By james art The 2024-25 Gilbert Goldstein Faculty Fellowship was awarded to Jennifer Hendricks, professor of law and co-director of the Juvenile and Family Law Program. Awarded by the dean, the fellowship provides one semester without teaching responsibilities to allow concentration on research and writing. 
Hendricks joined the Colorado Law faculty in 2012, teaching family law and civil procedure. She previously taught at the University of Tennessee College of Law. Her research interests include gender equality and gender differences, constitutional family law, equality in sport and relational feminist theory. Hendrix’s book, Essentially a Mother, was published by the University of California Press in 2023.
Professor Hendricks studied mathematics and women’s studies at Swarthmore College and law at Harvard University. He then practiced plaintiffs’ trial and appellate litigation in Montana, where he specialized in constitutional, employment and discrimination cases. In her practice, she has successfully challenged illegal voter redistricting and recounting, helped high school girls win equal athletic opportunities, won access to government documents for reporters and private citizens, and defended against defamation claims. She also represented victims of harassment and discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation
Gilbert Goldstein ’42, for whom the scholarship is named, is remembered not only as a highly successful alumnus of the law school, but also as a longtime, dedicated supporter of the greater Denver legal community. The MDC/Richmond American Homes Foundation established the Gilbert Goldstein Fund in recognition of his dedication and generosity. The fund awards scholarships and bursaries to deserving Colorado law students and faculty.
“I am thrilled to announce that Professor Hendricks is this year’s Goldstein Fellow!” said Dean Lolita Buckner Innis, “Her research has significant value not only in legal academia, but also extends its impact far beyond. We look forward to seeing the development of her proposed projects during her time as a Goldstein Fellow.”
Hendrix plans to devote his time to two projects as a Goldstein Fellow. The first delves into her interest in how people develop their own theories of “equality” when they are not constrained by legal theories and definitions. Specifically, this project will explore the social and co-construction of racial and gender equality in spaces where difference is salient and legal regimes for equality are not salient. The extended working title of this project is “Title 9 ¾—Negotiating Equality Beyond the Shadow of the Law in Alternative Sports.”
The second project is more theoretical and will explore the failure of any form of ‘eco-feminism’ to establish itself in legal theory. Hendrix’s research suggests that this failure is closely related to the triumph of liberal feminism over relational feminism in the legal academy.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to delve into this research,” Hendricks said. “The sports project is one I’ve been hoping to get a chance to work on for years; it builds on my previous work on how the law of equality deals with biological variation. And a scholarship like this provides an opportunity for in-depth reading in new areas of law and related disciplines. I look forward to having time for intense concentration, reflection and writing.”
The University of Colorado School of Law is grateful for Hendrix’s scholarship and commitment as part of our faculty and looks forward to the continued impact her research will continue to have for years to come. Congratulations, Professor Hendricks, on this amazing achievement!