Professor Heriot teaches and writes in the areas of civil rights, employment discrimination, product liability remedies, and torts.
Heriot clerked for the Honorable Seymour F. Simon on the Illinois Supreme Court. Prior to entering academia, she practiced with Mayer, Brown & Platt in Chicago and Hogan & Hartson in Washington, D.C. She also served as civil rights counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary and as associate dean and professor of law at the George Mason University School of Law. She joined the USD School of Law faculty in 1989.
Heriot is currently a member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights. She was an editor of the University of Chicago Law Review. She is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Order of the Coif. She sits on the board of directors of the National Association of Scholars and the California Association of Scholars.
Heriot’s publications include “Lights! Camera! Legislation!: Grandstanding Congress Set to Adopt Hate Crimes Bill that May Put Double Jeopardy Protections in Jeopardy” in 10 Engage 4 (2009); “Affirmative Action in American Law Schools” in 17 Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues 237 (2008); and “The Politics of Admissions in California” in 2001 Academic Questions 29 (2001). As a frequent contributor to popular media outlets, she has written opinion essays including “The ABA’s ‘Diversity’ Diktat” inThe Wall Street Journal (April 28, 2008); “Hate Bill Threatens Innocent” in The Philadelphia Inquirer (July 22, 2009); and “Congress Tries to Break Hawaii in Two” in The Wall Street Journal (with Kirsanow) (February 28, 2010).
- JD, 1981, University of Chicago
- BA, 1978, Northwestern University
Virtual Happy Hour with Gail Heriot: Affirmative Action Initiatives
New Jersey Lawyers Chapter - Online Event
Alphabet Soup: EEOC v. OCR v. DOL OFCCP
Seventh Annual Executive Branch Review Conference
The Mayflower Hotel1127 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Disparate Impact
Sixth Annual Executive Branch Review Conference
The Mayflower Hotel - Chinese Room1127 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
Third-Party Liability for Sexual Misconduct: Universities, Landlords, Employers, and Beyond
20th Annual Federalist Society Faculty Conference
Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina333 W Harbor Drive
San Diego, CA 92101
Civil Rights in the New Administration
Civil Rights Practice Group
The Biden Administration has signaled, in various respects, that it would take a new course...
Should the Supreme Court Take Note of “Th’ Iliction Returns” Next Time It Addresses Race-Preferential Admissions Policies?
Federalist Society Review, Volume 22
“[N]o matter whether th’ constitution follows th’ flag or not, th’ Supreme Court follows th’...
Alphabet Soup: EEOC v. OCR v. DOL OFCCP
Seventh Annual Executive Branch Review Conference
The seventh annual Executive Branch Review Conference took place on May 8, 2019, at the...
Alphabet Soup: EEOC v. OCR v. DOL OFCCP
Seventh Annual Executive Branch Review Conference
The seventh annual Executive Branch Review Conference took place on May 8, 2019, at the...
Affirmative Action Confusion at the College of Charleston
Fast Action! On July 29, 2018, the Charleston Post and Courier ran a story entitled Affirmative...