The Legends of Berkeley Law series highlights scholars whose ideas helped establish one of the world’s most intellectually vibrant and influential law schools. Through pathbreaking research, innovative teaching, and institutional leadership, these faculty members reshaped major fields of law and inspired generations of lawyers, judges, policymakers, and academics.
Lauren Edelman ’86
One of many Berkeley Law alums to return to teach on its faculty, Edelman held a Ph.D in sociology and was a cornerstone of the esteemed Center for the Study of Law and Society and the Jurisprudence and Social Policy (JSP) graduate program. Edelman was widely recognized in her field, earning a Guggenheim Fellowship and serving as president of the Law and Society Association, to name just two of her accomplishments. Read more about Lauren Edelman.
Philip Frickey
A deeply influential scholar across multiple fields, Philip Frickey championed an approach to Indian law scholarship grounded in empirical research — and meaningful collaboration with tribal communities. His determined push to move beyond abstract theory toward practical, community-centered legal reform that advances tribal sovereignty and justice inspired new ways to advocate for tribes nationwide. Read more about Philip Frickey.
Herma Hill Kay
Few figures shaped Berkeley Law — or modern family law — as profoundly as Herma Hill Kay. Over nearly six decades on the faculty, she helped transform American law governing marriage and divorce, played a lead role in defining the study of sex discrimination in legal scholarship, and later became the school’s first woman dean. Her scholarship, public service, and institutional leadership left a lasting imprint on both the law and the law school. Read more about Herma Hill Kay.
William Prosser
William L. Prosser was the most influential American tort law scholar of the 20th century. Often referred to as “Mr. Torts,” his published works fundamentally defined modern concepts of consumer protection, product safety, and personal privacy. Berkeley Law’s dean for 13 years, he was a driving force in expanding its physical infrastructure, diversifying its curriculum, and elevating its scholarly prestige to an international level. Read more about William Prosser.
Sho Sato
A second-generation Japanese American and California native, Sato was held with his family at camps in California and Colorado during World War II because of the government’s policy of relocating Japanese Americans. After graduating from Harvard Law School, he was spurned by San Francisco law firms but took a role in the office of then-California Attorney General Edmund G. (Pat) Brown. In 1955, Sato joined Berkeley Law, becoming the first Japanese American to serve on the faculty of a major U.S. law school. Read more about Sho Sato.
Illustrations by Sara Singh