The Legal Genealogist Judy G. Russell is a genealogist with a law degree. She writes, teaches and lectures on a wide variety of genealogical topics, providing expert guidance through the murky territory where law and family history intersect. A Colorado native with roots deep in the American south on her mother’s side and entirely in Germany on her father’s side, she holds a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and a law degree from Rutgers School of Law-Newark. Before she retired, she worked as a newspaper reporter, trade association writer, legal investigator, defense attorney, federal prosecutor, law editor and, for more than 20 years, as an adjunct member of the faculty at Rutgers Law School.

She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the National Genealogical Society and numerous state and regional genealogical societies. Named a Fellow of the Utah Genealogical Association in 2025, she received the 2015 UGA Silver Tray Award and the 2017 Award of Excellence from the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, where she now serves as a member of the NGSQ editorial board.

An internationally-known lecturer and course coordinator and faculty member at numerous genealogical institutes, she holds credentials as a Certified Genealogist® and Certified Genealogical Lecturer® from the Board for Certification of Genealogists®. Her award-winning blog appears at The Legal Genealogist® website (https://www.legalgenealogist.com).

Courses

  • 2026 – Researching New York: Resources and Strategies
  • 2026 – Core Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2026 – Core Course Three – Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis
  • 2025 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2025 – Course Three – Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis
  • 2025 – Course Thirteen – Walking in Penn’s Woods: Pennsylvania Research
  • 2024 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2024 – Course Three – Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis
  • 2024 – Course Six – Military Records I: The Colonial Era to the Vietnam War
  • 2024 – Course Ten – Advanced Library Research: Law Libraries and Government Documents
  • 2023 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2023 – Course Three – Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis
  • 2023 – Course Six – Military Records III: Advanced Research and Methodology
  • 2023 – Course Thirteen – Researching New York: Resources and Strategies
  • 2022 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2022 – Course Three – Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis
  • 2022 – Course Ten – Advanced Library Research: Law Libraries and Government Documents
  • 2022 – Course Eleven – Researching African American Ancestors: Courthouse Records
  • 2021 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2021 – Course Three – Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis
  • 2021 – Course Six – Military Records I: The Colonial Era to the Vietnam War
  • 2021 – Course Ten – Genealogy as a Profession
  • 2021 – Course Eleven – Virginia: Her Records and Her Laws
  • 2020 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2020 – Course Three – Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis
  • 2020 – Course Six – Military Records III: Advanced Research and Methodology
  • 2020 – Course Ten – Advanced Library Research: Law Libraries and Government Documents
  • 2020 – Course Thirteen – Researching New York: Resources and Strategies
  • 2019 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2019 – Course Three – Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis
  • 2018 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2018 – Course Three – Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis
  • 2018 – Course Six – Military Records III: Advanced Research and Methodology
  • 2018 – Course Ten – Advanced Library Research: Law Libraries and Government Documents
  • 2017 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2017 – Course Three – Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis
  • 2017 – Course Eight – Understanding Land Records
  • 2017 – Course Ten – Virginia: Her Records and Her Laws
  • 2016 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2016 – Course Three – Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis
  • 2016 – Course Ten – Advanced Library Research: Law Libraries and Government Documents
  • 2015 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2015 – Course Three – Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis
  • 2014 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2014 – Course Ten – Advanced Library Research: Law Libraries and Government Documents
  • 2014 – Course Eleven – Virginia: Her Records and Her Laws