founded in 1982, the Federalist Society is committed to the principles that the state exists to preserve freedom, that the separation of governmental powers is central to our Constitution, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what the law should be. The Society seeks to promote awareness of these principles and to further their application through its activities.

The Tulane Chapter of the Federalist Society was founded in 1984 by the Honorable William Pryor to provide a forum for conservative and libertarian view points. Since its foundation, the Tulane Chapter has brought many world renowned speakers and experts in multiple fields of law to Tulane University Law School and the New Orleans Community.