The world of academia has largely ignored specific areas of study involving firearms. There’s hardly a place prospective students can turn to to study the Second Amendment, firearms, and related topics outside the realm of politics. Lawyers I’ve talked to have noted that when they attended law school, there was very little comprehensive coverage of the Second Amendment. The concept of firearm law and Second Amendment law is a specialty, and luckily there are institutions stepping up to help fulfill the needs of those looking to align themselves with such organizations. The University of Wyoming is one such college and announced today, January 17, 2023, the opening of its Firearms Research Center.

The Firearms Research Center (FRC), housed in the University of Wyoming College of Law, has officially launched after earning faculty approval and private financial support.

The center was established to bring more voices to the firearms discussion, create a pipeline for law school graduates prepared to serve as firearms attorneys, and act as a reliable, nonpartisan resource for firearms-related information and research.

When it comes to firearms and Second Amendment topics, often, if the facts are allowed to surface without implicit bias and flourish on their own, they speak volumes, but not if they’re not allowed to be communicated.

“In the United States, there is an ongoing debate over the Second Amendment, violence and the relationship our country has with firearms,” says George Mocsary, the FRC’s director and co-founder who is a professor in UW’s College of Law. “Discussions are frequently siloed, lacking cross-disciplinary work and contributions from diversified voices. By bringing together scholars from a wide range of academic disciplines and experts from other backgrounds, the Firearms Research Center will foster a broad discourse to produce meaningful change in how firearms are discussed and understood.”

The center was formulated and is staffed by a competent group of academic scholars who plan on lending their talents to the organization. Through their work at the center, research will be conducted and presented to the public at large as well as other academics, lawyers, etc.

Under the leadership of preeminent firearms scholars and experts, the FRC will foster groundbreaking research for peer review and public use. The center’s website will be an online hub for firearms-related data, research and law, for practical application today.

“The Firearms Research Center will serve as a resource for academics, practitioners, lawmakers, members of the media and the public on the uses and roles firearms play in society — both past and present,” says Ashley Hlebinsky, senior fellow and co-founder of the FRC. “After years of hard work and diligence, we are thrilled to officially launch FRC and know that its impact will be widespread and meaningful.”

The success of the center will be largely affected by what funding they’re able to procure from private donors. Fundraising efforts are ongoing, and the center will be announcing some large donors soon. The link to the center is live HERE, or you can inquire about gifting with the center’s director, George Mocsary, HERE.

This is an exciting announcement, and having such a team available for academics, the media, lawyers, and the public at large is going to be a huge service. Congratulations to the entire team at the Firearms Research Center at the University of Wyoming College of Law. Please direct all inquiries to George Mocsary, HERE.

More information about the center and its mission are below:

Under the leadership of leading firearms scholars and experts, FRC will conduct groundbreaking research for peer review and public use. The Center’s website will be an online hub for firearms related data, research, and firearms related law. FRC will serve as a resource for academics, practitioners, lawmakers, members of the media, and the public on the uses and roles of firearms in society – both past and present.

For academia, the FRC will offer continuing legal education, cross-functional scholarly workshops, courses, and symposia to further firearm education and thoughtful conversations around firearms use across the country.

For students, FRC will offer a community where scholars and established experts can cultivate knowledge within a collaborative community of support. Through hands-on learning experiences, research opportunities, and placement opportunities for students to ensure employment after graduation. The University of Wyoming College of Law will become the premier law school for practitioners who serve the legal needs of all those who produce, employ, own, and regulate firearms.

In the community, the Center plans to offer an array of public events and educational resources. It will emphasize firearms education, including facilitating access to gun safety materials, as a means to encourage dialogue and create a broader understanding of the role of firearms in American society.

A little about the leadership team:

GEORGE A. MOCSARY

Mocsary, co-founder and director of the Firearms Research Center, is a professor at the University of Wyoming College of Law. He is a coauthor of Firearms Law and the Second Amendment: Regulation, Rights, and Policy, the first law school casebook in the field. His scholarship has been cited by Justice Samuel A. Alito, the Illinois Supreme Court, and other federal courts. He is frequently quoted about firearms law in the popular press, including the New York Times and The Economist.

ASHLEY HLEBINSKY

Hlebinsky, co-founder and senior fellow of the Firearms Research Center, is one of the foremost authorities on firearms history and material culture in the United States. For a decade, she was Curator in charge of one of the largest firearms museums in the country and served as Project Director on the museum’s full-scale multimillion dollar renovation. Presently, Hlebinsky serves as a museum consultant, speaker, writer, expert witness, and television host and producer.

DAVID B. KOPEL

Kopel, senior fellow of the Firearms Research Center, is a professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. He is a coauthor with Mocsary of Firearms Law and the Second Amendment. He has written more than 100 law review articles and a dozen books on the Second Amendment. His work has been cited by five U.S. Supreme Court justices and dozens of state supreme courts and federal appellate courts. He has written and been quoted in over a thousand newspaper and magazine articles.