Deborah Lolai

Deborah Lolai is a Clinical Instructor in the LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School. With nearly two decades of experience in legal services, policy-making, and community organizing, she specializes in LGBTQ+ representation in criminal cases and improving custodial conditions for TGNCNBI populations. She previously served as a public defender at The Bronx Defenders and founded the LGBTQ Defense Project, the first initiative of its kind within a public defense organization.

Her professional roles include teaching at Columbia University School of Social Work (Adjunct Assistant Professor since 2019) and HLS courses like *LGBTQ Criminalization and Mass Incarceration*. She contributed to the NYC Board of Correction Task Force’s landmark 2022 report on TGNCNBI custodial conditions, influencing legislative reforms.

• Research Focus: Gender/sexuality in criminal justice, LGBTQ+ policy advocacy, and carceral system reforms.
• Awards: Recognized nationally for legal excellence and community impact, including the 2025 LGBTQ+ Bar Association’s top 40 Lawyers award.

Deborah’s work bridges legal practice, education, and systemic reform, emphasizing intersectional approaches to LGBTQ+ rights and decarceration efforts.