Kelly Collinsworth | SIU

Kelly Collinsworth joined the faculty of Southern Illinois Simmons Law School in summer 2022. Prior to joining the faculty, Collinsworth was Interim Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Director of Experiential Education at University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law.  She previously taught at Morehead State University in eastern Kentucky where she served as the Legal Studies Coordinator, University Pre-Law Advisor, and Director of Education Abroad.  Her practice as a legal aid attorney  focused primarily on family law, tenant rights, and consumer defense.  She also served as an Assistant County Attorney in Kentucky.  Professor Collinsworth earned her Bachelor of Arts from Georgetown College and her Juris Doctor from the Ohio State University.  She is licensed to practice law in Kentucky,  South Dakota, and Illinois.

Professor Collinsworth’s current research interests include access to justice for self-represented litigants and high-impact teaching practices.  She particularly enjoys connecting her research and teaching to the fictional world of Harry Potter.