The Michael A. Olivas and Deborah L. Rhode awards celebrate the legacies of two educators, giants in their respective fields, whose influence persists among the legal academy today. The selection committees for both awards are accepting nominations through October 17 for faculty members whose work embodies these legacies.
Both awards will be presented at the AALS Awards Ceremony, 11 AM Friday, January 9, 2026, at the 2026 AALS Annual Meeting in New Orleans.
The Michael A. Olivas Award for Outstanding Leadership in Diversity and Mentoring in the Legal Academy recognizes a faculty member with an outstanding record of mentoring junior and aspiring faculty from underrepresented communities, as well as other work promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity in the legal academy.
The Selection Committee is comprised of members from five AALS sections: Civil Rights, Education Law, Immigration Law, Minority Groups, and Student Services.
Previous Olivas award winners include Kevin R. Johnson (University of California, Davis School of Law), Angela Onwuachi-Willig (Boston University School of Law), Michael Pinard (University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law), and Guy-Uriel Charles (Harvard Law School).
The Deborah L. Rhode Award honors contributions, service, and leadership of current or new trailblazers in legal education and the legal profession. The award is presented to a legal academic or lawyer who exemplifies the groundbreaking work, imagination, and inspired action of Deborah Rhode during her career.
The award is given annually by four AALS Sections in which Deborah Rhode made an indelible impact: Leadership, Pro Bono & Service Opportunities, Professional Responsibility, and Women in Legal Education.
Previous Rhode award winners include Maryam Ahranjani (University of New Mexico School of Law), Jamelia N. Morgan (Northwestern Pritzker School of Law), Penelope Andrews (New York Law School), Renee Knake Jefferson (University of Houston Law Center), Camille A. Nelson (University of Hawai’i William S. Richardson School of Law), and Jessica Steinberg (The George Washington University Law School).