Faculty

Roger A. Fairfax, Jr. currently serves as the Dean of American University Washington College of Law, where his leadership and expertise have made a profound impact on legal education. A distinguished legal scholar, educator, and nationally recognized expert on criminal justice, Dean Fairfax has a rich history of academic and professional achievements.

Before assuming the role of Dean at American University, Dean Fairfax held the prestigious position of Patricia Roberts Harris Research Professor and served as the founding director of the Criminal Law & Policy Initiative at George Washington University Law School. His tenure at GW Law included roles as the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Dean for Public Engagement, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the academic and institutional landscape. 

Dean Fairfax’s scholarly contributions are widely respected, with his work appearing in books and leading journals. His expertise encompasses criminal law and procedure, professional responsibility and ethics, criminal justice policy and reform, racial justice, and grand jury and internal investigations. He is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within higher education and the legal profession, championing initiatives to foster a more inclusive and equitable environment for all.

Prior to his esteemed career in academia, Dean Fairfax gained valuable legal experience in private practice with the firm of O’Melveny & Myers LLP in Washington, DC. He also served as a federal prosecutor through the Attorney General’s Honors Program in the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. His commitment to public service and legal excellence is further evidenced by his clerkships with Judge Patti B. Saris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and Judge Judith W. Rogers of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit.

Dean Fairfax’s dedication to the legal profession extends beyond academia and practice. He has served on the boards of the National Bar Association, the Southeastern Association of Law Schools, and the Maryland Office of the Public Defender. Additionally, he is an elected member of the American Law Institute and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. His expertise is sought after nationally, as evidenced by his appointment by Chief Justice John Roberts to the Judicial Conference of the United States, Advisory Committee on Criminal Rules in 2019.

Dean Fairfax is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and Maryland, and is admitted to practice in several federal trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a distinguished alumnus of Harvard College, the University of London, and Harvard Law School, where he earned honors and distinguished himself as an NAACP Legal Defense Fund/Shearman & Sterling Scholar and as an editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Excitingly, Howard University School of Law recently named Roger A. Fairfax, Jr., as its new dean, where he will undoubtedly continue his legacy of excellence in legal education and scholarship while furthering the mission of diversity, equity, and inclusion in legal academia.