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Endowed Lectures Series

Nathaniel L. Nathanson Memorial Lecture Series

The Nathaniel L. Nathanson Memorial Lecture Series was established in 1984 to honor the esteemed law professor who devoted his life to the law and legal education. This lecture series brings distinguished speakers to the University of San Diego to discuss issues of national significance.

Nathanson, a graduate of Yale University, Yale Law School and Harvard Law School, served as law clerk to The Honorable Julian Mack of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, as well as to The Honorable Louis D. Brandeis of the Supreme Court of the United States. He taught law at Northwestern University School of Law from 1936 to 1977, where he was named professor emeritus. That same year, he was named a Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of San Diego. He spent alternate semesters at the two law schools until his death in 1983.

The University of San Diego greatly benefited from the presence of this eminent professor and is pleased to present this lecture series in his memory.

2026 Nathanson Lecturer

Hiroshi Motomura

Susan Westerberg Prager Distinguished Professor of Law and Faculty Co-Director of the Miñana Family Center for Immigration Law and Policy at the UCLA School of Law

Topic: Immigration, Belonging, and the Constitution

The 2026 Nathaniel L. Nathanson Memorial Lecture will be held on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.

  • 5:30 p.m. – Lecture and Q&A in Mother Rosalie Hall, Warren Auditorium
  • 7:00 p.m. – Reception in Mother Rosalie Hall

Hiroshi Motomura will deliver the annual Nathaniel L. Nathanson Memorial Lecture. He is the Susan Westerberg Prager Distinguished Professor of Law and Faculty Co-Director of the Miñana Family Center for Immigration Law and Policy at the UCLA School of Law. He is the author of Borders and Belonging (Oxford 2025), Immigration Outside the Law (Oxford 2014), and Americans in Waiting (Oxford 2006).

He is also co-author of the casebook, Immigration and Citizenship (West 10th ed. 2026). He has received several university teaching awards and is one of 26 U.S. law professors profiled in What the Best Law Teachers Do (Harvard 2013). Hiroshi has testified in the US Congress, is a Nonresident Scholar of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and is a member of the International Migration Review editorial board.

Hiroshi is also co-host of the podcast, Unsettled: Immigration in Turbulent Times and is featured in the Try Guys video, The Try Guys Try Immigrating to America. In July 2026, he was recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as a Great Immigrant, Great American.

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Joan E. Bowes – James Madison Distinguished Speaker Series

Continuing a family passion for learning, longtime La Jolla resident and civic activist Joan E. Bowes established the Joan E. Bowes-James Madison Distinguished Speaker Series through the School of Law to inspire law students and other members of the San Diego community and promote the open exchange of ideas. Bearing the name of James Madison — fourth president of the United States and "Father of the Constitution" — this annual series brings distinguished speakers from the fields of law, diplomacy, government and politics to the University of San Diego.

Bergman Memorial Lecture on Women, Children and Human Rights

The Jane Ellen Bergman Memorial Lecture Series on Women, Children and Human Rights is the result of a wonderful gift by Dr. Barbara Yates, a longtime professor at the University of Illinois and a friend of the late Bergman. According to Dr. Yates, Bergman was "an ordinary citizen who chose to devote her professional life to public service. As a nursing administrator, public health educator, and family therapist, she developed an abiding interest in the human rights of common people, especially the plight of women and children, in a rapidly changing world." This series is a lasting tribute to Bergman and an opportunity for USD students, faculty and staff, as well as interested members of the community, to hear distinguished lecturers speak about issues concerning women, children and human rights.