Allison Connelly

Allison Connelly is an Emeritus Clinical Professor of Law at the University of Kentucky’s J. David Rosenberg College of Law, effective 2021. She joined the faculty in 1996 as the inaugural Director of the College’s Legal Clinic. Prior to academia, she served for 13 years as a state public defender, specializing in death penalty cases and rising to become Kentucky’s first female Public Advocate, leading the state’s public defender system. Her expertise spans criminal law, legal education, and appellate advocacy.

Education: B.A. from the University of Kentucky (19XX) and J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law (19XX).

Research interests include criminal justice reform, legal ethics in public defense, and innovative clinical legal education. Notably, she authored Commonwealth v. Chestnut (2008), a landmark open records case. She has pioneered legal education initiatives, directing the Kentucky Legal Education Opportunity (KLEO) Summer Institute and founding the Kentucky Intrastate Mock Trial Competition.

• Awards: 2016 Duncan Teaching Award, 2016 Lyons Award for Public Service, 2015 Donated Legal Services Award, and 2009 Great Teacher Award.

She advises and mentors through her role as Director of KLEO and coach of the College’s nationally ranked trial teams (11 top teams in 19 years). Her work bridges academic rigor with practical advocacy, emphasizing service to underserved communities.