Akhil Reed Amar (born September 6, 1958) is an American legal scholar known for his expertise in U.S. constitutional law.

He is the Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University, where he is a leading scholar of originalism, the U.S. Bill of Rights, and criminal procedure.

[2] Amar has been active in the American Bar Association and the Federalist Society, with his work receiving awards from both organizations.

[10] Amar graduated from Yale in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, with membership in Phi Beta Kappa.

[9] He had developed a serious interest in history studying under professors Edmund Morgan and John Morton Blum, and chose to stay at the university instead of returning to California as he originally planned.

[9] Amar's former students include four U.S. senators—Cory Booker, Michael Bennet, Chris Coons, and Josh Hawley—and government officials Jake Sullivan and Neal Katyal.

[14] He was awarded the prestigious Barry Prize for Distinguished Intellectual Achievement by the American Academy of Sciences and Letters in 2024.

[15] Amar, a self-described liberal, has since engaged in advocacy considered controversial among progressive outlets, bloggers, and professors.