Jennifer K. Robbennolt

Jennifer K. Robbennolt is the Alice Curtis Campbell Professor of Law and Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois, where she also serves as Co-Director of the Illinois Program on Law, Behavior and Social Science. With dual appointments in both the College of Law and Psychology Department, she bridges disciplines to advance understanding of how psychological principles inform legal processes and decision-making.

Her educational background includes:

• JD from the University of Nebraska College of Law (with highest honors)
• MA and PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Nebraska
• BS from Willamette University

Professor Robbennolt's research integrates psychology into legal studies, focusing primarily on legal decision-making, tort law, and dispute resolution. She has pioneered empirical approaches to understanding how psychological factors influence settlement processes, jury decision-making, and the role of apologies in legal contexts. Her work has established her as a leading scholar at the intersection of psychology and law, with particular expertise in how laypeople understand and interpret legal processes.

Her extensive publication record reveals consistent themes across legal psychology, with particular focus on settlement dynamics, the psychological impact of apologies in legal contexts, and decision-making processes in civil litigation. Over two decades of research demonstrate evolving sophistication in empirical methodologies applied to legal questions, with recent work expanding into areas like the #MeToo movement's implications for legal theory and settlements in high-profile cases like the Dominion-Fox News dispute.

Her scholarly contributions have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards:

• Wayne R. LaFave Award for Excellence in Faculty Scholarship (twice)
• Shook, Hardy, & Bacon Excellence in Research Award
• Mangano Dispute Resolution Advancement Award (with Verity Winship)
• Professional Article Prize from CPR International Institute
• American Psychology-Law Society's award for Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring
• Illinois Campus Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Teaching
• Fellow of the American Psychological Association (effective 2025)

Professor Robbennolt has mentored numerous students who have gone on to successful legal careers, including Jessica Bregant ('09) and Sam Barder ('23), with whom she has co-authored significant research. Her work has attracted substantial scholarly attention and media coverage, with research on law student overconfidence featured in Reuters, ABA Journal, and Above the Law. She serves in editorial roles for leading journals including Law and Society Review, and has held leadership positions in professional organizations such as the American Psychology-Law Society.

As Co-Director of the Illinois Program on Law, Behavior and Social Science, she leads an interdisciplinary initiative that brings together scholars from law, psychology, and related social sciences to advance empirical legal studies. Her work has influenced both academic discourse and practical legal applications, particularly in understanding how psychological factors shape settlement negotiations and legal decision-making processes.