Aarti Sidhu is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. She currently leads the Criminal and Youth Defense Clinic, where she supervises law students as they represent youth clients charged with crimes in Baltimore City, providing hands-on legal experience grounded in client-centered advocacy. She previously co-taught the Youth, Education, and Justice Legal Theory and Practice Clinic, which explores the intersection of education law and youth justice. Professor Sidhu’s scholarship focuses on juvenile justice, criminal law, criminal procedure, and education law, reflecting her deep commitment to youth-centered legal reform.
Prior to her faculty appointment, Professor Sidhu served as a juvenile public defender at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, where she represented young people in delinquency proceedings in Baltimore City. She also worked as a Staff Attorney at Disability Rights Maryland, advocating for students with disabilities to receive appropriate educational services. During that time, she served as Co-Chair of the Maryland Coalition to Reform School Discipline, a statewide initiative dedicated to advancing fair and equitable discipline practices in schools. As an Open Society Institute-Baltimore Community Fellow, Professor Sidhu launched the Represent Youth: Baltimore School Justice Initiative, through which she provided direct legal representation to students facing suspension and expulsion, conducted community education with families, and pushed for systemic reforms to reduce exclusionary discipline practices. In recognition of her community-centered legal work, she was honored with The Daily Record’s 2021 Generation J.D. Award.
Professor Sidhu earned her J.D. from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, and holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice and Psychology from George Washington University. Professor Sidhu is a proud daughter of immigrants, a wife, and a mother of three.