Amy Kimpel is an Associate Professor of Clinical Legal Instruction and the Director of the Criminal Defense clinic, which represents low income community members and University of Alabama students in criminal proceedings in Tuscaloosa County. Prior to joining the faculty at The University of Alabama, Professor Kimpel worked at the Judicial Council of California in its Criminal Justice Services Office where she spearheaded implementation of a new mental health diversion law, Assembly Bill 1810. Previously, Kimpel worked as a public defender for both the Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc. and the Santa Clara County Office of the Public Defender in San Jose, California. As a public defender, Kimpel tried twenty-five cases in federal and state court and argued before the Ninth Circuit twice.
Professor Kimpel earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from New York University School of Law where she was a Hays Fellow and Vanderbilt Medal recipient. Professor Kimpel also holds a B.A. in English, magna cum laude, from Columbia University and a M.A. in Education from Teachers College, where she was part of the first cohort of Columbia Urban Educator fellows. Professor Kimpel’s scholarship focuses on criminal law and the intersection of criminal and immigration law and is available on SSRN.
