Nicole Smith Futrell

Nicole Smith Futrell is a Professor of Law at the City University of New York School of Law. She serves as Co-Director of the Defenders Clinic, Director of the Center for Diversity in the Legal Profession, and Faculty Director of the W. Haywood Burns Chair of Human and Civil Rights Program. Her work focuses on criminal defense advocacy, racial justice, and legal education reform. She holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University.

Her research explores intersections between racial justice and criminal legal reform, including post-conviction relief, reentry programs, and abolitionist lawyering. She has extensive clinical experience representing clients in misdemeanor cases, parole petitions, and wrongful conviction matters.

Professor Smith Futrell’s recent scholarship addresses ethical challenges in public defender advocacy, including the use of client information in social media campaigns. She previously worked as a public defender at the Bronx Defenders and advises on criminal law training for attorneys and community groups.

• Key Roles: Board Member of Bronx Defenders, Chair of Black Public Defenders Association’s Law School Engagement Committee
• Clinical Leadership: Directs a defense clinic emphasizing abolitionist values in student training