Felice Batlan

Felice Batlan is a Professor of Law and Director of the Institute for Compliance at Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology. She holds a Ph.D. in U.S. History from New York University, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and a B.A. from Smith College. Her research focuses on legal history, women’s roles in the legal profession, feminist legal theory, and compliance, with notable works including Women and Justice for the Poor and Histories of Legal Aid. Batlan has taught globally and received prestigious awards for teaching and service to women students.

Her scholarship bridges legal history and contemporary issues, examining topics like pandemic law, immigration policy, and access to justice. Batlan serves on editorial boards for Law and History Review and co-directs the Institute for Law and the Humanities. She has also held leadership roles as associate dean for faculty and associate dean for interdisciplinary initiatives.

• Education:
• Ph.D., New York University
• J.D., Harvard Law School
• B.A., Smith College

Research Interests: Her work highlights marginalized voices in legal history, particularly women’s contributions to legal aid and compliance frameworks. She critically analyzes how race, class, and gender intersect with legal systems, notably in pandemic responses and immigration law.

Recent Articles: Her 2022 article on juvenile courts during the pandemic and 2021 edited volume on transnational legal aid history exemplify her focus on historical legacies influencing modern legal challenges. Earlier works, such as her 2007 analysis of quarantine policies, underscore recurring themes of state power and civil liberties.

Awards:

• 2016 Hurst Award for Best Book in Socio-Legal History
• Chicago-Kent Excellence in Teaching Award
• Illinois Tech Julia Beveridge Award

Advising and Leadership: As director of the Institute for Compliance, Batlan developed courses and externships in financial regulation. She also contributed to editorial roles for major legal journals and advised on SEC historical archives.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Institute for Compliance and co-directs the Institute for Law and the Humanities, fostering interdisciplinary scholarship and practical training for law students.