2025 News UMass Law: Aloha from Hawai’i: Owens and Yu Present Scholarship and Explore Global and Domestic Challenges

Professors Leo Yu and Lisa Lucile Owens recently attended the 2025 Conference of Asian Pacific American Law Faculty (CAPALF) and Western Law Teachers of Color (WLTC), held in Honolulu, Hawai‘i.

University of Massachusetts School of Law professors Leo Yu and Lisa Lucile Owens recently attended the 2025 Conference of Asian Pacific American Law Faculty (CAPALF) and Western Law Teachers of Color (WLTC), held in Honolulu, Hawai‘i.

This year’s theme, Transformative Justice in a World on Fire, drew a dynamic group of scholars to explore urgent global and domestic issues. The conference was co-hosted by William S. Richardson School of Law and supported by esteemed institutions such as the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, among others.

Professor Yu presented his research, Racialized Allegiances, during a well-attended “Works in Progress” session. Professor Owens served as a panelist on the panel Reclaiming and Redefining the Rule of Law: Using History, Reflection, and Professional Identity to Prepare the Next Generation of Lawyers to Build a Better Future, joining legal educators committed to reshaping how law schools train socially conscious lawyers. Owens also presented her research on Tools for Correcting Oligopoly: Revisiting Hawaii Housing Authority v. Midkiff in a Sunday morning “Works in Progress” session.

Spanning three impactful days, the conference offered a dynamic blend of intellectual depth and cultural resonance. Plenary sessions addressed urgent themes such as climate justice and Indigenous resistance, while cultural programming honored Native Hawaiian traditions through moving mele (song), and other expressions of sovereignty and resilience. The opening events and first plenary set a powerful tone for the entire gathering, followed by an unforgettable session on Plantation Disaster Capitalism that deeply resonated with attendees. A standout moment was the keynote by renowned human rights attorney Julian Aguon, whose address coincided with the release of his article, “Inside the Fight for Climate Justice at the World Court”, detailing his groundbreaking advocacy on behalf of Vanuatu. Another highlight was the thought-provoking panel featuring the art and wisdom of Professor Mari Matsuda and others. Professor Eric Yamamoto was also honored in a moving tribute recognizing his profound impact on civil rights and reconciliation. These moments, among many others, made for a thoughtful and impactful gathering of scholars.

The CAPALF-WLTC 2025 Conference was a powerful gathering of legal minds committed to justice, equity, and community-centered scholarship. For Professors Yu and Owens, the event offered not only a platform to share their work but also a space to connect with colleagues across the country who are reimagining the role of law in a rapidly changing world. Their contributions exemplify the mission of UMass Law to advance justice through engaged teaching, scholarship, and service. As the legal academy continues to confront complex global and local challenges, conferences like this one remind us of the critical importance of collaboration and the pursuit of transformative change.