IRVINE, Calif. (March 10, 2025) — The Honorable Roopali H. Desai, U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, will deliver the keynote address for the University of California, Irvine School of Law’s 2025 commencement ceremony, which will take place on Friday, May 9, at 2 p.m. at the UC Irvine Bren Events Center.
Judge Desai was appointed to the Ninth Circuit in 2022. Before joining the bench, she was a partner at Coppersmith Brockelman, a Phoenix-based law firm where she specialized in complex civil litigation and election law. Her work as a litigator in Arizona cemented her reputation as a trusted advocate, and she successfully handled numerous trials and appellate matters before transitioning to the judiciary. In 2023, Judge Desai served on the final bench for UC Irvine’s Moot Court competition with finalists Shannon Eagen ’24 and Kelsey Sutton ’24.
Prior to joining the bench, Judge Desai was frequently recognized for her public interest work. She served on numerous community boards, including as president of the board of directors for the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest, Arizona’s only public interest law firm, from 2015 to 2017. In 2022, Desai was named one of USA Today’s Women of the Year in a cohort that also included Vice President Kamala Harris and Melinda Gates. She was also named Valle del Sol Mom of the Year (2021), the Arizona Capitol Times Best Political Lawyer (2019, 2021), and one of The Best Lawyers in America for multiple practice areas.
In addition to her judicial role, Judge Desai serves as a professor of practice at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. An elected member of the American Law Institute, Judge Desai was recently appointed an adviser on the ALI’s Restatement of the Law, Election Litigation Project. Judge Desai began her legal career clerking for Chief Judge Emeritus Mary M. Schroeder on the Ninth Circuit. She holds a J.D., an M.P.H., and a B.A., all from the University of Arizona. Judge Desai resides in Phoenix with her husband and their three daughters.
“Judge Desai’s remarkable career and her commitment to justice, education, and public service embody the very principles that guide our mission at UC Irvine Law,” said Dean and Chancellor’s Professor of Law Austen Parrish. “We are honored to welcome her as our 2025 commencement speaker and to have her share her insights and experiences with our graduates as they prepare to embark on their own impactful careers.”
Judge Desai joins a long list of distinguished jurists who have spoken at the law school’s graduation ceremonies, including most recently U.S. District Judge Sunshine Suzanne Sykes (2024) and Chief U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez (2023).
For additional details, please visit the resource page for UC Irvine Law’s 2025 commencement ceremony.
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