Former Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband, attorney Doug Emhoff, is joining the USC faculty to teach law students, the university plans to announce later Monday.
Emhoff, who received his law degree from USC in 1990, will start the job at the USC Gould School of Law on July 1. He taught at Georgetown University’s law school while his wife served as then-President Biden’s vice president and when she was the 2024 Democratic nominee for president.
“One of the best parts of my time as Second Gentleman was spending time with these students and young people all around the country — so I look forward to continuing to share my experiences with the next generation and hearing from them in the vibrant academic community at USC,” Emhoff said in a statement.
The announcement comes as Harris weighs running for California governor next year, a decision she is not expected to make until the end of the summer. On Monday, she made a surprise virtual appearance at a summit of Free & Just, an organization focused on highlighting the stories of people impacted by the reduction of access to abortion and other reproductive healthcare services.
Emhoff said mentoring law students is particularly critical at this time in the nation’s history.
“In this difficult moment for the legal community, I believe it is more important than ever to instill in the next generation of lawyers the same principles that drove me to the legal profession: the imperative of speaking out on behalf of the vulnerable, standing up for the rule of law, defending every citizen’s fundamental rights, and always fighting for justice, without fear or favor,” Emhoff said.
Emhoff, who lives in Brentwood with Harris, will remain a partner at the global law firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher, which in April was among the firms that struck a deal with President Trump’s administration agreeing to conform with the president’s policies. The firm agreed to provide at least $100 million in pro bono legal work during Trump’s time in the White House and beyond, which the president said at the time will be dedicated to helping veterans, Gold Star families, law enforcement members and first responders.
Emhoff’s continued employment at the firm in the aftermath of the agreement raised eyebrows in progressive circles. He said Monday that he continues to disagree with his firm’s decision to settle with the White House, but remains at the firm because of his faith in his colleagues’ principles, which he said were demonstrated by pro bono work the firm’s attorneys from across the country did during the federal immigration raids by ICE agents and border patrol officers in Los Angeles.
“I remain confident in the firm’s values, its phenomenal people, and meaningful work we’re doing for our clients and the communities we serve, which have not changed since the settlement—and that’s why I remain at the firm,” Emhoff said.
Days after the firm struck the deal, Emhoff said he disagreed with the decision.
“At this critical moment, this very critical moment, I urge my colleagues across the legal profession to remain vigilant, engaged, and unafraid to challenge actions that may erode our fundamental rights,” Emhoff said on April 3 at a gala dinner for Bet Tzedek, a Los Angeles-based legal aid organization where he has long volunteered. “Cause we know, the work of justice is never easy, but it is always necessary.”
