King Hall Blog

I joined the University of California law school deans in affirming our support for the important field of Critical Race Theory in the face of attacks from President Trump and the federal government. We released the statement below.

Dear UC law school community and friends,

Even during a global a pandemic, the intellectual life at UC Davis is alive and well. Today, I was able to watch the Chancellor’s Colloquium with Gary Younge who delivered a talk titled, “Going Viral: Race, Racism, and Rebellion in the Midst of a Pandemic.”

The Chancellor’s Colloquium is an annual speaker series that excites the imagination and challenges the way we see the world. From musicians and academics, to actors, authors and more, this diverse group of intellectuals addresses some of society’s most critical issues in thoughtful, yet unconventional ways.

Last week, we held a virtual welcome event for our first-generation students. It was a great group.

I welcomed the students and thanked them for being at UC Davis School of Law. As a first-generation student myself, it was gratifying to speak to them. Professors Jasmine Harris and Robert Miller, along with Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Afra Afsharipour, shared some thoughts on their career progression, first-generation experiences, mentoring, and how to succeed in law school.

This week the King Hall community can join Aoki Center Director Mary Louise Frampton for an overview of the Aoki Center and meet our new Water Justice Clinic Director Robert Mullaney.

(Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Today marks an historic milestone from 57 years ago that should remind us of the power of collective action for change and toward social justice. As we navigate a crossroads in U.S. history together, with all eyes on police violence and systemic racism,  it is important to work toward making a better future.

This week was the oddest first day of school ever at UC Davis School of Law. All classes are virtual and King Hall was pretty quiet.

Our faculty is really stepping up. After a summer of training and preparation, the faculty started teaching today. Zoom worked well and the show went on as expected.

Some students are accessing the building. And some graduates of the Class of 2020 are preparing for the bar exam in the building. Public health precautions are in place and the health of our community is paramount.

I was happy to get an email from our alum Bob Mendez '80 detailing a play, "Zorro Goes to Law School," he and classmates performed for the King Hall Over The Hump Talent Show in 1980. He is on the Class of 1980 reunion committee and he came upon the script and photos while preparing for the virtual event coming up this fall.

Welcome to the Class of 2023, transfer students, international students, and LL.M. students from around the world. Welcome back to the faculty and second- and third-year students.

The global pandemic, tough economy, and demands for racial justice were the topics of a discussion in the new "Power of Dialogue" series organized by Ambassador Liliana Ferrer, Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento.  I was pleased to moderate a discussion on topics of diversity and inclusion among California legislators and others on developing strategies that recognize and empower communities of color.  Sen.

It is back to school time! Last week I was privileged to welcome our LL.M. class through Zoom. This year we have 41 LL.M. students from 12 countries including Afghanistan, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Germany, India, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the USA.

Most of the new LL.M. students are attorneys in their native countries and will be learning about U.S. law in their studies at UC Davis. We long have benefited from our international connections and ties and truly cherish the knowledge and perspectives brought by our international friends.

The summer is always a wonderful time to hear from faculty colleagues about their latest research. Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Afra Afsharipour has organized an outstanding series of lunch discussions about scholarship in progress by the UC Davis School of Law faculty.

This week, the entire law faculty had a training organized by the Teaching and Advisory Committee chaired by Senior Associate Dean Afra Afsharipour. Associate Dean for International Programs Beth Greenwood, Professor Robert Miller, and Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Emily Scivoletto led a discussion of “Assessments in the Zoom Age.” 

The training included small group breakout sessions so faculty could discuss the topic. Faculty were fully engaged in thinking about this all-important topic as they ready themselves for teaching in the next school year.

Over the summer of 2020, as we grapple with a pandemic, I have had the pleasure of holding a series of town hall meetings with alumni.  It always is great meeting with the King Hall faithful – even if it is through Zoom!

I was able to update the alums on a variety of matters:

We will be enrolling a superstar Class of 2023.  The class should be about 190-95 students, which is precisely what we had planned for.

King Hall Community,

After much discussion with campus leadership, the School of Law was informed today that, consistent with protecting the health and safety of our community during the global pandemic, law classes will begin the Fall 2020 semester in a completely (100%) remote format.