Laurie Levenson

Laurie L. Levenson is a Professor of Law, William M. Rains Fellow, the David W. Burcham Chair in Ethical Advocacy, and Director of the Center for Legal Advocacy at Loyola Law School of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.She teaches evidence, criminal law, criminal procedure, ethics, anti-terrorism, and white collar crime.She served as Loyola’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from 1996-1999.In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Professor Levenson is also the Director of the Loyola Center for Ethical Advocacy.Professor Levenson was the 2003 recipient of Professor of the Year from both Loyola Law School and the Federal Judicial Center.

Prior to joining the Loyola Law School faculty in 1989, Professor Levenson served for eight years as an Assistant United States Attorney in Los Angeles.While a federal prosecutor, Professor Levenson tried a wide variety of federal criminal cases, including violent crimes, narcotics offenses, white collar crimes, and immigration and public corruption cases.She served as Chief of the Training Section and Chief of the Criminal Appellate Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.In 1988, she received the Attorney General’s Director’s Award for Superior Performance.Additionally, she received commendations from the FBI, IRS, U.S. Postal Service, and DEA.

Professor Levenson received her J.D. in 1980 from UCLA School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Stanford University in 1977.In law school, she was the Chief Article Editor of the Law Review.After graduation, she clerked for Judge James Hunter, III, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Professor Levenson lectures regularly throughout the country and internationally for the Federal Judicial Center, National Judicial College, international bar associations, bar review courses, community groups and legal societies.She also testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee and the California Legislature regarding SB 490 (Death Penalty).Professor Levenson has been a legal commentator for CBS, CNN, ABC, NBC and NPR.She has commented on a wide range of high-publicity cases, including the O.J. Simpson murder trial, the Rodney King beating trial, the Menendez murder trials, the Michael Jackson molestation case, the Scott Peterson murder trial, the Bernard Madoff investigation, the Clinton impeachment, the Robert Blake murder trial, the trial of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, the prosecution of Anna Nicole Smith’s physicians, UCI Medical Scandal, the Death of Conrad Roy as a result of digital suggestion from Michelle Carter, and the prosecution of Dr. Conrad Murray.

Professor Levenson has served as a volunteer counsel for the "Webster Commission" and as a Special Master for the Los Angeles Superior Court and United States District Court.She has served as a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Judicial Appointments Committee and Judiciary Committee.Professor Levenson is a native of Los Angeles.

She has written books on California criminal law and is a frequent television commentator on criminal legal issues, first coming to fame as a frequent commentator for CBS in the OJ Simpson trial.She has written about the ethics of being a television commentator.

Levenson graduated with a B.A. from Stanford University and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from UCLA School of Law, where she was the Chief Article Editor of the UCLA Law Review.After clerking for Judge James Hunter III on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, she worked as an assistant United States Attorney for the Central District of California, where she rose to the position of assistant division chief.She joined the Loyola faculty in 1989.

Along with Erwin Chemerinsky, she has argued that a "meaningful public trial in the 1990s requires that it be broadcast because few people realistically can attend court proceedings."

Levenson serves on the Board of Directors for Bet Tzedek Legal Services - The House of Justice.