Jennifer L. Mnookin

Jennifer L. Mnookin is an American legal scholar, academic administrator, and the current chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). A leading expert in evidence law and the use of forensic science in the legal system, she previously served as dean of the UCLA School of Law. Her scholarship has significantly influenced debates on the reliability of expert witness testimony and the reform of forensic disciplines.

Early life and education

Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Mnookin was raised in a family with deep academic roots; her father, Victor Mnookin, was a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and her mother, Jane Mnookin, was a psychologist. She attended public schools before enrolling at Harvard University, where she graduated *magna cum laude* with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies in 1990. She then pursued her legal education at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (then Boalt Hall), earning a Juris Doctor in 1995. During her time at Berkeley Law, she served as an editor of the California Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.

Academic career

After law school, Mnookin clerked for Judge William A. Norris of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She began her academic career at the University of Virginia School of Law as an assistant professor in 1997. In 2005, she joined the faculty of the UCLA School of Law, where she taught evidence, torts, and scientific evidence. She was appointed vice dean for faculty and research in 2012 and was named the David G. Price and Dallas P. Price Professor of Law. In 2015, she was selected as dean of UCLA School of Law, a position she held until becoming chancellor. As dean, she oversaw significant growth in the school's endowment, expanded clinical programs, and championed initiatives in public interest law.

Chancellorship of UCLA

Mnookin became the ninth chancellor of UCLA on August 1, 2022, succeeding Gene D. Block. Her appointment was made by the University of California Board of Regents. Her tenure has focused on enhancing the university's research enterprise, expanding student access and affordability, and strengthening ties with the Los Angeles community and global partners. Key priorities have included advancing climate change research, supporting the UCLA Health system, and navigating complex issues of campus safety and free speech. She also presides over the UCLA College of Letters and Science and several professional schools, including the David Geffen School of Medicine and the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Scholarship and publications

Mnookin's influential scholarship centers on the law of evidence, with a particular focus on the interface between science and the judicial system. Her work has critically examined the Daubert standard for admitting expert testimony, the reliability of forensic techniques like fingerprint analysis and bite mark evidence, and the role of visual evidence such as photographs and video in trials. She is a co-author of a leading casebook, The New Wigmore: A Treatise on Evidence: Expert Evidence, and has published extensively in top journals, including the Stanford Law Review, Michigan Law Review, and the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. Her research has been cited in opinions by the Supreme Court of the United States and has informed reports by the National Academy of Sciences.

Awards and honors

Throughout her career, Mnookin has received numerous accolades for her teaching, scholarship, and leadership. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the American Law Institute. She has received the Rutter Award for Excellence in Teaching from UCLA School of Law and was named a Carnegie Scholar early in her career. In 2023, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Glasgow for her contributions to legal education and forensic science reform. She also serves on the board of directors for the Getty Trust and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:University of California, Los Angeles faculty Category:American legal scholars Category:Chancellors of the University of California, Los Angeles Category:Harvard University alumni Category:University of California, Berkeley School of Law alumni