Upcoming Events
Racial Justice Speaker Series
The Honor of Defending
Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026 | 12 – 1 p.m. | King Hall, Room 1301 | MCLE Credits Available | No Registration Fee | Streaming Link
Public defenders perform one of the legal profession’s most important constitutional functions, yet they lack the elite recruitment infrastructures that exist in other forms of public service law. Why is that and should that be changed? This talk will include a discussion about Professor Irene Oritseweyinmi Joe’s current research on these questions and exploration of the impact the creation of such programs could have on the stability of the public defender institution.
Lunch provided.
Critical Perspectives on 1L Courses
Professor Leticia Saucedo, Torts
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026 | 12 – 1 p.m. | King Hall, Room 1002 | Streaming Link
Lunch provided.
Film Screening and Fireside Chat
A Job in the Shade: The Emily Vasquez Story
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026 | 12 – 2 p.m. | King Hall | In Person Only
Directed by filmmaker Douglas Harris Jr., this inspiring documentary chronicles the extraordinary life of Judge Emily Vasquez, the first Latina appointed to the Sacramento County Superior Court, in 2001. Film screening will be followed by a fireside chat between Judge Vasquez and Professor Amagda Pérez, Co-Director of the Immigration Law Clinic and attorney with the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation.
Through intimate interviews with family members, friends, colleagues, and mentees, A Job in the Shade explores Judge Vasquez’s remarkable journey from the agricultural fields of California to the courtroom. The film highlights a lifetime of service, leadership, and mentorship while demonstrating how education can change lives and expand opportunities for future generations.
From her childhood in California’s Central Valley, working alongside her poor, immigrant farmworker parents, to her groundbreaking legal career, Judge Vasquez’s story is one of resilience, determination, and the transformative power of education.
Lunch provided.
Critical Perspectives on 1L Courses
Professor John Hunt, Contracts
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026 | 12 – 1 p.m. | King Hall, Room 1002 | Streaming Link
Lunch provided.
Critical Perspectives on 1L Courses
Professor Stacy-Ann Elvy, Civil Procedure
Thursday, Nov. 19, 2026 | 12 – 1 p.m. | King Hall, Room 1002 | Streaming Link
Lunch provided.
“Critical Perspectives on 1L Courses” talks seek to expose first-year students to critical perspectives that often do not make it onto the syllabus of regular first-year classes while connecting King Hall students more closely with their faculty. Learn more here.