Professor Katheryn Russell-Brown Elected to The American Law Institute

Professor Katheryn Russell-Brown, a leading scholar in race and criminal justice who serves as president of the American Society of Criminology, has been elected to The American Law Institute, a distinguished independent organization that produces scholarly work to clarify, modernize and otherwise improve the law.

Professor Katheryn Russell-Brown Elected to The American Law Institute
Professor Katheryn Russell-Brown

10.10.2025—Professor Katheryn Russell-Brown, a leading scholar in race and criminal justice who serves as president of the American Society of Criminology, has been elected to The American Law Institute (ALI), a distinguished independent organization that produces scholarly work to clarify, modernize and otherwise improve the law. Russell-Brown will bring her expertise to ALI’s work focused on clarifying the law through restatements, principles and model codes.

“It's an honor and privilege to be elected to join the American Law Institute,” said Russell-Brown, who joined Northeastern University in 2025 as the Elmer V.H. and Eileen M. Brooks Trustee Professor of Crime, Law and Justice, with a joint appointment in the School of Law and the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Russell-Brown teaches, researches and writes on issues of race and crime and the sociology of law. Her recent articles include, "The Multitudinous Racial Harms Caused by Florida's Anti-DEI and Stop WOKE Laws," (Fordham Urban Law Journal, 2024); "'The Stop WOKE Act': HB 7, Race, and Florida's 21st Century Anti-Literacy Campaign" (New York University Review of Law & Social Change, 2023); and "Race Centers as Critical Curriculum Spaces in U.S. Law Schools" (Mercer Law Review, 2024). Her books include Criminal Law, 2d edition (SAGE, 2025), an undergraduate textbook, The Color of Crime, 3d edition (New York University Press, 2021), Protecting Our Own: Race, Crime and African Americans (Rowman and Littlefield, 2006) and Underground Codes: Race, Crime, and Related Fires (New York University Press, 2004). She is also the author of five children’s books, including Little Melba and Her Big Trombone (Lee & Low, 2014) and She Was the First!: The Trailblazing Life of Shirley Chisholm (Lee & Low, 2020), which won an NAACP Image Award.

“Each class of new members represents both continuity and renewal for The American Law Institute,” said ALI President David F. Levi. “At a time of rapid legal and technological change, these incoming members will help us navigate these challenges while steadfastly upholding the rule of law. Their dedication to our mission and expertise in the law will ensure that ALI’s work continues to serve as a trusted guide for courts, practitioners and the public.”

About Northeastern University School of Law

The nation’s leader in experiential legal education since 1968, Northeastern University School of Law offers the longest-running, most extensive experience-based legal education program in the country. Northeastern guarantees its students unparalleled practical legal work experiences through its signature Cooperative Legal Education Program. More than 1,100 employers worldwide in a wide range of legal, government, nonprofit and business organizations participate in the program. With a focus on social justice and innovation, Northeastern University School of Law blends theory and practice, providing students with a unique set of skills and experiences to successfully practice law.

For more information, contact [email protected].