Erik Girvan

Erik Girvan is the Bernard B. Kliks Professor of Law, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and Executive Director of Law and Conflict Studies at the University of Oregon School of Law. He holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a Ph.D. in Social and Political Psychology from the University of Minnesota.

His research focuses on intergroup conflict, bias in legal systems and school discipline, and developing interventions to reduce disparities. Girvan collaborates with legal and educational professionals to create practical solutions for addressing systemic biases. In administrative roles, he oversees curriculum development, academic policies, and instruction across the School of Law's JD, LLM, Legal Studies, and CRES programs.

Key research interests include the psychological underpinnings of discrimination, restorative justice in schools, and equity-focused educational interventions. Recent work emphasizes reducing racial inequities in school discipline through randomized controlled trials and policy reforms. His studies also explore implicit biases in sentencing and the impact of perception on legal outcomes.

Girvan teaches courses on civil litigation, psychology of conflict, and discrimination law. His work integrates social science methodologies to address real-world legal challenges, such as the school-to-prison pipeline and racial disparities in disciplinary practices.

As Executive Director of Law and Conflict Studies, he leads initiatives to advance constructive conflict resolution strategies. He actively publishes on topics like bias mitigation, restorative practices, and the intersection of law and social psychology.