Dehlia Umunna

PROFESSOR DEHLIA UMUNNA

Dehlia Umunna is a Clinical Professor of Law at Harvard Law School (HLS) and the Faculty Director of the Law School’s Criminal Justice Institute (CJI).  Her teaching interest and research focus on criminal law, criminal defense and theory, policing, mass Incarceration, and race Issues.  In addition to her work at HLS, Professor Umunna serves as a core faculty member for Gideon’s Promise (formerly the Southern Public Defender’s Training Center) and is a frequent presenter and lecturer at public defender training conferences, criminal defense attorney trainings, prosecutor trainings, and social justice reform panels around the country.

In 2007, she joined Harvard Law School as a clinical instructor at the Criminal Justice Institute. She was promoted to Deputy Director in 2013 and appointed to the HLS Faculty as a Clinical Professor of Law in 2015.  In 2024, she ascended to the role of Director of CJI, marking a significant milestone in her career.  At HLS, Professor Umunna not only supervises third-year law students in representing adult and juvenile clients in criminal proceedings, including cases before Massachusetts’ Supreme Judicial Court but also dedicates herself to coaching the HLS National Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy and Black Law Students Association Trial Teams, leading them to numerous regional and national awards.   

Prior to coming to Harvard, Professor Umunna spent several years as a trial attorney at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS).  At PDS, she was a felony one-trial attorney, representing indigent clients in hundreds of cases, from misdemeanor charges of theft, assault, and drug possession to kidnapping, child sexual abuse, rape, and homicide. From 2002 to 2007, she was an adjunct professor and practitioner in residence at American University’s Washington College of Law.  Professor Umunna holds a J.D. from George Washington University Law School—where she received the J.B. Shapiro Prize for Public Interest—and a Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.  

Professor Umunna was appointed by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to the newly established Bar Admissions Curriculum Committee, contributing to the development of the Uniform Bar Exam.  She was also featured in Harvard Law School’s “Cases in Brief” series, providing an insightful analysis of the landmark case Powell v. Alabama (1932), emphasizing the importance of adequate legal representation for indigent defendants, and amplifying the role of public defenders in the American justice system. In 2022, Senators Warren and Markey appointed Professor Umunna to the critical Advisory Committee on Massachusetts Judicial Nominations.

Professor Umunna’s work as a distinguished legal scholar, educator, and advocate reflects a profound commitment to justice, education, and mentorship, making her a highly sought-after lecturer and presenter. Her opinions on cases have been featured on NPR, CNN, the Washington Post, and other media outlets.

Her influence is further underscored by her selection by the HLS graduating Class of 2020 to deliver the Last Lecture and her inclusion in the Wall Street Journal’s Most Influential Lawyers of 2024.

Beyond her professional achievements, Professor Umunna is the proud mother of daughter, Ifeanyi, and son, Edozie.