Founded in 2008, the Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession at Stanford Law School advances the profession through research, policy and advocacy, teaching, and public programs. The Center seeks to connect theory with practice, and translate scholarly research to real-world impact.

The Center’s current work focuses on:

  • reforming legal-services regulation to increase innovation and access to justice;
  • understanding and shaping the role of technology in law and lawyering;
  • protecting consumers and clients in civil litigation; and
  • building a stronger, more diverse profession.

In the Spotlight

Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession 20

Succeeding and Thriving in the Law:

Challenging Our Assumptions, Expanding Our Definitions

How are the notions of success and fulfillment shifting in today’s legal profession? Find out in this recent program.
Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession 19

Join Our Team

The Civil Justice & Innovation fellowship is an opportunity to gain exposure to policy-oriented research, original scholarship, and the process of legal reform.

Focus Areas

The Center focuses on impacting progress in these broad areas:

Past Projects

In the News

In Memoriam: Deborah L. Rhode

Faculty

Team

Student Fellows

This inaugural group of student Civil Justice Fellows join at an exciting time at the Center—and will play a critical role in shaping its priorities and pushing our thinking forward. We look forward to their contributions to original scholarship, impactful projects, and vital discussions at Stanford Law School and beyond.

Advisory Forum

Ralph Baxter
Former Chair, Orrick

Mark Chandler
Former Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Cisco Systems; Fellow, Center on the Legal Profession

Gordon K. Davidson
Partner, Fenwick & West

Tom DeFilipps
Partner, Covington & Burling

Doru Gavril
Partner, Disputes, litigation and arbitration, Freshfields

Steven E. Fineman
Managing Partner, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein

David J. F. Gross
Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath

Brad Karp
Chair, Paul Weiss

Holly Sutton
Partner, Farella, Braun & Martel

Katharine Martin
Chair, Wilson Sonsini

David Sanford
Chair, Sanford Heisler Sharp

Shanin Specter
Founding Partner, Kline & Specter

Alexandra Walsh
Founder, Walsh Law

Mitchell Zuklie
Chair, Orrick