Luis E. Chiesa

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Professor Luis E. Chiesa earned his J.D. at the University of Puerto Rico School of Law (graduating first in his class), then his master of laws and doctor of juridical science degrees at Columbia University. He clerked for Hon. Federico Hernández Denton, chief justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court, and taught at Pace Law School before joining UB School of Law. Previously, Chiesa was the Rembe Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Washington; a visiting professor of criminal law at the Torcuato Di Tella University in Buenos Aires, Argentina; and a member of the visiting faculty at Sergio Arboleda University in Bogota, Colombia.

Chiesa’s writings have been published in the Washington & Lee Law Review, the Utah Law Review, the Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law and the New Criminal Law Review, among other journals. Furthermore, Chiesa often publishes in some of the leading European and Latin American criminal law reviews. In addition to his teaching and scholarship, he directs the Buffalo Criminal Law Center.

Chiesa’s research interests focus on substantive criminal law, criminal procedure, comparative law and animal cruelty laws. He brings the perspective of comparative law to the task, looking at the ways the criminal law doctrines of other countries can inform an understanding of our own laws.

Professor Chiesa received the Jacob D. Hyman Professor of the Year Award from the School of Law's Students of Color Dinner in 2014. He was also selected Professor of the Year by the 2014 graduating class.