This annual award serves to honor the legacy of Michael A. Olivas, who died in April 2022 after an illustrious career in law, most recently serving as William B. Bates Distinguished Chair in Law Emeritus at the University of Houston Law Center and the Director of the University of Houston’s Institute for Higher Education Law & Governance. In 2018, Olivas was awarded the AALS Triennial Award for Lifetime Service to Legal Education and the Law, the association’s highest honor.
The Michael A. Olivas Award for Outstanding Leadership in Diversity and Mentoring in the Legal Academy was established in 2023 and presented by the AALS Sections on Civil Rights, Education Law, Immigration Law, Minority Groups, and Student Services to recognize individuals who exemplify Olivas’s devotion to mentoring junior and aspiring faculty from underrepresented communities and promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity in the legal academy.
Recipients
2026
The 2026 Michael A. Olivas Award has been jointly awarded to Kathleen C. Kim of LMU Loyola Law School, Los Angeles and Rachel F. Moran of Texas A&M University School of Law.
Olivas Award Winner
Kathleen C. Kim is a Professor of Law and William M. Rains Fellow at LMU Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. Her scholarship examines the Thirteenth Amendment and its relationship to immigration, workplace rights, and civil rights through the intersectional lens of race, gender, and class. She has been interviewed by numerous notable print media, radio, and television outlets on issues related to immigration and human trafficking. Currently, Professor Kim serves as the Chair of the AALS Section on Immigration Law’s Executive Committee.
“I am deeply humbled to receive the Michael A. Olivas Award,” said Professor Kim. “Professor Olivas showed us how transformative legal education can be when we invest in one another and stand firmly for justice. This award strengthens my resolve to continue fostering pathways for scholars and communities historically excluded from our profession.”
Olivas Award Winner
Rachel F. Moran is a Professor of Law and Director of the Education Law Program at Texas A&M University School of Law. Her expertise encompasses educational policymaking, Torts, Latino-related law and policy, race and the law, legal education, and the legal profession. She has published over 100 articles, book chapters, and short commentaries. Professor Moran is an elected member of the American Law Institute, a former president of the American Association of Law Schools, a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and a fellow with the UCLA Civil Rights Project.
“Michael A. Olivas was a staunch defender of academic freedom, a commitment that he coupled with an outstanding dedication to performing his academic duties,” said Professor Moran. “Through his vision and leadership, Michael showed how impactful faculty can be in addressing some of the greatest challenges our democracy faces. I often wonder how Michael might have responded to recent developments that are testing many of the principles he stood for. So, it’s a special honor to receive this award now—when his legacy matters more than ever.”
The selection committee for the award included Angela E. Addae (University of Oregon School of Law), Karen Halverson Cross (University of Illinois Chicago School of Law), and Bayrex Martí (University of California, Los Angeles School of Law). The award was presented at the AALS Annual Meeting in New Orleans on January 9, 2026.
Past
2025
Guy-Uriel Charles
Harvard Law School
Guy-Uriel Charles, Faculty Director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race & Justice and Charles Ogletree, Jr. Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, is the recipient of the Michael A. Olivas Award for Outstanding Leadership in Diversity and Mentoring in the Legal Academy, a joint recognition by four sections of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).
“I am thrilled to receive the Olivas Award,” Charles said. “It is both a privilege and responsibility to be associated with this brilliant scholar who has done so much for the legal academy and particularly for legal academics of color. I endeavor to do my best as one of the keepers of the flame.”
Professor Charles is the inaugural Charles Ogletree, Jr. Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race & Justice. His scholarship focuses on how law mediates political power and how law addresses racial subordination. He has articles that have appeared in New York Times, Washington Post, L.A. Time, Time, The Atlantic, and Slate. He has delivered distinguished lectures at University of California, Davis School of Law, University of Richmond School of Law, University of Oregon School of Law, and William and Mary Law School. Currently, he serves on the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States appointed by President Biden.
“Professor Charles’s contributions to mentoring underrepresented scholars in the legal academy are unparalleled,” said Etienne C. Toussaint, chair of the award selection committee and Associate Professor at the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law. “He has created transformative opportunities for aspiring and junior legal academics, equipping participants with critical skills while fostering a lasting community of support among diverse scholars. His tireless dedication exemplifies the values celebrated by the Michael A. Olivas Award. Professor Charles’s leadership has advanced diversity and inclusion but also reshaped the future of legal education by ensuring that the next generation of scholars receives the mentorship and support they need to thrive.”
In addition to Professor Toussaint, the selection committee for the award included Ben Trachtenberg (University of Missouri School of Law), Jason Gillmer (Gonzaga University School of Law), and Elizabeth T. Bangs (The University of Texas School of Law). The award was presented in person at an awards ceremony as part of AALS Annual Meeting in San Franciso on January 9, 2024.
2024
Angela Onwuachi-Willig
Boston University School of Law
Dean Onwuachi-Willig has led Boston University School of Law since 2018. She is a prominent legal scholar and expert in critical race theory, employment discrimination, and family law. Her articles have appeared in leading law journals such as the Yale Law Journal, Harvard Law Review, Virginia Law Review, Georgetown Law Journal, Vanderbilt Law Review, and more. Onwuachi-Willig was a co-recipient of the AALS Impact Award in 2020 and the Society of American Law Teachers (SALT) M. Shanara Gilbert Human Rights Award in 2022 for her work on the AALS Law Deans Antiracist Clearinghouse Project
Michael Pinard
University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
Professor Pinard has taught at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law since 2002. His scholarship is focused broadly on race and the criminal legal system, including criminalization; policing; incarceration; criminal records; and the interconnected harms of the criminal and civil legal systems. Pinard is well known for his work to improve the criminal justice system nationally and locally. In 2011, Pinard was honored as a Champion of Change by the White House for his work on behalf of individuals with criminal records. Currently, he serves as a commissioner with the Maryland Access to Justice Commission and a member of the Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative..
2023
Kevin R. Johnson
University of California, Davis School of Law
Dean Johnson has led UC Davis School of Law since 2008. During his time as dean, the school has drawn national accolades for its majority-minority faculty and overall emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion. In 2020, Johnson introduced a Racial Justice Speaker Series that draws leading scholars from throughout the country.