June Kitagawa Sakamoto Brings International Experience to Master of Law Programs

UC Hastings College of the Law announces its new Assistant Dean of the Graduate Division, June Kitagawa Sakamoto.

The Graduate Division supervises UC Hastings’ graduate degree programs, including an International LL.M. and a Master of Studies in Law (MSL). The MSL has specialized tracks for both Health and Science Professionals and High Technology and Business Professionals.

“We are thrilled that June, who has experience in both top-level international legal practice and legal education, will lead our graduate division,” says incoming Provost and Academic Dean Elizabeth L. Hillman. “Her energy and vision will help us build our programs in East Asia and health law, capitalize on our location in San Francisco, and reach out to high technology and business professionals.”

Sakamoto was most recently Director of the Temple University School of Law Program in Japan, where she oversaw the LLM and JD exchange programs, including student recruitment and marketing for the international law programs. After stepping down from the directorship, Sakamoto continued her involvement with the programs as an adjunct professor.

A graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, Sakamoto brings a wealth of experience in both directing academic legal programs and international transactional legal work. Before directing the LLM program in Tokyo, she was an attorney with New York-based law firm Milbank working in their Los Angeles and Tokyo offices.

“As a native of San Francisco, I am very excited to be back in The City,” says Sakamoto, who was born and raised in San Francisco and earned her bachelor’s degree (phi beta kappa) from UC Berkeley, “and I look forward to strengthening and expanding the graduate programs at UC Hastings.”

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