Annette Ruth Appell is the Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs at the Washington University Law School. Prior to joining the faculty at Washington University Law School, she was the Associate Dean of  Clinical Studies at the University of Nevada Las Veags and a Clinical Professor at Northwestern University Law School's Children and Family Justice Center.  

She also worked as a guardian ad litem in the Office of the Public Guardian in Chicago.  She teaches a child welfare clinic and constitutional law. Her research, academic writing, and community involvement center around child welfare, family rights, and children's advocacy, focusing substantially on the interests of children in maintaining ties with their biological families.