About Professor OtaI am a third generation Japanese American (Sansei), born and raised in Berkeley, CA. I attended San Francisco State University and the University of California, Berkeley ("Cal"). In 1977, I received a B.S. in Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics from the Department of Nutritional Science at Cal and later, went on to earn an M.B.A. from Tulane University in New Orleans. After working as a commercial banker for six years, I enrolled at Stanford Law School and earned my J.D. in 1992. Following law school, I held the Future Law Teaching Fellowship at Georgetown University Law Center.
I have taught at the University of Baltimore School of Law as an adjunct professor and the University of Toledo College of Law as a visiting professor. I have been on the faculty at Albany Law
School since 1995. Courses I have taught include: Business
Organizations, Commercial Law, Contracts, Gender & the Law,
Immigration Law & Policy, Issues in Law & Society Seminar, Law
& Sexuality, Sales, Leases & Payment Law.
My research interests focus on the interaction of law, race, sexuality, gender, class, and national identity in social history.
I
collect advertising trade cards and other ephemera with orientalist
and/or racist depictions and themes. Most of the items in my collection
were produced around the turn of the 19th century in the wake of
reconstruction, U.S. imperialist expansion, and at a time when
anti-immigrant sentiments were rising. In many cases, the images have
little to do with the items advertised. These images illustrate
stereotypical views of Asians at the turn of the 20th century. Trade
card printers aimed their humor at many ethnic groups including Chinese,
Japanese, Irish, Jewish, German, and Italian people. View Victorian-era trade cards (.pdf)
I
live in Albany, NY with my partner, Laura, and my dog, Bojocq
(pronounced Bo - Zhock). Among many things, Laura and I share a passion
for dark chocolate. We are working together on a guidebook to tours of
artisanal chocolate makers around the world. Feel free to send us samples to taste-test.
Current Research Projects
Queer Lactification and Paper Daughters (draft)
Publicly Private (work-in-progress)
Loving Off Base (work-in progress)
If you have any questions or comments, email me at: nota@albanylaw.edu. BiographyB.S., University of California, Berkeley
M.B.A., Tulane University
J.D., Stanford University
Future Law Teaching Fellow, Georgetown University. Previously taught at the University of Toledo College of Law. Before attending law school, worked as a commercial banker in international trade and corporate finance in New Orleans and San Francisco. Research interests are interdisciplinary and cover the role of race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, and class in the legal construction of human and corporate citizenship. OUTlaw
Lesbians, gay men, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people do not
enjoy full protection of the law. Moreover, our status (or the
appearance of having LGBT status) subjects us to the violence of law and
of people emboldened by "the law." At Albany Law School, OUTLaw exists
to provide support, networking, information, and social activities for
LGBT students, staff, faculty, friends, and non-LGBT supporters.
Albany
Law School's out lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
community formed its first organization, Lambda Law, in 1994. During the
2000-2001 school year, the group changed its name to OUTLaw. The
organization exists to provide support to LGBT students, staff, and
faculty, to increase awareness of issues that LGBT people face, and to
work with allies to promote justice. The organization is open to anyone
who supports these goals.
The visible presence of LGBT people
at ALS has made a difference. The organization has successfully
encouraged the law school to offer domestic partner benefits to all
employees and students, to disallow the military from mass-distribution
of recruitment flyers in student mailboxes, and to post notices about
the military's discriminatory employment policies (a.k.a. "Don't Ask,
Don't Tell").
Lambda Alumni Group. The Alumni
Affairs office is in the process of forming an LGBT alumni group. The
Lambda Alumni Group will have its first gathering in Spring, 2002. If
you are interested in receiving updates about this group, please contact
the ALS Alumni Affairs office at: 518.445-3220 or alumni@albanylaw.edu.
Upcoming Events.
SEPTEMBER (TBA) Professors
Clark and Ota will host a reception for OUTLaw members, friends, and
alumni. Please email Professor Ota if you would like to be notified
about this event.
OCTOBER 11 is National Coming Out Day. Also, Lavender Law
is scheduled for October 10 - 13 in Philadelphia. The National Lesbian
& Gay Law Association (NLGLA) and the National Lesbian & Gay Law
Foundation co-sponsor the annual conference of practitioners, scholars,
and law students interested in cutting edge legal issues facing the
LGBT community. Visit the NLGLA website for more information.
LGBT Advocacy Organizations
RESOURCES FOR LGBT'S OF COLOR
OTHER RESOURCES
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