Students and faculty engage in conversation at the Beus Center for Law and Society in Downtown Phoenix

Civil Rights, Migration and Workplace Law Initiative

Empowering communities and informing policy in the Southwest and beyond

The Civil Rights, Migration and Workplace Law Initiative at ASU Law advances justice through education, scholarship and community engagement focused on civil rights, migration and workplace law. Through interdisciplinary research, innovative teaching and public programming, the Initiative explores how law shapes access to economic and political opportunity while promoting strategies for meaningful change.

By integrating interdisciplinary perspectives from law, history, political science, sociology, the humanities and business, the initiative reflects ASU’s charter to measure success by whom it includes and how they succeed, and serving the social and cultural health of the communities we serve.

Anchored in ASU Law’s Phoenix campus and connected to ASU’s presence in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles, the initiative serves as a hub for collaboration and student engagement, and impact for the legal profession and the public. Its curriculum and programming span topics such as civil rights and social movements, immigration law and policy, labor and employment law, and innovative topics like AI, social media and social justice. Students gain hands-on experience through experiential learning trips as well as through research support, fellowships, CLE workshops and community engagement and partnerships.

Through major conferences, symposia, Arizona/Southwestern oral history Civil Rights project, speaker series and publications, the initiative positions ASU Law as a national leader in civil rights, workplace and migration, legal and humanities scholarship. It builds bridges between academia and the community, supporting students, advancing public-value research and engaging alumni and partners passionate about these issues.

David Lopez leads ASU Law’s Civil Rights, Migration and Workplace Law Initiative

David Lopez is a nationally recognized leader in civil rights, migration and labor law whose career has been defined by advancing justice through advocacy, scholarship and public service. As the longest-serving General Counsel of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), he helped shape landmark policies and litigation expanding protections against workplace discrimination and promoting equal opportunity across the country. He also served as the co-Dean of Rutgers Law School-Newark campus.

Lopez’s work bridges law, policy and community impact. His leadership at the EEOC, academia, and in private practice has influenced key areas including employment rights, immigration, gender equity, disability access and systemic discrimination. In academia, he has developed and taught courses exploring how law operates as a force for social and economic change, inspiring students to apply their legal education toward public value. Other than Rutgers, where he served as the Dean of the Newark campus, has taught at several law schools including Harvard, Yale, NYU, and Georgetown.

Widely regarded as a thought leader in the field, Lopez continues to guide national conversations on civil rights and labor justice through his research, mentorship and collaboration with advocacy organizations and institutions dedicated to justice.

Events and workshops

Faculty experts

Michael Selmi

Foundation Professor of Law

David Lopez

Distinguished Professor of Practice

Joel Friedman

Professor of Law

Angela Banks

Vice Dean and Charles J. Merriam Distinguished Professor of Law

Rhett Larson

Richard Morrison Professor of Water Law

Gary Marchant

Regents and Foundation Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Center for Law, Science and Innovation

Justin Weinstein-Tull

Professor of Law

Khaled Beydoun

Associate Professor of Law

Caitlin Millat

Associate Professor of Law

Partner with us to advance justice and opportunity

The Civil Rights, Migration and Workplace Law Initiative at ASU Law is driving meaningful change at the intersection of law, policy and community impact. We invite advocates, organizations and partners to collaborate with us as we expand education, research and engagement in civil rights, migration and labor. Together, we can shape the future of justice through scholarship, dialogue and action.