February 2022
Critical Race Theory and UCLA
"At this odd juncture of American life, when many state and local governments are moving to stifle conversation around race in classrooms and beyond, UCLA’s law school is charting the opposite course, pioneering the use of Critical Race Theory to examine American race relations." So writes Jim Newton, in his in-depth profile of UCLA Law's Critical Race Studies program for UCLA Blueprint magazine. The article features Professors LaToya Baldwin Clark (pictured), Laura E. Gómez, Devon Carbado, Cheryl Harris, and Kimberlé Crenshaw, and Dean Jennifer L. Mnookin.
Miñana de Lovelace '87 Named
Chair-Elect of UCLA Foundation
Alicia Miñana de Lovelace '87 has been named chair-elect of the UCLA Foundation's board of directors, which oversees $5.1 billion in assets. She succeeds Craig Ehrlich on July 1. Miñana de Lovelace has been a member of the foundation’s board of directors since 2015 and is an active volunteer leader across campus. Currently, she serves as chair of the law school's board of advisors. Miñana de Lovelace is also on the board of Human Rights Watch and was recently named chair of the board of the Nature Conservancy Caribbean program and co-chair of the Pacific Council’s development committee. In 2020, she and her husband, Rob Lovelace, provided a gift to establish UCLA Law's impactful Center for Immigration Law and Policy.
UCLA Law Among Schools Lauded for
Efforts to Address Housing Crisis
During an invitation-only event on Jan. 28, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and White House staff members applauded law schools nationwide, including UCLA Law, for their work in addressing the country’s housing and eviction crisis. The law schools joined forces after Garland issued a call to action last year, asking for a united effort to confront the crisis. Since then, students from 99 law schools worked more than 81,000 hours to provide legal assistance to people who are unhoused or housing insecure.
Teamwork Leads to Victory
When the A. Barry Cappello Trial Team was preparing for its latest competition in January, it was clear that the difficult issue at the core of the case, having to do with Miranda rights, needed some expert guidance. Team members knew just whom they should call on: UCLA Law Professor Beth Colgan (pictured), who currently serves as vice dean for faculty and intellectual life, is an authority in criminal procedure and criminal law, and she was eager to help.
UCLA Law Professors Recognized
for Scholarly Impact
Sixteen members of the UCLA School of Law faculty have been recognized for the impact of their research and writing in thirteen different areas of specialization. The total is a new high for UCLA Law. In addition, the entire UCLA Law faculty was ranked at No. 10 on the list of schools with the highest median scholarly impact. All the lists are based on citation count in legal publications. The rankings are tabulated and published by University of Chicago Law School professor Brian Leiter, using data complied by Gregory Sisk at the University of St. Thomas School of Law.
Black History Month Lecture:
B.U. Law Dean Angela Onwuachi-Willig
UCLA Law capped February with the second annual Black History Month Lecture, presented this year by the dean of Boston University School of Law, Angela Onwuachi-Willig. Dean Onwuachi-Willig is a renowned legal scholar and expert in racial and gender inequality as well as civil rights law, with research and writing covering a wide variety of areas, including employment discrimination, family law, and critical race theory. Her talk for UCLA Law students, presented by the Office of the Dean, the Critical Race Studies Program, and the Black Law Students Association, was titled "#CRT: The Critical Race Theory of Social Movement." It was a powerful examination of the past decade of social activism around race and the law, going back to the 2012 murder of Trayvon Martin.
Alumni Spotlight: Cody McDavis '19
We are pleased to introduce a new feature, a UCLA Law Alumni Spotlight, in which we talk with one of our amazing alumni to hear what they do, how they make a difference, and what their UCLA Law experience means to them. This month, we spoke with Cody McDavis ’19, who is in the business transactions practice of Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, a firm based in McDavis’s hometown of Phoenix, Arizona, and who serves on UCLA Law's Board of Advisors.
- Alyce Alfano ’87 is nominated to be a superior court judge in Connecticut.
- Leah Goodridge ’09 becomes a commissioner on the City Planning Commission in New York City.
- Lilit Asadourian ’00 joins Barnes & Thornburg as a partner.
- Rory Miller ’05 joins Locke Lorde as a partner.
- Nathaniel Bach ’06 joins Manatt, Phelps & Phillips as a partner.
Liza Brereton ’08 joins Turner Dhillon as a partner.
Andrew Russell ’11 joins McGuireWoods as a partner
Mike LaPlante ’12 joins Morrison & Foerster as a partner.
Nikki Buffa ’06 is elected partner at Latham & Watkins.
Paul Seeley ’07 is promoted to partner at Sheppard Mullin.
Nora Stilestein ’11 is promoted to partner at Sheppard Mullin.
Linda Igarashi ’12 is promoted to partner at Sheppard Mullin.
Ryan Krueger ’13 is promoted to partner at Sheppard Mullin.
Abby Meyer ’13 is promoted to partner at Sheppard Mullin.
Kenneth Kimmell ’87 is named vice president of development for offshore wind at Avangrid Renewables.
Felicia Chang ’99 joins Westmount Asset Management as director of wealth strategy.
John Alexander ’14 joins Snell & Wilmer as an associate.
Lorien Giles ’18 joins Miller Nash as an associate.
Betsy Rosenthal ’84 publishes the children's book When Lightnin' Struck.
Visit our alumni website to read the latest news and submit your update.
March 2: Preserving Democracy and Truth: What Law Schools Must Do
Four law school deans — Jennifer Mnookin, Erwin Chemerinsky, Mark Davenport, and Kevin Johnson — join in conversation on issues facing the legal profession and legal education today.
March 8: Asian American Pride Panel
A candid conversation on steps we can take to curb the increase in anti-Asian hate, moderated by UCLA Law's Karin Wang. The panel includes Professor Hiroshi Motomura, Hon. Tammy Ryu '87, and Angela Oh.
March 15: Two Cheers for Bostock
An in-depth look at Bostock v. Clayton County and what it means for the future of LGBT and sex-based rights, as well as racial justice and democracy itself. Presented by The Williams Institute and led by Williams faculty director Cary Franklin.
March 22: Celebrating the Hon. John A. Arguelles '54
Join us for a virtual celebration of the first UCLA Law School graduate and the second Hispanic Justice to serve on the California Supreme Court as we announce a scholarship honoring his substantial career.
April 2: Remembering Cruz Reynoso
The Chicanx-Latinx Law Review celebrates its 50th anniversary by honoring the legacy of California's first Latino supreme court justice, former UCLA Law faculty member Cruz Reynoso.
June 8, 15 & 22: 46th Annual UCLA Entertainment Symposium
The Ziffren Institute is pleased to announce this year's symposium. Featuring a who's who of industry experts discussing the most important topics for 2022 and beyond, including NFTs and the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.
Join Us for These Events!
Terrific events are always happening at UCLA Law. You are invited!
March 2 — Preserving Democracy and Truth: What Law Schools Must Do
March 2 — Privacy & Access Series: Transparency and Public Oversight
March 7 — Risks and Harms of Facial Recognition in Argentina
March 11 — Privacy & Access Series: Comparative Privacy
March 15 — Black Lives Matter on Juries - Spring 2022 Margaret Levy Public Interest Fellow Brendon Woods, Alameda County Public Defender.
March 15 — Two Cheers for Bostock
March 22 — Celebration of California Supreme Court Justice John A. Arguelles '54
March 28 — Privacy & Access Series: Data Protection & Entertainment
March 29 — JOLT and ITLP Career Day
April 2 — Remembering Cruz Reynoso
April 13 — U. Serve L.A. 2022
June 8, 15, and 22 — UCLA Entertainment Symposium
September 30 — UCLA Law Women LEAD Summit 2022
Reunion 2022 is coming this Fall! Stay tuned for details or contact hamm@law.ucla.edu for additional information.
Visit the UCLA Law events page for more events and information.
Joseph Fishkin co-writes an essay in the Atlantic on How Progressives Can Take Back the Constitution. Joanna Schwartz co-authors a USA Today op-ed on police accountability reform. Meirav Furth-Matzkin writes an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune on racial bias in retail stores. Kimberlé Crenshaw is featured in a critical race theory explainer on HBO’s Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. Adam Winkler is quoted in the New Yorker on Amy Coney Barrett and the Second Amendment. Ahilan Arulanantham discusses President Biden's immigration policy on the Nation's Start Making Sense podcast. Eugene Volokh is quoted in the New York Times on Spotify, Joe Rogan, and the First Amendment, and Michael Karanicolas speaks with NBC about the Spotify controversy. Victor Narro is cited in the Los Angeles Times on the L.A. taxi industry. And Cara Horowitz talks to NPR’s StateImpact Pennsylvania about climate change and the Supreme Court.
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