Danielle Keats Citron
Jefferson Scholars Foundation Schenck Distinguished Professor of Law
Danielle Keats Citron is one of the nation's leading scholars on privacy, free expression, and civil rights in the digital age. A 2019 MacArthur Fellow, she was ranked the No. 1 most-cited legal scholar in both 2024 and 2025. She serves as the inaugural director of UVA Law's LawTech Center and has advised the White House Gender Policy Council on issues of online abuse and intimate privacy. Before joining UVA, she taught at Boston University School of Law and the University of Maryland School of Law.
Teaching Style
Professor Citron combines traditional Socratic questioning with real-world case studies drawn from her extensive policy work. She frequently uses current events involving technology and privacy to push students to think about how law adapts to new challenges. Her classes are fast-paced and discussion-driven, with an emphasis on understanding both doctrinal foundations and emerging legal frontiers.
Cold Call Tips
- 1Stay current on major technology and privacy news, as she frequently ties class discussion to recent events
- 2Be prepared to articulate both sides of policy debates around online speech and privacy regulation
- 3Read assigned cases carefully for the underlying policy rationale, not just the holding
- 4Practice connecting constitutional principles to modern technological contexts
Areas of Expertise
Education
- J.D., Fordham University School of Law
- B.A., Duke University
Notable Publications
- Hate Crimes in Cyberspace (Harvard University Press)
- The Fight for Privacy: Protecting Dignity, Identity, and Love in the Digital Age
Research Interests
More Professors at University of Virginia School of Law
Civil Procedure, Immigration Law and Policy, Federal Courts
Constitutional Law, Foreign Relations Law, Presidential Powers
Property, Local Government Law, Church and State, Urban Law and Policy
Administrative Law, Civil Procedure, Computer Crime, Conflicts of Law
Constitutional Law, Law and Religion, Jurisprudence
Tax Law, Tax Policy, Behavioral Law and Economics