Meera E. Deo

Meera E. Deo is a Professor at Southwestern Law School and a national expert on legal education, racial representation, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). She previously held tenured and visiting positions at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, Berkeley Law, UCLA School of Law, UC Davis School of Law, and New College of Florida. With a Ph.D. in Sociology from UCLA and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, her research combines empirical methods with Critical Race Theory (CRT) to examine institutional diversity, affirmative action, and raceXgender bias in legal academia.

• Education: B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies (High Honors) from UC Berkeley, J.D. from University of Michigan Law School, Ph.D. in Sociology from UCLA
• Key Roles: Director of LSSSE, William H. Neukom Research Chair, AALS Section Chair

Her acclaimed book Unequal Profession: Race and Gender in Legal Academia (Stanford University Press, 2019) presents the first national empirical study of law faculty using an intersectional framework, exposing ongoing raceXgender inequities and proposing structural solutions. She leads the Pandemic Effects on Legal Academia study, analyzing how global crises impact scholarly productivity, particularly for caregivers and women of color. Her work has been cited in U.S. Supreme Court amicus briefs and supported by NSF, Paul & Daisy Soros, and AccessLex Institute.

Research Trends span legal education reform, race-conscious admissions policies, and social capital dynamics in law student organizations. Articles like Progress and Backlash in our Unequal Profession (2021) and After Affirmative Action (2023) reflect her focus on empirical analysis of equity challenges.

• Scientific Awards:
  • CAPALF Eric K. Yamamoto Emerging Scholar Award (2018)
  • William H. Neukom Research Chair in Diversity and Law (2020-2021)
  • Member, American Law Institute

Deo's advising and grants include collaborations with ACLU of Southern California, LSAC, and leadership of the LSSSE program. She actively contributes to public discourse through media appearances on platforms like TaxProf Blog and podcast interviews discussing race, gender, and legal education.