Leroy Pernell
- leroy.pernell@famu.edu
- PHONE
- 407-254-4034
- OFFICE
- College Of Law - Instruction
When the College of Law building is open office hours are Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30 to 6:00 pm – or by arrangement. Prior scheduling of appointments is recommended. Faculty Office – Room 337G. Office phone (407) 254-4034, email leroy.pernell@famu.edu
Program Assistant is Puja Bhatavdekar, Phone: (407) 254-3270, puja.bhatavdekar@famu.edu
LAW 6110 Criminal Procedure Pretrial- Mon, Wed: 1:15p-2:45p
LAW 6702 Products Liability- Tue, Thu: 3:15p-4:45p
LeRoy Pernell is a professor and former dean of Florida A&M University College of
Law. He is credited with leading the law school to full accreditation from the American
Bar Association in 2009 and reaccreditation in 2014. He is also professor emeritus
and former dean of the Northern Illinois University College of Law.
He began his career in legal education at The Ohio State University College of Law
where he served as Professor of Law and Vice Provost of Minority Affairs. Teaching
primarily in the areas of Criminal Procedure, Torts and Juvenile Law, he also created
clinical education courses at Ohio State in the areas of Mental and Developmental
Disability as well as Criminal Appeals and Post-Conviction Relief. At Northern Illinois
University, he created the Zeke Giogi Legal Clinic, in Rockford, the first clinical
program for the NIU College of Law. Professor Pernell has also held the position of
a public defender and served as of counsel to the law practice of the late Otto Beatty,
Jr, former Ohio state representative.
Professor Pernell is a frequent contributor to both national and local print and electronic
media on topics ranging from Elections to Criminal Justice. In 2021 he was awarded,
along with the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University College of Law, the
Telly Award honoring excellence in video and television across all screens for his
contribution to Legal Connections: Ocoee Massacre. He has testified before the Criminal
Justice Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee of the United States House of Representatives
regarding pending federal habeas corpus legislation and its impact on persons of color.
He is also the recipient of numerous awards including the CLEO EDGE AWARD and has
been inducted into The National HBCU Pre-Law Hall of Fame.
Pernell recently published, along with Professor Omar Saleem, Cases and Materials
on Combatting Racism in Criminal Procedure (Vandeplas Press 2020). He has published
a wide range of articles and book chapters in the areas of criminal procedure, race
and the law, torts and sports law. Among his most recent articles are “In Memoriam:
David Williams II – Mentor, Colleague, Friend”, 81 Ohio St. L.J. 11 (2020) and “Racial
Justice and Federal Habeas Corpus as Post-Conviction Relief from State Convictions”,69
Mercer Law Review 433 (2018).
Pernell earned his bachelor’s degree in government from Franklin and Marshall College
in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1971, and received his Juris Doctor from The Ohio State
University College of Law in 1974.
- Torts
- Advanced Topics in Law Seminar : Race and Criminal Procedure
- Products Liability
- Criminal Procedure: Pretrial
- J.D. (1971-1974)
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF LAW, COLUMBUS, OHIO - B.A. GOVERNMENT (1967-1971)
FRANKLIN AND MARSHALL COLLEGE, LANCASTER, PA.,
- Professor of Law
Florida A&M University College of Law
201 Beggs Ave.
Orlando, Florida 32801
April 2019 to date - Interim Dean and Professor of Law
Florida A&M University College of Law
201 Beggs Ave.
Orlando, Florida 32801
May 2, 2017, to April 2019 - Dean and Professor of Law
Florida A&M University College of Law
201 Beggs Ave.
Orlando, Florida 32801
January 1, 2008, to June 30, 2015 - Dean and Professor of Law, emeritus
Northern Illinois University College of Law
Rm 270, Swen Parson Hall
August 1, 1997, to December 31, 2007 - Vice Provost, Office of Minority Affairs
102 Bricker Hall, Ohio State University
September 1994 to July 31, 1997 - Interim Vice Provost, Office of Minority Affairs
102 Bricker Hall, Ohio State University
September 1993 to September 1994 - Professor of Law, Ohio State University College of Law
1659 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43210
July 1, 1990, to May 1998 - Associate Professor of Law, Ohio State University College of Law
1659 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43210
1979 to 1990. - Assistant Professor of Law, Ohio State University College of Law
1659 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43210 - October 1977 to September 1979
- Visiting Instructor, Ohio State University College of Law
1659 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43210
October 1976 to September 1977 - Adjunct Professor of Law and Clinical Staff Attorney, Ohio State University College
of Law
1659 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43210
January 1975 through September 1976.
- PRESENTATIONS:
- NEW SCHOLARS WORKSHOP ON CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE, Moderator, Southeast Association
of Law Schools (SEALS) August 2018, Fort Lauderdale Florida
- MAKING THE CASE FOR LEGAL EDUCATION AND EXPLAINING THE IMPACT AND IMPORTANCE OF GIVING,
Southeast Association of Law Schools (SEALS) August,2018, Fort Lauderdale Florida
- UPDATE: DUE PROCESS FOR STUDENTS AND THE NCAA, Southeast Association of Law Schools
(SEALS) July 2011, Hilton Head South Carolina
- REFLECTIONS ON THE DECLINE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN ENROLLMENT AND THE FUTURE OF LEGAL
EDUCATION, National Bar Association, August 2011, Baltimore Maryland
- Commentator, CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL, NEWS13, July 2011, Orlando, Florida
- THE PEDAGOGY OF “YES WE CAN” – TEACHING REFORMATIVE LEGAL JUSTICE IN THE AGE OF OBAMA,
5th Annual Fred Gray Sr. Civil Rights Symposium, Faulkner University School of Law
October 21, 2009
- DIVERSITY IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION, Southeast People of Color Scholarship Conference,
Columbia University of South Carolina School of Law, March 26, 2009
- DEANS OF COLOR, panel discussion, Second National People of Color Scholarship Conference,
George Washington University Law School, October 8, 2004
- ILLINOIS BASED EFFECTIVE PRACTICES FOR FACULTY DIVERSITY, panel discussion, Illinois
Board of Higher Education, University of Illinois, Springfield, Public Affairs Center,
July 20, 2004
- “CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR IN LEGAL ACADEMIA”, panel discussion,
Midwestern People of Color Annual Meeting, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland
State University, Cleveland Ohio, October 10, 2003
- “RACE AS PROXY”, Moderator, panel discussion, DePaul University College of Law, Law
Review, March 8, 2003
- “DEATH PENALTY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES”, panel discussion, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition
Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois, July 23, 2002
- “LEGAL CHALLENGES FACING PEOPLE OF COLOR”, Moderator, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. Chicago,
Illinois, May 11, 2002
- “DIVERSITY ISSUES FOR PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS”, Illinois Board of Higher Education, University
of Illinois – Springfield, Springfield, Illinois, May 2, 2002
- “KEEPING OUR FACULTIES” Symposium on Diversity, University of Minnesota, April 21,
2002
- “FUTURE TRENDS IN LEGAL EDUCATION” First Annual Conference on the Development of Palestinian
Law Schools, DPK Consulting, Amman, Jordan, March 6, 2002
- “ETHICS AND INTEGRITY IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS,” Waubonise Community College, October
17, 2001
- “ETHICS, RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR STUDENT ATHLETES”, Northern Illinois University
Department of Athletics, July 30, 2001
- “A DEANS AND ADMINISTRATORS CONVERSATION ON THE FUTURE OF LEGAL EDUCATION, Mid-Atlantic
People of Color Conference, Penn State University, Dickinson College of Law, February
3, 2001
- TORT REFORM IN ILLINOIS@, Rockford Illinois Chamber of Commerce, May 22, 2000
- DIVERSITY IN THE CLASSROOM, Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center, Northern
Illinois University, April 17,2000
- ISSUES OF LIABILITY@ YMCA Kishwaukee, Illinois, 1999
- SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN, Springfield, Illinois, Rainbow
Push Coalition Panel, 1999
- RACISM IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM”, (Panel Discussion with Johnnie Cochran) African
American Leadership Conference, Northern Illinois University, April 16, 1999
- DEANS OF COLOR SPEAK OUT, Moderator, National People of Color Conference, Chicago,
Illinois, March 27, 1999
- LAW SCHOOL EXAM TAKING TECHNIQUES, Minority Legal Education Resources (MLER), Loyola
University College of Law,
- TRANSFORMATIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, National College Band Directors
Association, Austin, Texas, February 24, 1998
- "RACIAL BIAS IN THE COURTROOM Ohio Judicial College, February 22, 1991
- "URINE DRUG TESTING: A MEDICAL AND A LEGAL VIEWPOINT" AWISCO and AWMA, November 27,
1990
- "DRUG TESTING AS A MECHANISM TO CONTROL SUBSTANCE ABUSE: ETHICAL, CONSTITUTIONAL, AND EDUCATIONAL ISSUES" Ohio Center for Law Related Education, First Annual Sports and Law Conference,
- THE TELLY AWARD, Honoring Excellence in Video and Television Across All Screens, 2021
for Legal Connections – Ocoee Massacre
- The CLEO EDGE AWARD, Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc., November 2018
- Induction into The National HBCU Pre-Law Hall of Fame , 5th Annual National HBCU Pre-Law
Summit, 2018
- Franklin & Marshall College's Distinguished Alumni Award, June 2011
- Third National People of Color Legal Scholarship Conference, Special Visionary Leadership
Award, 2010
- Extraordinary Leadership Award, Second National People of Color Scholarship Conference,
October 7-10, 2004
- Leadership Council, Franklin & Marshall College,
- Carl Owens Award, for Commitment to Diversity at Northern Illinois University, October
12, 2007
- Recipient, Extraordinary Leadership Award, Second National People of Color Scholarship
Conference, October 7-10, 2004
- Elected, Board of Trustees, Law School Admissions Council
- Trustee Liaison, Law School Admissions Council, Audit Committee
- American Law Institute Members Consultative Group on Criminal Sentencing
- American Law Institute Members Consultative Group on Restatement of Torts 3rd
- Elected, American Law Institute, May 18, 2000
- The Juvenile Justice Initiative, Steering Committee Member, Chicago, Illinois
- Illinois Equal Justice Project, Illinois State Bar Association, 2000
- Chair, Commission on the Status of Minorities, Northern Illinois University
- Merit Reappointment Committee for the Magistrate of the United States District Court,
for the Northern District of Illinois, 1999
- American Bar Association, Task Force on Diversity, 1999
- Citizens for Independent Courts (now The Constitution Project), 1998
- Consultant, Practice Skills for New Lawyers, Illinois State Bar Association, 2000
- Rules and Governance Committee of the University Council, Northern Illinois University
Council, 1998
- Visiting Scholar, Columbia University School of Law, 1988
- Governor's Commission on Socially Disadvantaged Black Males, Criminal Justice and
Victimization Sub-Committee, 1989-1990
- Governor's Council on Juvenile Justice, 1988
- Franklin County Task Force on Juvenile Justice 1988
- Recipient 1986 Ohio State University Distinguished Affirmative Action Award
- Criminal Procedure
- Juvenile Law
- Torts
- Product Liability
- Race and Criminal Procedure
- Juvenile and Criminal Defense Clinic
- Trial Practice
- Mental Health
- Racism and Law Seminar
- Seminars in Scientific Evidence
- Child, Parent and State, Civil Rights
- Post-Conviction Relief and Criminal Appeals Clinic
- Race and Criminal Procedure Seminar
