H. Catherine Mayorkas

Biography

H. Catherine Mayorkas is the Executive Director of public interest programs at UCLA School of Law and the chief administrator of the School’s David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy. In her capacity as executive director of public interest programs, Mayorkas is responsible for directing existing public interest activities, including coordinating the extensive student pro bono program, working with student public interest organizations and organizing a variety of speaker series and events, such as the annual Southern California Public Interest Career Day.  She also counsels students interested in pursuing public interest opportunities and careers. 

In her capacity as chief administrator of the Epstein Program, Mayorkas works very closely with the students enrolled in the Epstein Program—students who are committed to pursuing a public interest career path and are admitted into the Epstein Program due both to their academic achievements and to their demonstrated commitment to public service.  The Epstein Program offers a challenging approach to education for legal and policy work in the public interest.

Immediately before coming to UCLA School of Law, Mayorkas served as the Co-Director of the Los Angeles Learning Centers, a national education reform effort.  After graduating from Georgetown University Law Center, Mayorkas worked as a litigator in a private firm in Los Angeles, where she also engaged in extensive pro bono work.