USF Lawyer Fall 2018 by USF School of Law

U N I V E R S I T Y O F S A N F R A N C I S C O S C H O O L O F L AW • FA L L 2 0 1 8

ALL

RISE JUSTICE MARTIN J. JENKINS ’80 HAS MADE A CAREER OF HELPING OTHERS GROW

A MESSAGE FROM THE INTERIM DEAN I am thrilled and privileged to have taken on the

law school most in need and develop a two-year

new role as interim dean of the USF School of Law.

strategic plan.

In addition to spending the past year as associate dean for academic afairs, I have been a member of the faculty at our law school for 20 years, specializing in privacy issues related to new electronic communication technologies.

Our alumni play an essential role in our students’ lives, during school and after graduation. In this issue, we highlight Hon. Martin J. Jenkins ’80, who has served brilliantly on federal and state courts in the Bay Area for the past three decades. He

I am keenly aware of the challenges facing our law

attributes his success to the way the law school

school (and most law schools), and I have confdence

taught him to be a tireless advocate for justice, which

that what makes our school different will enable

inspired him to stay connected to USF, our students,

it to thrive. As a tight-knit community devoted to

and his fellow alumni. We also feature some of the

challenging, inspiring, and supporting our students,

alumni and students taking part in our Alumni

we draw on expertise, commitment, and compassion

Mentor Program. Participants are raving about the

to train law students to practice law with the skills

benefts of the program. We hope you’ll consider

they need and the critical perspective they require.

joining and mentoring a student to guide them on

In this issue of USF Lawyer, we share with you many of our new eforts, as well as recent changes

the path to becoming a successful attorney. Thank you,

happening in the law school. I am proud to welcome Kutansky-Brown ’06 and Assistant Dean for Student will be pivotal players as we improve the areas of the

DONALD E. HELLER Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs SUSAN FREIWALD Interim Dean PAULA KUTANSKYBROWN Associate Dean for Academic Affairs ELIZABETH BENHARDT Assistant Dean for Academic Services STEPHANIE CARLOS Assistant Dean for Student Afairs MICHELLE SKLAR Assistant Dean for Development and Alumni Relations TRISTIN GREEN Associate Dean for Faculty Scholarship ANGIE DAVIS Senior Director of Communications and Marketing

our new Associate Dean for Academic Afairs Paula Afairs Stephanie Carlos to our leadership. They both

PAUL J. FITZGERALD, S.J. University President

Susan Freiwald Interim Dean

TALYA GOULD SANDERS Associate Director of Communications and Marketing DESIGNED BY USF Ofce of Marketing Communications

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CONTENTS 14

FALL • 2018

From the NFL to the federal bench, California Court of Appeal Justice Martin J. Jenkins ’80 has made a career of helping others grow

DEPARTMENTS

ALL RISE

IN BRIEF Dean John Trasviña Steps Down New Associate and Assistant Deans Join Law School Leadership On-Campus Recruiting on the Rise Dayna Louie ’19 is One to Watch

GIVING Frank Pitre BS ’77, JD ’81 Pays It Forward

FACULTY FOCUS On the Record With Lara Bazelon Adjunct Professor Davis Yee Recognized for Outstanding Teaching

20 MEETING THEIR MATCH USF’s Alumni Mentor Program builds connections and launches law students’ careers

24 SHAPING TOMORROW BY LEADING TODAY Susan Freiwald gets to work as USF School of Law’s interim dean

ALUMNI NEWS Class Notes

CLOSING ARGUMENT

From District Attorney to Dean

Michael Withey ’71 writes about the long journey for justice after the murders of two of his friends

Alumna Wins High-Stakes Police Misconduct Case Upcoming Events

ON THE COVER: California Court of Appeal Justice Martin J. Jenkins ’80

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IN BRIEF DEAN JOHN TRASVIÑA STEPS DOWN John Trasviña, dean of the School of Law since 2013, concluded his tenure as its 18th dean at the end of June. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Susan Freiwald has been appointed interim dean until August 2020. (Read more about Freiwald on page 24.) “I am most grateful for John’s service to the School of Law and to USF for the past five years,” USF Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Donald E. Heller said. “A fierce advocate for our students, John embodies the mission and values of USF as demonstrated by his commitment to building a culture of equity and inclusion.” Heller lauded Trasviña for advancing key priorities and initiatives, from strengthening the curriculum to launching and expanding programs and clinics. “And I appreciated his full partnership in ensuring a smooth transition in leadership at the school.” While leading the law school at USF, Trasviña expanded USF’s non-JD offerings to include the LLM and MLST tax degrees, and launched clinics in immigration law and racial justice. He also collaborated with the university in building a strong foundation of philanthropy, positioning the School of Law and its alumni for success as USF’s comprehensive fundraising campaign continues. A native San Franciscan who began his career as a deputy city

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attorney, Trasviña arrived at USF with a formidable academic and professional record. He was the assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, a position to which he was appointed by President Obama in 2009 and unanimously confrmed by the U.S. Senate. He led more than 580 employees in 43 ofces across the country to enforce the nation’s fair housing laws. Previously, he served as president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), where he oversaw six litigation and policy offices across the country. A graduate of Harvard University and Stanford Law School, he previously taught immigration law at Stanford and was director of the Discrimination Research Center in Berkeley. He frequently comments in the media on current political and legal matters. “Over the course of my career, I have had the honor of holding high positions in two presidential administrations and the U.S. Senate and leading a national civil rights organization,” Trasviña said. “There is nothing, however, like leading the law school of my hometown and I will always be grateful to the University of San Francisco for making it possible.” n

Board of Governors and Class of 2018 Support Universal Access Scholarship Fund The USF School of Law Board of Governors and the Class of 2018 recently gave significant gifts to the Universal Access Scholarship Fund, which provides muchneeded fnancial support for undocumented and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students at USF School of Law. The fund will provide scholarships to second- and third-year USF law students with fnancial need. A preference will be given to students who meet federally defned DACA criteria or other domestic students who are ineligible for federal student aid. Several past and present Board of Governors members have given gifts in honor of Dean John Trasviña and his service to the law school over the past fve years. The Class of 2018 Graduation Committee was inspired to support the Universal Access Fund as its class gift because it aligns with not only the diverse nature of the school, but also with the desire of so many graduating students to give back. Christopher A. Viadro ’92, partner at Butler Viadro, LLP and president of the Board of Governors, explained that with this gift the Board of Governors recognizes and supports Trasviña’s passion for protecting the rights of all members of the law school community, and especially those who struggle the most to aford law school. “John has spent his career fghting for the rights of marginalized and low-income individuals. He has been especially driven to help young immigrants find a path to citizenship and full participation in our society,” said Viadro. “It was wonderful to see the Board of Governors step up in such a meaningful way. I’m not surprised given our fantastic alums and their belief in the school.” n Gifts to the Universal Access Scholarship Fund may be made at www.usfca.edu/law/ makeagift by designating the fund in the “Other Gift” field.

New Associate and Assistant Deans Join Law School Leadership PAULA KUTANSKY-BROWN ’06 returned to USF School of Law in June as the associate dean for academic affairs. She has more than a decade of experience in administrative leadership at two colleges and most recently was the associate general counsel and chief ethics and compliance officer of a multinational technology company. She succeeds Susan Freiwald, who became interim dean in July. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs STEPHANIE CARLOS shifted to the Paula Kutansky-Brown ’06 role of assistant dean for student affairs in June, after a long tenure in the USF School of Law Office of Admissions. She succeeds Grace Hum, who directed the Legal Research, Writing, and Analysis Program before becoming assistant dean in 2015. “Paula brings so much to this role: the passion for her alma mater of a dedicated alum, the management acumen of a top in-house counsel, the insights of a skilled trial lawyer, and deep administrative experience gained from over a decade in higher education prior to law school,” said Freiwald. “Stephanie has not only helped to shape the incoming classes, but also overseen strategic recruitment planning, communications, and event planning for the admissions office,” added Freiwald. “As an established member of the USF community, Stephanie brings a wealth of institutional knowledge, and most importantly, an unwavering commitment to serving students and the School of Law.” Kutansky-Brown directs the law school’s academic programs and is responsible for curricular and program development and implementation. Prior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Stephanie Carlos to law school, as an administrator at two colleges, Kutansky-Brown gained substantial experience in curriculum design and planning, accreditation processes, honor code investigations, program development, and accommodations issues. After graduating from law school, she first worked at Gordon and Rees in its employment practice/trial group, and then in several in-house positions. Carlos served as assistant and then associate director of admissions since 2004 and has been in legal education administration since 2002. She is a frequent presenter at national conferences on topics related to student support and services, and is active in related professional organizations. She is currently completing her dissertation at the USF School of Education, with a focus on how successful black and Latino law students engage support systems while in law school. n

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Stay connected with USF School of Law on social media. Tag your posts to share your #USFLaw moments!

MAY 2018 JUNE 2018 The University of San Francisco bestowed the 2018 Sarlo Prize to Philip and Muriel Barnett Professor of Trial Advocacy Robert Talbot at the Service and Merit Awards Ceremony last month. “This award restates what we have known throughout Bob’s 52 years of teaching excellence at USF: Bob epitomizes the model for bridging classroom learning with practical training in relevant professional areas of law,” said Dean John Trasviña. Read more at: bit.ly/talbot-sarlo-prize

Retweeted @davidgreene: Impressive showing of @usfaw alums and adjuncts at #RightsCon 2018 in Toronto last week, all working to advance digital rights internationally: @lawyerpants @lindsaysfreeman @KAlexaKoenig Go Dons!

AUGUST 2018 JULY 2018 With 10,000 alumni living across 46 states and 60 countries, our #USFLaw alumni are making an impact across the globe. Here’s where just a few of their careers have taken them: bit.ly/usfaw-alumni-mark

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Retweeted @TaxNotes: Congratulations to another student writing competition winner, Kyle Rose of @usfaw! Everyone can read his paper “A Worldwide Territorial System” now published in Tax Notes International, here! bit.ly/2PcxfyY

MAY 2018 Ahead of commencement celebrations this week, #USFLaw class of 2018 graduate Cassie Peabody leaves parting wisdom for the incoming class: “If I had to advise an incoming student about how to survive law school, I’d tip them of that there are a lot of great jobs in the labor law feld, and that it’s better to give more analysis than more law on exams. I’d remind them to exercise and try hard to eat normal meals, and clue them in to my favorite study spot (upstairs at Zief Library, in the back corner by the window overlooking Twin Peaks). Lastly, I’d make sure they knew what initially astounded me: Law students at USF really care about each other’s success, not just their own.”

JUNE 2018 Visiting professor @LukeBoso wrote a piece for the Oxford Human Rights Hub on the Masterpiece Cakeshop decision and its implication for anti-discrimination law. Read here: bit.ly/boso-oxfordhuman-rights-hub

Congratulations to the Class of 2018

ON-CAMPUS RECRUITING IS ON THE RISE

The Class of 2018 celebrated graduation in St. Ignatius Church May 19 surrounded by hundreds of family and friends. Hon. Martin J. Jenkins ’80, associate justice of the California Court of Appeal and trustee emeritus of the University of San Francisco, gave the commencement address and Elise Giongco ’18 was selected by her classmates to speak. (Read more about Hon. Jenkins starting on page 14.) 149 students received JD degrees, alongside 13 LLM in Taxation, 10 LLM in International Transactions and Comparative Law, three LLM in Intellectual Property and Technology Law, and four Master of Legal Studies in Taxation degree recipients. During the ceremony, the Academic Excellence Award was presented to Jessica Strasen ’18 for making an extraordinary contribution to the intellectual life of the law school. Sahar Jamil Khalil ’18 received the Pursuit of Justice Award, presented to the graduating student who best exemplifies the law school’s commitment to providing service to others. n

The Office of Career Planning is working overtime to connect current students, recent grads, and alums with mentors and career opportunities. Its one-on-one counseling sessions, energetic outreach, and smart networking have already paid dividends.

FALL 2018 ON-CAMPUS RECRUITING

37%

Increase in number of employers since last year

EMPLOYERS PARTICIPATING

113

STUDENTS PARTICIPATING

A few of the employers USF law students will meet: AppDynamics, Andersen Tax, Venable, Reed Smith, San Francisco District Attorney, San Francisco Public Defender, Clark Hill, Outten & Golden, Jackson Lewis

HOW CAN YOU HELP? The new Hire USF Law initiative gives our alumni the opportunity to hire our current students and recent graduates in a variety of ways. • Hire our most recent graduates who are awaiting bar results • Hire our students for paid part-time legal work opportunities during the school year • Hire our students for paid summer internships • Hire our students during on-campus recruitment • Post jobs and internships For more information about how alumni can get involved in Hire USF Law, visit usfca.edu/law/hire-usf-law.

Graduates in St. Ignatius Church and commencement speaker Elise Giongco ’18

“We are privileged to have worked with and hired USF students as interns, law clerks, and attorneys. We find USF law students to be prepared, enthusiastic, and qualifed to engage in the rigors of litigation and trial work.” — Frank Liuzzi ’91, Liuzzi, Murphy, Solomon, Churton & Hale LLP

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IN BRIEF

MAKING AN IMPACT Students Publish Class Papers in Academic Journals

When most students in Visiting Professor Luke Boso’s Education Law class finish their 25-page paper on an education-related topic of their choosing, that’s where the story ends. But three outstanding students from his spring 2017 class turned those papers into careerboosting opportunities: Their papers were selected for publication in law journals around the country. At the end of each semester, Boso reaches out to students who have written papers that offer unique and well-supported scholarly contributions to the field and encourages them to submit the papers for publication. He was delighted to learn recently that all of the students from that spring 2017 class who did so had their papers accepted for publication later this year. Keani Christian ’18 will have “Breaking the Chains: A Discussion on the School-to-Prison Pipeline and a Call for Reform” published in the Arkansas Journal of Social Change and Public Service. LaTasha Hill ’18 wrote “Less Talk, More Action: How Law Schools Can Counteract Racial Bias of LSAT Scores in the Admissions Process,” which will appear in the Tennessee Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice. “Enough is Enough: Congressional Solutions to Curb Gun Violence in America’s K-12 Schools,” written by Michael McQuiller ’18, will be published in the DePaul Journal of Social Justice. All of these students felt passionate about their topics, Boso says,

From the Bay Area to Paris to China, USF Students Make the Most of Summer Summer for USF School of Law students means immersing themselves in judges chambers, corporate offices, courtrooms, public defender and prosecutor offices, and more. Whether they are based in San Francisco or Silicon Valley, or have traveled across oceans, our students’ summers are filled with hands-on experiences and new professional relationships.

Students in the Europe intellectual property and Czech Republic externship programs in front of a moving sculpture of Czech writer Franz Kafka during their orientation week in Prague.

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typically because they felt that the existing applicable laws and policies were unjust in purpose or effect. They channelled all of that research and passion into well-written, well-organized, and well-researched papers. “Publishing is a special accomplishment because these students have proven that they are scholars, they have thought deeply and critically about the law, and they now have concrete proposals for change,” says Boso, who offers substantive written feedback to all his students at every step of the writing process. “Very few students in law school get the opportunity to engage with the law in this highly intellectually curious way.” Hill selected her topic because she wanted to bring awareness to decades of research demonstrating how test-takers of color on average score up to 10 points lower on the LSAT, and because she wanted to push the conversation on this issue forward by discussing solutions to this ongoing problem. “I wanted to challenge the legal education community to propel past the days of tradition and develop new methods to justly assess the skills of every law school candidate,” says Hill, who is currently working as the regional voter protection director at the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C. “I hope that during my career, I am able to be a member of a more inclusive group of legal professionals that truly reflect the diverse communities we serve.” n

ONE TO WATCH: DAYNA LOUIE ’19 Dayna Louie ’19 found her passion for the law when she began a position as a legal secretary on a whim, after a series of unsatisfying jobs in accounting and sales. She became a paralegal and then worked at the Marin County Superior Court as a clerk before starting law school. She is a senior staff member for USF Law Review and McAuliffe Honor Society member, was a student advocate in the Employment Law Clinic, and was a participant and later a tutor in the Academic Support Program. She was recently a summer associate at Hanson Bridgett, where she has accepted a post-bar associate position, and was an extern at the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board. This spring, she will be a judicial extern to Justice Ming Chin BA ’64, JD ’67 of the California Supreme Court. Did you dream of being a lawyer as a kid? I never did. I did not have any role models in my life who were lawyers. I did not consider working in the legal profession until after I joined a small law frm as a legal secretary. I decided to go to law school because I found there were limits to what I could do in that position, and I wanted to play a larger role in guiding clients through troubling legal issues.

What is one of your most memorable experiences at USF? Being an Academic Support Program tutor. Having been a part of the Academic Support Program during my 1L year, I felt like I was giving back to the USF community in a positive and meaningful way.

Which class has challenged you the most? As a 1L, I found the Criminal Law materials difcult to understand. However, I didn’t want to let the class defeat me. So I read all the cases very carefully, created thorough briefs, took copious class notes, and did lots of practice exams. I ultimately ended up getting the highest grade in the class!

What made your summer at Hanson Bridgett special for you? The highlight was participating in an asylum clinic. I worked with a partner to help a young Guatemalan woman complete the long and complex asylum form. The young woman had been on a waiting list for several months, awaiting the day she could fnally apply for asylum. I was thrilled to take part in such important work.

What was the highlight of your summer as a judicial extern at the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board? Attending a live hearing in San Francisco was a very memorable experience. The appellant appeared pro se and the administrative law judge took extra care in making sure the appellant felt like she was being heard. It was great to see a judge who wanted to make sure a pro se party felt like she had her day in court.

What advice would you give new law students? Do not be afraid to ask questions, ask for help, and use all the resources that are available to you. There are so many people at USF who are interested in helping you succeed, but if you don’t ask for help or use the resources, you are not making the most of your legal education.

What is the best way to de-stress as a law student? The best place to get away and de-stress for me is outdoors. I love visiting the ocean and taking hikes in the woods with my husband. n

IN BRIEF

PRESS CLIPPINGS “With Kennedy gone, we could see the broad scope of reproductive access through various means sharply scaled back. A lot of civil rights are now at grave risk.” Professor Maya Manian in The New York Times after Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy announced his decision to retire.

“[It] makes a big difference in terms of what we as the public get to know about how our police officers are responding in situations like this, which are fraught and complicated and where lives are on the line.” Associate Professor Lara Bazelon on KQED, about an effort to force former San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr and current District Attorney George Gascón to give sworn testimony in a federal civil rights case over the fatal 2015 police shooting of Mario Woods.

“This is problematic because it’s the systemic claims that are more likely to trigger organizational reform, changes in the systems and work cultures that may be keeping women as a group from succeeding at the same rates as men at Microsoft.” Associate Dean for Faculty Scholarship and Professor Tristin Green in The Seattle Times, after a judge in an ongoing Microsoft gender bias lawsuit denied to make the suit a class action, saying that the plaintiffs did not prove they faced a common discrimination policy.

“In spite of the agreement, it’s entirely up to Vietnam. What usually happens is that the receiving country is not willing to take the people. But if the receiving country is willing to take the person, then there’s not much that can be done about that.” Professor Bill Ong Hing on NBC News about the deportation of a small number of Vietnamese nationals last December despite a bilateral agreement that many immigration and civil rights advocates say apparently excludes the immigrants from being deported.

“Some think this case is really sort of a Trojan Horse. If the Supreme Court makes really signifcant changes to the direct purchaser rule, it could have a profound impact not only for Apple and the high-tech world, but for private antitrust enforcement across the board.” Professor Joshua Davis in an S&P Global Market Intelligence article after the U.S. Supreme Court decided to hear the long-standing Apple v. Pepper antitrust case, which could have significant implications for Apple Inc. and its App Store, potentially undermining what has proven to be an effective business model.

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GIVING PAYING IT FORWARD When a PG&E gas pipeline exploded in a San Bruno neighborhood on Sept. 9, 2010, eight people lost their lives and a neighborhood was destroyed. Frank Pitre BS ’77, JD ’81, a lauded trial lawyer who focuses on personal injury, wrongful death, consumer fraud, and commercial torts, was horrified to see the neighborhood where he went to high school decimated. “These were families I went to school with, and their lives were turned upside down,” he said. “I saw it was one of those opportunities to give back to the community in which you were raised.” He took a lead role representing 57 San Bruno families in cases against PG&E, and that began a larger battle against the company — he has since represented families affected by the 2015 Butte wildfre in Calaveras County and the 2017 North Bay fres. “I felt like I needed to teach this company a lesson because I am exhausted from consoling people because of PG&E’s reckless indiference to safety,” Pitre said. “I don’t intend to rest until we’ve fnally gotten PG&E to understand they need to completely revamp their safety culture and really place safety frst.” Consumer Attorneys of California named him Consumer Attorney of the Year in 2013 for his eforts against PG&E. In 2009, he was on the National Law Journal’s Plaintif’s Hot List for a case that culminated in Pfzer agreeing to pay $894 million to settle consolidated injury and class action cases related to its painkillers Celebrex and Bextra. He also successfully pursued litigation related to the diet pill Fen-Phen, the crash of an Asiana Airlines fight at San Francisco International Airport, and Toyota vehicles. This spring, Consumer Watchdog presented the Lifetime Legal Achievement Award to Pitre. “It’s premature, I’m not done yet! I’m 63 and I’ve got a heck of a lot more to do,” he said. He says he doesn’t take on these cases for the awards, he does it “for the passion. At the end of the day, it’s about having someone thank you for giving them renewed life after they’ve been impacted by a catastrophic event.” Pitre credits his years at USF with expanding his horizons and broadening his vision. “My awakening happened at USF in undergrad and it continued at the law school. The great thing about USF School of Law is that you not only get a top-quality education, you get experience in the actual practice of law — how to become a good lawyer and advocate.” He remembers influential trial practice professors like Dolores Donovan, Suzanne Mounts, and Hon. Ira Brown. “Those practical courses

Grateful for the oppor tunity he had, Frank Pitre BS ’77, JD ’81 returns the favor

taught me how to shape an argument, examine and cross-examine a witness, argue a motion in court, give an opening statement and a closing argument. When I got out, I had the confidence that I could do trials.” He then began considering how to give back. “I don’t mean just giving back financially, but in terms of reaching out to young students,” he said. As an alumnus, he began going to many events with USF law students and young alumni. “It’s really a joy for me to listen to the young lawyers and their dreams, to provide them with what I hope is good advice for how to follow their desired career path.” This year, Pitre generously supported scholarships at USF School of Law. “USF took a gamble on me,” he said. “These scholarship students will make wonderful lawyers because they know hard work and fnancial challenges. If you just give them a little boost in relieving some of that debt, you’ve created an opportunity for someone to become an advocate and a voice for someone else — just like I did.” He structured his gift in an unusual way, splitting the gift between funds that can be used immediately and endowed scholarships. He said it’s illustrative of how much trust he has in the school, especially the dean and leadership. “I want to give them the flexibility they need to best utilize any contribution I can provide, so they can follow through on their vision,” Pitre said. n

To learn more about supporting the USF School of Law, please contact Assistant Dean for Development and Alumni Relations Michelle Sklar at msklar@usfca.edu or (415) 422-2551.

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FACULTY FOCUS ON THE RECORD

LARA BAZELON

Associate Professor Lara Bazelon, director of USF’s Criminal and Juvenile Justice and Racial Justice clinics, focuses her work on criminal justice reform. She is the co-chair of the American Bar Association’s Ethics, Gideon, and Professionalism Committee and serves on the American Bar Association’s Criminal Justice Council. Bazelon was previously a trial attorney in the Ofce of the Federal Public Defender in Los Angeles and a law clerk to the Hon. Harry Pregerson on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She is a contributing writer for Slate and has published essays and op-eds in the Washington Post, The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Atlantic, and other news outlets. Her frst book, Rectify: The Power of Restorative Justice After Wrongful Conviction, will be published by Beacon Press this fall.

Why is it important for new lawyers to learn about the intersection of ethics and criminal justice advocacy? Some people think it is necessary to cut corners to be a zealous advocate. My goal with my teaching and scholarship is to dispel this idea. The quickest route to professional trouble for lawyers is an ignorance of their ethical responsibilities or a disregard for their importance. So I think it is important to talk about this issue with my students and to do what I can to engage the larger legal community with my scholarship.

Wrongful convictions are commonplace now and so much has been written about them. What is new and different about your book? Rectify focuses on the road to a place of healing after a wrongful conviction has been exposed, not only for exonerees and their families but for the crime victims and their families, who are retraumatized by the

realization that justice was not served. Some victims are made to feel like perpetrators themselves because they participated — however unwittingly — in the conviction of an innocent person with a mistaken identification. By telling the stories of how they come together after decades on opposite sides, Rectify examines the transformative experience of survivors connecting around mutual trauma and how their shared goal of living meaningful lives after unfathomable loss creates unlikely allies in the fight for criminal justice reform.

What is restorative justice and what does it have to do with wrongful convictions? Restorative justice is a centuries-old concept of bringing together the victims, the people who harmed them, and their respective communities to deal with the crime and agree upon a series of remedial measures designed to bring about reparations and healing, rather than meting out punishment. While restorative justice seeks to bring about a resolution more complex and holistic than simple retribution, it has always done so with people in a particular posture: victims and those who harmed them. In wrongful conviction cases, restorative justice principles apply in a different context altogether — one in which the convicted have been victimized and their accusers made to feel like perpetrators.

Of all the cases you’ve been involved in, which is the most meaningful one to you? The exoneration of my client, Kash Delano Register, who spent 34 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. Kash’s case broke my heart and opened my mind. When he went to prison in 1979, I was in kindergarten. When he was finally freed in 2013, my son was about to start kindergarten. The entirety of his 20s, 30s, and 40s was lost. Yet Kash, a man of grace and deep faith, was willing to forgive those who had harmed him so terribly. He wanted to be truly free, not physically free but invisibly shackled. Watching him go through the exoneration process and come out on the other side made me think about the importance of reconciliation, forgiveness, and accountability. It is what made me so interested in learning more about restorative justice and applying those practices in my own life. n

Professor Davis Yee with Interim Dean Susan Freiwald

Adjunct Professor Davis Yee Recognized for Outstanding Teaching Adjunct Professor Davis Yee was honored with two teaching distinctions this spring: the USF Teaching in Technology and Innovation Award, and the School of Law’s Hon. Ira A. Brown Jr. Distinguished Adjunct Professor Award. The Teaching in Technology and Innovation Award recognizes his outstanding use of technology in the classroom and online. With students from around the world and who often work full-time while in school, Yee believes that technology can be leveraged to give them options for content delivery. Yee conducts live, in-classroom lectures with simultaneous delivery via Zoom, which is available on Canvas. He is an avid user of iPads, PowerPoint, and the online whiteboard BaiBoard during his lectures, and he hosts virtual ofce hours via Zoom. The Distinguished Adjunct Professor Award recognizes Yee's outstanding contributions to the law school and its students. “Professor Yee has both a passion for tax and for teaching, and we are so lucky that he shares those passions with our students in the exceptional Graduate Tax Program,” Interim Dean Susan Freiwald said. “Not only has he been honored for his work in his day job, he also coached the 2014-15 USF team that took frst place in the JD competition of the ABA Taxation Section Law Student Tax Challenge.” Yee is a special trial attorney with the IRS Ofce of Chief Counsel, where he represents the commissioner of internal revenue in signifcant cases before the United States Tax Court. He has taught at USF since the Graduate Tax Program launched in 2013, and previously taught at Golden Gate University. After law school, Yee was a judicial clerk to the Hon. Charles Z. Smith of the Washington State Supreme Court, as well as an associate at a litigation frm. Now an attorney and CPA licensed in California, he has also served as an attorney-adviser to the Hon. Peter J. Panuthos of the United States Tax Court. n

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FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR LARA BAZELON authored the book Rectify: The Power of Restorative Justice After Wrongful Conviction, published by Beacon Press in October. She wrote several op-eds including ones in The Atlantic, Slate, the San Bernardino Sun, and The American Prospect. She presented or moderated at conferences hosted by the Appellate Judicial Attorneys Institute, Association for Professional Responsibility Lawyers, and American Bar Association. She also gave commentary to several news outlets, including KQED, Slate, NBC News, ABA Journal, and KRON4. PROFESSOR JOSHUA DAVIS presented “Ethical Issues Unique to the Consumer Space” at the Practicing Law Institute’s 23rd Annual Consumer Financial Services Institute in New York City. He moderated the panel “Navigating the Shifting Waters of Ethics in Class Actions” at the ABA’s Fifth Annual Western Regional CLE Program on Class Actions and Mass Torts in San Francisco, and was a panelist for “Moral/Legal Dilemmas in Regulating New Technology” at the 2018 California Western Legal Ethics Symposium in San Diego. He also presented his paper “Writing Better Jury Instructions: Antitrust as an Example” at the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division Competition Law and Policy Seminar in San Francisco. He was interviewed for articles in S&P Global, the San Diego Business Journal, and Courthouse News Service. MARSHALL P. MADISON PROFESSOR OF LAW CONNIE DE LA VEGA wrote the book A Practical Guide to Using International Human Rights and Criminal Law Procedures, forthcoming in 2018. She also wrote the article “Separating children from their parents violates international law” on the Equal Justice Society blog. She led a workshop on “How Clinical Experiences Can Help Students Pass the Bar Exam” at the 2018 Northern California Clinical Conference at Stanford University. She was featured in news segments on Univision and In Justice Today. PROFESSOR REZA DIBADJ wrote “Transaction Costs Matter” in “Eleven Things They Don’t Tell You About Law and Economics: An Informal Introduction to Political Economy and Law,” which will be published in University of Minnesota’s Law and Inequality: A Journal of Theory and Practice. He also has a forthcoming article, “Disclosure as Delaware’s New Frontier,” in the spring 2019 issue of the Hastings Law Journal.

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PROFESSOR EMERITUS H. JAY FOLBERG was hosted in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, by Cambodian lawyers who studied at the USF School of Law in 1994-96 while Folberg was dean.

INTERIM DEAN AND PROFESSOR SUSAN FREIWALD’s article “At the Privacy Vanguard: California's Electronic Communication Privacy Act (CalECPA)” was published in the Berkeley Technology Law Journal. She was quoted in the articles “Facebook debacle could force US to catch up with Europe in privacy rules” in the San Francisco Chronicle; “Facebook says you ‘own’ all the data you post. Not even close, say privacy experts” in the Los Angeles Times; and “Mayor Farrell Advances Plan for Municipal Fiber Internet” in The Bay City Beacon.

PROFESSOR AND ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP TRISTIN GREEN ’s article “Was Sexual Harassment Law a Mistake? The Stories We Tell” was published in the Yale Law Journal. She presented “Racial Entitlement” at the University of Washington School of Law Faculty Colloquia Series. She was quoted in “Twitter to Channel Walmart Legal Victory in Discrimination Suit” on Bloomberg Quint. PROFESSOR BILL ONG HING received the 2018 Distinguished Professor of the Year Award from the USF School of Law. His article “Entering the Trump ICE Age: Contextualizing the New Immigration Enforcement Regime” was published in the Texas A&M Law Review. He presented “Beyond DACA: Civil Disobedience and Employer Sanctions” at Cornell Law School’s Faculty Legal Studies Workshop. He was interviewed by Mother Jones, San Francisco Chronicle, NBC News, and many other media outlets about immigration law. PROFESSOR PETER JAN HONIGSBERG wrote the forthcoming book Straying from Honor: Untold Stories of Guantanamo, to be published in 2019 by Beacon Press. He was a finalist for the 2018 ABA Silver Gavel Awards for Media and the Arts in the multimedia category. He was interviewed for the article "The Tragedy And Uselessness Of Torture" by Inquisitr.

PROFESSOR TIM IGLESIAS’s articles “From the Reading Room: The Fight for Fair Housing: Causes, Consequences, and Future Implications of the 1968 Federal Fair Housing Act (Book Review)” and “Threading the Needle of Fair Housing Law in a Gentrifying City with a Legacy of Discrimination” were published in the Journal of Afordable Housing and Community Development Law. He presented at the annual meeting of the Association of Property, Law, and Society at Maastricht University in The Netherlands, at HUD’s celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Federal Fair Housing Act, to the Alameda County Bar Association, and during the Annual Real Property Law Section Retreat in San Francisco. He was quoted in the Colorado Springs Gazette. PROFESSOR ALICE KASWAN ’s article “Energy, Governance, and Market Mechanisms” was published in the University of Miami Law Review. Her article "A Broader Vision for Climate Policy: Lessons from California" will be published in the San Diego Journal of Climate and Energy Law this year. She presented “A Broader Vision for Climate Policy: Lessons from California” at the Fourth Annual Sustainability Conference at Arizona State University School of Law and at the Just Transitions and the Law Workshop at the University of South Carolina. She was quoted in the article “Big Oil’s Global Warming Case Could Hinge on Jurisdiction” in Courthouse News Service. HAMILL FAMILY CHAIR PROFESSOR OF LAW AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY RICHARD LEO wrote the chapter “Police Interrogation and Suspect Confessions” to be published in The Cambridge Handbook on Policing in North America in 2019. He presented at the Habeas Corpus Resource Center in San Francisco, San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, Illinois Public Defender Association, Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of California, and the Annual Capital Casework Seminar hosted by Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He also travelled to China where he gave talks on police interrogation and false confessions at several universities. PROFESSOR RHONDA MAGEE gave the keynote presentation, “Deep Foundations of Inclusive Compassionate Communication,” at the Annual Conference on Interpersonal Neurobiology, Relationships, and the Power of Connecting Conference at UCLA Lifespan Learning Institute. She presented at the Mind and Life Summer Research Institute at the Garrison Institute and the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine Grand Rounds, where she also facilitated. She was quoted in the article “Using Mindfulness to Combat Social Bias” in Above the Law.

PROFESSOR MAYA MANIAN wrote the chapter “The Story of Madrigal v. Quilligan: Coerced Sterilization of Mexican-American Women” to be published in Reproductive Rights and Justice Stories in 2019, and gave a talk on the topic at the Faculty Forum Series at SMU Dedman School of Law. She was a panelist for “Law at the Intersection of Reproductive Justice and LGBTQ Rights” and “Family Law and Feminist Options” at the Annual Meeting on Law and Society in Toronto. She was quoted in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Vox, and National Daily Journal. HERBST FOUNDATION PROFESSOR OF LAW JULIE A. NICE wrote the chapter “The Gendered Jurisprudence of the Fourteenth Amendment” to be published in the forthcoming book Feminist Jurisprudence. She presented “Outcast and Exiled Youth, Epigenetics, and Juridical Harm” at the Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law, and Justice Symposium, and was on the panel “Fighting Back Queers and the Class Divide” at the GLBT Historical Society Community Forum. She also provided commentary on KTVU. PROFESSOR MARIA ONTIVEROS was on the panel “Using the Thirteenth Amendment in Court” at the Thirteenth Amendment and Economic Justice Symposium in Las Vegas. She was also interviewed on the podcast New Hampshire Public Radio Civics 101 for Episode 101: The Thirteenth Amendment on New Hampshire Public Radio. PHILIP AND MURIEL BARNETT PROFESSOR OF TRIAL ADVOCACY ROBERT TALBOT received the 2018 Sarlo Prize from the University of San Francisco for excellence in teaching. PROFESSOR MICHELLE TRAVIS presented “The Missing Piece in the ADA/FMLA Puzzle: Accommodating Employees Who Care for Disabled Family Members” at the Grey Fellows Forum at Stanford Law School. She co-organized the Annual Workplace Law Scholars’ Writing Collaborative in Stinson Beach, where she also presented “Accommodating Family Caregivers: The Missing Piece of the ADA/FMLA Puzzle.” She also published her frst children's book, My Mom Has Two Jobs.

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ALL RISE FROM THE NFL TO THE FEDERAL BENCH, CALIFORNIA COURT OF APPEAL JUSTICE MARTIN J. JENKINS â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80 HAS MADE A CAREER OF HELPING OTHERS GROW By Erin Gordon

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MOST JUDGES AREN’T FORMER PRO football players. But Martin Jenkins isn’t most judges. As a rookie cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks back in 1977, Jenkins discovered that getting burned by wide receivers and crushed by running backs wasn’t much fun. He also realized that “if I furthered my education, I could give back.” So he left the NFL and enrolled at the USF School of Law, determined to use law as a vehicle for a life in public service. Jenkins frst became interested in law years before when his mother was injured in an accident. A “competent, humble, and compassionate lawyer” — a USF alum, no less — took her case for free, enabling Jenkins’s mother to pay her medical bills. Then, when Jenkins was in college at Santa Clara, he was unanimously elected as one of four captains of the football team and defended a fellow teammate in a disciplinary action. The dean of students was so impressed with Jenkins in that situation, he told the football coach, Pat Malley, that Jenkins should apply his leadership skills to law. Malley then introduced Jenkins to three African American lawyers “who told me the impact I could make on the community.” After Jenkins left the Seahawks, USF allowed him to begin law school three weeks into the school year and as part of the Academic Support Program (ASP). He describes ASP as a “safety blanket” that provided extra academic and emotional support. “I always worked hard but I was not confdent,” says Jenkins. “My father was a janitor for 40 years at Coit Tower. My mother was a nurse by trade but didn’t work outside the home when I was growing up. I didn’t know lawyers. I was concerned it was beyond me.” In an efort to stay on top of his studies, Jenkins showed up at professors’ ofce hours every Friday with a list of questions. “No one turned me away.” It was in those frst weeks at USF that former dean Jefrey Brand, then a visiting law professor and now a superior court judge in Alameda County, frst met Jenkins. “He’d just given up a pro football career

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to come to law school. My discussion with him about that decision is my first vivid memory of a truly remarkable man,” Brand recalls. “At the beginning he had so many self-doubts, but they were misplaced. Marty made the right choice. The community he has so tirelessly served for so long needed him more than the NFL.”

Practicing What You Preach Giving back to the community — including the USF community — is part of his “natural evolution as a person,” with seeds planted at USF itself, says Jenkins. The law school’s alumni network is like a family, he says. The alums he encountered through the years “suggested doors for me to walk through and were there to greet me on the other side.” California Supreme Court Justice Ming Chin BA ’64, JD ’67, for example, gave Jenkins the chance to fll a temporary vacancy in the state court of appeal as a young superior court judge, which “broadened my career horizons.” And when Jenkins was nominated for the federal bench, his USF classmates prepared a briefng book to help him prepare for his senate confrmation hearing in Washington, D.C. Stories like this, he says, are countless. Most recently, Jenkins hosted a reunion at his home for about 30 of his law school classmates. A few weeks later, he learned they made a generous donation to the USF Black Law Students Association in his honor. “I was astounded but not surprised as that’s the kind of thing USF alums typically do to support one another or to support one of their classmates’ interests." USF’s emphasis on ethics resonated with Jenkins, who graduated with honors and was awarded the Judge Harold J. Haley Award for Exceptional Distinction in Scholarship, Character, and Activities. “The curriculum and the values of the Jesuits were certainly present in the way the teachers integrated ethical considerations into classes like constitutional law and torts long before other law schools began doing that,” he says. “The professors promoted values and ethics in the law without proselytizing.” Jenkins immediately applied those values

to his own career. Upon graduation, he became a prosecutor at the Alameda County district attorney’s ofce and later at the civil rights division of the U.S. Justice Department, where he handled racial violence and police misconduct cases under the tutelage of trial attorney Linda Davis, who headed the division before later becoming a judge. “She demanded excellence from all of the lawyers under her tutelage, while emphasizing the importance of integrity, ethics, compassion, and humility,” he said. “I would not have enjoyed the career I’ve been blessed to have without Linda’s advice and counsel.” When his mother became ill, Jenkins returned to the Bay Area to work in-house at Pacifc Bell. Before long, he was appointed to the Oakland municipal court and then elevated to the Alameda County superior court, eventually becoming the presiding judge of the juvenile division. In 1997, President Bill Clinton appointed Jenkins to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and he’s served as an associate justice on the California Court of Appeal for the First District in San Francisco since 2008, when he was appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “You see in the trajectory of my career that I kind of like problem-solving. I’m a jack of all trades, master of none,” Jenkins quips. Working on everything from criminal cases to contracts to copyright matters “kept my interest and broadened me out.”

Renaissance Man Although Jenkins has dedicated his career to public service, “serving the public in these roles is really just a starting point,” says Saundra Brown Armstrong ’77, a federal district court judge in the Northern District of California, who has known Jenkins since his frst days at USF. “He also serves as a role model and a mentor, which, I think, he sees as the most important role that he flls.” For 20 years, Jenkins has worked with the youth group at St. Patrick’s Church in Oakland, his congregation. He also helped start Vincent Academy, a K-5 charter school in West Oakland that combines a rigorous academic program and emphasis on the arts

“WITH EACH OF HIS SUCCESSES, HE’S WORKED TO CREATE IN HIS WAKE AN EASIER PATH FORWARD FOR OTHERS.” S A U N D R A B R O W N A R M S T R O N G ’ 7 7, F E D E R A L D I S T R I C T C O U R T J U D G E IN THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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“L AW IS A PUZZLE. THE BES T DAYS ARE WHEN I HAVE A CASE WITH NOT MUCH WRIT TEN ON THE ISSUES AND I HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT. I BELIEVE THAT THE LAW SHOULD NEVER BE TOO DIVORCED FROM COMMON SENSE.” CALIFORNIA COURT OF APPEAL JUSTICE MARTIN J. JENKINS ’80

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with support services for parents. He serves as a mentor with San Francisco Achievers, an organization that provides mentoring and college scholarships to black male high school students in San Francisco, and he speaks regularly to inner city high school and middle school students “about the notion of achievement and impediments,” Jenkins says. “I explain that although I’m a judge, the real learning comes from the journey [to get here], not what I look like now.” His dedication to pulling up the next generation extends to those entering the legal profession. Nearly 30 years ago, Jenkins and Armstrong started “freside chats” for USF law students from underserved communities. “We welcome students into our homes to provide support and talk about anything the students want to talk about,” Armstrong says. “We just want to give them a safe space to talk about their fears and challenges, in a culturally sensitive setting that the students may not fnd elsewhere.” Those freside chats focus on tips for working through the psychological and emotional issues that the frst year of law school presents to minority and disadvantaged students. “[Other] alums share their own personal experiences at USF and it turns out to be an extremely empowering evening for the students and alums,” Jenkins says. Topics range from acclimating to school and living alone to dealing with personal and family issues, says Armstrong. “There’s nothing mystical about our journey — we’re not better or

worse than anyone else. We show them that others are invested in their success.” Attendees of those freside chats have gone on to careers as law frm lawyers, public defenders, prosecutors, and even judges. “The program has been so successful that we’ve created another group for new attorneys,” she says. Mentorship makes Jenkins a living embodiment of USF’s core values, Armstrong says. “He subscribes to the reality that we are merely stewards of these positions and it is incumbent upon us to do what we can to prepare the next generation to succeed us. With each of his successes, he’s worked to create in his wake an easier path forward for others. For him, success is not driven by greed or pride, but by a sense of duty. The idea of looking outward, not inward — that is Marty to a T.”

Level Head, Broad Mind When it comes to his work on the bench, Jenkins says he doesn’t have favorite cases, though he does have an afnity for commercial litigation, and fnds criminal cases and juvenile cases involving issues of dependency and neglect the most challenging. “Law is a puzzle,” he says. “The best days are when I have a case with not much written on the issues and I have to fgure it out. For example, with policy issues, what did the legislature really mean? I believe that the law should never be too divorced from common sense.” That’s probably why Armstrong calls Jenkins “a thinking judge.” His judicial temperament is “beyond reproach,” she explains.

“He presides and decides in an open-minded, even-tempered, courteous, patient, and compassionate manner. He has no personal interest or ego investment in any of the decisions — they’re based precisely on his view of the law and the facts. He’s not haunted or immobilized by the fear of being wrong, nor is he struck with a sense of his own immutable correctness. What’s important to him is achieving results that are just. That’s the quality of an excellent judge.” In recognition of his distinguished public service and dedication to his church, community, and family, in 1998 Jenkins was awarded the St. Thomas More Award by the St. Thomas More Society of San Francisco, an organization of Catholic lawyers and judges. Indeed, Jenkins has been close to his family his whole life. A native San Franciscan raised in the Lakeview neighborhood, Jenkins lived at home while a student at USF and also during his frst two years at the District Attorney’s ofce. Though his mother passed away in 1992 and his father in 2005, both got to see some measure of his professional success. Today, he remains close to his siblings, a younger sister who works in human resources and an older brother who is a retired NFL referee. Jeffrey Brand describes Jenkins as passionate, brilliant, hardworking, humble, generous, and inspiring. “If Marty saw these words, he’d deny them and I'm sure be embarrassed,” Brand says. “But when it comes to decent, caring, compassionate human beings, he is among the frst who come to mind.” n

FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE BENCH: A USF TRADITION USF School of Law has a legacy of educating future judges, and USF students in turn learn from judges through judicial externships. Whether alumni judges began their careers as prosecutors, public defenders, or in other government roles, USF law grads have a proven passion for judging.

330+

USF Law Alumni HAVE BECOME JUDGES

230

Judicial Externship Students SINCE FALL 2009

States WHERE USF ALUMNI HAVE SERVED ON THE BENCH

• Supreme Court of California

Externship sites include:

Five states where most alumni have served:

• California Court of Appeal

• Supreme Court of California

• California

• Washington

• California Court of Appeal

• Nevada

• Alaska

• US District Court of California, Northern District

• Hawaii

• US District Court of California, Northern District • Supreme Court of Illinois • Supreme Court of the State of New York • US District Court for the District of Nevada

• Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco USFCA.EDU/LAW

Thomas Onda â&#x20AC;&#x2122;90 (left) with his mentee Chris Martinez 3L

meeting

match their

USF’s Alumni Mentor Program builds connections and launches law students’ careers By Samantha Bronson To an experienced attorney, the request likely would have seemed fairly easy: Work the room at a networking event and introduce yourself to six attorneys, get their business cards, and follow up with personalized emails and, if possible, informal cofee meetings. But for the naturally shy Jordan Kelley 2L, that request — by her mentor Katie Burke ’02 — required a big step outside her comfort zone. Still, Kelley followed Burke’s advice and landed a summer internship because of it. Kelley interned with the San Francisco Superior Court after someone she met at a courthouse meeting of family law attorneys asked if she might be interested in a family court clerkship position. “If it weren’t for Katie pushing me to get myself out there, I probably wouldn’t have had that internship,” Kelley said. “It’s been a great experience working with Katie. She really holds me accountable. I got so much more out of my frst year because of that relationship. This mentorship has made me feel much more part of the USF network.” The pair are part of the USF School of Law’s growing Alumni Mentor Program, which builds professional connections between USF law students and the School of Law’s accomplished network of alumni.

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“I get a lot of satisfaction seeing where students end up and where their paths take them. For me, [mentoring] reminds me of when I was in law school and what I was going through.” – Thomas Onda ’90

“The program ofers alumni a way to give back to the next generation of USF lawyers and stay closely connected with the law school, while students get a jump start on building their professional networks and engaging with the legal community,” said Keya Koul, interim director of career services

Katie Burke ’02 (left) with her mentee Jordan Kelley 2L

and alumni relations. Since its inception two years ago, participation has doubled and last academic year the program made 100 mentor matches. Open to all students, regardless of year, and all alumni, regardless of when they graduated, the program draws attorneys practicing in all areas of the law and matches them with students interested in exploring those areas of practice. Each mentee-mentor pair establishes their own preferred frequency and means of connecting; the program’s overall emphasis is on open communication about what works best for each particular match. For her part, Burke, a solo practitioner with Burke Family Law, views her time working with Kelley as a chance to use her experience to help an up-and-coming family law attorney. “She’s been very clear about her goals, so I’ve been very specifc about things that would work to her advantage,” she said. That has included inviting Kelley to accompany her to meetings of family law attorneys and judges, always making sure to introduce her to the group as a whole and encouraging her to introduce herself individually. Kelley and Burke’s connection began with monthly one-on-one lunch dates and has extended to Burke inviting Kelley to business networking events. During their lunches, Burke encourages Kelley to set specifc tasks for herself — whether that’s centered on maintaining good grades or reaching out to other family law attorneys — and checks in on her progress during each meeting. Burke has reviewed Kelley’s resume and cover letter and after each monthly lunch date, sends an email to Kelley recapping next steps. Such tasks, she said, take just a few extra minutes but can have a big impact on a law student. “At a certain point, I feel like if you’ve had career success, you should be mentoring people who are interested in the same career path,” Burke said. “When the opportunity to be part of the Alumni Mentor Program came along, I knew right away that I wanted to participate.” Thomas Onda ’90, chief counsel of global intellectual property, brands, and marketing for Levi Strauss & Co., is another member of the Alumni Mentor Program. The potential impact on students is huge, said Onda, especially when he compares it to the time he spends. “I get a lot of satisfaction seeing where students end up and where their paths take them,” said Onda, who also serves on the USF School of Law Board of Governors and teaches as an adjunct professor. “For me, it reminds me of when I was in law school and what I was going through. It brings back sentimental memories of that time and knowing that maybe I’m having an impact on someone’s life. It’s really important for me to remember the person who gave me that first break. I would never be

with them can have an impact.” Christopher Viadro ’92, partner at Butler Viadro, LLP, shares that sentiment with all alumni he interacts with. Viadro, who was involved in the genesis of the program and mentored two students last year, now regularly spreads the word and encourages nearly every law school alumnus he talks with to consider signing up as a mentor with the program.

"With this program, USF has provided students with one more tool to be successful in their law school and post law school careers." – Christopher Viadro ’92, who recently mentored two USF law students

“One of USF’s strengths has always been the support and mentoring its alums so willingly provide to students and grads,” Viadro said, noting that the Alumni Mentor Program has helped harness and nurture that asset. “Students beneft from the ability to select from the wide array of alums to fnd the mentor that is best suited to each of them. With this program, USF has provided students with one more tool to be successful in their law school and post law school careers.” n where I am if it weren’t for that person. I would love to be that person as a mentor because it meant so much to me when I was younger.” Unlike Burke and Kelley, Onda and Chris Martinez 3L met face-to-face initially but have since connected mostly by email and phone because that’s what worked best with their schedules. Martinez said having an alumnus to check in with on questions about law school, next steps, or resumes has added considerably to the overall law school experience. Onda has provided Martinez with some specific recommendations, but just as important, Martinez said, has been the opportunity to listen to Onda talk about his own experiences. Learning from successful alumni and their behind-the-scenes stories provides students with unique insight into how to approach their own law careers, said Martinez. “You hear about all these great lawyers and it can be hard to learn how they did it,” he said. “He’s done it and he’s been successful, so it’s been great having the opportunity to listen

to whatever he has to say and to learn from it.” “Tom’s really helped me shape my train of thought and think diferently about how I was approaching my second year. I’m getting more focused on the area of law I want to practice, and he’s given me thoughts on how to go about doing that. He has helped me understand what I need to do to start showing more commitment and dedication to the IP feld,” said Martinez, who is seeking ways to volunteer in the IP feld during his third year as a way to show that dedication. He’s also thinking about in-house opportunities. “I always thought I would go to a law frm frst but talking with him about working in-house has defnitely inspired me to research in-house opportunities,” he said. It's a lesson, said Onda, not to underestimate the good that mentoring can do. “Students are very hungry for that kind of information and talking with real-life practitioners means a lot to them. Don’t feel like you can’t relate to the students or have nothing to ofer, because you’ll be surprised. Even just taking the time to meet

Join the USF School of Law Alumni Mentor Program The University of San Francisco School of Law Alumni Mentor Program brings together alumni with students for mutually benefcial career advancement and community building. The program is designed with busy professionals and students in mind. Students and alumni are encouraged to connect once a month, either in person or online. They are also invited to group events throughout the school year. If you are interested in being a mentor or fnding out more about the program, please email Interim Director of Career Services and Alumni Relations Keya Koul at kkoul@usfca.edu.

Tomorrow by Today

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G N I P A

LEADING

BY SAMANTHA BRONSON

Susan Freiwald gets to work as USF School of Law’s interim dean

Ask newly appointed Interim Dean Susan Freiwald what makes USF School of Law unique and she quickly points to the alumni as a key differentiator. “Our graduates have such positive experiences here that they want to continue to be part of the community after they fnish school,” Freiwald said. “Alumni add a richness to our students’ experiences and are an incredible resource for the school with their expertise, knowledge, and advice.” Freiwald plans to tap into that community during her two-year appointment as she works to improve the school’s bar passage rate, increase employment numbers, develop a strategic plan, and create new programs. “Susan brings a breadth of experience, both in academe and outside, that I believe will serve her well in her new role,” USF Provost and Vice President of Academic Afairs Donald E. Heller said. “She has been instrumental in the school’s curricular reforms that we instituted last fall. I have had many faculty, staf, and alumni of the school thank me for appointing Susan to the position, so I know she will have strong support.” “I’m delighted to see her take the helm,” said Professor Alice Kaswan, who has known Freiwald since they were Harvard Law School classmates and worked with her at USF for nearly 20 years. “When she was associate dean, faculty and alumni witnessed frst-hand her vision, focus, and capacity to lead the law school’s evolution.” Freiwald joined USF in 1997 and quickly established herself as a nationally recognized expert on privacy issues related to new electronic communication technologies. “With technology, you’re looking at a very quick process of change and the need for a rapid evolution of the law where, in general, the law adapts very slowly,” she said. “It raises very interesting questions about how law works in society and what’s the best way for the law to adapt.” Freiwald discovered her interest in technology at age 13 when she frst learned programming. After earning a bachelor’s degree at Harvard University, Freiwald joined a Silicon Valley technology frm as a software developer. In 1988, she returned to Harvard, this time as a law student. In law school, Freiwald delved into the intersection of technology and the law at a time when few people were thinking about it. The internet was several years away from becoming mainstream, and Freiwald struggled to fnd an adviser for her law review note about email privacy, computer crime, and electronic monitoring.

After graduating from law school, Freiwald clerked in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York and practiced securities law for two years at a Wall Street law frm. In 1994, Freiwald joined the faculty at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. There, her emphasis on technology and the law was so ahead of its time that she had to create her own casebooks. Freiwald has authored and co-authored amicus briefs in signifcant cases involving electronic surveillance laws, and her scholarly work has been cited in numerous state and federal court decisions. She has argued cases in federal appellate court and is recognized as a leader in the fght to pass landmark California legislation in 2015 that regulated law enforcement’s access to electronic communications. She serves on several advisory boards in the felds of privacy and cybersecurity, regularly assists the Electronic Frontier Foundation with litigation, and has served on the board of the Northern California American Civil Liberties Union. Freiwald is also a leader in the classroom, where she's earned the admiration of students and was honored with the School of Law Distinguished Professor Award in 2001. “I absolutely love teaching students,” Freiwald said. “Students are sponges for information, they’re smart, they’re engaged, and they really want to learn.” “Dean Freiwald encourages an environment of open communication that fosters growth within our student community,” said SBA President Allison Ramsey 3L. “I look forward to the positive changes she will bring to USF in the coming years.” In addition to her work to improve bar passage rates, Freiwald intends to increase post-graduate employment rates by expanding the Alumni Mentor Program and launching a new initiative to encourage alumni to hire current students and recent graduates. “I’m a really big believer in hard work and I think that’s something that makes our students stand out — they have a really strong work ethic. That’s a strong value of mine. Hard work should be rewarded and if you’re not prepared to work hard, why are you here?” “It’s a really exciting time for the law school,” Freiwald said. “I think we’re in a very optimistic period where all the constituents are looking forward to some positive developments. It’s a good match between my personality — I’m interested in change — and what the law school is ready for.” n

"Alumni add a richness to our students’ experiences and are an incredible resource for the school with their expertise, knowledge, and advice."

USFCA.EDU/LAW

ALUMNI NEWS CLASS NOTES

’67

James Lassart was recognized by Continental Who’s Who as

a Top Attorney 2018 in the feld of law enforcement for his work as an attorney and shareholder of Murphy, Pearson, Bradley & Feeney.

’69

Edward Imwinkelried, a

’76

Patricia Gillette was

honored by the ABA this summer as a recipient of the 2018 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award, a lifetime excellence award for and on behalf of women in the profession. Peter Logan is practicing law part

professor at UC Davis School of Law, wrote the April 2018 update to American Jurisprudence Trials, Determining Preliminary Facts Under Federal Rule 104.

time, representing policyholders in disputes with insurance companies, is on the board of the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, and is active in the Rotary Club.

’74

’78

Hon. Bryan Foster is the 2018 recipient of the Kaufman Campbell Award for Judicial Excellence, the highest award given by the San Bernardino Bar Association for outstanding judges. He was profled in the San Bernardino Bar Association Bulletin for this honor.

’75

Thomas Nazario received

the best documentary award at the Be Epic! Film Festival in London for his documentary Living on a Dollar a Day.

Linda Chan was featured

in the article “First Asian American lawyer in California remembered a century later” in the Daily Journal, honoring the legacy of her father,

C.C. Wing, a 1918 USF School of Law graduate, who was the frst Asian

American attorney admitted to the California State Bar. Hon. Peggy Hora, co-founder and

president of Justice Speakers Institute, was named honorary president of the newly formed International Society for Therapeutic Jurisprudence.

Karen Kai and her husband, Robert Rusky, were profled in the

San Francisco Examiner for their work as Japantown activists and in reopening Korematsu v. The United States in the early 1980s.

’80

Rebecca Eisen has been reappointed to the California State University Board of Trustees, where she has served since 2012. She was a commencement speaker for 2018 graduation ceremonies at Holy Names University. Esther Hirsh co-authored chapter 16, “Management of LLCs,” published in the March 2018 update of California Transactions Forms Business Entities. Jim Wong retired in 2016 after

owning several businesses throughout his career, including a motel business, commercial real estate in South Lake Tahoe, and an entertaining company.

’82

Hon. Susan Hahn, retired

Yakima County Superior Court judge, was featured in the article “The Arts Scene: From the bench to the canvas” published in the Yakima Herald-Republic for the opening of her new art exhibit at the Oak Hollow Gallery in Yakima, Washington.

’84

Brian Purtill was appointed

dean of Empire College School of Law.

’85

GONE FISHIN’ More than 40 years after graduating USF School of Law, members of the Class of 1974 remain close. Spotted this summer on a fshing trip in Montana: James Wright ’74, James Parrinello ’74, Hon. Maria Rivera '74, and Gary Scholick ’74.

Ken Creighton received the President’s Medal at the University of Nevada, Reno commencement ceremonies. William Grayson was promoted at

Bernstein Private Wealth Management to national director of family ofces. From the frm’s San Francisco

ofce, he provides a range of wealth planning and investment services to ultra-high net worth clients and their professional advisors. Ruth McCreight has retired after

nearly 20 years with the Judicial Council of California. She worked in California’s child support program.

’86

Sherrie Seliber Friedman has recently joined the board of Court Appointed Special Advocates of San Mateo County. She continues to represent parents and children in Juvenile Court in San Mateo County. Moni Law wrote the article “It would

serve Berkeley well to implement best practices for our police,” published in Berkeleyside. Gladys Monroy was recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Three

Year Pinnacle Professional in the feld of consulting for her role as owner of Monroy Consultants. Hon. James Reilly was appointed to

the California Superior Court in Alameda County by Gov. Jerry Brown. Faisal Shah was selected as a 2018 Idaho Business Review Icon Award honoree. Shah is CEO of AppDetex and a member of the USF Board of Trustees. Brian Soublet was featured in the

article “DMV ofcials: self-driving car regulations will continue to evolve,” published in the San Francisco Chronicle, for his work developing California’s regulations governing the testing and deployment of driverless cars.

’88

Elizabeth Roodner Murphy

joined Christine Gregorak ’93 as partner of Real Estate Law Group LLP. Murphy’s practice

focuses on commercial real estate transactions. Michael Sweeney was selected to serve as chief campus counsel for UC Davis. Gonzalo “Sal” Torres, who

recently joined the USF School of Law Board of Governors, retired from the City Council of Daly City, where he spent 20 years as councilman and served fve terms as mayor. He continues leading the Americas commercial transactions legal team at Equinix, Inc.

’89

Thomas Burke contrib-

uted to the July 2018 update of Internet Law and Practice. Tom Tafoll was named a 20182019 Lemelson Center Fellow, providing him with a grant to study at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., where he will research artifacts and documents related to the contributions of American Latinos to the advancement of science and technology in America from 1848 to the present.

’92

Jessica Armstrong was profled in The Morning Call for her advocacy work to prevent sexual assault in sports. Laura Cohen, director of Southwestern Law School’s Street Law Clinic and Public Service Programs and clinical professor of law, was featured in the Southwestern Law Blog for her contributions to starting the Los Angeles Incubator Consortium, which provides training to new attorneys to launch solo practices. Cohen was also a 2018 National Lawyers Guild — Los Angeles honoree at its gala. Scott Cole published his book, Fallout, a true story of Cole’s

frst class action in 1994, uncovering Unocal’s intentional release of harmful toxins. Patricia DeAngelis joined

Murtha Cullina LLP as counsel in its business and fnance department. Michael Reedy, a partner at

McManis Faulkner, was named a 2018 Northern California Super Lawyer. Anne-Marie Taylor was named

executive director of the Iowa Broadcast News Association.

’95

Thomas Brown was inducted as president of the Marin County Bar Association. Brown is a litigation attorney with Foley and Lardner LLP.

Michael Sandgren joined the Oakland ofce of Dentons as a partner in its litigation and dispute resolution practice.

’96

Eric Newsom joined Sheppard Mullin in its San Francisco ofce. Previously, he was at Manatt Phelps, where he was co-chair of the corporate and fnance group and chair of the private equity and venture capital group.

’97

Elise Sanguinetti, a founding partner at Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Torrijos LLP, was sworn in as president of the American Association for Justice.

’98

Thomas Asimou was featured by AZCentral in the article “From missing to legally dead: The search for Sherif's Ofce posse member Sam Grider” for his work on a missing persons case.

’00

Kevin Sin was appointed senior vice president and head of worldwide business development for pharmaceuticals research and development at GlaxoSmithKline. Britt Strottman joined the frm Baron & Budd as a shareholder and member of its environmental litigation group.

’01

Shannon Bettis Nakabayashi has joined Jackson

Lewis P.C. in its San Francisco ofce as a principal. She was previously at Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP.

Seven Alumni Join Board of Governors USF School of Law is proud to welcome seven new members to the Board of Governors, a group of committed alumni who provide guidance to law school leadership and help sustain an active alumni community. Christine Gregorak ’93 stepped into her new role as president, and Gonzalo “Sal” Torres ’88 is now the president-elect. EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE MEMBER:

Elizabeth Bohannon ’92, Associate General Counsel, Labor and Employment at Airbnb

Hon. Russell Moore was appointed to the California Superior Court in Riverside County by Gov. Jerry Brown. Kristin Wiebe was the keynote

speaker at the John C. Marienau Morality of Capitalism Symposium, “Human Trafcking: Can Free Markets Free People?”, at the University of Nebraska College of Business and Technology.

’03

Judge Lupe Garcia ’95, Judge of the Alameda County Superior Court Simron Gill ’12, Lead Counsel, Video Content and Production at Facebook Raphael Gutierrez ’01, Legal Director and Head of Trademarks at Uber

Hekani Jakhalu LLM

was profled in YourStory India for her work as founder of YouthNet, an organization that provides employment and entrepreneurial opportunities to youth in Nagaland, India. Jeremiah Johnson was appointed

a judge on the San Francisco Immigration Court.

’04

DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

Merritt Anderson was selected for the inaugural list of Top Moms of Color in Tech by Reach Mama Network. Anderson is vice president of employee experience and engagement at Github.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

Barbara Quinn ’96, Vice President, Intellectual Property at Sony Pictures Entertainment David Sutton ’08, Supervising Deputy Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California Jenn Wall ’07, Senior Corporate Counsel at Google X

USFCA.EDU/LAW

ALUMNI NEWS

FROM DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO DEAN Tamara Lawson ’95 Named Acting Dean of St. Thomas University School of Law

As a student in Kendrick Hall, Tamara Lawson ’95 never dreamed she would one day occupy a law school dean's ofce. But this spring the former civil rights attorney did just that when she was appointed acting dean of St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami. After law school, Lawson spent six years as a deputy district attorney in Las Vegas and then more than a decade as a law professor, focusing primarily on criminal law, criminal procedure, and race and the law. She has published on criminal law topics that ultimately impact civil rights, including an analysis of the Trayvon Martin killing, and has conducted extensive research on stand-your-ground laws. “I didn’t see it at frst, but now I realize that as a criminal law expert, I’m having an impact on civil rights. Criminal procedure is basically the back end of civil rights law,” Lawson said. “As a professor, I’m still able to participate on the national stage and have an impact on issues.” Now, as acting dean, Lawson is helping to train the next generation of attorneys. “I’m committed to our mission as a school of access and to our social justice Catholic mission. I’m very proud to be a part of that, particularly in our region as it relates to our clinics on human rights, human trafcking, and immigration.” Lawson is focused on improving bar passage rates, increasing alumni participation rates, and ensuring the school remains accessible to all students who have the grit necessary for law school. Prior to her appointment, Lawson served in associate dean roles for several years in addition to teaching. Such plans weren’t in Lawson’s mind when she started at USF School of Law. Drawn to USF because of its Jesuit Catholic heritage, Lawson discovered a welcoming community, including supportive faculty members who were always accessible. She participated in the civil rights clinic, worked in the law library, and, as a 3L, tutored for a frst-year law class. But it wasn’t until she taught as an adjunct professor while a deputy district attorney that she considered a career in academia. She ultimately returned to law school full-time, this time at Georgetown University pursuing an LLM. Her goal was clear — position herself to obtain a law professorship in the competitive world of academia. Throughout the process, Lawson relied on the support of her former USF professors for guidance and coaching. “They encouraged me always,” she said. “They were helpful and never said I can’t do it.” “USF gave me my legal foundation, but it also gave me my confidence to tackle areas where a lot of people haven’t gone,” Lawson said. “Practice is not the only use of a law degree. Working in academia has been a great use of my degree.” n

USF SCHOOL OF LAW

’05

Amol Mehra was appointed as James Rush has been

certifed as a member of the MultiMillion Dollar Advocates Forum, a group of trial lawyers who have won million and multi-million-dollar verdicts, awards, and settlements. Rush specializes in plaintifs personal injury law at Rush Law Injury in Novato.

Hon. Christopher Honigsberg

was appointed to the California Superior Court in Sonoma County by Gov. Jerry Brown. Edward J. Piasta II and his partners

secured an $11.5 million verdict for their clients in a wrongful death case against the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. Piasta is a JAG in the Georgia National Guard, soon to be deployed to Iraq for the second time. Joe Rogoway was named to the North Bay Business Journal’s 11th

annual 40 Under 40 list. Rogoway is founder and principal of the Rogoway Law Group.

’06

Kate Chatfeld was interviewed by AirTalk on NPR’s Los Angeles afliate KPCC on California’s felony murder rule. Kimberly Shields was elected

shareholder at Murphy, Pearson, Bradley & Feeney in San Francisco, where she started as an associate in 2007.

’08

Stephanie Chen was

appointed to the Disadvantaged Communities Advisory Group of the California Public Utilities Commission.

’09

Jack Praetzellis has been elevated to partner at Fox Rothschild LLP, where he advocates for California businesses in disputes involving commercial, real estate, bankruptcy, and intellectual property matters.

The Freedom Fund’s new managing director for North America.

’11

Adrian Carpenter was appointed as a member of the California Cannabis Control Appeals Panel by Gov. Jerry Brown. Mike Dundas was featured in the

article “First pot license issued: Milestone for Mass. recreational industry” published by the Boston Globe. Dundas’ company, Sira Naturals, recently received Massachusetts’ frst recreational marijuana license. Rudolf Leška LLM partnered with colleagues to establish Štadil Leška Advokáti, a boutique law frm specializing in copyright and media law. The frm has ofces in Prague and Bratislava, and serves central and eastern Europe.

’12

Julianne Stanford, an attorney at California Civil Rights Law Group, was named a 2018 Northern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers.

’13

Lindsay Freeman wrote the article “Digital Evidence and War Crimes Prosecutions: The Impact of Digital Technologies on International Criminal Investigations and Trials,” published in the Fordham International Law Journal. Sarah Van Culin, an attorney at

Saveri & Saveri, Inc., was named a 2018 Northern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers.

’14

Everett Monroe was interviewed for the article “No one knows how Google Duplex will work with eavesdropping laws” in The Verge.

PRIVATE LAW FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD

ALUMNUS REBOUNDED FROM SHARK ATTACK TO BECOME COMMUNITY LEADER

Jonathan Kathrein ’17 took an unconventional path to law school. A shark attack survivor at age 16, he led a nonproft organization after college, worked in the clean energy sector, managed portions of a Northern California railroad’s real estate portfolio, participated in political campaigns, and served on not-for-proft and for-proft boards of directors. Yet through all his varied experiences, Kathrein sees a common theme of community, which he carries with him today as he represents clients in real estate transactions, land use, and general business matters at San Rafael-based Ragghianti Freitas LLP. “I’ve made the conscious choice to practice law in the Bay Area and navigate the complex issues we’re facing every day like property and housing. For me, it constantly comes back to the community,” he says. “I want to help people build something positive, whether that’s a business or positive uses of their land or home, while understanding all the needs that must be balanced.” Kathrein frst realized the importance of community involvement after surviving a harrowing attack by a 12-foot great white shark while boogie boarding off the Marin County coast. He underwent seven hours of surgery to reconstruct his leg and ultimately made a full recovery. Soon, invitations to speak to various groups about his experience rolled in and Kathrein realized he’d been given a platform to talk about the need to protect the coastline, beaches, and even sharks. “From there, I found there were all sorts of opportunities to be active in the community, all sorts of diferent positive ways to help,” he says. By the time he entered law school, Kathrein was 31 years old, married

with two children, and working full time. Initially drawn to USF School of Law because of its part-time program, he quickly discovered a supportive community as he balanced multiple demands on his time. “Whenever I needed help, everyone was always open and willing to help, whether administrators, professors, or students,” he says. “The student environment is high caliber, but not unnecessarily competitive. Instead, it’s supportive and inclusive.” At USF, Kathrein served on the admissions committee, as well as on the boards of both the Real Estate Law Society and the Technology, Entrepreneur, and Start-Up Law Association. He also wrote “The Future of Drones is the Railroad,” an article published by the USF Intellectual Property and Technology Law Journal that won the 2018 California Lawyers Association Real Property Law Section Student Writing Award. “USF is full of opportunities,” he says. “There’s a good balance of really learning the law, knowing the law, and also giving back by applying the law.” Kathrein credits USF with helping him further refne the need — and importance — of always seeking balance. For him, that includes fnding the right balance between hard work, family, community, and health. “That’s the theme I’ve taken in almost everything I’ve done — bringing people together, finding solutions, helping to move things forward,” he says. “Everything I do, I look at with a sense of finding balance and fairness. I always ask, ‘How will this impact my community?’ USF really reinforced these values.” n

USFCA.EDU/LAW

ALUMNI NEWS

ALUMNA WINS HIGH-STAKES POLICE MISCONDUCT CASE Three years after freeing her client from a wrongful murder conviction, Kate Chatfeld ’06 and her team won $10 million in civil damages for police misconduct related to the case. Such verdicts are extremely rare, according to Lara Bazelon, associate professor and director of the USF School of Law Criminal and Juvenile Justice and Racial Justice law clinics. “It’s about as common as fnding a unicorn in your backyard,” she says. “It does not happen.” The $10 million suit was against the City of San Francisco and was based on evidence that came to light after Jamal Trulove’s 2010 conviction — a conviction that was overturned by an appellate court — as well as on information that Chatfeld and her former law partner uncovered during the 2015 retrial of Trulove. The evidence, Chatfeld says, showed that San Francisco police investigators fabricated evidence and withheld evidence that could have helped Trulove's defense in his frst trial in 2010. San Francisco has appealed the $10 million jury decision.

FINALLY, A SENSE OF JUSTICE “This verdict helps bring about a sense of justice,” Chatfeld says. “People need to know about this so that it doesn’t happen anymore. It reveals how law enforcement ofcers can abuse their power and do so especially against people of color. The hope is that legislators will examine these cases and come up with meaningful reforms.” It was work on Trulove’s cases that in part spurred Chatfield to co-found Re:store Justice, a nonproft focused on reforming California’s criminal justice system. Re:store Justice is working with students in USF’s Criminal and Juvenile Justice and Racial Justice law clinics to narrow California’s legal definition of felony murder, which allows murder convictions against ofenders who did not directly participate in a killing. Their research guided legislation that became the bipartisan bill that has been approved by both houses of the California Legislature and now waits for Governor Brown’s signature. The group is also opening a re-entry house for people leaving prison after serving decades in prison. “My overall goal with Re:store Justice is to transform our system of crime and punishment into a humane system, one in which justice and compassion are valued equally,” she says.

INSPIRED IMPACT Chatfeld’s also dedicated to mentoring the next generation of USF attorneys. She works directly with law students, including as an adjunct professor in USF's Criminal and Juvenile Justice Law Clinic, providing them with the opportunity to represent clients in parole hearings at San Quentin. “It’s so important that new lawyers coming into the legal feld are inspired to help those who really need their help,” Chatfeld says. “I want to show law students that there’s this work out there and it is valuable. You can defnitely have an impact.” “As an alum of USF Law, Kate wonderfully represents our school's values and the value of our degree,” says Interim Dean Susan Freiwald. “What makes our law school so special is the way Kate and other incredible alums share their talents, skills, and passion with our students through their teaching, mentoring, and job counseling.” n

USF SCHOOL OF LAW

’15

Jennifer Sta.Ana was named a

2018 Northern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers.

’17

Crystal Araujo attended the 2018 California Democratic Party convention as an appointed delegate of South Alameda County Young Democrats. Araujo serves as California Young Democrats’ policy and legislative chair.

Monica Valencia, founder and

co-director of the Dreamer Fund, was featured in El Tecolote, along with co-director Gabriela Garcia ’18 . The Dreamer Fund is a nonproft organization that helps fundraise for undocumented students who are in law school or wish to attend law school.

’18

Cristal Harris has been selected for a Butler Koshland Youth Justice Systems Change Fellowship with James Bell,

founder and president of the W. Haywood Burns Institute, serving as her mentor.

In Memoriam Dorothy Barker Rouse ’49, May 2018

UPCOMING EVENTS

Save the dates to join us at USF School of Law events. Get more information at usfca.edu/law/events or by emailing lawevents@usfca.edu

August 2018

Graduate Tax Program Five-Year Anniversary OCTOBER 18

Cavan Hardy ’51, June 2018

San Francisco

Donald Farbstein BS ’48, JD ’51,

Joseph H. Inglese ’53, February 2018 Robert Bianco BS '58, JD '61,

August 2018 Paul Finigin BA '68, JD ’72, March

2018

STAY CONNECTED We would love to know where your degree has taken you, and share with you the latest news and alumni activities at USF. BIT.LY/UPDATE-USFLAW

Women in Tech* NOVEMBER 1 Facebook Los Angeles

Holiday Mixer DECEMBER 11 San Francisco

Law Review Symposium* JANUARY 25 San Francisco *MCLE credit available

Alumni Dinner Celebrates Graduates New and Notable Outstanding alumni, students, and faculty were recognized for their accomplishments at the Alumni Graduates Dinner on May 16 at the Julia Morgan Ballroom. Merton Howard ’92, partner and chair of the product liability and tort practice group at Hanson Bridgett, received the inaugural Donald L. Carano ’59 Alumni of the Year Award, which was renamed earlier this year in honor of the late Don Carano. Carano was a pioneering entrepreneur and staunch supporter of USF School of Law. He founded the McDonald Carano law frm, changed the landscape of Reno, Nevada when he opened the Eldorado Hotel-Casino, and elevated Sonoma’s wine and hospitality industries with his Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery. Chris Viadro ’92 received the John J. Meehan Alumni Fellow award. A partner at Butler Viadro, LLP, he spearheaded the implementation of the law school’s Alumni Mentor Program. n

USFCA.EDU/LAW

CLOSING ARGUMENT A Long Journey to Justice By Michael Withey ’71 Silme Domingo was the strategist and Gene Viernes was the organizer — and they were quite a pair. I frst met them in 1975 at an anti-Marcos picket line in front of the Philippines Consulate in Seattle to protest the dictatorial regime of Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines. Silme became my best friend, and all three of us worked together on union organizing in the Alaska canneries. Dedicated to the anti-Marcos cause, Gene and Silme had achieved prominence as leaders in the Union of Democratic Filipinos and were reform-minded officers in the Cannery Workers’ Union. But then, on June 1, 1981, they were murdered in what was made to appear like a gang slaying. When I was told of their murders, I was in shock and rushed to start an investigation into who might have been responsible for their deaths. Silme had lived long enough to name two of the hit-men, who were quickly apprehended. But we suspected higher-ups were involved, those who called the shots and covered their tracks. Working with Silme’s family and many others, we formed the Committee for Justice for Domingo and Viernes to hold accountable all involved in their murders, and I formed and chaired the legal team. While at USF School of Law from 19681971, I learned the importance of how law and the legal system could be used to achieve social justice. I led the campus protests after President Richard Nixon invaded Cambodia, pressed for the creation of the frst clinical education programs with the local Public Defender’s Ofce, and created the frst USF law student-run newspaper. It was a very heady time but prepared me well for the ordeal we took on in pursuing the Marcos regime for the murders of my friends. Our journey to justice for Silme and Gene was full of many twists and turns, and lasted for decades. After a community outcry for justice, three members of a local Filipino gang were arrested, charged, and eventually convicted for committing the actual murders, despite testimony from an eyewitness — later proven to be an informant for

USF SCHOOL OF LAW

the Seattle FBI — who perjured himself to get the hit men acquitted. After Marcos was removed from power, a key Marcos operative and Gene and Silme’s boss was convicted for paying for the murders and supplying the sub-machine gun used. After a long, complex, and dangerous investigation, their families proved in federal court that the men were killed because they were a threat to the dictatorial Marcos regime in the Philippines, and to its relationship to the U.S. Our legal team won a $15.1 million jury verdict against the former dictator. This was the first and only time a foreign head of state has been held liable for the murders of U.S. citizens on U.S. soil. A federal judge also ruled that the Marcos regime had created an intelligence operation in the U.S. to harass and intimidate its opponents and that the murders were an overt act of this conspiracy. Yet the fght continues, as 36 years later we are petitioning the FBI to come clean about the role of their informant in the cover-up for the murders. Back when my career was starting, I saw myself as more of a political activist than a lawyer, but my law practice in Seattle has been able to combine both passions — by always representing the downtrodden and forgotten against powerful interests. As long as the road to justice was in this case, the legal education and social justice vision I received at USF taught me to never give up. It also taught me the legal tools that lawyers and activists must master to advance the cause of their clients and social justice. n Michael Withey ’71 is a Seattle-based human rights lawyer who has spent his 45-year career fighting against powerful interests to protect constitutional rights, civil rights, and human rights. His book, Summary Execution, which chronicles the decades-long struggle for justice for the Domingo and Viernes families, was published by WildBlue Press in February.

TURN GENEROSITY INTO OPPORTUNITY “Receiving USF scholarships has allowed me to pursue wonderful opportunities, like the Intensive Advocacy Program, which are shaping the direction of my career as a student and my future career as an attorney.” Sigourney Jellins ’20 Intensive Advocacy Program and Moot Court participant, USF Law Review staf member, Provost Scholar and McAulife Honor Society member, future winningest trial attorney in California

YOUR GIFT TO THE LAW ASSEMBLY: • Funds current initiatives and critical law school needs • Provides fnancial assistance to our students and graduates, including a loan repayment program

• Retains and supports outstanding faculty • Enhances experiential learning opportunities for students, such as the Keta Taylor Colby Death Penalty Project

Last year, more than 800 donors contributed an average of $273 to the Law Assembly. Donations over the past fve years total more than $1 million.

EVERY GIFT COUNTS. MAKE YOURS TODAY. usfca.edu/law/giving

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C H A N G E S E R V I C E R EQ U E S T E D

N EW STU DE NTS FILL KE N DRICK HALL

A new class of frst-year law students started classes in August. The new class represents 75 undergraduate institutions and hails from 17 states and two foreign countries. They are 56 percent women and 51 percent are from underrepresented minority groups. “You are the future of this law school,” new Interim Dean Susan Freiwald said on their frst day of orientation.