LAWYERS AS CHANGEMAKERS
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awyers are changemakers. The University of San Diego is one of 41 universities around the world designated as a “changemaker” institution by the international organiza-
tion, Ashoka. There is a great deal of changemaking going on at
Dean Stephen Ferruolo with 2016-17 SBA president Lauren Stockunas, '17 (JD), at Commencement 2017.
our university, but none more significant, impactful and enduring than what is going on at the law school.
refugee law, human rights, discrimination, religious freedom
At last year’s Bergman Memorial Lecture (“Revisiting a
and constitutional powers has never been more essential to our
Landmark Case”), marking the 50th anniversary of the landmark
democracy. Moreover, legal services, such as those offered by
Supreme Court case on juvenile justice, In re Gault, a distin-
our clinics or provided by our law students doing pro bono legal
guished panel, which included one of our alumnae, Carolyn
work for individuals in the San Diego community, have never
Caietti, ’86 (JD), ’83 (BA), a San Diego Superior Court Judge who
been more needed.
heads the juvenile division, showed how lawyers can make a real difference. The panelists discussed how, since In re Gault, a cruel
There are numerous examples of changemakers in this issue of the Advocate. We highlight two among the many of our stu-
and arbitrary system of juvenile detention (where a boy of 16 could, without due process, be sentenced to years in incarceration for making an obscene phone call) has been transformed into a system
“ I came to law school to protect children and their right to education.” —4LPT Curtis Davis
of juvenile justice based on due process and the recognition of the constitutional rights of children. As I left that lecture, pondering what I had learned about results
dents who have served individuals defending their legal rights.
in that case, and the subsequent reforms made by lawyers and
For 4L part-time student Curtis Davis, a teacher who came to our
jurists to the juvenile justice system, I could not help contrast-
law school to protect the right to education, it was working with
ing what I had heard to the posters protesting injustice that I saw
our student organization Advocates for Children and Education
on the walls of the building where the lecture had taken place.
to get an expelled high school student reinstated and on a path
Lawyers can do more than protest. They can turn the protest into
to college. For 3L Brisa Velazquez, it was representing a client to
effective action. Lawyers can make a real difference. They can
gain employment insurance benefits through our Workers’ Rights
truly change society and human lives.
Legal Clinic. Among the featured alumni, there are many notable examples
lawyers again, after years when coming to law school and becom-
of how lawyers can advocate for change, including our 2017
ing a lawyer were disparaged. Look at the success of the musical,
Commencement speaker, Mark Brnovich, ’91 (JD), a son of
Hamilton. Among other things, Hamilton tells the story of the
immigrants whose first language was not English, now serving
important role lawyers played in establishing the sound foundations
as the Attorney General of Arizona, and Jae Park, ’04 (JD), an
of the rule of law on which our constitutional democracy is based.
associate at Dentons who received Casa Cornelia Law Center’s
In the wake of events like Charlottesville, we are asking
2016 Distinguished Pro Bono Attorney of the Year award for his
what kind of a society we want to be. Lawyers have vital roles
work for asylum seekers. Our 2016 Distinguished Alumni awards
in answering that question. Legal expertise on immigration and
went to two notable community leaders and changemakers,
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Fall 2017
alan decker
American society seems to be recognizing the importance of
