Biography
Professor Francisco Valdes joins Seattle University School of Law from a storied 30-year career at law firms and educational institutions across the country. Born in Cuba and raised in Florida, Valdes completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned to Miami and earned his J.D. from the University of Florida School of Law, then worked for law firms in Miami and San Francisco as a civil commercial litigator before enrolling in Stanford Law School. At Stanford, he earned his Doctor of Juridical Science and Master of the Science of Law degrees while also teaching for the first time.
During his career, Valdes has contributed a vast amount of scholarship to Latina and Latino critical legal theory (LatCrit) symposia and publications as a founding co-chair of LatCrit, Inc. He has been published in numerous law reviews, other academic journals, and various book anthologies.
Valdes is busy developing an advanced course in constitutional law focused on equal protection and due process, especially relating to race, sex, and sexual orientation. He also plans to introduce a book series translated into Spanish in partnership with Jesuit Catholic universities in South America, while supporting events organized by the law school’s Critical Justice Initiative.