Kristen Clarke

Kristen Clarke serves as Distinguished Lecturer of Civil Rights Law at Howard University School of Law. She previously held the position of 19th Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice (2021-2025), where she directed federal civil rights enforcement and set prosecution records for hate crimes and law enforcement misconduct cases.

Her educational background includes degrees from Harvard University and Columbia Law School.

Clarke's expertise centers on Civil Rights Law with deep specialization in constitutional rights enforcement, voting rights protection, disability accommodations, fair housing compliance, and hate crime prosecution. Her work emphasizes victim-centered approaches and has significantly shaped national discourse on race, democracy, and systemic accountability in law enforcement.

At Howard, she teaches the Federal Civil Rights Law Bootcamp and mentors students pursuing public service careers. She currently leads the Civil Rights Appellate Clinic for the 2025-26 academic year, providing practical litigation experience while advancing civil rights advocacy.