A former U.S. Supreme Court clerk, NAACP Legal Defense Fund attorney, and counsel to U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Olatunde Johnson teaches courses on legislation, civil procedure, housing discrimination, and equality and the law. Her research focuses on modern civil rights legislation, congressional power, and innovations to address discrimination and inequality in the United States.

Some of Johnson’s recent work examines state and local governments’ efforts to enhance opportunities for historically excluded groups, including mandating local hiring, fair wages, and affordable housing.

In 2016, Johnson received both the Willis L.M. Reese Prize for Excellence in Teaching from Columbia Law School’s graduating class and the Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching from Columbia University.