Dr. Sharon Fairley

Biography

Sharon Fairley is a Professor of Practice at the University of Chicago Law School, where she has taught since 2015. In 2019, she was appointed as Professor of Practice. Her teaching responsibilities encompass criminal procedure, policing, and federal criminal law. Before joining the Law School, Professor Fairley served for eight years as a federal prosecutor at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, where she focused on significant criminal cases including illegal firearms possession, narcotics conspiracy, bank robbery/murder, and economic espionage. She also held the position of Deputy Inspector General and General Counsel for the City of Chicago's Office of Inspector General. Following the controversial officer-involved shooting death of Laquan McDonald in December 2015, she was appointed as the Chief Administrator of the Independent Police Review Authority, the agency responsible for investigating police misconduct. Additionally, she was instrumental in the creation of Chicago's Civilian Office of Police Accountability. Professor Fairley's academic interests include criminal justice reform, with an emphasis on constitutional policing and police accountability. She frequently writes and speaks on topics related to use of force in law enforcement, civilian oversight, and police reform strategies.

Research Interests