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Spring 2015 UC Hastings (Spring 2015) Hastings College of the Law Alumni Association
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This Magazine Issue is brought to you for free and open access by UC Hastings Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Hastings Alumni Publications by an authorized administrator of UC Hastings Scholarship Repository. UC HastingsUniversity of California Made in San Francisco | Ready for the World
DRIVING CHANGE How students, faculty, and alumni are making the world a better place
Professor Radhika Rao examines the thorny legal issues associated with assisted reproductive technologies.
PLUS: Legal strategies to improve public health / How to fix San Francisco’s housing crisis / Lyft’s legal team discusses the new sharing economy SPRING 2015 { CONTENTS }
02 | FROM THE DEAN
03 | FOR THE RECORD
Highlights from the annual Swearing-In Ceremony.
04 | TRENDING
Social media updates from and about the UC Hastings community.
06 | IN BRIEF
A new program in East Asian Legal Studies, the Individual Representation Clinic’s impressive victories, Lawyers for America, and more.
18 | ENGAGED SCHOLARSHIP
Game-changing legal research and analyses from Professors Radhika Rao, Abe Cable, Kate Bloch, John Crawford, Upfront Heather M. Field, and John Leshy.
60 | COMMUNITY Departments In post-earthquake Napa, two leaders of the county’s criminal justice system rebuild through a UC Hastings connection.
62 | ADVANCEMENT 72 UC Hastings’ second Honors Gala, the Investing in Opportunity campaign, and the record-setting philanthropy of the class of ’64. Plus: 2014 donor rolls.
70 | THEN AND NOW
The Patiño Fellowship, founded in 1974, continues to pay it forward.
72 | STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Student Services takes a holistic approach. Driving Change
24 TACKLING THE JUSTICE GAP Students, alumni, and faculty offer ideas for much-needed reforms in the fields of housing, employment, and public health.
“ We share the privilege of serving society as attorneys, and with that comes the responsibility of ensuring that the benefits of a just society are available to all.” —Marsha Cohen, the Honorable Raymond Sullivan 40 Professor of Law
44 | Your Class Notes WHAT’S NEW WITH YOUR UC HASTINGS COLLEAGUES AND CLASSMATES. POINT OF VIEW Steve Fineman ’88, Lieff Cabraser > [email protected] managing partner, shares insights into
BOTTOM: FIONA ABOUD FIONA BOTTOM: the art of lawyering.
UC HASTINGS 1 { FROM THE DEAN }
UC Hastings College of the Law Chancellor & Dean | Frank H. Wu Provost & Academic Dean | welcome Elizabeth L. Hillman Acting Assistant Dean for Institutional Advancement and Director of Communications & Public Affairs | Dear Alumni and Friends, Alex A. G. Shapiro UC Hastings is driving change. While we have Editorial Director | Jessica Kraft done so as an institution, our faculty, staff, Senior Communications Writer | alumni, and students also do so as individuals. Ami Dodson The College has been a leader in reforming Photography | Jim Block legal education. When I arrived five years ago, Design and Production | DCP the notion that law schools needed to change Board of Directors was only starting to be discussed. Since then, Marci Dragun ’86, Chair the bench, the bar, the general public, and Carin T. Fujisaki ’85, Vice Chair even the president of the United States have Donald Bradley ’68 Tina Combs ’88 demanded the transformation of our system. Maureen Corcoran ’79 We made news when we announced a stra- Thomas Gede ’81 tegic reduction in class size. Our decision, after Claes H. Lewenhaupt ’89 much deliberation, was remarkable. Others Mary Noel Pepys ’78 Carl W. “Chip” Robertson Jr. ’98 soon followed. Virtually everyone acknowl- Bruce L. Simon ’80 edges now that while rule of law is crucial to Sandra Thompson ’01
our democracy, we overbuilt the legal academe Contact Us relative to the needs of the marketplace. Alumni Center Yet we have done much more than merely cut enrollment. We have opened University of California multiple clinical programs, including emphasizing transactional practice. We Hastings College of the Law 200 McAllister Street have positioned ourselves as a Pacific Rim institution, with the East Asian San Francisco, CA 94102 Legal Studies Program. We have created an interdisciplinary affiliation with the 415.565.4615 UCSF Consortium, joining us to one of the finest medical and health sciences [email protected] campuses in the world. Our Lawyers for America program offers a sustainable www.uchastings.edu means of entering public sector and public interest practice, with paid full-time Send changes of address to fellowships after graduation, and the 3+3 initiative with UC Santa Cruz gives [email protected]. talented students an opportunity to accelerate their education. Please submit your class notes at These developments have been the work of a community. Credit is deserved [email protected]. by so many. Our supporters in particular have enabled us to pursue these proj- UC Hastings is published by the ects, even as we have maintained the same fees and tuition for multiple years. University of California Hastings In this issue, you will learn about what our stakeholders are doing to advance College of the Law. ©2015 change. As is true of their school, they are doing well by doing good. All rights reserved.
Sincerely, If you prefer to opt out of receiving UC Hastings magazine by mail, email [email protected] or visit uchastings.edu/alumni-contact.
Any reference or depiction of a commercial Frank H. Wu product does not constitute or imply an endorsement by UC Hastings of the product Chancellor & Dean or its provider or producer.
2 SPRING 2015 { FOR THE RECORD }
On Dec. 12, 2014, the class of 2014 celebrated its Swearing-In Ceremony with help from some distinguished company. California Supreme California Supreme Court Justice Marvin R. Baxter ‘66, Judge Jeffrey S. White, and Judge William A. Fletcher Court Justice Marvin R. at the class of 2014 Swearing-In Ceremony. Baxter ’66 administered the California State Oath, District Judge Jeffrey S. White gave the Federal District Court Oath, and Judge William A. Fletcher gave the Federal Court of Appeals Oath. Graduates were joined by family and friends for this momentous occasion.
UC HASTINGS 3 SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ UC HASTINGS IS COMMITTED TO KEEPING STUDENTS, SUPPORTERS, ALUMNI, AND FRIENDS UP TO DATE WITH THE HELP OF SOCIAL MEDIA. BE SURE TO FOLLOW UC HASTINGS ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND TWITTER FOR CURRENT EVENTS. IN THE MEANTIME, CHECK OUT SOME OF OUR FAVORITE POSTS HERE.
@UCHASTINGSLAW, MAY 22, 2014 Mary Noel Pepys ’78 in Afghanistan getting ready to board a heli- copter for meetings with Afghan prosecutors.
UC HASTINGS, DEC. 1, 2014 How cool is this? LLM & UC HASTINGS, FEB. 16, 2015 exchange students visited Front page story in today’s San Francisco Chronicle reports on Facebook HQ with ASUCH our proposed building plans, along with a great quote from CFO Internal VP Lidia Lopez and David Seward. “If you want an urban dynamic where there are met with UC Hastings alumni opportunities to get involved in real law right outside your door, Mike Johnson ‘99 (Director & that’s where we come in. The students who elect to come to UC Associate General Counsel) Hastings have the opportunity to participate in the real world– and Matt Stratton ‘07 the good and the not so good.” (Trademark Counsel).
4 SPRING 2015 { TRENDING }
@UCHASTINGSLAW, OCT. 5, 2014 Prof Marcus strikes #CivPro gold in the library at Yonsei University in Seoul. @HASTINGSLARAZA, FEB. 18, 2015 Thank you Justice Cuéllar for joining us at @uchast- ingslaw! It was a true honor. You are an inspiration! @ SCOCAblog
@UCHASTINGSLAW, JAN. 23, 2015 Meet 2L Trailblazer Liliana Garcia: “I met my first lawyer when I came to law school. We might have had less growing up,” she said, “but I actually had more support emotionally, and that is what people need to get through anything.”
UC HASTINGS, JAN. 25, 2015 @UCHASTINGSLAW, JAN. 28, 2015 “My passion is to change the Barrett Brown Sentenced to way that we treat indigent 5 Years in Prison | Prof @ criminal defendants.” Meet Ghappour–Brown’s defense UC Hastings’ own Hali Ford, attorney–talks with @ competing as a castaway on WIRED http://ow.ly/I5pOI Survivor, Season 30.
UC HASTINGS 5 { IN BRIEF }
From left: Maria Tapia-Hernandez ’14, 3L Kyla Rowe, and Professor Gail Silverstein.
UNTANGLING THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET The Individual Representation Clinic wins Social Security { back-pay cases for community members in need s a young adult, Luis Perez, a native of Maria Tapia-Hernandez ’14, who worked on A Solano County, was involved in a debil- his case. As a member of the Civil Justice itating car accident that left him partially Clinic’ Individual Representation (IR) section, paralyzed. He eventually received his GED which provides pro bono counseling for but was unable to find work. He repeatedly underserved clients, Tapia-Hernandez applied for Social Security benefits but, reviewed Perez’s case and argued to an struggling to understand the complicated administrative law judge that he deserved regulations, was denied coverage. disability benefits. The argument proved suc- Seemingly out of options, he approached cessful, and Perez was awarded retroactive UC Hastings, where he was introduced to benefits dating back to the time of his injury.
6 SPRING 2015 { IN BRIEF }
For Perez, the ruling provided closure on student, you are often reminded that you what had been an arduous legal process. don’t have a law degree yet, and therefore For Tapia-Hernandez and the IR, the ruling you can’t do much,” Rowe said. “But to our was yet another in an impressive spate of clients, we were lawyers, and they trusted decisions the clinic has recently secured for us with their confidence, which was very its clients. Last semester alone, the clinic empowering.” won approximately $60,000 in retroactive Every student in the clinic represents benefits for clients. two clients, doing everything from inter- The IR, directed by Professors Miye views and fact gathering to filing motions Goishi, Eumi Lee, and Gail Silverstein, and appearing at hearings or trials in front allows students to work on a range of cases, of judges. In most cases, students get a including employment and health matters chance to cross-examine witnesses, make like Social Security issues and a new “clean opening and closing arguments, and file slate” practice, which helps eligible clients an advocacy brief. Along the way, they par- clear prior criminal records. ticipate in client counseling and learn key In another recent IR case, involving a litigation skills. homeless client called M.H., students from For Tapia-Hernandez, though, the most the clinic spent hours re-creating her missing beneficial part of the clinic was helping medical records. M.H. had twice been someone who was trying hard to move his denied disability payments and had been life in a positive direction. “Seeing how living with no income for months. 3L Kyla grateful our client was for our assistance Rowe represented her in an administrative fueled our work,” she said. hearing for Social Security benefits. M.H. was Professor Silverstein emphasized that a challenging client, Rowe said, because she the clinic serves twin needs: those of the lacked so much documentation, having never students, and also those of the community. received consistent medical treatment. But “Students gain not only numerous trans- the team’s persistence paid off, and M.H. was ferable legal skills, but also an appreciation awarded retroactive benefits on the spot. of the social and political structures within While Rowe gained real-world experience which law operates,” she said. “Moreover, that enhanced her classroom learning, the the clinic is one of the ways that UC most important opportunity was work- Hastings contributes to social justice in our ing one-on-one with her client. “As a law community.”
“As a law student, you are often reminded that you don’t have a law degree yet, and therefore you can’t do much,” Rowe said. “But to our clients, we were lawyers, and they trusted us with their confidence, which was very empowering.”
UC HASTINGS 7 { IN BRIEF }
LATINO BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD
JUAN J. DOMINGUEZ ’87 TAKES ON PERSONAL INJURY CASES IN HIS COMMUNITY
uan J. Dominguez ’87 of The Dominguez Firm was awarded the 2015 Latino J Business of the Year Award by the Los Angeles Business Journal. The Dominguez Firm, which employs nearly 100 attorneys, has resolved thousands of injury cases with over $300 million in favor of accident victims. Dominguez is a nationally recognized, award-winning, bilingual attorney whose personal injury, workers’ compensation, and consumer rights law practice is well known in Southern California. In 2014, Dominguez expanded his practice to aid the immigrant Honoring George Bisharat community by providing immigration law services. UC Hastings expert in Middle East legal affairs “It was an honor to receive the Latino receives award for teaching excellence Business of the Year Award,” he said. “We are known for serving the Latino commu- nity and the Professor George Bisharat was selected as the 2014 recipient undocumented of the Rutter Award for Teaching Excellence. Teaching since community in par- 1991, Bisharat offers classes in criminal procedure, law and ticular. Everyone social anthropology, and Islamic law, as well as the Criminal on my staff is Practice Clinic. He is well known for stressing the importance bilingual and most of situating law in its social and political context. “While are bicultural, doctrine is key, and students must master it, I want them to so we have a lot understand that in doing so, they have only taken the first step of empathy and understanding for in understanding what contributes to a legal result,” he said. our clients.” Bisharat’s scholarship, which infuses his teaching, focuses In 2013, on the role of law in the struggle for justice and peace in Dominguez received the Hispanic National Palestine and Israel and “determining the means to enforce Bar Association’s Latino Attorney of the Year international laws that Israeli policy may violate.” award. In 2011, he was nominated for Attorney The Rutter Endowment allows UC Hastings to award a of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of professor $10,000 for outstanding teaching. Recent recipi- California. He has been named a Super Lawyer ents include Professor Roger Park in 2013, Professor Karen for four years (2006–2009) by Los Angeles magazine, and a Top Attorney for four years Musalo in 2012, and Professor Kate Bloch in 2011. “The award (2010–2014) by Pasadena magazine. He is a selection committee unanimously chose George Bisharat,” member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates said Provost & Academic Dean Elizabeth L. Hillman. “We Forum and Elite Lawyers of America. are fortunate to have such an expert on our faculty who has demonstrated outstanding teaching for over two decades.”
8 SPRING 2015 { IN BRIEF }
POINT / COUNTERPOINT The role of the state attorney general: a debate between celebrated scholars
distinguished experts in the field—held a thoughtful, intelligent debate about how public interest lawyers balance discretion with duty. In opening the debate, Little asked the students to “think about the role of the attorney general or a government lawyer in the process, and think about yourselves occupying public positions as lawyers.” How should these professionals be expected to act? As an anti-death-penalty advocate, Professor Aviram had already gained some public attention by submitting a Change.org petition asking Harris not to appeal the district court’s decision. After gathering 2,000 signatures, she personally delivered the petition to the Attorney General’s Office. At the debate, Aviram argued that the attorney general has discretion not to appeal. After all, she pointed out, in 2013 Harris had refused to stand behind Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in California. “Clearly, elected attorneys can choose how and when to apply their authority,” said Aviram.
Professor Hadar Aviram and Professor Rory Little. In response, Professor Little noted that an elected attorney general has an obligation to enforce and uphold state statutes passed by the electorate, which ast summer, a Los Angeles federal district would include the death penalty. The district court’s judge ruled that California’s death penalty was opinion is not technically binding outside of the indi- L unconstitutional, thus potentially stopping vidual case, he pointed out, arguing that a decision all executions in the state. State Attorney General from the Ninth Circuit would certainly be more pow- Kamala Harris ’89 subsequently appealed that ruling erful. Meanwhile, the people of California are clearly to the Ninth Circuit, even though she is personally divided about the death penalty. Harris’ decision to opposed to the death penalty. In this instance, she appeal was the right one, he said, and stemmed from put professional duty ahead of personal politics. The her obligation to the public. move sparked a nationwide conversation about the No synthesis was reached, but both professors practice of the death penalty and the proper role and emphasized the value of this kind of debate. “Our duty of the state’s top elected public lawyer. students learn a language that they will put to use as At UC Hastings, students and faculty also weighed practitioners in an environment in which competing the merits of Harris’ appeal. On Sept. 9, 2014, values and political interests play an important role,” Professors Rory Little and Hadar Aviram—two Aviram said.
UC HASTINGS 9 { IN BRIEF }
sector. “This is the sort of work I Lawyers for America came to law school for,” he said. Lawyers for America features CONNECTING STUDENTS WITH LONG-TERM a unique model. Typical clinic SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES opportunities last for only a semester, but LfA fellows begin their two-year commitment during their 3L year and continue beyond graduation. While most 3L stu- dents are in the classroom, LfA fellows are working in the field. LfA Academic Director Mai Linh Spencer emphasized that partici- pants emerge “uniquely prepared for their postgraduate work in their particular setting.” Aaron Jaques ’14 is currently in his postgraduate year as a fellow in the Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office. For him, the LfA program served as a leg up in the transition from school to work. “Because of the LfA program, I was able to start my career with a huge advantage,” Jaques said. Saron Tesfai ’14, a fellow in the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, touted the ability to gain litigation experience in a courtroom. “Being at the DA’s office
From left: 3L Nicholas Whipps, Aaron Jaques ’14, and Saron Tesfai ’14. gave me a chance to be in court several times per week,” he said. “Now, I’m confident when I appear he legal profession faces a Cohen, who co-founded the in court. These are skills one sim- crisis: There are not enough program with Professor David ply cannot get from a class.” T lawyers to meet the needs of Faigman, “Everyone gives One of the most important the many people who cannot afford something, and everyone gets aspects of the program, Cohen attorneys. Lawyers for America something.” said, is the long-term relationship (LfA) fills the justice gap by match- For instance, 3L Nicholas Whipps between students and participat- ing law students with participating knew he wanted to practice envi- ing employers, who get to work nonprofit organizations ranging ronmental law. So when Lawyers together for more than just one from public defenders’ offices to for America offered him a two- semester. “The students benefit environmental action groups. year position with the Center for from the opportunity,” she said, Students benefit by gaining Biological Diversity, he saw an “and the community partners in-depth, hands-on experience. opportunity to gain valuable skills receive talented people who are According to Professor Marsha and also contribute to the nonprofit committed to their jobs.”
10 SPRING 2015 { IN BRIEF }
THE ROAD TO UC HASTINGS
BASIL WILLIAMS, LLM ’15, WANTS TO USE HIS LAW DEGREE TO SEE JUSTICE SERVED IN JAMAICA
he first thing to understand about Basil Williams’ His first post after school was in the Attorney General’s journey from his home in Kingston, Jamaica, to Office, representing the local government in several T UC Hastings, where he is studying for an LLM police brutality cases. “I thought maybe I could make degree, is just how frustrating—and dangerous—work- a difference from the inside,” he said. “It was a bit dis- ing for civil rights in Jamaica can be. couraging at times, but occasionally there were cases Consider that Kingston routinely ranks as one of the we were able to settle. most violent cities on Earth (among the world’s top 10 “Still, the larger problem of brutality in Jamaica has in murder rate, according to the U.N. Office on Drugs gone unresolved,” he continued. “So after a year, I and Crime) and has long grappled with accusations decided to study more in order to do international law of excessive police brutality, especially directed at and human rights work, to see if I could effect change minority groups, including gays and lesbians. on a broader scale.” It’s against that backdrop that Williams, 26, ultimately That decision led Williams to pursue an LLM with a chose to pursue a career practicing law. “It takes a lot of specialization in international law and human rights courage just to watch the daily seven o’clock news back from UC Hastings. This year, though, police brutality has home,” Williams said. “All the deaths and the murder— become a top American issue after the killings of Michael it’s like listening to a pathology report.” Brown and Eric Garner and many other black men by Williams was raised by a single mother; his only mean- police officers. Because of his experience in Kingston, ingful knowledge of his dad was the news he heard Williams saw unfortunate parallels with Jamaica. “In the during high school that his father had been sent to U.S., police brutality reflects a tension in the race divide, prison in the United States. After finishing high school, but in Jamaica, it is more along social lines,” he said. Williams worked as a paralegal at a law firm while “Jamaica still has many, many years to go.” completing a three-year correspondence degree in law Yet Williams is driven to effect change. He intends to from the University of London. He then completed two pursue an academic path in law and social science and years of postgraduate legal training and certification at is also interested in working with nonprofits. “I would Kingston’s Norman Manley Law School, where he was like to specialize in the advancement of minority rights first exposed to civil rights litigation through a legal aid in the Commonwealth of the Caribbean and take a com- clinic for the poor. parative approach to see if U.S. constitutional models can be exported.”
UC HASTINGS 11 EASTERN PROMISES The East Asian Legal Studies program is one of a handful to focus on the increasingly vital legal marketplaces in China, Japan, and Korea
ith its rapidly shifting political land- along with that but also very significant { W scape, growing business market, and challenges.” critical role in world trade, China promises With the launch of the UC Hastings to loom large in the professional futures of East Asian Legal Studies program this legal scholars and practitioners. Professor year, students with an eye on East Asia Keith Hand wants to make sure his students have a unique opportunity to prepare are ready. for a career focused on China, Japan, or “China will be the biggest economy in the Korea. UC Hastings is the first law school in world within the lifetime of our students,” California and one of the few law schools Hand said. “Great opportunities come in the United States to offer a legal studies
From left: Professor Setsuo Miyazawa and Professor Keith Hand.
12 SPRING 2015 { IN BRIEF }
“I would like students and foreign scholars to see UC Hastings as the premier place to study these fields,” Professor Miyazawa said. “We want to be established as an international hub for scholarly, professional, and cultural exchanges.”
program focused on multiple jurisdictions Chinese and Japanese law, upper-division in East Asia. courses on business law in both countries, “Over the past four or five years, the a seminar on China and the international demand for East Asia courses, pro- legal order, and a class on legal reform in grams, and internships has developed East Asia. In the future, the College hopes organically,” said Hand, who, along with to add a course on South Korea, another Professor Setsuo Miyazawa, a renowned important market for legal professionals, legal sociologist and expert on Japanese said Miyazawa, who joined the faculty in criminal justice and legal ethics, oversees 2013 after many years as a law professor the program. “We are located in the middle in Japan. Both Japan and South Korea, he of a leading Pacific Rim business center and explained, have recently opened their legal see great opportunities for our students markets to U.S.–licensed lawyers. in East Asia. It was a natural step to tie our “I would like students and foreign schol- East Asia courses and program offerings ars to see UC Hastings as the premier place together in a more effective way. Our goal to study these fields,” Miyazawa said. “We is to make UC Hastings a portal to Pacific want to be established as an international Rim legal careers.” hub for scholarly, professional, and cultural Hand is one of the country’s leading exchanges.” authorities on Chinese law. He previously The new program also incorporates UC served as Beijing director, senior fellow, Hastings’ study-abroad program in China and lecturer-in-law at Yale Law School’s and Japan, as well as the law school’s China Law Center; as a visiting scholar at the summer internship opportunities in East Peking University Law School; and as senior Asia, which UC Hastings plans to expand. counsel to the U.S. Congressional-Executive One immediate goal of the program, Hand Commission on China. He has been named explained, is to recruit a steady influx of as a National Committee on U.S.–China East Asian visiting scholars and to estab- Relations Public Intellectuals fellow. lish opportunities for students to develop The new East Asian Legal Studies on-the-ground experience in East Asian program serves as a hub to connect the jurisdictions. College’s existing East Asia endeavors “The region is critical to our economy, our and to pursue new opportunities. Already, security, and the future of the world,” Hand UC Hastings offers survey courses on said. “We need to understand it better.”
UC HASTINGS 13 { IN BRIEF }
OUT OF THE SHADOWS
Ivy Suriyopas ’05 protects survivors of human trafficking
s a staff lawyer and the Director of the Anti- organizations. She returned as a fellow to AALDEF, Trafficking Initiative at the Asian American where she’d interned during her 2L summer. AALDEF A Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) advocates for Asian Americans’ civil rights, including in New York, Ivy Suriyopas ’05 represents people who voting rights, immigration claims, and employment she says “exist in the shadows”—victims of human disputes. trafficking. People like Oak-Jin Oh, a Korean immigrant Following her yearlong fellowship, Suriyopas was enslaved for over a decade as a domestic worker for hired by AALDEF as a staff attorney. In 2012, she a prominent Buddhist monk. After learning of Oh’s received the New York City Bar Association’s Annual ordeal, Suriyopas filed a lawsuit on her behalf, alleging Legal Services Award for her representation of indigent that Oh cooked and cleaned for the monk and his family clients in their employment actions. in Queens for 12 years without pay. She eventually assumed her current role, in which she It’s been 10 years since Suriyopas completed her JD, works on criminal justice advocacy, policy promotion, but she’s held true to the commitment to social justice and community education related to human trafficking. she fostered at UC Hastings. Currently, she is participating in one of a series of cases That has propelled Suriyopas to an accomplished against Signal International, an American company career working on behalf of victims and survivors of traf- accused of recruiting workers from India and other ficking. In fact, she helped ensure the reauthorization by countries with the false promise of U.S. visas. The case, President Obama of the Trafficking Victims Protection which includes lawyers from the Southern Poverty Law Act in 2013—legislation that provides important pro- Center, the ACLU, and Crowell & Moring, alleges that tections for trafficked workers. As Freedom Network Signal maintained subpar working conditions and used policy co-chair at the time, Suriyopas repeatedly visited coercive techniques to keep its workers. Capitol Hill, meeting with legislative staffers to secure This year, Suriyopas was honored by the National co-sponsors for the bill. Asian Pacific American Bar Association as a “Best Lawyer This passion took root during Suriyopas’ 3L year at Under 40” for her work with immigrant communities and UC Hastings, she said, when she joined the Civil Justice her dedication to passing anti-trafficking policies. Clinic. Following graduation, she received a fellowship “Despite facing abuse in the workplace,” she said, from Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit that partners “my clients have the temerity to seek justice as they with law schools to fund attorneys at public interest simultaneously strive to rebuild their lives.” FIONA ABOUD FIONA
14 SPRING 2015 { IN BRIEF }
he roads to promising government jobs may have Inside the Beltway T many starting points, but for Elva Linares ’14 and Jay Chen RECENT GRADS REALIZE THEIR PUBLIC SERVICE ’11, the critical turn came at UC DREAMS IN OBAMA ADMINISTRATION POSTS Hastings. Their alma mater not only honed their skills and ambi- tions, but also facilitated their finding a good match in top public service positions. As a recently minted legislative officer at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, Linares has come a long way from the California agricultural fields where she spent parts of her teenage summers packing figs and where her father still does seasonal work. At 26 and the youngest in her office, she’s already helping to further its mission of educating policymakers about DOL programs and federal labor issues, including answering queries from congres- sional committees. “I have always been interested in politics, and I thought I could accomplish more at the Department
of Labor than at a law firm,” said Jay Chen ’11 Linares, whose office is responsible for oversight of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Department of Education’s Office the work and wants to do what’s “Since I have a background as a of General Counsel. His respon- right for schoolchildren.” farmworker, I understand the kinds sibilities have been varied—from Both Chen and Linares appreci- of struggles workers have.” fielding congressional oversight ate the positive impact of their UC Chen said he “grew up in a pretty requests to heading up implemen- Hastings connections in their cur- privileged environment in a family tation of an e-discovery computer rent accomplishments—including of teachers and always wanted to system to advising the task force Chancellor & Dean Frank H. Wu, give back.” Beyond his classwork in for My Brother’s Keeper, the Obama who forwarded their names to the law school, he was involved in the administration initiative that Obama administration, in answer to Legal Advice and Referral Clinic targets opportunity gaps faced by its requests for recommendations. and other pro bono activities. boys and young men of color. “It’s “UC Hastings has a strong public Today, the former Peace Corps exciting to be a part of President interest focus,” Chen explained. “If volunteer teacher is in his fourth Obama’s second term,” said Chen. you want to pursue these opportu- year as special counsel in the U.S. “Everyone here is passionate about nities, it will open every door.” GRETCHEN BEDELL GRETCHEN
UC HASTINGS 15 { IN BRIEF }
STUDENTS ASSIST Paving Roads to Justice UNDOCUMENTED Jennifer Wyatt ’09 is helping UNDERGRADS to improve the lives of women in the rural South ighteen students who are members of Hastings Students for Immigrants’ When Jennifer Wyatt ’09 moved ERights (HSIR) participated in a workshop to North Carolina after graduating last October to help 40 of UC Santa Cruz’s from UC Hastings, she launched a undocumented students review the paper- solo practice focusing on special work they need to satisfy new federal and education and juvenile law. As a state laws. mother to a special-needs child, The number of undocumented students on the UC Santa Cruz campus has grown in the Wyatt has forcefully advocated for her daughter’s medical care past year from about 200 to 400. Across the and education, and she wanted to share her knowledge with University of California’s 10 campuses, some families facing similar issues. Many clients who contacted her 2,000 undocumented students are enrolled. lacked access to legal and social services, and couldn’t afford Affording college is never easy. But it’s to pay her. “I have a bit of a bleeding heart,” confessed Wyatt, an enormous burden for undocumented whose pro bono work soon eclipsed her billable matters. students whose families’ annual median Wyatt also found that her clients often required advice household income is $36,000. In 2012, about navigating government bureaucracy and fighting for President Obama instituted a new policy called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals their rights more than they needed legal counseling. This (DACA), which grants eligible students realization inspired her to establish a nonprofit to provide temporary work permits and a renewable legal education to women in rural North Carolina, and in 2011, two-year respite from fear of deportation, but Roads to Justice NC (R2JNC) was born. no access to federal financial aid. R2JNC offers workshops to women in rural areas that urban To alleviate that, the 2013 California Dream nonprofits are not able to reach. Topics have included disabil- Act gives undocumented students access to ity, employment, domestic violence, and consumer credit law. financial aid from the state of California and the University of California. Another state law, “We enlist lawyers to conduct the workshops, and we send AB 540, allows them to pay in-state tuition. referrals when individual counseling is required,” Wyatt said. Last year, UC President Janet Napolitano “We serve as a clearinghouse for outreach.” kicked in $5 million as a one-time helping hand Wyatt gains the trust of residents who are usually wary to increase student services and financial aid of nonlocals by openly discussing her past experiences as for undocumented UC students. a single mom struggling to raise her children and put her- When Professor Kelly Weisberg learned of self through school. “The core of what we provide is a safe, the 400 undocumented students on the Santa nonjudgmental place for women to share their stories and Cruz campus—all of whom had been in the top 10 percent of their high school classes in knowledge with us, and with each other,” said Wyatt. order to gain UC admission—she thought they Public interest lawyers in other states have taken note of were deserving of help. R2JNC’s model, and Wyatt hopes to expand elsewhere. In the She developed the workshop and brought meantime, she remains focused on helping the residents of together the staff of UC Santa Cruz’s North Carolina, one small town at a time. Economic Opportunity Program, local immi- gration lawyers, members of HSIR, and the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, among others. “The outpouring of concern has been stunning,” said Weisberg.
16 SPRING 2015 { IN BRIEF }
THE PICAP ADVANTAGE Thanks to UC Hastings’ loan assistance program, alumni can afford to pursue public interest careers
organ Weibel ’09 knew exactly what M she wanted to do after she graduated from law school: work in the public service sector, preferably on gender-related issues in human rights and international law. So { when she was offered a position at the UC Hastings Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, she was elated. “I was in all the public interest groups in law school, and I felt prepared,” Weibel said. What she wasn’t ready for were the bills that started coming six months after commencement. She had more than $100,000 in student loans, and her salary barely covered her living expenses. That’s where the UC Hastings Public Interest Career Assistance Program (PICAP) came in. With PICAP’s income-based aid, Weibel not only kept her first post after law school, she has carved out a successful career in her field. Today, Weibel is a super- according to Linda Bisesi, Assistant Dean of vising staff attorney in the Baltimore office Financial Aid, but there are caveats. Steps of the Tahirih Justice Center, a nonprofit were taken recently to streamline PICAP, organization that provides pro bono legal including setting that 80 percent limit services to immigrant women and girls and a ceiling on earnings. Although some encountering gender-based violence such as recipients disapproved, “we now have a sex trafficking, domestic violence, and forced sustainable program,” Bisesi emphasized. marriages. “There’s no way I could do what For graduates like April Banerjee ’11 and I’m doing if I didn’t have help covering my the San Francisco agency that employs her, student loan payments,” Weibel said. PICAP is a lifeline. In March 2014, Banerjee PICAP assists graduates who work in started as program manager at the People public interest law at nonprofit 501(c)(3) With Disabilities Foundation (PWDF), which organizations or government agencies. It values what her legal training brings to the complements the federal Public Service job. “I am the sole wage earner for a family Loan Forgiveness Program, which excuses of four, so I couldn’t live on the salary I was outstanding federal loan balances for qual- offered without PICAP,” Banerjee said. ifying public service employees—but only “Although PWDF is a small agency with lim- after they’ve made 120 monthly payments. ited resources, it was able to hire a qualified Up to 80 percent of such obligations can attorney who understands the issues and is be paid for with PICAP’s generous aid, committed to making a difference.”
UC HASTINGS 17 { ENGAGED SCHOLARSHIP }
ASSISTED REPRODUCTION AND THE LAW Professor Radhika Rao tackles the moral quandaries of regulating infertility treatments and related technologies
adya Suleman gave birth asserted that Suleman’s case “pro- herself, claiming she was irre- to octuplets by using vides a paradigm, both for how to sponsible because she was single, N in vitro fertilization at regulate and, especially, for how unemployed, and supporting a Los Angeles fertility clinic in not to regulate ART.” herself and her six other children early 2009. The event provoked Many critical of the so-called with workers’ compensation and public controversy and served as OctoMom vilified the technology disability payments. a rallying cry against the lack of involved when it was reported that For Rao, Suleman’s case shone regulation in the field of assisted 12 embryos were implanted in her a necessary spotlight on ART reproductive technologies (ART). uterus, against common medical regulation but was an unfortunate Professor Radhika Rao, in a recent guidelines. But the vast majority indictment of a woman of color. article for Family Law Quarterly, of critics laid siege to Suleman “I didn’t think it was legitimate
18 SPRING 2015 to criticize Suleman because she accountable bodies rather than Rao’s recent article for the Journal wasn’t married or well off. There individual decision makers, such as of Law, Medicine & Ethics presented are plenty of families who have had physicians and fertility clinics, or a provocative argument about the multiple births, and they get public even judges and juries,” she said. practice of selective reduction. Even acclaim and reality shows,” Rao But for now, the world of ART is a though scholars, medical provid- contended. “There are legitimate Wild West, without much regulation ers, and female patients strive to reasons to be concerned about her from associations or government dissociate selective reduction from but not because of her status as a bodies. The issue has preoccupied abortion, Rao contends that the pro- nonwhite single woman living with Rao, who teaches constitutional cedures are too similar to keep them her parents.” law and property law, and focuses separate in legal discourse. While In her paper, Rao explained the on right-to-privacy issues, regularly abortion is highly regulated and difference between status-based covering the American abortion monitored, there is no accounting regulation, which would limit debate in her classes. for the number of fetuses reduced ART to particular classes of She began looking into a regu- through MFPR procedures at fertil- people (married vs. single or latory distinction in the treatment ity clinics. heterosexual vs. homosexual), and of a procedure known as selective “The two [procedures] are per- conduct-based regulation, which reduction, or multifetal pregnancy formed using separate techniques would determine what procedures reduction (MFPR). After embryos by different types of physicians, might be permitted. “If you are have been implanted in a woman’s on women under very different concerned about equality, as I am, uterus, MFPR is the practice of circumstances, in order to further then ART regulation should focus terminating one or more fetuses dramatically different objectives,” upon conduct rather than status, through cardiac injection to reduce Rao wrote. “Does the distinction upon what may be done and not the number of viable fetuses. To turn upon a difference in status who is doing it,” Rao wrote. She Rao, this seemed to match the legal between the women who seek, argued that taking measures to definition of abortion, defined by a and the physicians who perform, limit the number of implanted majority of states as “the intentional these treatments?” she questioned. embryos is preferable to placing termination of pregnancy with Her paper asked if this distinc- limits on who may access these reasonable knowledge that such tion, which primarily pivots on the technologies. “These regulations termination will cause the death of woman’s status, is in violation of the should be enacted by publicly the unborn child.” promise of “equal justice under law” in the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. Even though this line of argument might seem to veer into dangerous territory for the pro-choice move- ment, Rao believes that shedding If you are concerned about equality, as I light on such a disparity in repro- “ ductive law is paramount. “It may am, then ART regulation should focus upon even further the ability of the conduct rather than status, upon what may various groups working to pro- tect choice to join forces with the be done and not who is doing it.” advocates for ART to promote their common cause,” she said.
UC HASTINGS 19 { ENGAGED SCHOLARSHIP }
The Startup Law Professor
PROFESSOR ABE CABLE TRACES SILICON VALLEY’S LEGACY IN INVESTING AND ATTORNEY PRACTICES
In a pair of recent articles, Professor Abe Cable explored how legal institutions both foster and frustrate entrepreneurship. In “Mad Money: Rethinking Private Placements,” published in Washington & Lee Law Review, Cable considered how existing approaches to regulating investments in startups benefit neither entrepreneurs nor investors. Current rules requiring companies to provide specific information and allow unlimited investment to wealthy investors have failed, he argued. Cable advocates for replacing these approaches with investment caps that would allow individuals to invest a percent- age of their wealth or income in risky and illiquid private placements. In “Startup Lawyers at the Outskirts,” published in Willamette Law Review, Cable distinguished the practice of startup lawyering by its emphasis on encouraging entrepreneurship. “Through client work and volunteer efforts, startup lawyers pursue regulatory reforms, develop and popularize standard contract terms that reflect Silicon Valley financing conventions, and educate entrepreneurs,” he wrote. He delved into how these practices accompany economic development efforts and tried to balance his own positive view of startup lawyering with its potential to become a “rent-seeking cottage industry.”
The Hastings to Haiti Partnership Inspires New Scholarship
PROFESSOR KATE BLOCH ADDRESSES THE POTENTIAL FOR A HAITIAN CODE OF LEGAL ETHICS
Concerns about corruption and rule of law challenges populate accounts describing Haiti’s justice system. Reflecting on possible approaches to respond to such concerns, Professor Kate Bloch and Haitian co-author Roxane Edmond-Dimanche recently published a scholarly analysis exploring the potential value of adopting an official code of legal ethics in Haiti. “The Rule of Law and Ethical Integrity: Does Haiti Need a Code of Legal Ethics?” appears in the spring 2015 University of Hawai’i Law Review. The article emerged from the collaboration between UC Hastings and its partner law school, L’École Supérieure Catholique de Droit de Jérémie (ESCDROJ), from which Edmond-Dimanche graduated. The Hastings to Haiti Partnership, involving reciprocal opportunities for students and faculty at both Professor Kate Bloch and Haitian co-author Roxane law schools, focuses on support for human rights and the rule of law. Edmond-Dimanche. Bloch has found that working with ESCDROJ colleagues has moved her scholarly thinking and engagement in new directions, including efforts to support what may prove to be the first law school clinic in Haiti.
20 SPRING 2015 { ENGAGED SCHOLARSHIP }
How to Stop Financial Panic Risk
PROFESSOR JOHN CRAWFORD ANALYZES NEW RULES POSTRECESSION
As memories of the financial crisis of 2008 faded, Professor John Crawford remained focused on the risk of a reprise and the role that regulation might play in preventing and responding to future crises. “Before the introduction of deposit insurance, financial panics were quite common in the United States,” he explained. “The problem is that vast amounts of extremely short-term, run-prone debt now exist outside the deposit insurance umbrella. The system remains vulnerable to panics.” Crawford has written on the use of prediction mar- Heather Field Livens Up kets and financial crisis simulations as tools to mitigate the possibility of future crises. In his most recent piece, Tax Law he analyzed a proposal to address the “too big to fail” problem by mandating that systemically impor- PROFESSOR’S APPROACH KEY IN THE CLASSROOM tant financial institutions issue substantial long-term AND DEAN’S SUITE debt—which cannot be withdrawn like deposits—to absorb losses in the event the institution fails. The aim Associate Academic Dean and Professor Heather would be to avoid bailouts, with the government pay- M. Field is a popular teacher, well known for making ing off creditors, as well as panics, which could follow even the most esoteric aspects of tax law come alive from losses to short-term creditors. In the essay, which for her students, and her scholarship is equally lively. ran in the Northwestern University Law Review Online In her recent paper, “The Real Problem With Carried last November, Crawford argued that the proposal will Interests,” published in the February 2014 Hastings promote stability but is unlikely to solve the “too big Law Journal, she tackled the controversial practice of to fail” problem once and for all. private equity/venture capital fund manager com- pensation called “carried interests,” arguing that the current ad hoc, industry-focused approach to the carried interest issue is deeply misguided. Field has embraced the challenges of teaching tax and pursuing her scholarship while taking on full-time administration responsibilities. Two years in as associate academic dean, she has spearheaded new programs for students starting at orientation that focus on professional readiness and bar exam passage. “It’s been tremendously rewarding working so closely with our student body,” Field said. “I’ve been able to have a positive impact on the student experience at UC Hastings and still teach the tax concentration seminar. Being in the dean’s suite and the classroom has given me a greater appreciation for the rewards and demands of both.”
UC HASTINGS 21 { ENGAGED SCHOLARSHIP }
TRACING OUR COMMON GROUND Nationally recognized legal expert Professor John Leshy examines the evolution of public land policy in the United States
rofessor John Leshy’s argue that it was a mistake for legal arrangements were made upcoming book, tentatively the national government to pre- to hold these lands in national P titled Our Common Ground: serve for public enjoyment wildly ownership is, in a sense, a history A Biography of America’s National popular places like Yosemite and of America viewed through the lens Lands, grapples with a paradox. Yellowstone,” Leshy said. of federal lands, Leshy explained. In a nation that strongly values The story of how political and While large federal landholdings private property, with a culture that is largely wary of the national government, how is it possible that 30 percent of our real estate is owned by the government? “Not only does the national government own and control a lot of land, but over the last century, popular support for it has proved very durable,” Leshy said. “I want to explore the reasons why this is so.” While Leshy’s previous scholarly work has included books on public land law and water law, as well as books on the Mining Law of 1872 and the Arizona Constitution, he hopes this book reaches a more general audience. And the poten- tial is vast: What American hasn’t wanted to visit the national parks and, upon visiting, hasn’t marveled at them and wondered how they came to be preserved? “In general, having these lands in national ownership, under federal management, has been a political
success story. Few if any would DR. PEGGY KARP
22 SPRING 2015 date back to the Revolutionary War, explained. An entire chapter will and as chief legal officer of the until the Civil War, the govern- be devoted to Theodore Roosevelt’s Interior Department throughout ment’s primary emphasis was to enormous impact on federal the Clinton administration, Leshy give these lands away to states, landholdings. was deeply involved in federal land individual settlers, and to enter- The book, which Leshy aims to decision making. prises like railroads. complete next year, will reflect Even while teaching at UC “For many decades, federal land some of the lessons learned in Hastings (and before that, at policy was very much tied up with his more than 40 years in public Arizona State University, as well the slavery question. Defenders of service and academia. Early in his as during four stints as a visiting slavery opposed national authority career as an attorney at the Natural professor at Harvard Law School), over lands, fearing the government Resources Defense Council in Leshy was involved in federal land would ultimately exercise that California, he litigated cases involv- issues on behalf of a variety of authority to end slavery. In fact, in ing national lands. As associate nongovernmental organizations. 1856, they succeeded in persuad- solicitor in the Interior Department He headed the Interior Department ing a majority of the U.S. Supreme during the Carter administration, transition team for Clinton-Gore Court, in its infamous Dred Scott and later as special counsel to in 1992–1993, and co-chaired a decision, that the national govern- the chair of the House Natural similar effort for the Obama admin- ment had almost no constitutional Resources Committee in Congress, istration in 2008–2009. In 2013, he authority over lands it owned. received the Defenders of Wildlife Needless to say, that view did not Legacy Award for his lifetime con- survive,” he said. tributions to wildlife conservation. Soon after, the United States Leshy has also personally expe- took steps to keep some lands rienced the awe-inspiring beauty permanently in governmental of these national lands, especially ownership. In the midst of the across the Southwest and the Civil War, 150 years ago, Congress “Not only does West. “I like desert landscapes, in granted federal lands in and the national part because I don’t like bugs and around Yosemite Valley to the state humidity,” he said, laughing. “So of California, on strict condition government own that limits me.” that they be preserved in public and control a lot But when Leshy served on ownership and kept open for public the board of a small family-owned enjoyment. (The state ceded them of land, but over river-rafting company near the back to the United States 40 years the last century, Grand Canyon, he was able to later.) Yellowstone, the world’s explore the area with no limits. first national park, was established popular support “Rafting almost every stretch of in 1872. has proved very the Colorado River system was a “Most of the action takes place durable. great way to experience firsthand between 1890 and 1915, when ” these marvelous places that wise federal preservation greatly accel- people had the foresight to pre- erated. The U.S. Forest Service was serve in public ownership and keep established, and several national accessible,” he said. parks were established,” Leshy
UC HASTINGS 23 THE UC HASTINGS COMMUNITY TACKLES THE JUSTICE GAP.
24 SPRING 2015 BY MARSHA COHEN
THE HONORABLE RAYMOND SULLIVAN PROFESSOR OF LAW
s lawyers, we all should believe in founder and executive director of Women’s the “rule of law” while simultane- Link Worldwide; and Gary Lewis ’11, executive ously recognizing that everyone director of the General Assistance Advocacy needs access for our legal system to Project. Awork properly. That too many individuals and Many alumni engaged in the private practice groups lack such access, because they cannot of law support public interest law in crucial get assistance with legal matters when they ways. Alumni with decades of legal experi- need it, is well recognized and has been coined ence have been providing pro bono services “the justice gap.” for important causes throughout their careers. Fortunately, support for public interest and Recent alumni similarly support public inter- public service lawyering is part of our DNA. est goals, and some (like Casey Williams ’11, That’s one of the many reasons we should all Simona Agnolucci ’06, and David Lunas ’03) be proud of this wonderful institution. This have received honors remarkably early in their issue highlights a few alumni doing important careers for their pro bono work. It is delightful work for society in three fields essential to basic to see the large numbers of students honored at human needs: housing, health, and employ- graduation each year for the pro bono services ment. Yet to appropriately celebrate all that they provided; in 2013–14 they contributed a UC Hastings people do to fill “the justice gap” staggering 7,080 hours. would take an encyclopedia. Many alumni support public interest and For many alumni, working for a legal nonprofit public service law in other ways. Surely, large or government agency is their full-time job. numbers respond generously when asked for California’s Attorney General, Kamala Harris the financial support that enables nonprofits to ’89, immediately comes to mind, but hundreds provide essential services. Others serve on the of alumni work at all levels of government: as boards of those nonprofits and on boards and district attorneys, city and county attorneys, commissions throughout government; Craig public defenders; for regulatory agencies, for Holden ’94 is currently the president of the legislative bodies, and as judges. Legal nonprof- State Bar of California. its, locally and around the world, are staffed We share the privilege of serving society as and headed by UC Hastings alumni. Just a attorneys, and with that privilege comes the few examples are Noreen Farrell ’97, execu- responsibility of ensuring that the benefits of a tive director of Equal Rights Advocates; Amy just society are available to all. Here’s to those Bach ’89, co-founder and executive director of in our community who show us by their exam- United Policyholders; Viviana Waisman ’95, ple what we all can do to close “the justice gap.”
UC HASTINGS 25 { DRIVING CHANGE }
REGULATING HEALTHY CHOICES Meet three accomplished alumni who are applying legal strategies to help eliminate tobacco, excess sugar, and misleading advertising from consumers’ lives.
here’s a growing consensus that The risks associated with e-cigarettes are largely regulations make it easier for people to unknown. Certainly, some of these products pose make healthy choices in a marketplace more risk than consumers are led to believe. But if it teeming with products. Over the years, is inevitable that a portion of the public will believe we’ve seen that restricting tobacco e-cigarettes are safe, Kline said, then one approach use, combating advertising for junk could be to regulate them in a way that meets con- food, and curbing sugar and unhealthy fats in food sumers’ expectations of being exposed to the least create healthier default choices. Here, we talked risk possible. The least risky e-cigarette would still with three alumni who are working to change pub- be addictive, but if nicotine was the only harmful lic health using cutting-edge regulatory strategies. constituent in the product, it wouldn’t be as danger- Randy Kline ’97 works at the Center for Tobacco ous as a traditional cigarette. It is well established in Products in Silver Spring, Md., which is the newest scientific literature that nicotine is not the most haz- center at the FDA, established five years ago. The ardous element in cigarettes: The toxic mix of other center’s vision is to make tobacco-related death and chemicals in the smoke triggers most health prob- disease part of the past. Nowadays, there are many lems. But a smoker’s addiction to nicotine repeatedly advocates for potentially less risky tobacco prod- exposes him or her to the hazards of smoke. ucts like e-cigarettes, and a profusion of smokeless “If the FDA got people to stop smoking com- tobacco options have hit the market. Some tout busted products, that would be a huge gain,” these as a triumph of public health, but Kline dis- he said. “We all know that smokeless tobacco is agrees. “I don’t think any tobacco product should be harmful, but it is not the same thing as combusted thought of as ‘safe and effective,’ ” Kline said. tobacco. Whenever you burn something, you get Kline explained that the FDA can’t ban all the unique dangers of smoke, and you’re also tobacco products, but it does have the authority to putting others at risk from secondhand smoke.” dramatically decrease their toxicity, addictiveness, Because smoking remains the leading preventable and appeal. Currently, the FDA regulates cigarettes cause of premature death and disease in the United and smokeless tobacco products, but has not yet States, Kline believes that minimizing the use of asserted regulatory power over electronic ciga- combustibles could be the single most import- rettes, cigars, and pipe and water pipe tobacco. ant contribution to American health in the 21st However, the FDA has recently proposed a “deem- century. “The most compelling tobacco control ing rule” that could expand its authority to include strategies today involve working toward an end- all tobacco. game for tobacco.”
26 SPRING 2015 “ The most compelling tobacco control strategies today involve working toward an endgame for tobacco. ” — RANDY KLINE ’97
Randy Kline ’97 wants to see tobacco-related death become a thing of America’s past. GRETCHEN BEDELL GRETCHEN
UC HASTINGS 27 Dr. Robert Lustig, MSL ’13, shown in his pediatric clinic at UCSF, wants the FDA to deem fructose a food additive, not a food.
Dr. Robert Lustig, MSL ’13, is seeking another nonprofit called the Institute for Responsible 21st-century public health victory: reducing added Nutrition), that is designed to dispel myths about sugar from our food supply. sugar consumption. At issue is the old-school A pediatric endocrinologist who has gained fame concept that every calorie affects the body in the recently for his fight against fructose, Lustig has same way. Lustig and other scientists contend that theorized that sugar not only leads to diabetes and calories from fructose do more harm than other cal- obesity but also might contribute to high cholesterol, ories. “As long as all calories are treated the same, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer. He the food industry gets legal cover,” he said. draws a distinction between sugar in whole foods— He cited a recent lawsuit in which a diabetic such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, and grains— and adolescent girl sued high-fructose corn syrup the refined sugar found in processed foods. Refined manufacturers for their failure to warn consum- sugar gets metabolized by the liver, where it goes on ers about the risks of their product. The case was to produce harmful blood fats called triglycerides. dismissed by the New York district judge based on Consuming too much fructose can lead to insulin the previous science on how calories are processed resistance and metabolic disease. in the body. But with improved understanding of Lustig came to UC Hastings in 2012 to learn how how calories work, Lustig believes there is a good to use litigation, regulation, and administrative chance that an appeal could succeed. “There is a law to fight the food industry, which he sees as the new nutrition now,” he said, “and when you under- culprit in this public health crisis. “I now have the stand that, you can see how the old nutrition has legal grounding to speak about these issues, and been utilized to our detriment, and how the legal have lawyers and judges pay attention,” he said. system can level the playing field.” “We won’t get any leverage until judges and the Lustig’s ultimate goal is to get fructose removed public are educated about the science of sugar.” from the FDA’s list of safe foods. “Sugar needs to Along with 11 colleagues, Lustig launched a be relegated to the level of food additive, instead website, SugarScience.org (which began as a of a food. When sugar was a condiment that we
28 SPRING 2015 { DRIVING CHANGE }
occasionally added to food, we didn’t have a prob- inclusion of toys in fast-food meals for children and lem,” he said. Now that sugar is included in almost has recently come out against food advertising in every processed food product, with no limits on schools. Her efforts to get caffeine removed from quantity and without the public’s awareness, it is sweetened alcoholic beverages was a big win. causing a public health crisis. “If people knew how Most recently, she has been active in the legal much added sugar was in their products, breakfast battlefield surrounding the term “natural” in food cereal would disappear from the planet,” he said. labeling, arguing that a legal definition of “natural” Michele Simon ’95 doesn’t think improved food is necessary to clean up a deceptive marketplace. labels are going to be enough to reduce chronic Now, she’s working with the Alameda County disease due to poor diet. As a public health lawyer Public Health Department to reduce harmful and author of Appetite for Profit: How the Food products and advertising at select food stores in Industry Undermines Our Health and How to Fight Oakland. “We’re trying to get rid of ads for tobacco Back, she has focused on improving food policies and alcohol,” she said. This kind of campaign has and exposing food industry tactics, such as mis- been linked to reduced consumption of harmful leading advertising, since 1996. products in the past, so Simon believes that a While many food companies claim that the free widespread effort in the community could have a speech clause of the First Amendment gives them measurable impact on local residents’ health. the right to advertise without restriction, Simon A strong voice for the role of lawyers in the food disagrees. “Corporations do not have free rein to movement, she’d like to see her fellow lawyers who market anything, anywhere, anytime,” she said. advocate for healthy food get more recognition. Simon has actively opposed the marketing of “Lawyers are so busy doing the work, writing the junk food to children and alcohol to teens. She’s complaints, arguing in court, fighting the good fight written extensively about the fight for better school that they don’t have time to do self-promotion,” she food, GMO labeling, and worker rights, among said. “We need more lawyers to get involved, and other battles with Big Food. She’s also fought the we need to give them the props they deserve.”
Michele Simon ’95 is president of Eat Drink Politics, a consulting firm that works to counter food and alcohol industry tactics.
UC HASTINGS 29 Marcia Rosen ’75, executive director of the National Housing Law Project, and Tenderloin Housing Clinic Director Randy Shaw ’81.
NEW VISIONS FOR SOLVING THE BAY AREA’S HOUSING CRUNCH Working on the front lines of the affordable housing crisis, alumni, faculty, and students are proposing innovative solutions and strategies.
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“ Imagine if Google bus activists brought their energies into making Ellis evictors’ daily lives much more difficult. It might not generate national media, but it would do much more for deterring speculator evictions. ” — RANDY SHAW ’81
an Francisco is in the midst of a hous- over a decade, he has been at the forefront of the ing crisis, even as the booming job fight against Ellis Act evictions, which take place market is the envy of the nation. Yet the when a landlord decides to sell a rental building cost of housing has outpaced wages, for the purpose of creating tenancy-in-common and skyrocketing rents are driving the sale properties. middle class out, making conditions Extremely high sale prices motivate landlords harder for low-income residents to access afford- to do this, since, in this heated market, they can able housing. As a result, the city is rapidly losing kick out residents from rent-controlled properties its long-celebrated cultural and economic diver- and make giant profits. Shaw said that any small sity. When private developers look to establish building in the city is at risk. But his organization new housing, they choose to satisfy the luxury has successfully litigated many Ellis Act evictions market, leading to an oversupply of high-end real on the grounds of procedural violations, resulting estate and a housing gap in middle-income levels. in the tenants staying put for several more years, Additionally, no new rent-controlled housing has and deterring the landlords from further action. been created since 1979, so the city’s 170,000 Shaw explained that the money in real estate rent-controlled properties are quickly diminishing these days is largely created through rental as tenants leave those properties and landlords properties, and those who use Ellis Act evictions raise rents to the current market rate. are no longer in the rental business. “When you Yet public interest lawyers have had a beneficial raise the economic cost of selling the building, it impact on protecting tenants in rent-controlled is not more profitable to get rid of the tenants and housing and improving housing conditions for sell your units because you have to pay extensive the city’s vulnerable communities. Prominent attorney’s fees,” he said. alumni tirelessly advocate for tenants’ rights, Shaw contends that there are tens of thousands pursue litigation against landlords, and overturn of tenants who live in constant fear that they unfair evictions in court. Others are proponents could get an Ellis Act notice, so his work makes a of more federal and state funding for low-income measurable impact on their state of mind. He has housing. In the classroom, professors and students also worked in conjunction with other tenants’ are addressing the housing crisis with innovative rights groups to propose legislation that will set financial and regulatory proposals. a five-year ownership requirement on property Anyone who lives or works near the Tenderloin owners wishing to use the Ellis Act to convert has heard of attorney, activist, and Tenderloin their buildings. Housing Clinic Director Randy Shaw ’81. Since Shaw endeavors to get the word out that the real his days in law school, Shaw has led the charge to culprits in the current housing crisis are not the protect tenants living in single-room-occupancy Google commuter buses, which have borne the hotels in the Tenderloin. He succeeded in advocat- brunt of a lot of social protests in the past year. ing for tens of thousands of new Section 8 housing “Imagine if Google bus activists brought their vouchers during the Clinton administration. For energies into making Ellis Act evictors’ daily lives
UC HASTINGS 31 { DRIVING CHANGE }
much more difficult. It might not generate national groups, nonprofit developers, and the City of San media, but it would do much more for deterring Francisco to renovate and transform the public future speculator evictions,” he wrote on his web- housing stock through a new Housing and Urban site, Beyond Chron. Development program called Rental Assistance Marcia Rosen ’75 also stands out in San Demonstration (RAD). Jessica Cassella ’15, Francisco housing advocacy, particularly for selected as the latest Abascal Fellow, will also her work on behalf of low-income families and work with Rosen on the RAD program. communities of color. She started out as deputy “We are trying to ensure that we have the stron- director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights gest tenants’ rights and affordability standards in of the San Francisco Bay Area, where she special- our program, and that it is a model of community ized in land use, affordable housing policy, and development and public housing preservation,” issues related to homelessness. For 11 years, she Rosen said. served in local government as the executive direc- For decades, the federal government has under- tor of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency funded public housing maintenance and capital and the director of the San Francisco Mayor’s improvement, leading to severe deterioration and Office of Housing, before taking her current posi- an estimated repair cost of $170 million in San tion as executive director of the National Housing Francisco. Law Project in 2008. Yet Rosen is optimistic about the RAD program. Her recent article on the successes of public “San Francisco is the city best positioned to housing in the Bay Area was published in the maintain its public housing stock,” she explained. Stanford Law & Policy Review in January 2014. It is implementing a model in which the land stays Rosen described how San Francisco became in public ownership, maintained by the housing nationally renowned for its best practices in authority, but the improvements are transferred to housing and community development, looking at nonprofit developers and their partners, using a new how the city’s low rental vacancy rates and high law that enables private resources to be leveraged. demand for housing transformed from destructive But Rosen sees that these will be small victories urban renewal practices to thoughtful and inclu- in the overall picture of the city’s housing market. sive policies. “We are sadly at risk of becoming a city of only the The overall positive picture presented is often very rich and some poor who are living in subsi- overlooked though, when residents talk about the dized housing.” lack of affordability in the Bay Area. “When we Another way to approach the affordability issue is speak of ‘affordable housing,’ we are referring to to restructure how affordable housing is financed. the more than 26,000 rent-restricted units sub- In their practicum for the public law and public sidized by federal, state, and local sources,” she policy seminar with Professor David Jung and explained, “and not the affordability of privately Professor Steven Bonorris, 3L Robert Graham and owned housing for middle-income residents and 2L Allyssa Villanueva have been working on a newcomers.” proposal to establish a municipal bank. She is currently involved in working with tenant As Graham puts it, “a municipal bank could be a
“ The city can control their own development if they have control over their financing.” — 2L ALLYSSA VILLANUEVA
32 SPRING 2015 3L Robert Graham and 2L Allyssa Villanueva are developing a proposal for a municipal bank as a way to stimulate local eco- nomic development.
powerful tool for local economic development. The will allow mom-and-pop shops to not only stay Great Recession left both residents and municipal- afloat through hard times, but also to expand. ities hurting financially. A municipal bank would Graham and Villanueva have researched the provide an added layer of protection when invest- case law to make the argument that a city could ing local funds like city employee pension funds.” legally own and operate a bank, and they hope Additionally, because it is often not profitable in that their client will be bringing the idea to a local a city with such high land values to build and rent municipality before the next election cycle. out housing at nonmarket rates, providing sub- What’s exciting about this option is that it market interest rate loans to affordable housing doesn’t depend on many of the traditional players developers and small business owners would have in affordable housing who are often removed from far-reaching ripple effects. Increasing the afford- the local impact of policies, and it gives the city able and market rate housing stock would also much more influence. “The city can control their reduce rents and prevent displacement for local own development if they have control over their individuals and working families. Furthermore, financing,” said Villanueva. ensuring small business loans are made available
UC HASTINGS 33 { DRIVING CHANGE }
A NEW DRIVING FORCE IN THE ECONOMY UC Hastings labor law experts in conversation with the legal team at Lyft.
he U.S. workforce is changing dra- system, solidified with the New Deal, has always matically. While the unemployment been tethered to work. numbers have nearly returned to prere- Many companies that use independent contrac- cession levels, many more workers—an tors are also attempting to change regulations estimated third of the total employed— guarding the entrenched industries they’re seeking now perform freelance work. This surge to “disrupt.” As Lyft rolls out in city after city, it in “gig” employment is often celebrated because it faces new legal battles with city and state regu- leads to more freedom and flexibility for workers. latory agencies, like the recent California district With the implementation of the Affordable Care judge decision to let a jury decide whether drivers Act, health insurance coverage is no longer tied to are employees or contractors. Nevertheless, Lyft full-time employment, incentivizing freelancers. continues to gain legions of devoted riders who Companies facilitating this “sharing economy”— love the convenience and value of the service. including Lyft, Uber, Airbnb and TaskRabbit, It’s up to a new breed of lawyers—many from UC to name a few—contend that their contracted Hastings—to help these companies comply with workers are freed from the doldrums of low-wage or changing regulations while remaining profitable cubicle work and are able to keep up other commit- and relevant. ments while earning cash when it’s convenient. The roundtable discussion held at Lyft’s San But critics point out that these independent Francisco headquarters included: workers also lose major protections and benefits • Liz Morris, Deputy Director of the UC Hastings when they detach from the traditional employee- Center for WorkLife Law employer relationship. The American support • Reuel Schiller, UC Hastings Associate Dean
“ We knew that we had to put into place certain safety mechanisms; otherwise, no one would want to ride with us. So we looked to achieve a balance of what works from a business standpoint and what protects the public. ” — KRISTIN SVERCHEK ’07
34 SPRING 2015 From left: Lyft Litigation Counsel Lindsay Llewellyn ’08 and General Counsel Kristin Sverchek ’07.
UC HASTINGS 35 Professor and Associate Dean for Research Reuel Schiller
Lindsay Llewellyn ’08
Lyft to fill the gaps in their schedules or fulfill their need for additional income. Many drivers also have a 9-to-5 career and log in to the Lyft platform when they have an extra hour in the morning or evening. Lyft has enabled and empowered many drivers to quit the jobs they hate without fear of having no source of income.
for Research and the author of Forging Rivals Lindsay Llewellyn: Platforms like ours provide (Cambridge University Press, 2015), a history of the an opportunity to a much larger class of people post–World War II interaction between the legal to earn money and fill the gaps between other strategies of the labor movement and the civil commitments. There is a wide demographic: It’s rights movement retirees, students, part-time employees, parents • Kristin Sverchek ’07, Lyft’s general counsel whose kids are going to college and who want to • Lindsay Llewellyn ’08, Lyft’s litigation counsel make a little extra money. Because you can turn it on and off whenever you are available, it opens up Reuel Schiller: I’ve got to admit, I’ve never taken many doors. Lyft. Who are Lyft’s drivers? How many are there? RS: My initial thought was that Lyft drivers are Kristin Sverchek: They come from all walks of life, people who are driving to work, and so they slap including photographers, writers, and artists who the mustache on when they are going in one direc- are able to make supplemental income from driving tion so that they can pick up some riders. In that for Lyft. We don’t release numbers of drivers, but way, Lyft is disrupting car ownership. But aren’t the driver population is fluid. Many of them log in to you also competing with cabs?
36 SPRING 2015 { DRIVING CHANGE }
KS: The reality is that we are. That wasn’t the incredible disadvantages and inefficiencies. They genesis, and it still isn’t the company’s long-term have fixed rates, their medallion licenses are very goal. It has always been about disruption of indi- restricted and expensive, and there are few incen- vidual car ownership. The benefits are enormous: tives for good customer service. Before ride-sharing, decreased living expenses, less carbon emissions, people complained all the time about the treatment improved traffic. they got in cabs! By contrast, Lyft can set its own prices. But it has to battle with the local regula- RS: The U.S. is a car culture. But to the extent that tions of each new city it operates in. While cabs are individuals have more options like ride-sharing, regulated by the city, limo and for-hire car services car-sharing, bike-sharing, and public transit, they are regulated by the state, and I think there has are more empowered to live without a car. But how been some controversy as to what your service is do you move out of a market like San Francisco or classified as. Recognizing that you have to have New York into places where car culture isn’t simply insurance requirements, and standards for the abil- about convenience, but is part of your identity? ity of the drivers and the safety of the passengers, how, ideally, would you regulate this industry? KS: San Francisco had the right environment with a less-than-perfect public transport system, but a
relatively small geographic area. Our second mar- Kristin Sverchek ’07 ket was Los Angeles, which is the opposite of San Francisco, and we were pleasantly surprised that it was widely adopted. People see it as freeing.
RS: Then there’s the issue of regulation. In the cab industry, which is highly regulated, you have
Liz Morris, Deputy Director of the Center for WorkLife Law.
UC HASTINGS 37 { DRIVING CHANGE }
“ The question is whether, as neoliberal capitalism moves in this direction of the gig economy, part of the political response will be to create more support for these workers. ” — PROFESSOR REUEL SCHILLER
KS: When I started here in 2012, we were not deprived of their right to form a labor union, regulated and were just beginning to hammer out receive workers’ compensation, or have their agreements with the California Public Utilities disability accommodated. These are the rights Commission (CPUC). We knew that we had to put enjoyed by employees but not by contractors. into place certain safety mechanisms; other- I see this shift from full-time stable employment wise, no one would want to ride with us. So we to the gig economy leading to instability and looked to achieve a balance of what works from a difficulty for working families to get by. True, the business standpoint and what protects the public. flexibility is great and we should encourage that We did a good job with respect to implementing more in the workplace. It’s also a useful service criminal background checks, insurance coverage, for consumers to be able to get an inexpensive vehicle inspections, and a rating system. You and really quick cab whenever they need one. Lyft know you can’t always catch all of the bad apples, and other companies are able to offer that service and you can’t protect against uncertainties and because they are shifting the costs to the workers accidents. But you can catch the vast majority. who aren’t paid much, receive no benefits, and are As a business, we have had few trust or safety not compensated for the time they spend on the incidents. job without a fare. As far as whether we are cabs or limos, the CPUC legalized a different category of “transport RS: This is a symptom of a society that decided network companies” in 2013, and the regime we not to create a social safety net for everyone and have in California now works. We provide liability only attached economic protections to full-time insurance—$1 million of coverage—and property employees at large companies. One of the great damage insurance for drivers, and we were the things about Obamacare is that it acknowledges first company to do that in August 2012. a social need that allows flexibility. The question is whether, as neoliberal capitalism moves in this RS: What’s interesting is that what emerged from direction of the gig economy, part of the political that debate is the idea that cabs are overregu- response will be to create more support for these lated. Here’s a mechanism by which collaborative workers in terms of pensions, disability, workers’ consumption generated regulatory reform in non- comp, and so on. Or if they will eventually be collaborative areas. There is a real possibility that classified as employees. we will end up with a less regulated cab industry. LL: We see it differently. Lyft drivers in particular Liz Morris: We certainly have fewer regulations are drivers by choice, not necessity. The sharing protecting the drivers. There are also questions economy frees workers from being dependent on about how much money people can actually a single employer and helps them do what they make in these jobs. Sometimes it doesn’t add up really want to do. to minimum wage, and there have been protests and lawsuits as a result. These workers are also
38 SPRING 2015 TOMORROW’S THE CAMPAIGN FOR UC HASTINGS OPPORTUNITY IS OURS TO CREATE.
A forward-thinking UC Hastings alumna gave Sherry Patterson the opportunity of a lifetime. Now, Patterson is eager to pay it forward.
Growing up in Watts, California, Patterson became a breadwinner early in life when she dropped out of USC to care for four siblings. A career in law might have remained beyond her reach were it not for the Merle Chambers Scholarship at UC Hastings, helping promising students rise above challenge.
Now a practicing attorney (and still the backbone of her family), Patterson represents another generation of UC Hastings graduates shaped by opportunity. With an investment in the Campaign for UC Hastings, you can create opportunities for future students who, like Patterson, will pay it forward.
To make a difference and share your definition of opportunity, visit www.opportunity.uchastings.edu
“UC HASTINGS GAVE ME TO THE CONFIDENCE TO JOIN ANY COMMUNITY WITH MY HEAD HELD HIGH.”
SHERRY PATTERSON ‘14 conduct. accountable for wrongful we hold big companies righteous which in cases We continue on to take “ ”
LIEFF CABRASER { POINT OF VIEW }
Steve Fineman ‘88 THE MANAGING PARTNER OF LIEFF CABRASER SHARES INSIGHTS INTO SUCCESSFUL LAWYERING.
Steve Fineman ’88 is the managing partner at one of the nation’s top plaintiffs’ firms, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein (LCHB). For over 40 years, the firm has taken on landmark cases in the areas of mass tort, securities and financial fraud, antitrust, consumer protection, employment discrimination, false claims/whistle-blower, and product lia- bility. Fineman joined the firm in 1991 and became managing partner in 2003. Based in LCHB’s New York office, Fineman talked about running a firm with many practice groups, the reputation of trial lawyers, and how attorneys can do well by doing good.
Q: How would you characterize LIBOR manipulation litigation our willingness and ability to Lieff Cabraser? against major financial insti- take cases to trial, our good tutions from around the world; judgment on when and how A: The diversity of our practice and employees of high-tech com- to creatively resolve cases, the breadth of our client base panies in the “antipoaching” and the financial recovery we make us unique in the plain- antitrust case in which Apple, get for our clients. But we are tiffs’ bar. For example, today we Google, Intel, and others agreed constantly proving ourselves. represent former cigarette smok- not to hire each other’s talent, We continue to take on right- ers in trials against the tobacco which artificially depressed eous cases in which we hold companies for wrongful deaths; wages; female employees alleg- big companies accountable for owners of GM vehicles in the ing discrimination in promotion wrongful conduct. “ignition switch” litigation for and pay against Goldman Our lawyers are among the wrongful death, serious injury, Sachs; and fishermen and others best in their fields nationally. and economic loss; checking who make livings in the Gulf But what also characterizes a account consumers in bank of Mexico against BP in the Lieff Cabraser lawyer is her or overdraft fee cases against Deepwater Horizon litigation. his commitment to scholarship, Wells Fargo and other banks; Our stellar reputation in the and bar association service. Our individual investors in the legal community also sets us lawyers teach at law schools, Facebook IPO fraud litigation; apart. Our reputation has been write for legal publications, institutional investors in the built on the high quality of work, serve on boards of numerous
UC HASTINGS 41 { POINT OF VIEW }
nonprofit legal organizations, What do you think of recent If you ask people in the abstract, and are thought leaders in the campaigns that have made “What is your opinion of a plain- bar. Our lawyers are frequent trial lawyers easy scapegoats? tiff’s lawyer?” you might get a recipients of national, state, and negative reaction from some. local awards. We have a remark- A: Yes, “plaintiff’s lawyers” or “trial But the response changes if you able group of attorneys. lawyers,” as a group, are fre- ask, “What is your opinion of quently criticized in the media, the BP oil spill case, and who is Q: Managing partner is a tough usually by those with political on the right side, the oil com- job, likened to herding cats. interests adverse to ours, or our pany, or the local businesses How do you see your day-to- clients. In my experience, that whose cash flow was harmed by day work? criticism does not extend to the spill?” Or ask them whose those who seek our services— interests they care about in A: Really, what it means is trying those who need representation the GM case of faulty ignition to move a lot of very talented after suffering an injury from switches implicated in the people in very diverse prac- a defective medical device or deaths of dozens of people. Or tice areas, in three cities, in pharmaceutical product, or suppose you are an investor in the same direction practically who lost money in a financial a company whose executives and philosophically. I try to fraud, or whose small business engaged in fraud that caused make sure that we make good is in trouble because of the the stock value to drop. Where decisions about case selection price-fixing of massive interna- do you think the scales of jus- and case prosecution. We aim to tional conglomerates, or whose tice would fall? take cases that serve a useful, drinking water has been pol- If you are an employee who socially significant purpose and luted by an unlawful chemical lost a job or didn’t get a job seek justice for our clients, but dump. And so on. When people because of your race, gender, we are also an entrepreneurial, demonize trial lawyers or vilify sexual orientation, or age, where for-profit business. My job is the plaintiffs’ bar, it’s because would you come down on that to lead the firm in balancing we are outgunned in the media issue? If you bought a washing those goals and realities. Of and are losing the PR battle, not machine that turned out to course, managing the business because what we’re doing isn’t grow mold, and you felt ripped of the firm, I also deal with important and effective in the off, how would you feel about the less glamorous stuff, like marketplace. the company that made the the day-to-day supervision of machine and sold it to you? If personnel, finances, marketing, you were running a small busi- and business relationships. I ness and paying ridiculously have to stress that I manage high amounts for a key compo- the firm in collaboration and nent for no reason other than a consultation with my fantastic price-fixing conspiracy, you’d partners, including our execu- want us to seek justice for you. tive committee, and a top-notch “I have no patience for management team. people with financial Q: What did UC Hastings do especially well to prepare you Q: As a firm that exclusively resources and a little for your career? represents plaintiffs, LCHB bit of time who don’t might get lumped in with a A: Two things in particular. First, class of lawyers that public contribute to the public even though I don’t think I real- opinion has turned against. good in some fashion.” ized this at the time, I learned
42 SPRING 2015 how to think critically about the ranks there, and served as helped start a Jewish commu- complex problems. Learning the organization’s president nity center and preschool in from excellent professors how in 2011–2012. Public Justice lower Manhattan after 9/11. to read case law and formulate is a national, nonprofit, public What’s your secret for work-life arguments based on close interest law firm that fights for balance? analysis of the text provided a access to justice, consumer and solid foundation for my career environmental protection, and A: No secret. You have to have as a litigator. Second, my civil rights in courts through a balance in this business moot court experience at UC litigation and education. because working 80-hour weeks Hastings provided me my first I also serve as the co-chair of is not a healthy long-term meaningful exposure to per- the securities litigation group proposition. After 25 years of suasive legal writing and oral of the American Association practice, being engaged in lead- argument. I was on the plain- for Justice; am active with ership activities outside the firm tiff’s side of my assigned case. It the American Constitutional makes me a more thoughtful was that experience that made Society; and write and lecture and effective managing partner me want to be a litigator and a for lawyers and law students on and lawyer. Raising children plaintiff’s lawyer. complex litigation, alternative is the single most fascinating dispute resolution, and law firm thing I do: watching these little Q: Your work with nonprofit management. kids become people, moving organizations has been com- them along, helping them find mendable. Tell us a little bit Q: You have three sons and their niche. I also believe that about your pro bono leadership. a wife who manages an Off- if you have the opportunity to Broadway theater company, give back, you should. I have no A: I joined the board of the Public and you also coach a Little patience for people with finan- Justice Foundation in 1995 League team and sit on the cial resources and a little bit of [known then as Trial Lawyers board of your children’s school. time who don’t contribute to the for Public Justice], climbed You and your wife, Lori, also public good in some fashion. FIONA ABOUD FIONA
UC HASTINGS 43 CLASS N TES
NEWS ABOUT YOUR CLASSMATES AND COLLEAGUES Katie Kuiter ’08
who provide same- day mediations in the Alameda County Superior ’13 ’12 ’10 Courts, as well as a court Margaret Allen is Patricia Dyck is a After working for mediation practicum working as the director litigator at Lieff Cabraser multiple law firms, training program in the of an innovative master’s Heimann & Bernstein, Vivi Hoang was hired courts. program at the University a plaintiffs’ class action in-house by Agartha. of Worcester in the U.K., and consumer protection / Mattie Robertson ’08 organizing physician firm in San Francisco. is a court mediation Erik Christensen associates’ education. / Yousef Farsakh is a program manager at is the director of These new health care finance associate at King SEEDS Community communications and professionals provide & Spalding in Saudi Resolution Center, media relations at Golden complete medical care Arabia. Yousef helped win a nonprofit conflict Gate University School alongside doctors, the IFN 2014 “Deal of the resolution organization. of Law, a JD-preferred providing continuity, Year” award and is now She oversees a team of position. / Katie Kuiter is compassion, and helping to structure the volunteer mediators a former divorce litigation competence. “Best job agreement to erect the attorney turned certified ever!” she wrote. world’s tallest building. / health coach. “My career / In December, Keenan S.C. Thomas is enjoying change came as the result Manetta-Dillon started his new job mediating of realizing that there a position with the civil rights claims for the was a real need for busy California Department California Department professionals to receive of Corrections in of Fair Employment and support and guidance Sacramento as an Housing. S.C. and his around health and attorney within its health family invite friends to wellness, especially in the care team. come visit: “You’ve got a areas of healthy eating, hot meal and a pallet on weight loss, and stress the floor waiting for you management,” she wrote. in Sacramento!” Vivi Hoang ’10 She created Cooking
44 SPRING 2015 { CLASS NOTES }
Bootcamp to help her (Yang) Ng ’09 is with ’06 clients cultivate the habit Murphy Pearson Bradley Simona Agnolucci was of spending two hours & Feeney in Sacramento. promoted to partner every week to prepare Brad wrote: “Our biggest at Keker & Van Nest, healthy meals and snacks. news is the addition to where she specializes “This helps foster the our family of our first- in complex litigation. habit of eating whole, born son, Alex, who She and her husband, unprocessed foods, the was born this past July, Elias Batchelder, benefits of which are truly healthy, happy, and full of welcomed their second immeasurable,” she said. smiles.” child, Athena Brennan / Brad Ng is with the Anna Miller ’07 Agnolucci, in November. District Attorney’s Office, ’07 Elias continues to work assigned to the Career Edward Chung and for the Office of the State Criminal Prosecution Clarisse Wong celebrated of their firm, Crossroads Public Defender, where unit, while Brittany the two-year anniversary Legal Group, in August, he represents California’s and welcomed a son, death row inmates in Emmanuel Caleb Chung, their appeals. / Corinne into the world Oct. 29. Goria published Invisible They live and practice in Hands, a collection of Mountain View. / Anna oral histories from people Miller relocated back suffering human rights to Northern California abuses in the global this past summer from economy. / Kelly Rem the Los Angeles area. wrote: “My classmate She is still practicing Samantha Trujillo and education law but is now I got married in San a senior associate in the Francisco on Nov. 15, Sacramento office of 2014. We met at UC Atkinson Andelson Loya Hastings during our first Ruud & Romo. She wrote: year.” / Janet Simmonds Globe-Trotting Legal Expert “We miss the beach, attained partner status in but my family and I are July 2014 at the family law Cindy Josseran, LLM ’11, has done internships at thoroughly enjoying a firm Sucherman Insalaco the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former more rural lifestyle in El in San Francisco. Yugoslavia, and the Rule of Law Unit of the United Dorado County. Leaving Nations in New York. After passing the French bar, L.A. traffic behind was ’05 she became a jurist on the defense team of Jean-Pierre certainly a bonus too!” / Kevin Angstenberger Bemba, the former vice president of Congo, before the For the past year, Matt was recently hired as International Criminal Court. Bemba is accused of war Stratton has been a in-house real estate crimes and crimes against humanity. Cindy is also member of the in-house corporate counsel for working as a consultant for the NGO Civitas Maxima legal team at Facebook, RaceTrac Petroleum, on building a case on representations of victims of the focusing on intellectual Georgia’s third-largest post-electoral violence of 2010 in the Ivory Coast. property issues.
UC HASTINGS 45 { CLASS NOTES }
privately held company. and taught deaf, hard of privacy cases that impact Kevin wrote: “I am hearing, and multiply the Internet and other excited to be a part of disabled students. She technologies. / Michael such a great company!” / chose to pursue a law Shipley, currently a Jonathan M. Blute has degree to maximize her partner at Kirkland & been promoted to partner ability to advocate for Ellis in Los Angeles, was at Murphy Pearson children with special recently named by the Bradley & Feeney. needs and their families. Daily Journal as one of / After eight years in the top twenty attorneys ’04 Washington, D.C., in California under the In the fall of 2014, Rachel where she worked on a age of 40. Rhys Cheung ’03 Bertin opened her variety of civil liberties own practice, Special and technology policy ’03 Education Solutions, issues, Sophia Cope Brian A. Bayati founded Montana, and Utah. after two decades in the has returned to San the Bayati Law Group Art wrote an editorial field of special education. Francisco to work at in Newport Beach in in November 2014 that Prior to attending law the Electronic Frontier 2009. Brian’s practice was instrumental in school, Rachel earned a Foundation. She will is now exclusive to defeating a proposed master’s in deaf education litigate free speech and family law litigation in Idaho constitutional Orange County. / Rhys amendment. / Emanuel Cheung has joined Nixon Shirazi was named Peabody’s IP litigation a Rising Star in practice in its Silicon Employment Law by Valley office. Her practice Super Lawyers magazine also includes prosecuting for Southern California patents in high-tech for the fifth straight year, subject areas, including and was AV rated by mobile applications, Martindale Hubbell for photovoltaics and other the third straight year. computer software, hardware, and systems. ’02 / Shannon Hill moved Naomi Fribourg joined from Chicago back to her the family law group hometown of San Diego at Hoge, Fenton, Jones and is now working as a & Appel, where she professional responsibility represents clients in attorney at DLA Piper. all family law matters, / Macomber Law, run including divorce, A Real "Bar" Band by Arthur Macomber, custody, support, Guitarist Glenn Thomas Spitzer ’01 and his backup- now has five employees complex property vocals-singing wife, Stacy Tyler ’01, are getting ready handling real property division, restraining to release the first album from The Glenn Thomas Band, transactions and litigation orders, adoptions, aptly titled The First Album, in 2015. in Washington, Idaho, domestic partnership
46 SPRING 2015 { CLASS NOTES }
cases, and negotiated Praia, Cape Verde. He and paralegal Carolyn settlement agreements. previously served in Dar Sanborn ’80. / Cynthia / Christine Gonong es Salaam, Tanzania; Schrock Seeley was wrote: Minh Nguyen Amsterdam; and Maputo, appointed supervising and his family hosted Mozambique. attorney for the Warren another big holiday County, N.Y., Department party. In attendance ’00 of Social Services in were several members of Dean Fealk, a partner in August 2014. the class of ’02 and the the San Francisco office of class of ’03. / Yvonne DLA Piper, was selected ’98 West was promoted to to join the inaugural UC Hastings Professor Paula Lawhon ’99 an attorney IV position class of the Presidential Jennifer Dunn was at the State Water Leadership Scholars recently a speaker at the Resources Control Board program, a unique where she realized (after West Coast launch of Office of Enforcement leadership development 12 years) that life was too the World Bank’s new with the new cannabis initiative that draws short to spend it facing off report Voice and Agency: enforcement pilot upon the resources of with hostile adversaries Empowering Women program. Yvonne looks the presidential centers (and those were just the and Girls for Shared forward to using her of Lyndon B. Johnson, partners!). Now free to Prosperity on Oct. 28, legal experience in water George H.W. Bush, pursue her passions, 2014. Her presentation, quality and water rights William J. Clinton, and Andrea is enjoying “Legal Approaches to enforcement to address George W. Bush. The poetry, photography, Women’s Empowerment: harmful environmental scholars draw from and camping around St. Opportunities and impacts of unregulated a variety of sectors, Petersburg, Fla. / Alex Obstacles,” focused on marijuana cultivation. including private, public, Grab was appointed as using international law nonprofit, military, general counsel, vice and national constitutions ’01 and academia and were president of strategic to improve maternal Shigh Sapp is a chosen because of their relations, and corporate health and decrease consular official at capacity to take their secretary at Silicon maternal mortality in the U.S. Embassy in leadership strengths to a Valley–based technology developing countries. higher level to help their company Electronics For communities and our Imaging. He remains country. active at UC Hastings as a member of the alumni ’99 Board of Governors. / Andrea Brodsky has run Paula Lawhon’s family three ultramarathons in law mediation firm has the past year and is now helped clients resolve training for an Ironman complex family law triathlon. These feats matters since 2005. Its have still been easier than team of three attorney/ her previous position mediators includes Paula, Yvonne West ’02 Jennifer Dunn ’98 as a corporate litigator, Shelley Kennedy ’10,
UC HASTINGS 47 { CLASS NOTES }
Her research, teaching, faculty that highlighted and update policies Sarah Weinstein recently and advocacy focus on the barriers to accessing around abortion and completed a transition women’s health and VBAC (vaginal birth after miscarriage management. from big-firm lawyer to reproductive justice. cesarean) in California / Since 2010, Ciarán psychotherapist, and has Jennifer has taught hospitals. In addition to O’Sullivan has been opened a consulting and women’s health & the pursuing her research a solo practitioner in psychotherapy practice law since 2009 and is and teaching, Jennifer San Francisco, having in Rockridge, Calif.. currently teaching a practices as a pro bono spent 12 years at firms After more than a decade global health law course attorney for the ACLU. including Reed Smith and as a lawyer—during to students at both UC Co-author of Abortion Nossaman. In September which she clerked for Hastings and UCSF. In in California: A Medical- 2013, Gov. Jerry Brown Judge Stephen S. Trott, an April 2014 article, the Legal Handbook, she signed AB 1160, a bill worked for Morrison New York Times relied has helped clinics and amending California & Foerster and Mayer on a study co-authored hospitals throughout Probate Code section Brown, then clerked by Jennifer and UCSF California develop 11704, effective Jan. 1, again as permanent law 2014. AB 1160 originated clerk to Magistrate Judge as a resolution Ciarán Wayne D. Brazil until wrote and worked to his retirement in 2009— pass in the Conference Sarah finished a graduate of California Bar program in psychology Associations, to which he in 2010 at the Wright is Bar Association of San Institute in Berkeley. In Francisco delegate, and August, she completed in the state Legislature. the advanced two-year In September 2014, Chief postgraduate clinical Justice Tani Cantil- training program at the Sakauye and State Bar Psychotherapy Institute, President Luis Rodriguez also in Berkeley. presented him with a 2014 President’s Pro ’97 Bono Services Award. Craig Enochs was He was one of only two named to the BTI Client New State Bar President solo practitioners in Service All-Stars list in In October 2014, Craig Holden ’94 was sworn in as California to receive the 2014 and was named as the new president of the State Bar of California. He is award in 2014. / Felicia Best Lawyers’ 2014–15 a partner at Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith, a Los Vallera is executive vice Houston Derivatives and Angeles law firm, where he co-chairs the commercial president and general Futures Law Lawyer litigation department. His clients have ranged counsel of Solar Mosaic, of the Year. Per Best from Fortune 100 companies and entrepreneurs to the nation’s first peer-to- Lawyers, “Only a single professional athletes and entertainment companies. peer lending marketplace lawyer in each practice Craig, who has been named both a Super Lawyer and exclusively supporting area in each community Advocate of the Year, also serves on a leadership council the growth of solar and is being honored as a for the Rand Corporation. renewable energy. / Lawyer of the Year.” /
48 SPRING 2015 { CLASS NOTES }
’95 Fast Times for Legal Leader After 12 years at Seltzer Anthony Lanza ’91 qualified for the amateur car racing Caplan McMahon Vitek, national championships this year at Mazda Raceway where she served as Laguna Seca. His race was televised on SpeedCast TV the chairperson of the on Oct. 10. His car, the No. 15 Silver Lotus, finished 12th. family law practice Tony was recently featured in Southern California’s Top group, Amanda Harris Rated Lawyers, distributed with the Los Angeles Times, joined the San Diego in an article titled “Legal Leaders.” law firm of Solomon Ward as a partner in
Andrew Lanphere ’97 2014. She continues to specialize in family law. She lives in San Diego Jonathan Jaech practices with her husband and intellectual property law two children. / Michele with a focus on patents Simon recently joined and technology at Snell Foscolo & Handel of The & Wilmer. He was also Food Law Firm as of a Libertarian Party counsel. She continues candidate for California to work on food policy Attorney General in the through her own 2014 spring primary and consulting business, Eat was elected southern vice Drink Politics. chair of the California Libertarian Party for 2014. ’94 Outstanding Lawyer. Rogers’ book, Ethics in / Andrew Lanphere has Leslie Hyman has been The award recognizes International Arbitration been elected to Pillsbury selected by the Bexar contributions to the (Oxford University Winthrop Shaw Pittman’s County (Texas) Women’s profession; contributions Press), was published 2015 partner class. Bar Foundation as the to the community; and in September 2014. Andrew is a member 2014 Belva Lockwood experience, reputation, Catherine also started of the firm’s litigation and standing in the a new NGO, Arbitrator practice in San Francisco. legal community. / Intelligence, to promote ’96 John Parker’s practice transparency and is concentrated on fairness in the selection of John Betz is a harbor commercial collections international arbitrators. pilot in the Port of Los and general litigation. He / Matthew Ruggles is Angeles. Maritime pilots recently moved his offices doing very well in his guide ships in and out of from Phoenix to Tempe, hometown of Sacramento the port complex. (“Valet Ariz., and got engaged and working as a partner parking on steroids,” he to Nikki Goodman over at Littler Mendelson, said.) He lives in Venice reunion weekend in San doing management-side Beach with his wife and Amanda Harris ’95 Francisco. / Catherine labor and employment 10-year-old son.
UC HASTINGS 49 { CLASS NOTES }
boat, Syren, and plan to circumnavigate the Great In Memoriam Loop in the next few years, as vacation time allows. Don was recently Sher Kung ’09 passed away on Aug. 29, 2014. elected Commodore of the She was killed while riding her bike in Seattle. Santa Cruz Yacht Club. She was a new mother and attorney at Perkins Coie. In 2010, she was part of the ACLU ’93 trial team that successfully challenged the The Los Angeles Times military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. reported that Hilary New book by Catherine Rogers ’94 James Ponichtera ’96 passed away on June Potashner was appointed 2, 2014. He was the marketing director at the as the federal public national law firm Stroock & Stroock & Lavan law. He is married to his defender for the L.A. in New York City. high school sweetheart region. / Alexandra and has two boys—one a Ross is senior counsel at Aubrey Weldon ’74 passed away in September freshman in high school, Paragon Legal, working 2013. He was a trial lawyer and taught law the other in fifth grade. on-site as a privacy for more than 30 years at City College of San “The youngest one is specialist at Autodesk. Francisco. looking to be a lawyer, She is also a privacy blogger and frequent John Lacy ’73 passed away on Sept. 22, so watch out in about 20 speaker at privacy and 2014. He was a partner at the Honolulu firm years,” he wrote. / Erin technology conferences. Goodsill, Anderson, Quinn and Stifel. He Williams Conant, senior Last year, she founded worked in admiralty law, aviation, product corporate counsel at The Privacy Guru to liability, and business disputes. Marvell Semiconductor, married Don Conant demystify privacy issues Jennie Rhine ’69 passed away on May 11, 2014. ’83, senior attorney at and empower the mindful She was a retired Alameda County Superior Intel, in Tahiti. They have use of technology. Court judge. been cruising the eastern Follow her on Twitter@ U.S. seaboard in their sharemindfully. Ronald Johnson ’67 passed away on May 21, 2014. He started his law career in the District Attorney’s Office in Orange County, then ’91 Anthony Azemika and practiced in Glenwood Springs, Colo., for his brother, Nicholas many years before returning to California to Azemika, opened specialize in family law. He retired in 2004. their own law firm in Milton H. Mares ’67 passed away on Nov. 18, Bakersfield in 1994. In 2014. He practiced law in San Francisco for 16 October, they celebrated years as a deputy city attorney and chief labor their 20-year anniversary. They are the only multi- (continued on page 53) attorney firm in Kern County specializing Alexandra Ross ’93 exclusively in family law.
50 SPRING 2015 { CLASS NOTES }
Wedding Bells for Harris
On Aug. 22, 2014, trailblazing California Attorney General Kamala Harris ’89 and attorney Douglas Emhoff were married at the courthouse in Santa Barbara. The attorney general’s sister, Maya Harris, officiated. Kamala, a former San Francisco district attorney, is the first woman, the first African- American, and the first South Asian to hold the office in the history of California. She was reelected to a second term in office in November. Emhoff is a partner in Anthony & Nicholas Azemika, ’91 Juliann Sum, ’90 charge of the law firm Venable’s Los Angeles office and serves as managing director for expansion. Nick has been a 49ers and is featured in a new season ticket holder documentary film about for years, and Tony is a wolf OR-7, the first wild season ticket holder at wolf in California in USC, where his oldest nearly 90 years. daughter is a senior. / Amaroq Weiss lives in ’90 the North Bay area and Independent securities works for the Center regulator FINRA named for Biological Diversity. Richard Berry head of As the center’s West securities arbitration. Coast wolf advocate, / Suzanne Mulkern Amaroq argued its recent practices mediation and successful administrative family collaborative law. petition to protect wolves She is also the program under California’s manager for the Family Endangered Species Act Court Settlement Project, a partnership program between the Santa Clara County Family family arbitration and Courts and the Pro Bono ’88 settlement matters. / In Project of Silicon Valley. On June 18, Gov. Jerry December 2014, Gov. Jerry The program provides Brown appointed David Brown appointed Juliann volunteer attorneys to Cowan a Los Angeles Sum as chief of the mediate custody and County Superior Court Division of Occupational visitation agreements judge. / David Keepnews Safety and Health (Cal/ and obtain parentage is the director of graduate OSHA). judgments for self- programs for the School represented litigants. She of Nursing at Hunter Amaroq Weiss ’91 acts as judge pro tem for College in New York City
UC HASTINGS 51 { CLASS NOTES }
Hot Out of the Oven I’m managing to practice of Taylor|Anderson, a labor and employment national trial firm with After practicing civil litigation for eight years and law and am excited offices in Denver, Orange immigration law for 12 years, Marirose Piciucco about my new website, County, San Diego, and ’88 gave up her briefcase for a chef’s coat. Marirose RobertWallaceLaw.com. Dallas. / Vernon Winters co-founded Muffin Revolution, a Berkeley-based Drop me a line sometime. said he is working with wholesale baking company specializing in nutrient- I’d love to hear from you.” great in-house and dense paleo, grain-free, and gluten-free muffins. outside counsel teams These specialty muffins can be found in various cafés ’87 to Amgen’s interests in throughout the Bay Area; on Good Eggs, an online store Alan Abrahamson two of its first biosimilars that connects consumers to farmers and local food is in his fourth year cases, including the producers; in Rainbow Market; and in Whole Foods. teaching in the graduate first case to interpret sportswriting program the BPCIA’s patent DJ at the Annenberg School provisions. He is also for Communication and working with great Journalism at USC. He in-house and outside reprised his role as chief counsel teams defending columnist for the NBC against Intellectual Olympics at the 2014 Ventures’ first moves Sochi Winter Games—his against the insurance eighth Olympics. He industry. “I’m humbled was also the winner of to be included again in the 2014 Track and Field Chambers USA’s patent Writers of America’s litigator rankings, to be Adam Jacobs Memorial released in May,” Award for excellence in he wrote. online journalism for work on his website, ’86 3WireSports.com. / In early 2013, Stephen Thompson Sharkey McNamara merged his and a board member of gave birth to our sweet wrote: “After 26 years the American Academy girl, Grace, on Oct. 30, and a lot of jury trials, I of Nursing. He and Peter 2014. Baby and mom are retired from the Santa Tung recently married. / lovely, and big sisters Clara County Public Cynthia R. Rowland was Liberty and Trinity are Defender’s Office in recently named by Best enjoying the new addition December 2014 and set Lawyers in America as to our rambunctious clan. up my own solo private the 2015 San Francisco My crazy combo of Law practice in downtown Lawyer of the Year for and Rhythm is taking a San Jose.” / Kevin Taylor nonprofit and charities group of intrepid travelers is happily married and law. / Bobby Wallace to Bahia, Brazil, in has two children: Quinn, wrote: “My lovely wife, January 2015. Somehow age 12, and Brody, age Anitie Ukpe-Wallace, through all the madness, 10. Kevin is the founder Thompson Sharkey ’87
52 SPRING 2015 { CLASS NOTES }
of the U.S. Department of Justice, Ken Rosenberg retired in August 2014. In Memoriam (continued from page 50) He is attempting to spend his time productively by traveling and learning to negotiator for the city of San Francisco. He speak Korean. then worked for the San Mateo County Council until he retired in 2002. ’85 Debra Estrem was Charles Edward Chase ’64 passed away on tapped to join the April 1, 2013. He was a name partner at the Debra Estrem ’85 Washington national Burlingame law firm Chase, Berenstein & tax practice of Deloitte Murray. Tax, heading up estate, litigation boutique firm Peter Ng ’64 passed away on June 26, 2014. He gift, and individual tax of 20 years with a firm founded the Honolulu law firm Ng & Niebling. controversy. In this area, composed of lawyers from He specialized in trusts and estate planning. Jones Day, to form Brown Debra handles some of the Wegner McNamara. The largest IRS controversy Herbert H. Fitz ’63 passed away in September firm handles complex matters in the country. 2014. He worked as a trial attorney for the Los business litigation and She also teaches tax Angeles firm of Spray, Gould and Bowers. In intellectual property procedure as an adjunct 1970, he joined the faculty of Southwestern disputes throughout professor at Golden Gate Law School, retiring in 1984. the United States for University. Robert S. Teaze ’58 passed away on Aug. 29, large domestic and 2014. He was an assistant city attorney for international clients. ’84 San Diego. Valerie (Wickstrom) Cammie Chen has McNamara joined as of transitioned from her Manuel Kugler ’50 passed away on Aug. 2, counsel in 2013, after litigation practice at 2014. He served as Chula Vista’s city attorney working for Paul Hastings McHugh & Chen to a full- in 1958 and became the first and only city and Payne & Fears, and time mediation practice attorney to successfully win a case for the city acting as of counsel. of Chula Vista in the U.S. Supreme Court, in Together they have three 1960. His landmark Supreme Court victory children. Their son is against Rohr Aircraft ultimately got him a software engineer appointed as a South Bay Municipal Court working in San Francisco, judge by Gov. Pat Brown. just a few blocks from UC Hastings. Their oldest daughter is a premed student at the University of Missouri, and their other daughter is in high school. / After a 28-year Cammie Chen ’84 stint with the tax division
UC HASTINGS 53 { CLASS NOTES }
with her law partner of disputes in both states. Wolen, has merged into exclusive Forum on 20 years. She mediates / Mary Catherine Malin, Hinshaw & Culbertson. Immigration in February. solo on most cases and the assistant legal adviser / Charles T. Hoge was / Liz Aguilar Tarchi as a team with William at the U.S. Department selected as one of the was the recipient of the McHugh on complex of State and a serious 2015 Best Lawyers in United Nations 2014 or multiparty matters. runner, completed America for commercial CEDAW (Convention Their mediation practice her first Ironman race litigation. / Joy San on the Elimination of can be found in detail at this summer in Mont Buenaventura won two Discrimination Against 2endispute.com. Licensed Tremblant, Canada. Hawaii Supreme Court Women) Claire Joyce to practice in California cases, both of which Tempongko Memorial and Hawaii, they mediate ’83 were argued almost back Award for her exemplary litigated, pre-litigated, Larry Golub’s law firm to back on Dec. 2 and 4, work as a prosecutor and congregational of 31 years, Barger & 2013: Collins v. Wassell, and activist in the arena a divorce case arguing of human rights and a premarital economic domestic violence. Liz is partnership, was orally a 27-year veteran of the argued with students in San Francisco District the audience as part of the Attorney’s Office and is Hawaii Supreme Court the supervising attorney community outreach; the of the domestic violence/ other was State v. Salas, a stalking/elder abuse court-appointed criminal division of the District case. On Nov. 4, 2014, Attorney’s Office. she was elected as a state representative for the ’81 district of Puna. Patricia Jacqueline Cooper is the volunteer ’82 executive director for Alma Rosa Nieto is an the Good Knight Child immigration legal analyst Empowerment Network, The Century Club for Telemundo national which is celebrating its and local news. She is 30th year in 2015. The Debra Bogaards ’81 and her husband recently a regular contributor network is creating a wall participated in the ALS Napa Metric Century, a 63-mile to major networks: Al of service and memories bike race, as part of Team Tom Rogers ’79, which was Jazeera, CNN, NBC, to celebrate those who made up of a group of 12 former UC Hastings rugby NPR, MSNBC, and make a difference in the team members. Tom was a UC Hastings graduate who Univision. She is the community and is looking lived with ALS for 12 years before passing away a founding attorney of the for more contributions. decade ago. Members of the team included James (Jim) immigration law firm / Ed Schmitt lives in San Biernat ’77, Tom Byrnes ’76, Peter Engstrom ’85, John The Law Office of Alma Juan Capistrano with his Feeney ’78, John Heisse ’80, Paul Nichols ’82, Steve Rosa Nieto. She was one wife, Wendy, and five Perl ’81, Pat Richardson ’79, Joel Rubin ’75, and Walter of a select few invited to kids. He publishes fishing (Skip) Walker ’74. attend President Obama’s and hunting reports on
54 SPRING 2015 { CLASS NOTES }
www.schmittcreek.com wrote: “One day I woke is a veterinarian in the and is a partner at Koeller, up and realized I’d been Washington, D.C. area. Nebeker, Carlson, and practicing law for over 30 “Since one daughter Haluck in Irvine. years. I’ve been married was born in Year 1 at UC for 20 years, and it all feels Hastings and the other in ’80 like a finger snap. I served Year 3, it’s amazing how In 2014, Rex Blackburn as an Alameda County time has flown.” was elected a life member deputy district attorney, of the Uniform Law I lived briefly in Hawaii, ’79 Commission and was and am admitted there. Les Bock has joined the reelected as vice president I ran for judge, and I’ve Centro de Comunidad y Les Bock ’79 of the ULC. Rex is senior been practicing criminal Justicia (CCJ) as a staff vice president and general defense in the same attorney. Les will help counsel of IDACORP location in Hayward for lead Proyecto Vecinos from 2001 to 2005, and and the Idaho Power over 20 years. I completed CCJ’s Immigrant he was a partner with Company. / Cathleen a 400-mile, weeklong Rights Project, and Dillion, Bosch, Daw & Gilliland Fitch is winding bicycle trip in Wyoming provide family-based Bock from 1992 to 2005. down her partnership of last summer; kiteboarded immigration services to / Barry S. Engel has Coughlan Semmer Fitch in North Carolina, Maui, Latino and low-income recently authored a third & Pott after a 26-year and regularly on the Bay; immigrant families edition of his text, Asset association and is now and am looking forward throughout southwest Protection Planning Guide Of Counsel to The Grant to another season of and south central (published in January Lawyers in San Diego. snowboarding at Squaw Idaho. Les will also 2014 by CCH, a Wolters She still specializes in and Alpine. I often think provide legal support Kluwer business). Barry legal malpractice defense, of my first year at UC for the organization’s is the founding principal but has expanded her Hastings, in 1976–1977, community-based (since 1984) of Engel practice to include more with great fondness. I’m education and health & Reiman, located in commercial litigation and honored to have been equity initiatives. Denver. / Matt Joseph collections work. / a part of Section C. It’s From 2008 to 2014, Les joined the U.S. Peace Louis J. Goodman been a wild ride, and it’s served as a Democratic Corps in June 2014 and not done yet.” / Rose- Idaho state senator, is now serving in the Eve Lewis continues to representing the 16th Republic of Moldova, split her time between District, where he was an ex-Soviet republic Carmel Valley and France, assistant minority leader located between Ukraine which seems to work from 2010 to 2013. He was and Romania. His since it has now been a a member of the Idaho program is community decade and her clients House of Representatives organization and seem to be used to it. from 2006 until 2008. development. He works Her daughter Genevieve, Prior to serving in the in economic development a lawyer at Apple, has Idaho Legislature, Les in the county (raion) added a granddaughter was the executive director government in Anenii to the family. Her other of the Idaho Human Noi, about 35 kilometers Rex Blackburn ’80 daughter, Anne-Marie, Rights Education Center southeast of Chisinau, the
UC HASTINGS 55 { CLASS NOTES }
Ruminating on Cattle Search, where he enjoys ’76 counseling and placing Michael H. Jester wrote: Gail Boyer Hayes ’75 and her husband, Denis Hayes, lawyers. He feels that his “With sadness I report are delighted to announce that W.W. Norton is business is a reward for the recent passing of publishing their book, Cowed: The Hidden Cost of 93 25 years of practicing. Paul Vapnek. He was Million Cows on America’s Health, Economy, Politics, / Jennifer Keller has an adjunct professor at Culture, and Environment. “If we want to live in a again been named to UC Hastings, teaching sustainable America, we’ve got to change some laws, the Los Angeles and Intellectual Property and behaviors, that impact cows,” she said. San Francisco Daily Law in the 1970s. I took Journal’s list of The Top his class, and he was 100 Lawyers in California. an excellent teacher. / Garrett Zook Sutton’s I worked with Paul seventh book, Loopholes for three years in San of Real Estate, was Francisco, and then I selected as the Best went on to practice patent Business Book of 2014 by law for nearly 40 years. I Pacific Book Review. stayed in touch with Paul over the years. He was ’77 easygoing, but a fierce Campbell Killefer and and impeccably honest his wife, Maddy, moved litigator. I will miss my to Annapolis, Md., to live good friend and mentor.” / on the water. They have Marilyn Raia was recently their own dock, so a boat selected by her peers is in Campbell’s future. for inclusion in The Best Campbell continues to Lawyers in America 2015 work at his mediation and in the field of admiralty arbitration practice. and maritime law.
’74 capital of Moldova. / counties) Inn of Court in Mark Gardner retired Mark Steiner was 2013–14. He is a partner at from the Circuit Court recently elected to serve Monty White, with offices after 28 years. He is on the board of directors in San Rafael and Santa now mediating and of the San Francisco Rosa, practicing personal arbitrating cases almost Chamber of Commerce. / injury and civil litigation. full-time. He is married Matt White is president- He is also a mediator with with a daughter and two elect for 2015–16 of the Resolution Remedies in grandchildren. He wrote: Marin County Trial San Rafael. “Miss the poker, gin, Lawyers Association. He cribbage, and especially served as president of ’78 bridge in the commons.” / the Richard M. Sangster David Bargman is Ann Ravel became chair (Marin, Napa, Sonoma president of BSB Legal Jennifer Keller ’78
56 SPRING 2015 { CLASS NOTES }
of the Federal Election practice and entered disability access in motor ’71 Commission, appointed early retirement. Using vehicles and attending Steven Lowe wrote: by President Obama. the skills he learned international motor “Greetings. Sadly, I have / After retiring from at UC Hastings, he has shows with journalist lost contact with my good private practice, Donald now entered a career credentials. Many poetry UC Hastings classmates. Struckmann has spent in community musical readings lately at local I am retired, healthy, and the past four years as theater. He is featured dives. Can’t get the doing well. We divide our senior staff counsel at the in the fall production North Beach of my early lives between Utah and California Department of Gualala Arts’ Jekyll teens and 20s out of my San Miguel de Allende, of Corrections, providing & Hyde: The Musical, system.” Mexico. We have two advice on construction playing the dual roles wonderful sons and four and other procurement of Lord Herbert Savage contracts and utility and Spider. As Spider, agreements. He is now he stage slaps his wife, enrolled at Liberty who plays Lucy, for “too University to obtain a much socializing and master’s degree in biblical not enough soliciting.” theology for his next / Senior U.S. District adventure in teaching Judge Ancer Haggerty the Bible. / Michael G. was featured in a profile Watters wrote: “As our article on OregonLive. class approaches its 40th com in which he anniversary, some of us discussed the scope of are still at it. I’m head of his career, beginning the litigation department with how pursuing a law and managing partner of career proved to be his my firm, founded in 1982 chance when war injuries with the Hon. Laurence crushed his NFL hopes. K. Sawyer (Ret.) ’66; / Gerald H. Thomas John R. O’Brien ’68; has been practicing solo and now the Hon. F. continuously since 1973. “Super” Lawyer Recognized Again Elaine Malisch (Ret.) ’79, In the past 20-plus years, Sonoma County’s first his focus has been on Thomas E. Miller ’73 was nominated for the ninth woman Superior Court taxation, international year in a row as a California Super Lawyer in the judge. I have been in trial business, and probate. field of construction litigation. Additionally, the Trial for more than 230 days in He also got his LLM in Lawyers Board of Regents nominated The Miller Law the past four-plus years.” 1982. He wrote: “Finally Firm, of which Tom is a founding partner and CEO, got the practice down to for a 2014 Litigator award. This adds to his long list of ’73 a science, so I spend more honors, including the Thomas E. Miller Distinguished “Following the rewriting and more time writing Professorship at UC Hastings, the Thomas E. Miller Moot of the comp laws by reviews of theater, food, Court Room at the California Western School of Law in the ‘Terminator,’” Alan and who knows what. San Diego, and the Thomas E. Miller President’s Scholar Grossman sold his Publishing articles on Center at California State University in Long Beach.
UC HASTINGS 57 { CLASS NOTES }
absolutely wonderful alumni. Early in her ages 2 to 18. / Guy O. grandchildren. My best career, Deborah was an Kornblum has been regards to all of you.” / attorney with the United selected as a charter Joanne Roney (formerly Farm Workers of America, fellow for the American Joanne Roney Carpenter) AFL-CIO. She looks back College of Board Certified is proud to announce that at her work developing Attorneys. Guy is board her daughter, Alexandra the Minority Recruitment certified in civil trial Finney, was sworn in as Program (now the Legal advocacy and pretrial a member of the State Education Opportunity civil trial advocacy by Bar of California in Program) as her most the National Board of summer 2014. fulfilling accomplishment Trial Advocacy. / Douglas Guy O. Kornblum ’66 while at UC Hastings. Munson retired from the ’70 San Francisco Superior Jim Iwasko is retiring ’69 and biotech startups with Court and moved to from the Santa Barbara Robert Hutchinson pro bono legal aid. Naples, Fla. He wrote: County bench after 17 has rejoined the firm “Made a lot of new friends years. He will sit on of Cotchett, Pitre & ’67 and am active in our assignment to keep McCarthy. Robert was Steve Agosta is still homeowners association busy when he’s not fly an associate from 1969 to practicing law in San and conservation fishing, cooking, or doing 1974 and a partner from Mateo County (where he activities. Bought several charitable work. He 1974 to 1976 before being has practiced for 46 years) airplanes and have flown resides in Solvang with named by then Gov. Jerry on an accelerated part- all over the United States. his wife, Heidi. / Nancy Brown to the Agricultural time basis. He reported I took up photography. My Parent was the first Labor Relations Board. that he is also “golfing wife, Baerbel, and I travel female mayor of the city In 1979, Robert moved to more than practicing, and the world, and I make of Pittsburg, and the first Los Angeles to practice enjoying time with Jan, slideshows of the places woman to serve on the and rejoined the Los the kids and grandkids.” we have toured. Trying City Council. She worked Angeles office of Cotchett, / John Carson, formerly to learn computer photo in city government Pitre & McCarthy in with Foley & Lardner, programs. Would love to for almost 30 years. / January 2014. moved to Arent Fox. hear from my classmates.” Deborah Judith Wiener (Deborah Peyton while ’68 ’66 in law school) has retired Alfred Knoll recently Barry Gross stopped as a shareholder from retired from his position practicing law in the San Francisco law as an administrative law December 2012 and firm Trucker Huss. For judge with the California merged his mortgage 15 years while at Trucker Unemployment Insurance company with another Huss, she worked with Appeals Board. He is company. He’s now union-related health, currently working with semiretired and travels welfare, and pension UC Hastings’ Startup frequently with his wife funds together with UC Legal Garage, pairing of 46 years, particularly to Hastings alumnus Charlie students with local law their condo in Kauai. They Marv Kaye ’65 Storke and several recent firms that provide tech have five grandchildren,
58 SPRING 2015 { CLASS NOTES }
Tribute to a Local Legend intellectually rewarding. Election to American The name ofJudge Thomas Graham Duffy ’54, who College of Trial Lawyers, passed away in 2011, was inscribed in marble on the ABOTA, and California courthouse walls at the San Diego Superior Court, along Medical Legal Committee with others who have made a significant contribution and becoming board to the courts and justice system in San Diego County. certified in Professional He served as city attorney for the city of El Cajon while Medical Negligence by in private practice and was appointed to the El Cajon the American Board of Municipal Court in 1967 by Gov. Ronald Reagan, and Professional Liability to the Superior Court in 1980 by Gov. Jerry Brown. The Attorneys are true Robert C. Mires ’53 dedication to him called him “an energetic workhorse highlights. As of Jan. 1, of a judge who distinguished himself by creative 2015, I will be of counsel solutions and ideas to better the administration of the to my firm, Wilke, Fleury, Sports Board. Looking courts where he presided. Unaffected by criticism, he Hoffelt, Gould & Birney. forward to seeing any would seek out the more economical and efficient ways My wife, Susie, and I UC Hastings alumni in to accomplish the responsibilities given to him.” have three daughters Minnesota.” and three grandchildren. We enjoy spending time ’53 at our condo in Kihei, Robert C. Mires wrote: Maui. / Marv Kaye left “Still semiactive and will the District Attorney’s requalify for four more Office in 1992 to pursue years. In the process his passion as an of finishing my MCLE investment adviser and credits. I have made it to financial planner. After 85 years in good health serving as chairman of and expect to continue the Los Angeles County semiactive for the Retirement Association, additional four years.” he formed Kaye Capital Management and has no ’42 retirement plans. Richard Otis White wrote: “I served in ’62 all three branches of Terry Dempsey wrote: government at state and physicians in medical ’65 “All is well. I have fully local levels, and retired malpractice cases. Time Philip R. Birney wrote: retired from the District in 1978. Our class was spent in the ‘OR’ to “After ‘training’ at Court and have no duties shrunk by the war; only prep for trials involving the Sacramento AG even on a part-time 30 members graduated. surgical cases (before Office & Sacramento basis. I am still serving I would love to hear each operation-related DA Office (five years on one appointment from survivors. Many trial) is, educational, total), I have spent the from our governor on the wonderful memories of very challenging, and last 45 years defending Minnesota Combative 515 Van Ness Ave.”
UC HASTINGS 59 { COMMUNITY }
SHAKEN BUT NOT STIRRED Both the District Attorney and the Public Defender in earthquake-rattled Napa County leverage their UC Hastings training on the job
n Napa County, the public defender and the district attor- I ney have more in common than just a commitment to the criminal justice system—they’re also both UC Hastings alumni. Gary Lieberstein ’79 has served as Napa’s DA since 1998 and in November was reelected to his fifth term. Ronald Abernethy ’74 joined the Public Defender’s Office in 1997 and has tried more than 100 cases and represented dozens of homi- cide defendants. That the two leaders of Napa’s criminal justice system are gradu- ates of UC Hastings is “a measure of how well the law school prepares students for public service,” said Lieberstein, who noted that five of his last seven hires were UC Hastings alumni. (His daughter, 3L Rachel Lieberstein, is planning to become a deputy DA in Alameda County after graduation.) According to Abernethy, while sharing an alma mater is indeed a special connection, he and Lieberstein actually bond more over their mutual interest in the Napa community. “We see eye to eye on a number of issues,” said Abernethy, who has taught management theory Napa’s Ronald Abernethy ’74 and Gary Lieberstein ’79. and criminology at public agencies
60 SPRING 2015 and at the University of the Pacific. Most notably, the two seek more resources, attention, and treatment for the mentally ill as a result of seeing so many affected individ- MORE NORTH BAY CONNECTIONS uals in the county justice system. And because Napa is a small and Terry Davis ’80, the predecessor to Napa Public Defender Ronald affluent community, “you don’t see Abernethy, was also a UC Hastings graduate and was in the same the public defender and district attorney in pitched battles over section as Napa District Attorney Gary Lieberstein. Napa Superior limited resources,” Abernethy said. Court Judge Diane Price ’79, the second female judge in the Both officials have also worked county, was in Lieberstein’s UC Hastings class as well. to enhance and streamline crim- inal justice in the region they serve. Since coming on board at the Public Defender’s Office, sexual assault and has emerged as for public defense counsel. For Abernethy has been a key player in a national leader in both areas. several weeks, staff from both the county’s efforts to implement Recently, Lieberstein’s and offices worked “elbow to elbow” California’s policy of criminal jus- Abernethy’s offices have had to in back rooms of the public library, tice realignment, which shifts the work cooperatively during the Lieberstein said. (Abernethy is responsibility of managing felony aftermath of the region’s magni- still in leased office space.) Neither offenders who have committed tude 6.0 earthquake last summer. missed a single day of work follow- nonviolent, nonsexual crimes from Due to water damage and failed ing the quake. “We have the ability the state to county governments. mechanical systems, the county to work collectively—it was part of He was appointed as the coun- building they once shared was Napa’s culture before the earth- ty’s chief public defender in 2013. barred from reopening to the public quake, and it allowed us to deal Meanwhile, Lieberstein, who joined until its repairs passed inspection. with dislocation and client access the District Attorney’s Office in The county’s jail was also substan- issues after,” Abernethy said. 1985, has focused on crime victim tially damaged and uninhabitable, According to Lieberstein, who advocacy and the prevention of which restricted access to clients chairs Napa County’s Child Abuse Prevention Council and Elder Abuse Council, both the District Attorney and Public Defender’s ALUMNI SERVING AS CALIFORNIA PDs AND DAs: offices promote a holistic approach to the criminal justice system that - Ronald Abernethy ’74, Napa County Office of the Public Defender includes mental health services, job - Jeff Adachi ’85, San Francisco County Public Defender skills training, and alcohol treat- ment. “We all have a vested interest - Gary Lieberstein ’79, Napa County Office of the District Attorney in helping people improve them- - Stephen Wagstaffe ’77, San Mateo County District Attorney selves while in custody. Together, - Barbara Yook ’96, Calaveras County District Attorney we do everything we can to reduce recidivism. Neither his office nor mine needs any more business.”
UC HASTINGS 61 { ADVANCEMENT }
wo alumni and one faculty member will be feted in September at the law school’s Honors Gala, hosted by the UC Hastings Top to bottom: Jane T and Marvin Baxter Foundation Board of Trustees. ’66; Xochitl Carrion ‘07; Professor Richard Marvin R. Baxter ’66 Marcus.
ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR
After a 24-year career on the California Supreme Court and 32 consecutive years of public service, Justice Marvin R. Baxter retired on Jan. 4. Justice Baxter and his wife, Jane, have been among the College’s most distinguished friends, and UC Hastings was pleased recently to announce the establishment of the Justice Marvin and Jane Baxter Endowment for Moot Court. “Everything I’ve had the privilege to do in public ser- vice is because of UC Hastings,” said Justice Baxter, “one of the finest law schools in America.”
Xochitl Carrion ’07
RISING ALUMNA OF THE YEAR
An abiding commitment to community service propels Xochitl Carrion, whose work at Goldfarb & Lipman focuses on affordable housing, community economic development, and employment. She has served as chair of the California Law Revision Commission and CELEBRATING is the Northern California vice president of the La Raza Lawyers Association and co-president of Brava! For Women in the Arts. ALUMNI
Richard Marcus AND FACULTY DISTINGUISHED FACULTY OF THE YEAR LEADERS Professor Richard Marcus’ influence extends far beyond UC Hastings, where he holds the Horace O. Second Honors Gala pays tribute Coil ’57 Chair in Litigation and teaches civil proce- dure, complex litigation, and conflicts of law. As an to three movers and shakers in associate reporter to the Advisory Committee on Civil the UC Hastings community Rules of the U.S. Judicial Conference, he was a primary drafter of amendments in 2000 to the discovery rule and helped draft further amendments to the 2006 e-discovery rule.
62 SPRING 2015 { ADVANCEMENT }
INVESTING IN OPPORTUNITY A UC Hastings initiative to raise $50 million will enable future generations of lawyers to continue making a difference
t’s time to rethink law school,” • An outside-the-box partnership with a top-ranked Chancellor & Dean Frank H. Wu wrote medical institution (UCSF/UC Hastings Consortium “I in the San Francisco Daily Journal last on Law, Science & Health Policy) summer. “We are in danger. We must cooperate— • A trailblazing program that delves into law and bench, bar, teachers, students—to take apart the technology (Startup Legal Garage) system and put it back together again better. • A cutting-edge clinic on cybersecurity issues “I welcome the opportunity,” he added. (Liberty, Security & Technology Clinic) The “opportunity” Dean Wu refers to is, in fact, a sizable challenge to respond strategically and Today, to ensure that it remains at the forefront swiftly to the changing legal landscape. of legal education, UC Hastings has embarked The obstacles are many: Law schools face declin- upon a seven-year, $50 million fundraising cam- ing applications, drastic cuts in state funding, and paign called Investing in Opportunity. With the diminished employment prospects for their stu- guidance of the UC Hastings Foundation Board of dents. UC Hastings was one of the first law schools Trustees, the law school invites alumni and others to recognize the urgency of this situation, and it to consider the ways in which their education was swiftly ramped up its skills-based offerings and a transformative opportunity—and pay it forward real-world opportunities, and reduced the incom- by opening doors for others. ing class size. But UC Hastings can create a truly Whether by offering scholarships to deserving new paradigm for legal education only with the students or recruiting and retaining the top faculty support of its alumni, faculty, students, and friends. in the nation, UC Hastings is investing not just in the future of its students, but in the future of the BUILDING ON A LEGACY OF FIRSTS law itself. To date, the campaign has raised more UC Hastings is well known for making bold moves. than $20 million, or 40 percent of its goal. With Innovation is in its DNA. From graduating the first your support, UC Hastings will continue to create woman lawyer on the West Coast (Clara Foltz, who life-changing opportunities for generations of sued UC Hastings for admission in 1878 and won) future lawyers. to hiring the famous 65 Club of postretirement Visit www.opportunity.uchastings.edu to legal lions, the law school has always been ahead learn more about the Investing in Opportunity of the curve. More recently, to position students campaign, or contact Laura Jackson at for 21st-century law careers, it has pioneered the 415-565-4621 or [email protected]. following opportunities, among many others:
UC HASTINGS 63 { ADVANCEMENT }
IN A CLASS BY ITSELF
Having raised a half-million dollars for UC Hastings, the class of 1964 sets a reunion-giving record
Members of the class of ’64 present their gift to UC Hastings.
ifty years after graduating Hastings gave us extraordinary growing civil rights and free speech from UC Hastings, members opportunities,” said Jerry Marks movements to the assassination of F of the class of 1964 showed ’64, a co-chair of the 50th Reunion JFK—were instrumental in shaping their gratitude to their alma mater Committee, “and we wanted to give his and his classmates’ sense of by reaching a precedent-setting back by creating opportunities for social justice and civic engagement. reunion campaign goal of $350,000. qualified students who might not The class of ’64 also had the priv- The money will go to the Class otherwise be able to attend law ilege of studying with professors in of 1964 Scholarship Endowment, school.” the legendary 65 Club. “We were which the class founded in 1994 Perhaps one reason for the class there at a unique time,” Marks said. at its 30th reunion. As their 50th of 1964’s exemplary generosity is “We learned from the most accom- approached, the classmates redou- that the classmates’ three years plished masters in their field. It was bled their fundraising efforts to in law school coincided with a regarded as the greatest faculty of increase the value of the endow- seismic time in U.S. history. As any law school. I can never repay ment to $500,000. Marks explained, the era’s social my debt to UC Hastings because it “We have always felt that UC and political upheavals—from the changed my life.”
64 SPRING 2015 CLASS OF ’64 DONOR collapse of Charles Keating’s gladly take an unwinnable case if SPOTLIGHT: JOSEPH W. COTCHETT Lincoln Savings & Loan, he trying it serves a greater purpose. Joseph W. Cotchett ’64, principal won a gargantuan jury verdict He sued the FBI, for example, when of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy and of $3.3 billion. He recently scored one of its informants was involved widely considered one of the lead- another huge victory when a in a murder perpetrated by the Ku ing trial attorneys in the country, long-pending case against paint Klux Klan. “We lost, but it was still echoed the sentiment of many of his manufacturers, including Sherwin- the most important case I’ve tried,” classmates when he said he feels an Williams, resulted in a court he said. “Even when you know you obligation to support UC Hastings. order for them to spend more can’t win, you still have to expose “The overwhelming sense was that than $1 billion to remove toxic lead injustices to the court system.” we all wanted to maximize the paint from California homes. Being on the “right side” has experience,” he recalled. Cotchett’s Yet Cotchett makes it clear that clearly served as Cotchett’s legal generous gift of $100,000 to the he’s not just in it to win it. “I turn and moral compass throughout scholarship fund helped the class down a lot of cases if I don’t think his storied career, and he stops achieve its fundraising goal. they are right,” he said. “You have at nothing to get his message Throughout his long and to be on the right side, as ambig- across. His theatrical courtroom influential career, marked by uous as that sounds.” And he will performances are legendary: He record-setting judgments and once tried two cases at the same settlements, Cotchett has always time (one in the morning and one maintained his commitment to pro in the afternoon) and won both. bono work and philanthropy. In Then there was the time, early in addition to his ongoing support his career, that he called a horse to of UC Hastings, he has endowed the witness stand. Retired Judge a $5 million fund to support science William Newsom (father of Lt. Gov. and mathematics teacher education Gavin Newsom, who is a business at Cal Poly SLO, his undergraduate partner of Cotchett’s) called him a institution. “Education is one of the “steam engine in pants.” causes nearest and dearest to my In large measure, Cotchett credits heart,” said Cotchett, who has been his experience at UC Hastings with named one of the top 100 lawyers in sharpening his desire to see justice California by the San Francisco and served at all costs and boosting Los Angeles Daily Journal for the his determination to “get back past 17 years. up when you have been kicked His passion for social justice down”—an essential quality, he is readily apparent in the types “Even when you said, for any good trial lawyer. of cases he is renowned for tak- know you can’t win, “When I was a law student, UC ing, often representing victims of Hastings was really tough, and white-collar fraud and corporate you still have to we all really had to hustle,” malfeasance. Many of these he has expose injustices to Cotchett recalled. “But it gave us won—and won big. In one cele- life-changing opportunities to serve brated 1990 case, in which the court system.” the common good, and I want to do he was the lead trial lawyer for the same for others.” — JOSEPH W. COTCHETT ‘64 23,000 plaintiffs harmed by the
UC HASTINGS 65 { DONORS }
2014 REUNION Associate Howard Janssen Christie Fraser Paul Alvarado David Judson Richard Geddes DONORS BY Terrence Callan Ronald Kaldor Tom Glasser CLASS YEAR Michael DeVito Patrick Mahoney James Gulseth Steven Dobel Ken Malovos Bruce Hall UC Hastings thanks the Victor Elting III Timothy Middleton Charles Henry alumni listed below for Barry Goldman Tami Sonder John Herlihy donating to their class Robert Hobson Stewart Suchman Paul Jamond reunion campaigns. William Hoelsken George Washington John E. Kalin Albert Pagni W. Wayman Jane Grant Kerr & Founder George Spaeth H. Sinclair Kerr $1,000,000 and above Robert Tourtelot Class of 1974 Thomas Kiddé Chancellor’s Circle Michael Ladra Fellow Partner $500,000–$999,999 George Lindahl Joseph Genshlea Elaine W. Shoben Michael Malone Dean’s Circle Charles Hart Jr. William S. Thomas Joseph Marshall $100,000–$499,999 Darrell Hutchinson Esquire Jack McCowan Jr. Richard Kirby Leader Helen Hui Donald Miles Jonathan Maire $50,000–$99,999 Neil Myers Thomas Marovich Scholar John Peterson Partner Theodore Millard Carol Mon Lee $10,000–$49,9999 Rena M. Price Scott Richmond Associate Kenneth Ruthenberg Jr. Esquire Donald Rutherford Anonymous Mary Katherine Shilton $5,000–$9,999 Bill Simmons Eddie Chin James Simon Stephen Stanton Gennaro Filice III Scholar John Swan Richard Younkin Raymond Ikola $2,500–$4,999 William Tan Judith Mazia Douglas Voorsanger Associate Class of 1969 Charles McClain Jr. Dennis Weaver $1,000–$2,499 Robert McMahon Partner Jayne Williams Susan Orton Fellow James & Ellen Cox Michael Williams Perell Reese Up to $999 James Young Randall Wulff Mark Rosenthal Associate Gordon Yamamoto Class of 1964 William Schofield III Thomas Malley Jr. Elizabeth (Libby) Dean’s Circle George Roberts Class of 1979 Hassard Silver Anonymous David Van Atta Frank Silver Dean’s Circle Joseph W. Cotchett Fellow David Williamson Bruce Pfaff Partner Yoichi Asari David Zeff Partner Anonymous Robert Bond Fellow Dana Cole Jerome Montgomery Colin Chiu Kathryn Anderson Maureen Corcoran Ted & Dale Muegenburg Thomas Clarke Steven Baker Jonathan Novak Douglas Crosby Esquire James M. Baynes The Honorable Helen Culiner Jack Alhadeff Paul Bennett Lawrence O’Neill Elise Currey Alfred Contarino William Boyd Esquire Burk Delventhal Philip Harry Harry Bruno Valerie Fontaine Paul Dresnick Donald Humphreys Annie Carpeneti Robert L. Fletcher Jr. Scholar Barry Schulman James Clapp Donald Gangemi Cheryl Hetherington Alfred Wong John Darr III David Harrison Paula Leibovitz Goodwin Richard Derevan Scholar William Henley Michael Douglas Associate Robert Luft Walton Hong Dianna Fleming John Brown Larry Hultquist
66 SPRING 2015 Carol Dreyer Michael Yancey Eulanda Matthews Michael Hersek Marcia L. Green William McCullough Ann Kemp John Komeiji Class of 1984 Laurie Orange Susan Lee Lawrence Low Partner Joseph Owens Thomas Lima Scott Righthand Robert Pia Heidi & Peter Maretz George Markell Larry Raskin Sharon Meieran Fellow Catherine Rivlin D. Matthew Richardson Andrew & Marc Abramson Beth Pagel Serebransky Paul Riehle Genevieve (Murphy) Kristin Adrian Esquire Judith Sapper Moore Claudia M. Brooks Anonymous Cheryl Sena Ellen Forman Obstler Betty Bullock John A. MacKerron Glenn Snyder Daniel Presher Jeffrey Bush Jennifer Meeker Keith Suzuka Beverly Russell Barbara Capodieci Dukas Michael Thornton Julia Scrogin Terence Church Scholar Samuel Wright III Julianne Sylva Dennis Cooper Mitchell Gaynor Dale Zusi Quinlan Tom Edward Davila Associate Rachel Van Cleave Mary Douglas Dick Jackson Chin Class of 1989 Marilyn Wade Joseph Fanucci Susie Chung & David Williams James Fox Kevin Romano Partner Julie Yonemura Amiram Givon Leigh Flesher Claes Lewenhaupt Pazit Zohar David A. Goldberg Kathleen Kelly Esquire Louis Goodman Grant Kim Matthew Davis Class of 1994 Nancy Green Fellow Rosemary Hart Scholar Partner Anonymous (3) David Healy Theresa Karle Nancy Stuart JoAnne Arakaki Thomas Hesketh Charles Towle Sarah Backus Esquire Anne Hiaring Hocking Associate Nestor Barrero Andrew Garelick Marilyn Kittleson Daniel Blakey Cydney Batchelor Nancy Garelick Philip Kohn Brian Bunger Terry Bates Scholar Collin Lau Eve Lynch Joseph Bell Douglas Axel Richard Logan Jr. Robert Meylan Arlene Borick Jon Longerbone Matthew Disco Carol Burke Fellow Sally McCabe Sandy Rappaport Andrea Cassidy Anonymous Tim McDonnell Associate Poita & Lawrence Achorn Deirdre Moy Carina Castaneda William Cernius ’85 Christopher Aguilar Peter Nelson Somnath Chatterjee Cammie Chen Cesar Alegria Jr. Leland Nerio James Creighton Martha Clark Andrea Auer Ronald Ostrin Linda DeMelis George Corral Jr. Amy Bach Richard Patch Daniel Meisel Cynthia Crosby Joyce Cartun Guy Petzold Matthew Sumrow David Eiseman IV Scott Chang Lawrence Ramsey Jeannine Yoo Sano Noemi C. Espinosa Hayes Steven Cooper Paul Rosenlund Darren Foster Cynthia de Nevers Trutner Fellow Richard Shapiro Michael Fox Judith DeFranco Steve Allen John Smith III Arthur Frumkin Thomas Domonoske Julia Alloggiamento Andrew Sorokowski Ann Girard E. Patrick Ellisen Edwin Antolin Mark Steiner Harry Hanson III Jack Eskridge Meryl Chae Kenneth Strong Jon Ishibashi Kimberly Fullerton Carol Chesnut Joann Swanson Robin Kallman Gayle Green Lech Choroszucha George Vlazakis Steven Koch Gina Guerra Christina Chi Chua Jay Wertheim Adrienne Konigar-Macklin David Haracz Gayle Hemenway Elaine Wolff-Bubar & Raymond Lynch Ian Hardcastle Robert Hinrichs James Bubar
UC HASTINGS 67 { DONORS }
Craig Holden Julia Jayne Karin Kim Bradley Libuit Karen Kimmey Elise Kern Lana Kreidie Kakuti Lin Michael Kiskinen Daniel Kim Deborah Lagutaris Andrew Lipson Anne Lackey Jean Kim Brian Lambert Adam Maldonado Margie Lariviere Debra Laboschin Anthony Liang Brittany Ng Otto Lee Shahpour Matloob Brian Malloy Lindsey O’Shea Myra K. Levenson Karen Tang Milligan Matthew McGovern Kevin Rayhill & Richard McCoppin Aaron J. Moskowitz Mariko Nakanishi Anne Lackey Robert McDonald Yuchol Nam Kimberly Owens Gerald Richelson Robert McFarlane Erika Nelson Arcolina Panto Matthew Roman John Milani Gail Quan Christopher Reed Nicole Roman Victor Perez Arthur Singer Blair Schlecter Serena Sanders Lisa Reed Nissa Strottman Emily Schmid Cara Sherman Paul Rianda Malathy Subramanian Daniel Schweitzer Abigail Sullivan Engen Meredith Richardson Laurel Thompson Paul Matthew Siroka Selena Teji Douglas Saeltzer Erica Tomlinson Leah Spero Daniel Vermillion Jennifer Shedoudi Miller Diamond Tran Nicholas Stevens Serena Warner Beth Thomasy Shvodian Ali Vahdat Gulliver Swenson Adam Weg David Silbert Grace Wen Cecily Vix Morgan Weibel James Snell Jessica Wenzell Andrea Wendt Olson Yin Zhou Susan Stapleton Marco Zambrano Michael Wilson Jr. Jeanne Vance Matthew Yergovich Stacy Walter Class of 2004 2014 UC Class of 2009 Virginia Young Esquire HASTINGS Zev Zysman Cary Chen Esquire CHALLENGE Ron Dolin Class of 1999 Scholar DONORS BY Jessica Leal Jeff & Molly Kaban Partner TEAM Demian Oksenendler Associate Charanjit Brahma Jordan Coleman Associate The UC Hastings Associate Alexa Hansen Barbi Appelquist Challenge brings together David Balfour Sarah Garcia Fellow diverse groups of alumni Alex Grab Jason Holder Anonymous (7) who collaborate by mak- Ivo Labar Ross Oliver Christopher Adams ing gifts or pledges that Felix Woo Peter & Briana Michelle Alborzfar support the law school Cathleen S. Yonahara Rosenbaum Matthew Avery and its students. Any law Fellow Colin Barreno Fellow firm, corporate, or public Anonymous (2) Zahra Billoo sector law department Anonymous Marianne Adriatico Jamie Bossuat with five or more UC Jessica Babrick Jennie Anderson Todd Daloz Hastings graduates is eli- Benjamin Bac Sierra Mary Becking Taylor Day gible to participate. Teams Erin Belka Vivian Billups Parul Dutt get special recognition Shauna Correia Holly Bride Hayashida Shannon Ernster when the percentage Stephanie Duchene Shelby Clark Allison Giese of alumni who donate Kerry Duffy Catherine Daly Michael Ho reaches platinum (100 Elizabeth Duong Tom Duann Bryan Holst percent), gold (75 percent), Daniel Duvernay Alexandra Gadzo Sonya & Stefan Jibodh or silver (50 percent). Moira Duvernay Leslie Gammill Raegan Joern Saleem Erakat UC Hastings is grateful to Steven Hamilton Lauren Rose Keller Artes Jeanne Grove the following teams and Heather Irwin Conor Kelly Ricia Rene Hager alumni for their generous Jay Jackman Tanis Kelly Kate Kalstein support in 2014.
68 SPRING 2015 Platinum Sharif Jacob ’07 Philip Feldman ’83 Silver / Duane Morris David Silbert ’94 Aaron Foxworthy ’02 / GCA Law Partners Marianne Adriatico ’99 / Musick Peeler & Garrett Karen Frank ’87 Amiram Givon ’79 Jolie-Anne Ansley ’02 Steven ’87 & Stephanie Elie Jeffrey Knowles ’87 John Hollingsworth ’83 Thomas Berliner ’78 James Hassan ’73 Skye Langs ’12 E. David Marks ’88 James Brengle ’76 Catherine Lee ’98 James Mitchell ’87 Kenneth Van Vleck ’93 Richard Patch ’79 Justin Fields ’08 Alyce Rubinfeld Fox ’82 & / Sedgwick Laudan Raissi ’98 Suzanne Fogarty ’91 James H. Fox ’82 Anonymous Joshua Steinhauer ’81 Richard Hoffman ’77 Adam Weg ’09 James Brown ’88 / Gordon & Rees Eun Kim ’06 Gold Richard Geddes ’74 Emily Lee ’12 Anonymous (4) / Allen Matkins Leck Gail Kavanagh ’91 John Loveman ’02 Alyson Cabrera ’02 Gamble Mallory & Jenny Khuu Katzer ’07 Philip Matthews ’77 Dion Cominos ’88 Natsis Marilyn Klinger ’78 George D. Niespolo ’76 John Condrey ’88 Natassia Kwan ’13 Anthony Burney ’05 Paul Rosenlund ’79 Tino Do ’02 Jennifer Ming ’08 Scott Dommes ’08 Siegfried Ruppert ’03 Shannon Ernster ’09 Deborah O’Connor ’91 K. Eric Friess ’90 Richard Seabolt ’75 Allen Estes III ’00 Paul Riehle ’84 Ivan Gold ’85 Mark Steiner ’79 Marcie Fitzsimmons ’03 Wendy Tucker ’85 Lee Gotshall-Maxon ’80 / Farella Braun + Martel Heather Irwin ’99 Nora Wetzel ’12 Kamran Javandel ’10 Anonymous (2) Allison Jones ’92 Wayne Wolff ’92 Tim McDonnell ’79 Deborah Ballati ’75 Sue Kim ’07 Beth Yoffie ’85 Sandi ’81 & Paul Nichols ’82 Ashley Breakfield ’11 Daniel Kubasak ’02 Evan Reese ’14 / Snell & Wilmer Daniel Callaway ’08 Margie Lariviere ’94 Mark Seifert ’01 Erin Denniston Leach ’06 Amber Chrystal ’08 Robert Larsen ’01 Heidi Taliaferro ’97 Richard Derevan ’74 Nell Clement ’08 Gary Lorch ’85 David Zaro ’86 William O’Hare ’78 Dennis Cusack ’86 Michael Lucey ’81 / Bartko Zankel Bunzel Catherine O’Mara ’10 Ilene Dick ’90 Jessica Luke ’10 & Miller Jennifer Lynch ’10 William Friedrich ’68 This donor listing includes Michael Abraham ’86 Jack McCowan Jr. ’74 Unnati Gandhi ’11 the 2014 Reunion and UC Robert Bunzel ’81 Molly McKay ’96 Courtney Gardner ’08 Hastings Challenge only. Kerry Duffy ’04 Sara Moore ’13 Amanda Hairston ’07 Donors who make gifts to Simon Goodfellow ’06 Kai Peters ’98 Morgan Jackson ’07 UC Hastings between July Carol Hee ’88 Alexander Saksen ’00 William Keane ’86 1, 2014, and June 30, 2015, Katherine Oberle ’92 Manuel Saldana ’88 Karen Kimmey ’94 will be acknowledged in our Hildegarde Senseney ’98 Laura Smith ’88 Kelly Matayoshi ’12 2014–2015 Donor Roll. Charles Towle ’89 Thomas Stoddard ’88 Erik Olson ’08 UC Hastings makes every / California Public Kenneth Strong ’79 Ann-Catherine Padian ’07 effort to ensure the accuracy Defender’s Office Michael Wilson Jr. ’04 Sarah Peterman Bell ’03 of our donor lists. Sometimes Elias Batchelder ’06 P. Gerhardt Zacher ’68 Mark Petersen ’83 unintentional errors do occur. Alison Bernstein ’92 Cynthia Rowland ’88 / K&L Gates Please call the Alumni Center Michael Hersek ’89 Richard Shapiro ’79 Anonymous at 415.565.4615 or email Robin Kallman ’84 Charles Sink ’77 Matthew Ball ’97 [email protected] to Anne Lackey ’94 Eric Tausend ’10 Christopher Carletti ’80 report any errors or correc- Alyssa Mellott ’05 Roderick ’80 & Tyler Cesar ’12 tions. Thank you for your Sara Theiss ’91 Deborah Thompson Hector Espinosa ’02 generosity. Kelly Woodruff ’92 Eugenie Young ’83 Curt Holbreich ’93 / Keker & Van Nest / Coblentz Patch Duffy Paul Lacourciere ’98 Anonymous & Bass Rachel Maire ’13 Simona Agnolucci ’06 Todd Brody ’96 Ed Sangster ’85 Jesse Basbaum ’10 Jeremiah Burke ’07 Peter E. Soskin’11 Susan J. Harriman ’83 Paul Escobosa ’75 Lisa Tucker ’91
UC HASTINGS 69 Fellowship Co-Founder Francesca Turner and former Fellowship Board Chair Martha Belcher ’80 in the early 1990s.
The Gift of Giving Back
In a series of events reminiscent of a Hollywood film, Francesca Turner, a beautiful model and actress from Patiño Texas, met and began a relationship with Antenor Patiño, a wealthy Bolivian tin magnate reputed to Fellows be among the richest men in the world. Their son, Antenor Patiño Jr., born in 1948, eventually studied pay it law at UC Hastings.
But Patiño Jr. never graduated. In 1973, at age 25, he was killed. Inspired by forward his often-expressed wish to help his fellow law students, his mother, then a successful writer at Universal Studios, endowed the Tony Patiño Fellowship at O FELLOWSHIP O
UC Hastings in his memory. Ñ Since its founding in 1974, the Patiño Fellowship has helped more than 80 students pay for law school at UC Hastings and is going stronger than ever, despite the misfortune that brought it into being. “Francesca Turner took this terrible tragedy, the loss of her son, and turned it into a program that gives back not only to the students participating but to COURTESY OF THE PATI THE OF COURTESY
70 SPRING 2015 { THEN AND NOW }
society as a whole, by encouraging She said the $30,000 she was division, he has been handling students to use their law degrees to granted over three years was a his own caseload, including a help others,” said Martha Belcher “tremendous help” toward paying Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt ’83, a Patiño Fellow who now prac- her tuition. But equally valuable Organizations Act (RICO) action tices law in Southern California. was the mentoring she received against members of a Santa Rosa “It’s just a phenomenal fellowship.” from fellows who were already sea- gang accused of violent crimes and As law school tuitions have risen, soned lawyers, like Kent Sprinkle drug trafficking. the maximum allowable grant to ’03, who practices employment law “I wanted a position in which students has been increased by the as a partner at Carothers DiSante & I could make a real impact as a fellowship’s board of directors from Freudenberger. lawyer, pursuing justice and doing $5,000 to $15,000 a year, renewable “To have access to wonderful what I think is the right thing, for two additional years. lawyers who have been practicing every day,” said Wolf, explaining In 1983, at the urging of Harry for many years was a great bene- his motivation to pursue criminal Tatelman, Turner’s lifelong friend fit to me,” said Montenegro, who law. Smoothing his path along the and fellowship co-founder, the hopes to practice employment law way was the mentoring he received board added the University of after she completes a one-year from more experienced Patiño Chicago Law School and Columbia clerkship for a federal judge in Fellows. In turn, he now offers Law School to the fellowship San Jose. “That was actually the mentoring to Patiño Fellows-elect program. More recently, the board greatest assistance the fellowship at UC Hastings. “You’ve got to pay decided to honor up to two stu- provided me.” it back,” he said. dents a year at each law school. So Another Patiño Fellow, Six Patiño Fellows-elect are far, across the three schools, the Marc Price Wolf ’07, is living studying at UC Hastings now, fellowship has helped more than Montenegro’s dream of working as including 3L Nicole Witt, a Loyola 200 students. a Department of Justice attorney. University Chicago graduate from Superior academic achievement In addition to hiring and man- Morgan Hill, who later spent five is a major criterion for select- aging law clerks and prosecuting years as an aide to Congressman ing Patiño Fellows, according to misdemeanor cases in the Northern Luis Gutierrez in Washington, D.C. Belcher, who served as chairman District of California’s criminal She is grateful for the fellowship and and president of the fellowship’s for the mentoring that came with it. board for nine years after Turner “Getting the fellowship, I felt like died in 1999. Other criteria for I was starting law school with a choosing potential fellows include win,” said Witt, who prizes the time leadership as demonstrated she spent last year with mentor through participation in public ser- Francesca Turner took Alexandra Grayner ’12. “It was nice vice activities, character, integrity, “ to get insight from her; she offered and an intention to use one’s law this terrible tragedy me a lot of clarity.” degree to help others. and turned it into a While Tony Patiño’s life had a Mayela Montenegro ’14, who tragic ending, one positive impact aspires to serve the public as a program that gives may be found in how Turner’s gift, Department of Justice attorney, back not only to the made in her son’s memory, paves had the right qualifications to be the way for an increasing legion awarded a fellowship. Born in students participating of public service–minded lawyers, Nicaragua and brought to Southern but to society as a like Montenegro, Wolf, and Witt. California by her parents when she “She was a visionary to put some- was 5, she is the first member of whole.” thing like this in place and have it her family to go to college. — MARTHA BELCHER ‘80 live on beyond her,” said Belcher.
UC HASTINGS 71 { STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS }
STRESS BUSTING GETS SERIOUS Student Services enhances its wellness offerings
editation, yoga, therapy in 10-minute cuddle-time essential personal communi- Zumba, and cuddle slots with an SPCA dog. cation and presentation skills, M time with a dog aren’t Student Services also offers according to Leeja Patel ’11, typical law school experiences. nutritious snacks during exam Associate Director for Student But these perks are now on offer, sessions and a bar exam lunch Leadership and Community thanks to an expanding roster of program. Alumni, faculty, and Development. student services and more staff staff chip in to pay for meals for “One goal we have is to help devoted to student life. students taking the bar exam. students build the ‘soft skills’ According to Rupa Bhandari, “It makes students feel like we they need for professional Director of Student Services, understand what they’re going development,” said Patel. That these wellness activities help through,” Bhandari said. includes how to write résumés, students balance the rigors of Professional preparation avoid substance abuse and student life. has also become a priority for sexual harassment problems, Over the past few years, UC Student Services, which offers a navigate mentorships, and learn Hastings yoga classes have Professional Readiness Education organization-building skills. increased from one to five days Program (PREP) that includes 1L William Abramovitz a week; meditation classes from an hour a week of professional admired the program’s effec- once to twice a week; and Zumba development for first years, and tiveness. “PREP shows that UC is available once a week. other options for 2Ls and 3Ls. Hastings wants people to come “The meditation class has been Other Student Services out of school ready to go as law- really important to my law school offerings help students master yers,” he said. experience, keeping me balanced and sane,” said 2L Paris Hayes, a Bay Area native. “Law stu- dents can be so hyperfocused. The meditation class is a safe place for students to explore self-awareness.” Mike Stonebreaker, the Associate Director for Academic Advising and Programming, leads the meditation group of about a dozen students. During exam periods, when student stress levels usually rise, the school expands student health clinic hours and offers Leeja Patel ’11 (left) finds quiet in chair massages and even pet the UC Hastings yoga class.
72 SPRING 2015 { LAST LOOK }
RUGBY REDUX
Edwin M. Todd, III ’74, founder of the Hastings Old Boys Rugby Team, recre- ates his pose from a match held in Golden Gate Park, circa 1977. That year was the team’s best: the HOB beat Dartmouth in the fall and UC Berkeley in the spring. Todd is an executive and sports performance coach and has worked in the Referee Department at the USA Rugby national office in Boulder, Colorado, since 2005. Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Salt Lake City, UT Permit No. 621
Alumni Center 200 McAllister Street San Francisco, CA 94102-4707
Made in San Francisco. Ready for the World.
Visit our website at www.uchastings.edu.
ALL ALUMNI INVITED UC HASTINGS HONORS GALA SEPTEMBER 25
SAVE THE DATE FOR REUNION 2015! SEPTEMBER 26
THE CLASSES OF 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010 will celebrate their reunions at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco on For more information on the Honors Gala and reunions, Saturday, September 26. visit www.uchastings.edu/alumni or call 415.565.4667.