Kevin R. Johnson

Kevin R. Johnson serves as Dean and Mabie-Apallas Professor of Public Interest Law at the UC Davis School of Law, concurrently holding a Professorship in Chicana/o Studies. He joined UC Davis Law in 1989, becoming Associate Dean in 1998 and Dean in 2008. His academic career is distinguished by teaching in immigration law, civil procedure, and Critical Race Theory, earning a Distinguished Teaching Award in 1993.

Johnson’s research focuses on immigration law, civil rights, and border policy, with notable publications including How Did You Get to Be Mexican? (1999) and Immigration Law and the US-Mexico Border (2011). He blogs at ImmigrationProf and regularly contributes to national media discussions on immigration issues.

Education: A.B. in Economics (UC Berkeley, Phi Beta Kappa), J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School (Harvard Law Review editor). Professional service includes board roles with Legal Services of Northern California and MALDEF, leadership in the AALS, and American Law Institute membership.

Johnson has received over 20 major awards, including the Hispanic National Bar Association Professor of the Year (2006) and National Association of Chicana and Chicano Studies Scholar of the Year (2008). His work bridges legal scholarship with social justice advocacy, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to systemic inequality.