UC Davis Law Hosts Groundbreaking Workshop for AAPI, MENA Women in Legal Academy

Leading scholars from across the nation converged on UC Davis School of Law for the second annual Workshop for Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) and Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Women in the Legal Academy, held Friday, Sept. 16 and Saturday, Sept. 17.

Aimed at supporting and mentoring women who are aspiring to enter or are in the legal academy, the workshop drew around 70 participants (in-person and virtual) over two days. The event included space for workshopping incubators and works in progress, exploring shared identities and histories, discussing professional development and wellness, and building community.

Special thanks to UC Davis Law Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Afra Afsharipour and Professor Lisa Ikemoto for serving on the event’s planning committee. Afsharipour co-chaired the committee (with Professor Suzanne Kim of Rutgers Law School) and offered introductory remarks Friday morning. Dean Kevin R. Johnson welcomed participants Saturday.

Ikemoto spoke during a dedication to and honoring of University of Pittsburgh School of Law Professor Pat Chew. Afsharipour and UC Davis Law Professors Karima Bennoune, Elizabeth Joh and Amelia Miazad participated in panel discussions.

Workshop co-sponsors include the Law School Admissions Council; Texas A&M University School of Law; UC Davis Law’s Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, Filipinx Law Students Association, and Middle Eastern North African South Asian Law Students Association; Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area; Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley, Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Asian American Bar Association of New York and National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.