Former Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will join the USC Gould Faculty as a distinguished visiting professor, starting July 1st.
Emhoff graduated with a law degree from Gould in 1990. He returns to his Alma Mater with three decades of experience in entertainment law. After graduating from Gould – and before assuming a public role in the White House – Emhoff worked as a lawyer representing a host of public and private companies. In 2000 he co-founded his own firm, Whitwell Jacoby Emhoff, which specialized in business law, intellectual property, and corporate maintenance.
In Gould’s announcement, Emhoff said he hoped to return to the classroom and emphasize to future lawyers the importance of “speaking out on behalf of the vulnerable, standing up for the rule of law, defending every citizen’s fundamental right, and always fighting for justice, without fear or favor.”
Over the years, Emhoff has remained an active member of USC’s law school. He also remains active in numerous civic engagement and local community efforts including a visit to the Shoah foundation back in 2022. During his time as Second Gentleman, he became known for his advocacy against antisemitism. He attended an antisemitism and Holocaust education discussion at the headquarters of UNESCO, the United Nations cultural organization that works to teach about the Holocaust and genocide.
Emhoff remained active in the Los Angeles community even during his term as second gentleman, advocating for education and the entertainment industry at an LAUSD event in January of 2023.
This also marks his second time teaching at the university level. In March 2021, during his time as Second Gentleman, he taught a course in entertainment law at Georgetown University as an adjunct professor.