Erin Blondel

Erin Blondel studies how real-world pressures shape criminal law and procedure. She focuses on what the federal justice system’s unique role reveals about the purposes and problems of criminal enforcement. She is also interested in how the law addresses sexual violence and victimization.

Prior to coming to Columbia, Erin practiced law for over ten years in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, North Carolina. She served seven years as an assistant United States attorney in the Eastern District of North Carolina, where she specialized in human trafficking, civil rights, and complex child exploitation cases. In 2019, she was awarded the Department of Justice’s Director’s Award for her work as lead counsel in the district’s first sex trafficking trial. She has presented frequently on human trafficking, including to domestic and foreign government officials, law enforcement, business professionals, medical practitioners, social services providers, and students. Erin clerked for Judge Sandra L. Lynch of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.