UC Law San Francisco

08/16/2024

To debate and handle disagreements professionally is a core skill for great lawyers -- and one emphasized by UC Law SF educators. During orientation for new students, Profs. Paul Belonick, Keith Hand, Matt Coles, and Emily Murphy modeled this skill by arguing the issue in Grants Pass v. Johnson, a recent Supreme Court case. Moderated by Prof. Clark Freshman, their lively discussion ended with a surprising twist, as each faculty member revealed they had argued a position at odds with their personal viewpoint. Faculty explained that debating new legal issues can feel daunting, but honing the skill is important -- and being able to argue an opposing position enhances understanding of the issues and strengthens one’s case.

08/16/2024

New law students had some “Inside Out” fun while learning keys to professional success during an orientation session on UC Law SF’s top-ranked Moot Court team and the Legal Research and Writing program. Senior Associate Dean Toni Young ‘76 and current students and faculty wore costumes from the Pixar franchise as they previewed what to expect in first-year LRW courses.

08/14/2024

Prithika Balakrishnan, a former public defender and expert in criminal practice, is one of over a dozen top faculty members joining UC Law SF this year in key and emerging areas of law. Welcome, Prof. Balakrishnan!

08/09/2024

UC Law SF Director Andrew Houston ’07, greets incoming Class of 2027 LEOP students with advice and inspiration: “With this law degree, you’re setting yourself up to do anything you want. What a beautiful position to be in.” Houston, a Legal Education Opportunity Program alumnus, is principal campus counsel at UC Berkeley.

08/07/2024

In recognition of its work to protect the health, safety, and economic security of pregnant and caregiving workers, UC Law San Francisco's Center for WorkLife Law was invited to join the White House celebration of the 60th anniversary of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The groundbreaking law prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, s*x (including pregnancy, s*xual orientation, and gender), color, religion, or national origin. It also established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Title VII remains an essential tool the center uses to advance justice in the workplace. Attending the celebration were WorkLife Law Co-Director Jessica Lee, and Board Member Tina Sherman, MomsRising.org Maternal Justice National Director. https://worklifelaw.org/news/celebrating-at-the-white-house-60th-anniversary-of-title-vii-of-the-civil-rights-act-of-1964/

08/06/2024

Associate Judge of D.C. Courts and UC Law SF alum Robert Rigsby ’86 tells incoming LEOP students: “Remember that you all are here for a reason -- you're bright, you're disciplined and hungry to tackle today's problems. Go forth with courage, confidence, and the conviction to define the future you wish to see for the world. The future is not something you enter. It is something you create.” Rigsby’s remarks welcoming the Class of 2027 were part of this week’s kickoff for the Legal Education Opportunity Program (LEOP) orientation.

08/02/2024

Welcome home, law students! Move-in Day is a busy time at 198 McAllister, part of UC Law SF’s Academic Village in the heart of San Francisco. Students started moving in Aug. 1. They’ll enjoy state-of-the-art facilities in a diverse academic community with opportunities to connect with fellow aspiring attorneys and students from our partner institutions who are pursuing degrees in medical science, business, and more.

07/31/2024

UC Law SF honors the late Peter Buxtun, a 1971 graduate, for his role in exposing the unethical Tuskegee Syphilis Study. His actions transformed medical ethics, protecting the rights of human research subjects and created a legacy of advocacy and justice.

UC Law SF Remembers Tuskegee Experiment Whistleblower Peter Buxtun ’71 July 26, 2024 at UC Law SF Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share through Email Seen here in a 1971 UC Law SF yearbook photo, Peter Buxtun revealed a decades-long medical experiment in which hundreds of Afri...

07/26/2024

What makes a free press truly free? UC Law SF Prof. Christina Koningisor examines 50 state constitutions and a potential roadmap for expanding free press rights that go beyond the perceived limits of the First Amendment. Read her essay as part of
the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University's "The Future of Press Freedom" project:

Detail of illustration by Lincoln Agnew. Essays and Scholarship The Other Press Clauses State-level press protections could supplement the First Amendment's Press Clause By Christina Koningisor July 16, 2024 The Future of Press Freedom: Democracy, Law, and the News in Changing Times A project aimed....

07/24/2024

Congrats to UC Law SF alum Jessica Hawk ’11, recently called to serve as a Superior Court Judge in Alameda County. Her appointment by Gov. Gavin Newsom adds to UC Law SF’s legacy of excellence on the bench.

UC Law SF Alum Jessica Hawk ’11 Appointed as Alameda County Superior Court Judge July 24, 2024 at UC Law SF Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share through Email Jessica Hawk ’11 brings over a decade of experience as a state and county public defender, law clerk and staff atto...

07/18/2024

UC Law SF alum Peter Buxtun '71 saw the injustice of the Tuskegee syphilis study & helped expose its horrors to the world. Read about his extraordinary life as a refugee from Nazi-occupied Europe, SF public health worker and relentless whistleblower. https://wapo.st/3zGohWj

His disclosures brought an end to one of the most notorious medical research scandals in U.S. history.

07/17/2024

Calling all nominations! The UC Law SF Center for Litigation and Courts is accepting nominations for the third annual Award for Excellence in Ethics in Complex Litigation. The award recognizes outstanding individuals who have promoted ethics in class actions and complex litigation. Nominate judges, attorneys or scholars by Aug 1! The event is Oct 17-18 at UC Law SF.

2023 Award Winners Winner of the Judge Award: M. Margaret McKeown, Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Winner of the Professor Award: Deborah Hensler, Professor, Stanford Law SchoolWinner of the Defendant Award: Sheila Birnbaum, Partner, Dechert LLPWinner of the Plaintiff Awa...

07/16/2024

UC Law SF alum Raj Singh Badhesha makes history as Fresno's first Sikh judge, as he’s enrobed following his appointment by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Congratulations, Judge Badhesha!

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) –  The former Chief Assistant City Attorney Raj Singh Badhesha will begin as a Fresno County Superior Court judge beginning July 15. 300,000 people represent the Sik…

07/12/2024

Nursing parents have the right to pump breast milk at work, and more employers are being sued over workplace accommodations, Liz Morris of the UC Law SF says. Read more here:

A wave of lawsuits — including against major companies — is coming after the PUMP Act gave employees the right to sue over a lack of workplace accommodations.

07/11/2024

NDAs aren’t just being used in high-level tech and finance jobs, Prof. Jodi Short says. Many companies are requiring laborers, such as janitors and forklift drivers, to sign the restrictive agreements to get hired. Read more on this cultural & legal trend:

Love and other negotiations in the time of the non-disclosure agreement.

07/10/2024

Jurors can hear experts testify about one’s likely mental state in criminal trials, following a key SCOTUS decision influenced by Profs. Emily Murphy and Matt Coles. Their arguments were cited in a concurring opinion by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Arguments by Profs. Emily Murphy, Matt Coles Cited in SCOTUS Case on Expert Testimony July 10, 2024 at UC Law SF Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share through Email Professors Emily Murphy and Matt Coles’ arguments were cited in a concurring Supreme Court opinion that could sh...

07/08/2024

Professors from UC Law SF’s Center for Litigation and Courts advanced access to justice for all U.S. government employees while securing a unanimous SCOTUS win for federal employee Stuart Harrow.

UC Law SF Professors Secure Supreme Court Victory for Federal Employee Rights July 08, 2024 at UC Law SF Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share through Email Professors Scott Dodson and Joshua Davis of the Center for Litigation and Courts successfully represented a client in a pr...

07/06/2024

Our incoming Class of 2027 got a taste of UC Law SF's community building and networking strengths during a brunch event in Venice Beach. Thanks to alumni Natalie Alameddine ’13, Amanda Alameddine ’13, and Barbra Diallo ’06 for a morning of good company and good food!

07/03/2024

Congrats to California’s newest judges: Michael Nieto ‘96, Adrienne Leight Rogers ’03, and Sarah Burdick ’06. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s latest judicial appointments add to UC Law SF’s legacy of strength on the bench.

https://www.uclawsf.edu/2024/07/03/alums-appointed-california-judges/

07/01/2024

Bias is bad for business, but now there are data-driven strategies that companies can use to improve.

UC Law San Francisco's newly established Equality Action Center launches with an evidence-based report, produced in partnership with The Conference Board, that shows how companies across multiple industries can reduce workplace bias and more effectively recruit, retain and advance the most talented employees.
https://www.uclawsf.edu/2024/07/01/eac-bias-interrupters-study

06/26/2024

College campuses in urban areas boost economic growth & quality of life, while helping to address housing challenges, leaders from UC Law SF, UCSF, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), Gensler, and Perkins&Will said at an event organized by SPUR. The UC Law SF Academic Village, where the event was held, is a case in point.

Urban Campuses Boost Economies and Quality of Life, Policy Panel Says June 26, 2024 at UC Law SF Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share through Email Leaders discuss university-city dynamics at UC Law SF’s new 198 McAllister building on June 12 in an event organized by SPUR, fo...

06/25/2024

UC Law SF students performed over 56,000 unpaid hours of legal work in the last year, valued at $5.6 million+. From child welfare to tenants' rights, their efforts are helping bridge the access-to-justice gap. Read more here:

UC Law SF Students Help Close Gap in Access to Justice June 24, 2024 at UC Law SF Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share through Email Flanked by Professors Ascanio Piomelli and Gail Silverstein, 20 graduating students in the social justice lawyering concentration were among thos...

06/21/2024

Catherine Nasi ’24 discovered her passion for tax law in an Airbnb internship. At UC Law SF, she gained knowledge, experience, and connections that helped her land a job at one of the world’s top law firms, Baker McKenzie. Read more here:

UC Law SF Valedictorian Catherine Nasi ’24 to Work at Top Ten Global Law Firm June 20, 2024 at UC Law SF Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share through Email UC Law SF valedictorian Catherine Nasi ’24, who found her calling in tax law during a summer internship at Airbnb, is ...

06/18/2024

The San Francisco Democratic Party mayoral debate moderated by KRON 4 News' Terisa Estacio brought a lively discussion of major issues to the Academic Village. UC Law SF COO Rhiannon Bailard welcomed a full house of 400 attendees to campus, with an overflow crowd in the Specter Courtroom. Watch the full video at: https://www.sfdemocrats.org/debate

06/17/2024

“The ground rules of pregnancy accommodation have recently shifted significantly,” Liz Morris & Cynthia Thomas Calvert of UC Law SF's Center for WorkLife Law write in the Harvard Business Review. Read their insights on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act:

This year in the U.S., the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued final regulations to implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), a new federal law that requires the federal government as well as private, state, and local employers with 15 or more employees to accommodate all...

06/16/2024

A state-of-the-art education on a campus that’s also an art gallery. Hear from the artists and leaders who bring local artwork to the college and enhance the UC Law SF living and learning experience:

UC Law San Francisco 3 celebrated the artists whose work adorns its campus walls. The artworks are part of a rotating exhibit called Ripples, which is overse...

06/14/2024

Daniel Caballero’s law school journey includes working with asylum seekers through Jones Day's Laredo Project, using “the law to uplift and empower others” & now the prestigious Acosta Scholarship. Read how he plans to make a difference:

Helping Asylum Seekers Shaped Acosta Scholar Daniel Caballero’s Path to Law School May 23, 2024 at UC Law SF Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share through Email 2024 Jeanette M. Acosta Scholarship recipient Daniel Caballero ’26 assisted migrants at the southern border for al...

06/12/2024

A big UC Law SF thank you to our Corporate Counsel Externship Program partners during the 2023-24 academic year. Our students gained invaluable experience working with and learning from you. https://www.uclawsf.edu/experiential-learning-opportunities/externships/corporate-counsel-externship-program/

06/11/2024

What happens when public projects require private land? Constitutional law expert and UC Law SF Prof. Radhika Rao discusses properties taken to build the Bay Area’s public transit system in the 1960s.

Building the BART system in the 1960s required thousands of parcels of land. Decades later, memories of the homes and communities that were destroyed remain strong

06/10/2024

Prof. Ascanio Piomelli has earned national recognition with the Ellmann Memorial Clinical Scholarship Award. UC Law SF is 1 of only 2 clinical programs in the nation whose faculty have received the Association of American Law Schools Clinical Education Section’s three major awards.

Ascanio Piomelli Recognized Nationally for Clinical Excellence, Social Change Scholarship May 27, 2024 at UC Law SF Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share through Email Professor Ascanio Piomelli has received the Ellman Memorial Clinical Scholarship Award, recognizing his decades...