Biography

Addie Rolnick joined UNLV from UCLA School of Law, where she was the inaugural Critical Race Studies Fellow. Her scholarship focuses on bridging gaps between civil rights, critical race theory, federal Indian law, and indigenous rights.

Rolnick's research has investigated the relationships between sovereign power and minority rights, including: the role of race and gender in the administration of criminal and juvenile justice; equal protection-based attacks on indigenous rights; the relationship between private and state violence; and the role of tribal justice systems. She is a nationally recognized expert on Native youth and juvenile justice.

Prior to joining the academy, she represented tribal governments as an attorney with a top Native rights firm in Washington, D.C., where she was a leading advocate on law enforcement and juvenile justice issues. She has also assisted tribes with institution building in the areas of juvenile justice, child welfare, constitution drafting, and justice system development.