FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2026
The Puerto Rican Bar Association (PRBA) proudly congratulates Professor Cristina M.
Rodríguez on her appointment as the next Dean of Yale Law School, effective February 1, 2026,
as announced by Yale University President Maurie McInnis. Professor Rodríguez will assume
this role as the Sol and Lillian Goldman Dean and Professor of Law, marking a significant and
well-deserved milestone in legal education and leadership.
Professor Rodríguez is nationally and internationally recognized as a preeminent scholar and
principled leader whose career reflects an unwavering commitment to the rule of law, academic
excellence, and public service. Over more than twenty-five years in academia and government
service, she has distinguished herself through pathbreaking scholarship in constitutional law,
administrative law, and immigration law, including her co-authored book, The President and
Immigration Law (Oxford University Press, 2020), widely regarded as a seminal contribution to
public law scholarship.
In her current role as Deputy Dean of Yale Law School, Professor Rodríguez has demonstrated
exceptional leadership, institutional stewardship, and a deep dedication to students, faculty, and
the broader legal community. Her extensive service, including co-chairing the Presidential
Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States, serving in senior roles at the U.S.
Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel, and contributing to leading academic and policy
institutions, reflects both intellectual rigor and a steadfast commitment to democratic governance.
The PRBA also recognizes the broader significance of Professor Rodríguez’s appointment. As a
Latina leader ascending to one of the most influential deanships in legal education, her selection
underscores the vital importance of representation, inclusion, and excellence within the legal
academy and the profession at large. Her career exemplifies the highest ideals of service,
integrity, and scholarship, and her leadership will undoubtedly continue to shape generations of
lawyers committed to justice and the public good.
We commend Yale University, its search committee, and President McInnis for their thoughtful
selection, and we extend our best wishes to Dean-designate Rodríguez as she assumes this
historic and consequential role. The Puerto Rican Bar Association looks forward to the continued
impact of her leadership on legal education, the profession, and the enduring strength of the rule
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