Sidebar Sessions: Episode 6 with Dean Michael Waterstone

by VINEET DUBEY

Last Updated in Newsletter, Podcast

From the courtroom to the classroom, Dean Waterstone shares how the experiences that shape great lawyers often happen long before they ever try a case.

From Law Student to Law School Dean

Before becoming Dean of UCLA School of Law, Waterstone’s career took him through several defining stages in the legal profession:

• Growing up in Los Angeles and attending UCLA as an undergraduate

• Clerking on the U.S. Court of Appeals in Arkansas

• Practicing at Munger, Tolles & Olson, one of the country’s most respected law firms

• Transitioning from private practice into academia and legal scholarship

• Serving as Dean of Loyola Law School before returning to UCLA

Along the way, Waterstone built a career focused on civil rights and disability law, becoming a leading voice in conversations about equality, accessibility, and the law’s role in shaping a more inclusive society.

Civil Rights, History, and the Law in Practice

One of the most compelling moments in the episode comes when Waterstone reflects on teaching civil rights law in Mississippi while working at the University of Mississippi.

During the retrial of Edgar Ray Killen, a Ku Klux Klan member involved in the infamous Mississippi Burning murders, Waterstone brought students to observe the proceedings.

For many of those students, seeing the legal system revisit a decades-old civil rights case firsthand was a powerful reminder that the law is not just theory—it is history, accountability, and the continued pursuit of justice.

Mentorship and the Responsibility of Leadership

Throughout the conversation, one theme consistently rises to the surface: mentorship.

In the legal profession, the people who guide young lawyers—judges, professors, mentors, and colleagues—can have a lasting impact on how they practice law and serve their communities.

As Dean of UCLA Law, Waterstone believes leadership means more than managing an institution. It means helping students build careers that are meaningful, ethical, and grounded in service.

Because in the end, the future of the legal profession depends on the people entering it.

Why This Conversation Matters

This episode is for:

• Law students thinking about the kind of lawyer they want to become

• Young attorneys navigating the early stages of their careers

• Legal professionals who believe mentorship still matters

• Anyone interested in civil rights, leadership, and the future of legal education

It’s a conversation about more than law school.

It’s about how the responsibility that comes with the profession.

Listen to the Full Episode

Grab a glass of wine and join Miguel Custodio and Vineet Dubey for this insightful conversation with Dean Michael Waterstone.

 Sidebar Sessions is available now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.