Catherine lhamon biography

Catherine E. Lhamon ’93 is the Inaugural Executive Director of the Edley Center on Law and Democracy.

She also served in California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Cabinet as Legal Affairs Secretary from January 2019 through January 2021. Before coming to Public Counsel, Ms. Lhamon practiced for a decade at the ACLU of Southern California, ultimately as Assistant Legal Director. From January through October 2021, Catherine managed President Biden’s equity policy portfolio as Deputy Assistant to the President for Racial Justice and Equity.

Before that, she practiced for a decade at the ACLU of Southern California, ultimately as assistant legal director.

Earlier in her career, Lhamon was a teaching fellow and supervising attorney in the Appellate Litigation Program at Georgetown University Law Center, after clerking for The Honorable William A. Norris on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Department of Education
Sacramento, CA
POLITICAL AFFILIATION: DEMOCRAT

Catherine E. Lhamon was the Chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Chronicle of Higher Education named Lhamon to their 2014 Influence List as the Enforcer. Until January 20, 2025, she was the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S.

Department of Education, where she served following United States Senate confirmation. Politico Magazine named Catherine one of Politico 50 Thinkers Transforming Politics, and the National Action Network honored Catherine with their Action & Authority Award.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Amherst College and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.

Catherine E.

Lhamon is the inaugural executive director of the Edley Center on Law and Democracy.

Catherine has received numerous professional honors, including Disability Rights California’s National Leadership Award in 2023, Yale Women’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in 2019, and the Feminist Majority Foundation and Ms.

Magazine’s Wonder Women Award in 2018.

Lhamon has received professional honors including Disability Rights California’s National Leadership Award in 2023, Yale Women’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in 2019, and the Feminist Majority Foundation and Ms. Magazine’s Wonder Women Award in 2018. Immediately prior to joining the Department of Education, Lhamon was director of impact litigation at Public Counsel, the nation’s largest pro bono law firm.

Before these roles, Lhamon had also been Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education during President Obama’s Administration. President Obama nominated her to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights position on June 10, 2013, and she was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 1, 2013. Ms. Lhamon's 17-year track record of success has earned her repeat accolades as one of California's top women lawyers, and as a lawyer of the year for civil rights.

Before then, Ms. Lhamon was a teaching fellow and supervising attorney in the Appellate Litigation Program at Georgetown University Law Center after clerking for The Honorable William A. Norris on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She was also named one of California's Top 20 Lawyers under 40 in 2007.

Before these roles, Catherine had also been Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education during President Obama’s Administration. Politico Magazine named Lhamon one of Politico 50 Thinkers Transforming Politics and the National Action Network honored Lhamon with their Action & Authority Award.

Education

J.D., Yale Law School (1996)
B.A., Amherst College (1993)

Commission Chair (Former)

Legal Affairs Secretary
California Governor Gavin Newsom
Former Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
U.S. In addition to her government service, Catherine litigated civil rights cases at the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, National Center for Youth Law, and Public Counsel Law Center, and she clerked for the Honorable William A.

Norris on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Immediately prior to coming to the Department of Education, Ms. Lhamon was the Director of Impact Litigation at Public Counsel, which is the nation's largest pro bono law firm. The Daily Journal listed her as one of California’s Top Women Litigators in 2010 and 2007, and as one of the Top 20 California Lawyers Under 40 in 2007.

Lhamon also serves in the cabinet of California Governor Gavin Newsom, where she has been Legal Affairs Secretary since January 2019.