Sally Yates will join Georgetown University’s law school as a distinguished lecturer this fall, the school announced Thursday.
Yates, acting attorney general for the first 10 days of President Trump’s administration, gained an instant national profile refusing to defend his original travel ban affecting seven Muslim-majority countries.
Trump fired Yates, a deputy attorney general in the final years of the Obama administration, making her a hero to many Democrats.
“Sally Yates is an extraordinary public servant who has had a career of the greatest consequence,” Georgetown Law Dean William Treanor said in a statement. “It is a privilege to have her join our faculty this fall.”
Yates will not be teaching her own courses this semester, but will guest-lecture in other classes, said Georgetown spokeswoman Tanya Weinberg.
It’s unclear if Yates will have her own courseload in the future.
Georgetown said in a press release the appointment is part of the law school’s Distinguished Visitors from Government program, which aims to bring former government officials to campus.
Other current distinguished lecturers are not nationally known, and formerly worked in the White House, Department of Homeland Security and in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel.
“This fall, Yates will guest lecture and serve as a resource for students, participate in faculty workshops, and engage in other Law Center programming,” the school said.
Among her duties, Yates will deliver an annual lecture on November 1 at an event honoring former Sen. Philip Hart, D-Mich.
Yates, who received her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Georgia, said in a statement: “Georgetown has a long and distinguished history of rigorous and thoughtful academic dialogue and a commitment to social justice. I look forward to being a part of this dynamic environment and interacting with their outstanding students and faculty.”
Georgetown’s law school is located a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol.
Yates’ hiring comes as other universities extend similar titles to high-profile players in the Trump era. The president’s former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and former White House press secretary Sean Spicer recently were made visiting fellows at Harvard University.
