Reunion 2022: Celebrating our Alumni Community!
UCI Law alumni from the classes of 2012 and 2017 returned to campus and reunited for a range of exciting in-person events over the weekend. The weekend featured conversation over coffee and CLE, a picnic with family and faculty, a dinner celebration and a baseball game at Angel Stadium. We're so proud to celebrate these milestones, and the many accomplishments our alumni have made since graduation!
UCI Law Monthly brings the latest news and events at 
UCI Law directly to your inbox every month. Our mission is to ensure the
UCI Law community stays informed, inspired and engaged.

Rap on Trial Legal Guide proves a valuable resource to educate about the use of rap lyrics in criminal prosecutions. The Guide is co-authored by UCI Law Professor Jack Lerner, Director of the Intellectual Property, Arts, and Technology Clinic, Professor Charis Kubrin of Criminology, Law & Society, and IPAT students.


Students from the Civil Rights Litigation Clinic assisted Director Paul Hoffman in preparation for the oral argument in a case against Chiquita Brands International, Inc. The lawsuit argued that Chiquita Brands International, Inc. had committed crimes against humanity and war crimes in Colombia.


Hashmat Nadirpor — lawyer and rule of law expert from Afghanistan — will lead the project under the direction of UCI Law Professor David Kaye.


The grant was awarded by the Legal Clinic Fund for Local News — a collaborative fund housed at The Miami Foundation — to support law school clinics across the country that provide free legal services to independent and local journalists.



UCI Law faculty are some of the nation’s top scholars and educators. They are active leaders in a vast array of fields and lead the conversation on some of the most important and difficult legal issues confronting the world.
Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month!
Q&A with Brenda Rosas
UCI Law '24
Co-Chair of the The Latinx Law Students Association
Q: Why did you choose UCI Law?
I am from Anaheim and Santa Ana, CA, which are predominantly Latinx and immigrant communities. Growing up, I quickly recognized the lack of access to legal resources and higher education in my community. I chose UCI Law because of its public interest focus and pro bono program that has allowed me to directly give back to my community and continue building pipeline programs. My favorite pro bono project and one of the many reasons I love UCI Law is the Saturday Academy of Law (SAL) which brings ninth-grade students from Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Garden Grove onto UCI Law's campus to introduce them to higher education and careers in law. 

Q: What's your favorite part about/class at UCI Law? 
My favorite class is Law and Social Movements with Professor Ashar because we cover the movements that motivated me to come to law school like the Chicanx Civil Rights Movement, Immigrant Rights Movement, and Black Lives Matter Movement. With Professor Ashar's support, I am excited to focus my upper-level writing project on the long term effects and implications of the 1968 East L.A. Walkouts and what it means to be a Chicanx lawyer.  

Q: How has your experience been navigating higher education/law school as a Latina and first generation student?
I have never felt alone navigating law school as a Chicana and first generation student because of student organizations like the Latinx Law Student Association (LLSA) and First Generation Professionals Program (FGP) at UCI Law. LLSA and FGP created a safe space for me where I feel comfortable to ask other student members and supporting faculty/staff for help. 
Prof. Swethaa Ballakrishnen's book Accidental Feminism was listed as one of top 10 most important books from 2021 about today's India by the New India Foundation. READ

Prof. Michele Goodwin speaks with Alicia Menendez on MSNBC American Voices about the end of Roe. WATCH

Prof. Dalié Jiménez was quoted in Axios on legal challenges to President Biden's student loan forgiveness. READ

Prof. Christopher Leslie discussed ramifications in the New York Times article, "California Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Amazon." READ

Prof. Jack Lerner discusses the future of Restoring Artistic Protection Act legislation with Authors Alliances. READ

Prof. Carrie Menkel-Meadow discusses negotiation on Oxford University Press', "The Very Short Introductions Podcast." LISTEN

Prof. Bob Solomon commented for the Los Angeles Times article, "Inside California's Pot Legalization failures: Corporate influence, ignored warnings." READ
UCI Law was listed on SCOTUSblog as one of the Supreme Court Previews for the 2022-23 term. READ

UCI Law's Startup and Small Business Clinic launched a partnership with the UCI ANTrepreneur Center for student entrepreneurs to receive free legal support. READ

UCI Law's Environmental Law Clinic was highlighted in National Parks Conservation Association on Native American Land Conservancy lawsuit. READ

UCI Law's Afghanistan Human Rights Project was highlighted by the National Jurist. READ

UCI Law's Press Freedom Project was profiled by Law.com. READ

UCI ranked as a top 10 public university by U.S. News for eighth year in a row. READ
Jennifer Chin '13, partner at Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel, was selected for Pacific Business News’ 40 Under 40: 2022 list.

Jenny Hua '13, associate at Snell and Wilmer, was featured as a cover story author in the October issue of Orange County Lawyer.

Jigar Vakil '13, was promoted to Senior Corporate Counsel at Amazon.

Cinthia Flores '14, board member of California Agricultural Labor Relations Board, will be installed as President of the Latina Lawyers Bar Association later this month.

Kelly Galligan '15, corporate and M&A attorney at Rutan & Tucker, LLP, was listed by Best Lawyers as "Ones to Watch 2023 Edition," corporate department.

Emily Cross '16, joined Kampgrounds of America, Inc. as General Counsel.

Sam Hyams-Milard '17, joined Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP as associate.

Alexis Mondares '20, joined UCI Law in the role of experiential learning coordinator, supporting both the externship and pro bono programs.

Saikrishna Upadhyayula '20, associate at Wilson Sonsini, received the John Wilson Award for legal services and contributions for pro bono initiatives at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.
October 7-14 » PrisonPandemic | Exhibit: Locked Up and Locked Down
  • Listen to stories from people incarcerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Details)

October 14 » Initiative to End Family Violence
  • Professor Tamara Kuennen in the Civil Litigation Clinic at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, speaks about "Reclaiming Structural Causes of Battering in the Power and Control Wheel." (Details) 

October 19 » Reimagining the Latinx Experience in America
  • Professors Michelle Holder and Alan Aja discuss their book, Afro-Latinos in the US Economy with Dr. Danielle Clealand as commentator. (Details)

October 21 » Socio-Legal Studies Book Talk
  • Paul Kaplan, Professor of Criminal Justice at SDSU School of Public Affairs, will present Crimesploitation: Crime, Punishment, and Pleasure on Reality Television. (Details)

October 24 » Current Issues in Tax Law and Policy Colloquium
  • Leandra Lederman, Professor of Tax Law and Director of the Tax Program at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, discusses article "How Did Luxembourg Become a Tax Rulings Haven?" (Details)

October 24 » Initiative to End Family Violence
  • Amber Joy Powell, first-year Assistant Professor of Sociology & Criminology at the University of Iowa, discusses "How Minneapolis Women Confront Interpersonal Violence, Neighborhood Crime, & State Criminalization in the Age of Policing Reform." (Details)

October 26 » A Conversation with Legal Anteater In-House Counsel
  • The Business Law Society is co-hosting a reception, panel and Q&A session with the law firm McDermott Will & Emery. (Details)

October 27 » Guest Speaker Series
  • UCI Law welcomes George Fatheree III, Partner at Sidley Austin LLP (Details)

October 28 » Socio-Legal Studies Workshop
  • Amanda Geller, Assistant Professor of Criminology, Law, and Society at UCI School of Social Ecology, will present, "Media Coverage of Police Violence and its Effects on Health Inequality." (Details)
Explore the world of UCI Law and see our vibrant community in action in the latest edition of our annual viewbook.
Navigating Law School Admissions podcast: Listen to UCI Law's Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student Financial Services Cristina Gapasin Tortal speak about the law school admissions process with Miriam Ingber, Associate Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid at Yale Law School and Kristi Jobson, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Chief Admissions Officer at Harvard Law School.
Connect with us!