Thomas W. Joo

Thomas W. Joo is the Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law at the University of California, Davis School of Law. His expertise spans corporate governance, antitrust law, contract law, white collar crime, and critical race theory. He previously clerked for Hon. Wilfred Feinberg at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and practiced at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton in New York. Joo is a member of the American Law Institute and former chair of the Contracts Section of the Association of American Law Schools.

Education:

• B.A. in East Asian Studies from Harvard College (1989)
• J.D. from Harvard Law School (1993)

Research interests focus on the intersection of legal theory and practice, particularly how contractual frameworks intersect with corporate governance and systemic inequities. Notable projects include critiques of police surveillance monopolies, analyses of corporate speech rights, and historical explorations of urban renewal's impact on marginalized communities.

Professional service includes roles on the Legal Advisory Committee for Free Speech for People and contributions to key legal organizations. Scholarly works emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, blending doctrinal analysis with critical race theory to challenge conventional legal narratives. His recent publications address modern crises such as the Paycheck Protection Program’s shortcomings and post-financial-crisis regulatory reforms.