We are pleased to announce the appointment of Sheldon A. Evans, Professor of Law, beginning July 1, 2023. Joining us from St. John’s University, Professor Evans teaches Criminal Law, Immigration Law, Professional Responsibility, and seminars on race and literature.
Professor Evans’ research focuses on criminal sentencing and its intersection with immigration policies. His work has appeared in the Columbia Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, the California Law Review, the George Washington Law Review, the Federal Sentencing Reporter, and more. His paper “Punishment Externalities and the Prison Tax,” forthcoming in the California Law Review, earned national recognition with the 2022 AALS Criminal Justice Section Junior Scholar Award, for its contribution to punishment theory and ending mass incarceration.
“Professor Evans’ life and research speak for themselves, particularly with respect to his innovative criminal law scholarship,” says Russell K. Osgood, dean of the Law School. “I am delighted to welcome him to our faculty.”
“Professor Evans is an extraordinarily creative and prolific scholar. He is a fantastic addition to our criminal law faculty,” says Professor Daniel Epps, chair of the Faculty Appointments Committee.
“I am excited to join the faculty at WashULaw because of its commitment to excellence, exemplified through my new colleagues, the administration, and the students. I look forward to adding to that tradition,” says Professor Evans. “I can’t wait to partner with the school and its students to continue the work of rethinking and reforming criminal legal systems and immigration policies through my scholarship and teaching.”
Professor Evans earned his BA in political science and philosophy from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles and his JD from The University of Chicago Law School. He practiced law at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, where he contributed significant pro bono work to clients seeking immigration relief. He also clerked for the Hon. Lavenski R. Smith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
Professor Evans runs the Black Authors Book Club, which reads work and invites conversation with authors that highlight the Black experience in America and across the African diaspora. As the organization states, it is open to “all who have an authentic interest in discovering and discussing the richness of Black culture.”
