Sigrid Vendrell-Polanco

Sigrid Vendrell-Polanco is an Assistant Professor of Law and Englehardt Research Fellow at St. Mary's University School of Law. Her work centers on Territorial Law, Criminal Law, and Negotiations, with a focus on the political status of Puerto Rico and U.S. territories, constitutional history, and citizenship rights. She joined St. Mary's Law in 2017 after six years in its Law Success Program.

• Educated at California Western School of Law (J.D., 2014) and Texas A&M University (B.A., 2011, with honors)

Her research examines federal governance in territories, the constitutional implications of U.S. expansion, and intersections with employment law. She has authored publications in the Brooklyn Law Review, CUNY Law Review, and Stetson Law Review, with a forthcoming book The Law of the United States Territories.

Recent articles analyze courtroom colonialism, federal criminal prosecution in territories, and suffrage reform, reflecting her broader expertise in constitutional and territorial governance.

• Scientific awards include the Academic Excellence Award (2014), Pro Bono/Public Service Honors Society (2015), and Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity affiliation.

Vendrell-Polanco has directed St. Mary's supplemental bar preparation program, taught Legal Methods and Bar Preparation, and practiced criminal defense and employment law. She clerked for the U.S. Attorney's Office and worked with organizations like the California Innocence Project.