Renee Knake Jefferson

Renee (Newman) Knake Jefferson is known for her expertise in legal and judicial ethics. She regularly is called upon as an expert witness in high-stakes matters, including testimony before Congress regarding judicial financial disclosures, two appearances before the Texas Supreme Court of Special Review successfully defending judges, testimony in Travis County district court defeating a motion to disqualify in-house counsel, and helping secure the dismissal of an $800 million malpractice case on behalf of an AmLaw 100 firm in an AAA arbitration.

A law professor and an award-winning author, her publications appear in prestigious outlets like the Michigan Law Review (forthcoming) and the Yale Law Journal Forum. Her most recent book, Law Democratized: A Blueprint for Solving the Justice Crisis, hit the shelves in January 2024.

Professor Jefferson has been featured in the New York Times, Politico, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and other news media. She regularly appears on television and radio, including MSNBC and National Public Radio. She is a Fulbright Australia Distinguished Chair recipient and elected member of the American Law Institute.

She holds the Doherty Chair in Legal Ethics and is an assistant dean at the University of Houston Law Center where she teaches ethics, constitutional law, legal methods, and a writing seminar on leadership, law, and power. Her academic career began at Michigan State University, where she taught for a decade, after practicing law for two international firms and as an assistant city attorney. She currently serves on the Michigan State University Board of Trustees. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School.