Teri McMurtry-Chubb

Teri McMurtry-Chubb is an Associate Dean for Research & Faculty Development and Professor of Law at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. Her work focuses on critical rhetoric, legal history, and structural discrimination. She has held teaching positions at Loyola Law School, Fairhaven College, and others, and previously practiced civil litigation. McMurtry-Chubb is a leader in DEI initiatives, serving as President of the Association of Legal Writing Directors (first person of color in the role) and chairing the LWI Diversity Committee. She authored Legal Writing in the Disciplines and contributed to Feminist Judgments: Rewritten Opinions. Her research addresses racial inequities in law, policing, and education, with notable publications on Black parenthood, state violence, and AI ethics.

Education & Career: McMurtry-Chubb’s legal career includes groundbreaking roles, such as the first African American woman law clerk in Iowa’s 5th Judicial District. She transitioned to academia after private practice, emphasizing curriculum development for DEI. Her leadership roles in national legal organizations highlight her commitment to equity in legal education.

Research Focus: Her scholarship critiques traditional legal rhetoric, advocating for multicultural and decolonized approaches. Recent work explores intersections of race, technology, and law, including AI’s ethical implications and systemic biases in legal systems. She also examines historical and contemporary manifestations of racial discrimination in legal institutions and societal structures.

Grants & Awards: While no explicit awards are listed, her leadership roles and pioneering positions (e.g., firsts in her roles) reflect recognition of her contributions to legal academia and DEI. She has secured institutional support for DEI initiatives and curricular reforms.

Labs & Teams: She directs research efforts through her dean role and collaborates with national organizations on legal writing and diversity initiatives. Her work at Fairhaven College’s Center for Law, Diversity and Justice (co-founded) exemplifies her interdisciplinary approach to legal justice issues.