LeRoy Pernell

LeRoy Pernell is a Professor at Florida A&M University College of Law, where he has served in multiple leadership roles including Dean and Interim Dean. He previously held the position of Dean and Professor of Law at Northern Illinois University College of Law and was Professor of Law and Vice Provost of Minority Affairs at The Ohio State University College of Law. He is recognized for leading FAMU Law to full American Bar Association accreditation in 2009 and reaccreditation in 2014.

• Florida A&M University College of Law – Professor (2019–Present), Interim Dean (2017–2019), Dean (2008–2015)
• Northern Illinois University College of Law – Dean and Professor, Emeritus (1997–2007)
• The Ohio State University College of Law – Professor of Law (1990–1998), Vice Provost of Minority Affairs (1994–1997)

LeRoy Pernell earned his Juris Doctor from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1974 and a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Franklin and Marshall College in 1971.

His research focuses on criminal procedure, race and the law, torts, legal education, and the rights of student athletes. He has published extensively on racial justice, juvenile justice, and constitutional protections in the criminal justice system. Pernell has been a vocal advocate for diversity in legal education and reformative legal pedagogy, particularly through the lens of critical race theory and social justice.

His recent scholarly output shows a strong emphasis on the intersection of race and law, with publications in 2024 addressing the suppression of race-conscious legal education as a modern badge of slavery. Earlier works explore federal habeas corpus, drug testing of athletes, and the pedagogy of legal justice. His scholarship frequently engages with constitutional law, civil rights, and policy reform, reflecting a lifelong commitment to equity and justice.

• Telly Award (2021) – For Legal Connections: Ocoee Massacre
• CLEO EDGE AWARD (2018)
• Induction into The National HBCU Pre-Law Hall of Fame (2018)
• Franklin & Marshall Distinguished Alumni Award (2011)
• Special Visionary Leadership Award (2010)
• Extraordinary Leadership Award (2004)
• Carl Owens Award for Diversity (2007)
• Ohio State University Distinguished Affirmative Action Award (1986)

Pernell has advised national discourse through media contributions and congressional testimony on habeas corpus and racial justice. He has served on the Law School Admissions Council Board of Trustees and as a member of the American Law Institute. He created clinical programs at both Ohio State and NIU, including the Zeke Giogi Legal Clinic. He has also served as a public defender and of counsel to a law firm. His leadership in legal education continues to influence policy, pedagogy, and diversity initiatives.

He has been involved in numerous national committees and organizations, including the American Bar Association Task Force on Diversity, Illinois Equal Justice Project, and the Juvenile Justice Initiative. His presentations at national conferences reflect a sustained engagement with issues of race, legal education, and reform.

Pernell leads and contributes to academic communities through clinical programs, scholarship, and leadership. He has been a visiting scholar at Columbia University School of Law and participated in international legal education development in Jordan. His work continues to shape the discourse on legal justice and equity in higher education.