SAN ANTONIO – Yale professor Cristina Rodríguez was selected as Yale Law School’s next dean, becoming the second woman to hold the position at the school.
Rodríguez, a San Antonio native, will assume the role on Feb. 1, 2026, as she continues nearly 25 years in academia and law.
Previously, Rodríguez had already made history as the first tenured Hispanic professor at Yale Law School.
Rodríguez joined the faculty of her alma mater in 2013 and has focused on constitutional and immigration law. Previously, she was a visiting professor at Harvard, Stanford and Columbia universities.
She has authored more than 70 academic essays and has worked as an expert for The New York Times, NPR and The Washington Post, according to her staff bio.
In 2021, she was appointed by the president to co-chair the bipartisan Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States.
“Cristina’s commitment to scholarship, excellence, and service make her the ideal person to lead Yale Law School, and the entire Yale community is fortunate to have such a devoted and experienced leader take the helm,” Yale University President Maurie McInnis said.
In a news release, Rodríguez said, “Yale Law School stands apart for its intellectual vibrancy, its commitment to the pursuit of ideas through rigorous scholarship and open dialogue, the quality and ambition of its student body, and its dedication to public service.
“As dean, I look forward to working with the entire community to pursue the Law School’s critical mission.”