Rachel Van Cleave

Rachel Van Cleave serves as Professor of Law at Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco, where she teaches Criminal Law, Comparative Criminal Procedure, Comparative Sex and Gender Law, and Wills and Trusts. Her academic leadership includes previous roles as J. Hadley Edgar Professor at Texas Tech University School of Law and teaching positions at Santa Clara University and Stanford Law School.

Her educational background features a JSM from Stanford University School of Law, JD from University of California Hastings College of the Law, and BA from Stanford University. As a Fulbright Scholar, she conducted specialized research on the Italian criminal justice system.

Van Cleave's research centers on comparative criminal justice frameworks, particularly examining intersections between Italian and US legal systems regarding sexual violence, constitutional rights, and procedural fairness. Her work extends to property law with focus on Wills and Trusts, and state constitutional interpretation as an alternative to federal supremacy. Recent scholarship critically analyzes #MeToo era implications through transnational legal lenses.

Her 15 most recent publications reveal evolving expertise from foundational constitutional analysis toward contemporary social justice applications, with increasing emphasis on gender-based violence jurisprudence and criminal justice reform. The thematic progression shows deepening engagement with European legal models to address American systemic shortcomings.

Professional engagements include media commentary for The Daily Journal's SCOTUS Preview podcast regarding Kahler v. Kansas, interviews on WBEZ about Italian rape law, and public advocacy through op-eds in major legal publications. She actively bridges academic theory with practical legal discourse through regular contributions to The Recorder and Daily Journal.

Her leadership extends to mentoring initiatives, disaster response legal frameworks, and strategic planning for experiential education. The Fulbright research underpinning her Italian comparative work remains foundational to her ongoing scholarship on victim agency and procedural justice.