Lawyers cannot fully understand the American legal landscape without studying the impact of race. UVA Law School founded the Center for the Study of Race and Law in 2003 to provide opportunities for students, scholars, practitioners and community members to examine and exchange ideas related to race and law through lectures, symposia and scholarship. The center also coordinates with the Law School to offer a concentration of courses on race and law, and serves as a resource for faculty whose teaching or scholarship addresses subjects related to race.
UVA Law lecturer Tiffany Graves ’06 of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, Theodore Howard of Wiley Rein, Paul S. Lee of Steptoe & Johnson and Kathleen Wach of Miller & Chevalier Chartered share their experiences of advancing racial justice in their pro bono practice. Professor Kimberly Jenkins Robinson moderates the event, which was sponsored by the Center for the Study of Race and Law.
The role of implicit racial biases in police interactions with people of color has garnered increased public attention and scholarly examination over...
This essay examines the relationship between experiences of racial discrimination and pain, assessing how social, legal, and regulatory responses to...
Courts routinely use low cash bail as a financial incentive to ensure that released defendants appear in court and abstain from crime. This can create...
The lawyer-client relationship is pivotal in providing access to courts. This paper presents results from a large-scale field experiment exploring how...
The role of implicit racial biases in police interactions with people of color has garnered increased public attention and scholarly examination over...
This essay examines the relationship between experiences of racial discrimination and pain, assessing how social, legal, and regulatory responses to...
Courts routinely use low cash bail as a financial incentive to ensure that released defendants appear in court and abstain from crime. This can create...
The lawyer-client relationship is pivotal in providing access to courts. This paper presents results from a large-scale field experiment exploring how...
Many jurisdictions determine real property taxes based on a combination of current market values and the recent history of market values, introducing...
Recent scholarship has underlined the importance of criminal misdemeanor law enforcement, including the impact of public-order policing on communities...
On August 11 and 12, 2017, Charlottesville, Virginia — the home of the University of Virginia and this law journal — played unwitting host to two days...
In my response to reviews by Christopher Agee, Christopher Schmidt, Karen Tani, and Laura Weinrib, I explain some of the challenges of writing Vagrant...
This chapter resurrects, conceptualizes and defends an old account of why disparate impact discrimination sometimes wrongs its victims. In Local 189...
The Supreme Court’s initial decision in Fisher v. University of Texas, cast great doubt upon affirmative action in higher education. Fisher I required...
Due to concerns about the willingness and ability of people to report their attitudes accurately in response to direct inquiries, psychologists have...
It is not always easy to identify a new field or a new paradigm for an old field. It can creep up on you - a book here or an article there. But there...
This article reports a meta-analysis of studies examining the predictive validity of the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and explicit measures of bias...
Virginia offers courses in civil rights and anti-discrimination law, but equally important is a wide array of courses in constitutional law and history. These offerings reflect the ways in which the struggle for civil rights shaped — and continues to shape — our country and institutions.
Each year the Center for the Study of Race and Law brings a visiting professor to teach a short course. Past visitors include:
Ralph Richard Banks, Stanford Law School
Michael J. Klarman, Harvard Law School
Mari Matsuda, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law
Juan F. Perea, Loyola University of Chicago Law School
Camille Gear Rich, USC Gould School of Law
Courses and Seminars
Numbers in parentheses indicate the academic year(s) courses were offered: 2023-24 is coded (24), 2024-25 is coded (25) and 2025-26 is coded (26).
Asian Americans and the Law (24,25,26) Civil Rights and Antidiscrimination Law (25) Civil Rights Litigation (24,25,26) Civil War and the Constitution (24) Constitutional Law II: Poverty (26) Criminal Adjudication (24,25,26) Criminal Investigation (24,25,26) Criminal Procedure Survey (24,25,26) Critical Race Theory (SC) (24) Critical Race Theory and Criminal Justice (25) Designing Democracy: Representation (24) Employment Discrimination (24,25) Housing Law and Poverty Seminar (24,25,26) Immigration Law and Policy (24,25,26) International Human Rights Law (24,25,26) Land Use Law (25) Law and Inequality Colloquium (24,25) Law and Inequality Writing Seminar (24) Law and the Social Determinants of Health (24) Law of the Police I: Rules, Rights and Regulation (25) Law, Inequality and Education Reform (25,26) Monument Litigation (SC) (25) Native American Law (24) Poverty Law and the Lawyer’s Role (24) Race and Criminal Justice (24) Race and Slavery on UVA’s North Grounds (24,25,26) Race, Class and Democratic Legitimacy (SC) (24) Race, Meritocracy and Justice on Campus (SC) (25) Racial Justice and Law (24,25,26) Reparations: Identity, Law and Politics (25) Reproductive Rights and Justice (SC) (25) School Desegregation, School Integration (24) The Constitution, Democracy and U.S. History (25)
In a new book, Professor George Rutherglen of the University of Virginia School of Law looks at three of the most high-profile recent Supreme Court decisions — on abortion, affirmative action and religious accommodations — and attempts to predict how they might play out in future employment litigation.
Chief Judge Roger L. Gregory of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit discusses the importance of diversity and accountability in the legal profession, then joins a conversation with Mark C. Jefferson, UVA Law’s assistant dean for diversity, equity and belonging. The event was part of the Breaking Grounds Speaker Series, sponsored by the Black Law Students Association as part of Black History Month.
The Diversity, Equity and Belonging website collects and shares resources and information for community members, and presents a history of diversity at the Law School.
University Research Centers
In addition to the Center for the Study of Race and Law, the University offers numerous other research centers, departments and programs that address racial and cultural diversity.
John Charles Thomas ’75 (Col ’72), the first Black justice on the Supreme Court of Virginia, discusses the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and how his struggles reverberate today. Dean Risa Goluboff interviewed Thomas and presented the Gregory H. Swanson Award to Yewande Ford ’23. Professor Kim Forde-Mazrui introduced Thomas. The event was part of the University’s 2023 Community MLK Commemoration.
The Education Rights Institute at the University of Virginia School of Law has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, support that will help the institute expand its work to ensure all students have access to a high-quality education.
Four professors and one student presented at the 19th annual Conference on Empirical Legal Studies, among other achievements and recognition for members of the University of Virginia School of Law community.
One year later, the Education Rights Institute at the University of Virginia School of Law is in full swing, with reports out on harassment in schools and the need to close funding gaps.
The University of Virginia School of Law’s Program in Law, Communities and the Environment supported a documentary chronicling an endangered historic Black schoolhouse’s fight for preservation, which has been selected for the 37th annual Virginia Film Festival.
Jessica Lake, a senior lecturer at Melbourne Law School in Australia, discussed her latest book, “Special Damage: The Slander of Women and the Gendered History of Defamation Law.” Professor Danielle Citron, co-director of the LawTech Center, introduced Lake at the event.
Trial attorneys and experts examine how race affects civil jury trials, from jurors to the attorneys to judges, as well as how race influences mediations and negotiations. The discussion, sponsored by the Center for the Study of Race and Law, is...
Chief Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn ’86 of the Supreme Court of Virginia speaks on the enduring legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement as part of UVA’s Community MLK Celebration. At the event, Dean Leslie Kendrick '06 presented the Gregory H. Swanson Award to Laura-Louise Rice ’25 and Shelby Singleton ’25. Professor Kimberly Jenkins Robinson introduced Goodwyn and Kendrick.
During his Constitutional Law course, UVA Law professor Bertrall Ross discusses the history of the 13th and 14th Amendments, the Dred Scott case and the Slaughter-House cases.
Experts increasingly use the language of medicine and disability to address social issues like poverty and racial discrimination. Professors Craig Konnoth of UVA Law and Karen M. Tani of Penn Law discuss how we got here.
First-year University of Virginia law students Joshua McKinney and Catherine Hu have been elected to leadership roles for the National Black Law Students Association and the National Asian Pacific American Law Student Association.
A panel of experts explores the relationship between incarceration and race. The panelists are Jeffrey Abramowitz, CEO of the Petey Greene Program; Yusuf Dahl, CEO of The Century Promise; author Barbara Bradley Hagerty; and Marc Howard, a Georgetown University professor. UVA Law professor Kimberly Jenkins Robinson, director of the Center for the Study of Race and Law, introduced the event, and Professor Gerard Robinson moderated the panel. The event was sponsored by the Center for the Study of Race and Law.
Law and policy regarding voting rights and race is rapidly changing with recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions and executive actions. This event brings together leading national and local voting rights experts who are navigating this changing landscape. Learn about how American democracy is engaging with issues of race and national origin for the 2026 election. George Washington University professor Spencer Overton will deliver the keynote at noon. Food will be provided at 11:45 a.m.
A panel of experts will explore how issues of race and immigration are intertwined in immigration law and enforcement. The panel will examine such issues as the historical relationship between race and laws governing entrance into the United States, how immigration law and policy relates to who may stay within U.S. borders and who may not, and how race influences immigration enforcement efforts, including the Supreme Court’s fall 2025 preliminary ruling permitting immigration agents to stop individuals based in part on their race, ethnicity, location or language. Boxed lunches will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis at 11:15 a.m.
The Federalist Society welcomes Eddie Greim, partner at Graves Garrett Greim, for a discussion of his experience arguing before the Supreme Court in Louisiana v. Callais. The case presents major questions about the scope and application of the Voting Rights Act and the role of federal courts in redistricting disputes. Greim will offer an insider’s perspective on Supreme Court advocacy, litigation strategy and what this case reveals about the future of voting rights law. Food will be provided.
This event is sponsored by a student organization.
The Federalist Society welcomes Cam Norris, the advocate for petitioners in SFFA v. Harvard, to give a behind-the-scenes look at the case that ended the use of race-based affirmative action in college admissions. Learn how a top Supreme Court practitioner approaches a case — from writing briefs to preparing for oral arguments. A Q&A will follow the talk, and lunch will be provided.
This event is sponsored by a student organization.
Former UVA Rector George Keith Martin (College ’75) will speak as part of UVA’s Community MLK Celebration. At the event, Dean Leslie Kendrick ’06 will present the Gregory H. Swanson Award to Amelia Isaacs ’26. The award, named in honor of the first Black student at UVA and at the Law School, recognizes students who demonstrate courage, perseverance and a commitment to justice within the community. Professor Kimberly Jenkins Robinson, director of the Center for the Study of Race and Law, will serve as moderator at the event. A reception will follow.
A Law School lecturer, Martin is a real estate lawyer and teaches a real estate finance course focused on public-private partnerships. He serves as counsel at McGuireWoods and was previously managing partner of the firm’s largest office. Martin was appointed to the UVA Board of Visitors in 2011 and was elected vice rector a year later. In 2013, he became the first African American to serve as rector.
The event is open to the public, and parking is available in the Law School’s visitors lot on Nash Drive. Visitors can register for parking in the Law School’s Admissions Office.
Panelists will examine a central pillar of Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision on educatio: what it means to ascend to the “mountaintop” of opportunity, equity and collective uplift. Drawing on King’s final sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he spoke of having “been to the mountaintop,” the program reflects on the vantage point of K-12 and higher education — its promise, its shortcomings and the transformative possibilities it holds for individuals, communities and democracy.
Panelists, including UVA Law professor Kimberly Jenkins Robinson, will discuss and reflect on King’s call to think ambitiously about character, opportunity and the role of public institutions in the United States. Professor Gerard Robinson will moderate the event.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025, 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
This panel will explore how a gubernatorial transition works and explore the issues that the new Virginia governor will confront related to race, including immigration, education and criminal justice. Speakers will include Professors Kim Forde-Mazrui and Jennifer Givens of UVA Law, Professor Andrew Pennock of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, and Law School lecturer Elizabeth Schmelzel. Professor Kimberly Jenkins Robinson, director of the Center for the Study of Race and Law, will moderate. Lunch will be available on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 11:30 a.m.
The Education Rights Institute is hosting a webinar designed support educators in understanding their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The webinar will focus on how teachers can implement Title VI’s protections from race, color and national origin discrimination in the classroom.
To mark the 75th anniversary of Gregory Hayes Swanson’s matriculation at the University of Virginia School of Law, the UVA Law Library and the Black Law Students Association are hosting a guided two-mile tour that follows Swanson’s daily walk to school. Swanson, the first Black student to attend UVA and UVA Law, was a 26-year-old practicing lawyer when he filed a federal lawsuit to gain admission to pursue a master’s in law. After he won his lawsuit, he was admitted in 1950, setting a precedent for racial integration at the University.
The tour will trace Swanson’s path from the former Carver Inn on Preston Avenue to Clark Hall at the University of Virginia, with intermediate stops at places of importance to Swanson’s life and experience in Charlottesville. Participants should meet tour guides outside of the Jefferson School City Center. Parking is available on the lower level of the Jefferson School parking garage. A UVA bus will take any participants in need of assistance on a guided bus tour that follows the walking tour route. The bus will pick up passengers at 10 a.m. at the Jefferson School. Refreshments will follow the conclusion of the tour at Clark Hall. Buses will shuttle tour participants from Clark Hall back to the Jefferson School parking garage.
Trial attorneys and experts will discuss their experiences and research on how race influences large jury verdicts in civil cases.
Panelists include Leslie Ellis of The Caissa Group, and James Carter and Karen Evans of The Cochran Firm. Professor Kimberly Jenkins Robinson will introduce the speakers and moderate the panel. Lunch will be served on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 12:45 p.m.
Chief Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn ’86 of the Supreme Court of Virginia will speak as part of UVA’s Community MLK Celebration. A Q&A and reception will follow. At the event, Dean Leslie Kendrick ’06 will present the Gregory H. Swanson Award to third-year law students Laura-Louise Rice and Shelby Singleton. The award, named in honor of the first Black student at UVA and at the Law School, recognizes students who demonstrate courage, perseverance and a commitment to justice within the community. A reception will follow.
Gov. Tim Kaine appointed Goodwyn to the Supreme Court in 2007 to fill a vacancy. He was elected to a 12-year term the next year by the General Assembly, which re-elected him in 2020. Goodwyn’s colleagues chose him to succeed Donald W. Lemons ’76 as chief justice beginning in 2022. He is the second Black chief justice in Virginia’s history.
The event is open to the public, and parking is available in the Law School’s visitors lot on Nash Drive. Parking passes may be obtained from the Law School’s Admissions Office.
Jessica Lake, a senior lecturer at Melbourne Law School in Australia, discussed her latest book, “Special Damage: The Slander of Women and the Gendered History of Defamation Law.” Professor Danielle Citron, co-director of the LawTech Center, introduced Lake at the event.
