Feature Story
 USD School of Law Milestone Reunions
Reflecting on 2011 Reunions and Looking Ahead to 2012
The classes of 1971, 1981, 1986, 1991 and 2001 celebrated milestone reunions on-campus at USD on Saturday, October 15. View photos online from the reunion celebrations:
Class of 1971's 40-Year Reunion Photos
Class of 1981's 30-Year Reunion Photos
Class of 1986's 25-Year Reunion Photos
Class of 1991's 20-Year Reunion Photos
Class of 2001's 10-Year Reunion Photos
The classes of 1972, 1982, 1987, 1992, 2002 and 2007, have reunions next year on Saturday, October 6, 2012. If you graduated in one of these class years, complete your reunion survey and join your reunion committee:
Class of 1972's 40-Year Reunion Survey
Class of 1982's 30-Year Reunion Survey
Class of 1987's 25-Year Reunion Survey
Class of 1992's 20-Year Reunion Survey
Class of 2002's 10-Year Reunion Survey
Class of 2007's 5-Year Reunion Survey
The class of 2011 will celebrate their one-year reunion in May 2012. If you graduated in 2011, complete the Class of 2011's One-Year Reunion Survey and join your reunion committee.
News & Events
Regional Alumni Events
Reconnect and re-engage with USD School of Law alumni—your best network—at our regional alumni events. If you are interested in co-hosting/hosting alumni events in your area or want to reach out to alumni in your region, please email Shari Baurle, associate director of alumni relations or call (619) 260-4692.
 December California Bar Swearing-In Breakfast and Ceremony
Friday December 2 at 8:00 a.m.
USD School of Law Dean Stephen Ferruolo and the Office of Development and Alumni Relations are hosting a celebratory breakfast for bar passers and up to three of their guests immediately prior to the State of California Bar Swearing-In Ceremony. Bar passers are welcome to bring additional guests for $10 per person payable at the door. Event details and registration.
 New York Alumni Reception
Tuesday, January 3 at 7:00 p.m.
Join USD School of Law Dean Stephen Ferruolo and New York alumni for an alumni reception at the Chatwal Hotel Club Room. Event details and registration.
 Washington, D.C. Alumni Reception
Thursday, January 5 at 6:00 p.m.
Join USD School of Law Dean Stephen Ferruolo, faculty/administrators and Washington, D.C. alumni for a reception at Lebanese Taverna. Event details and registration.
 Alumni Needed for Mock Interviews
Monday, January 23 - Thursday, January 26 at 5:30 p.m.
Career Services is recruiting alumni to conduct mock job interviews with students for the law school's annual Alumni Mock Interview Program. More than 150 students will participate, requiring at least 35 alumni interviewers to conduct "mock interviews" with four students over a two-hour period. Event details and registration.
 Careers in the Law
Wednesday, February 8 at 5:30 p.m.
Join more than 1,000 USD law alumni to be included the the 2011-2012 Alumni Advisor Directory and attend the 30th annual Careers in the Law program—the law school's largest and most important alumni and student networking event. We are seeking alumni volunteers to represent more than 20 practice areas including alternative careers. Event details and registration.
 Phoenix Alumni Reception
On November 15, USD School of Law held an Arizona alumni reception with Dean Stephen Ferruolo at the Talking Stick Resort's Degree 270 overlooking the Arizona desert and Camelback Mountain. View photos from the reception.
 Women's Law Caucus Fall Speaker Panel & Reception
On November 8, USD School of Law's Women's Law Caucus (WLC) hosted a panel on "Political Participation: A Vehicle for Social Justice," followed by a reception. Panelists include Board of Visitors member Lynn Schenk, '70, Casey Gwinn, president of the National Family Justice Center Alliance and former San Diego City Attorney of San Diego and Pat Libby, clincical professor and director of USD's Institute for Nonprofit Education & Research. Read more and/or read WLC press release.
 2011 Distinguished Alumni and Rising Star Recent Alumni Awards
On November 4, USD School of Law and the Law Alumni Association Board of Directors presented the 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award to Stephen P. Doyle '84, President, Brookfield Homes San Diego, and the Honorable J. Richard Haden (Ret.) '74, and the inaugural Rising Star Recent Alumni Award to Kristin E. Rizzo '06, The Rizzo Law Firm, and Catherine L. Tran '08, Cubic Transportation Systems Inc.
We are truly grateful to our Platinum Sponsor and partner Bartell Hotels.
View Stephen P. Doyle '84's DAA video
View Hon. J. Richard Haden (Ret.) '74's DAA Video
View photos from the luncheon
Mark your calendar for next year's Distinguished Alumni Awards luncheon on Friday, November 16, 2012.
 Second Annual Beyond the Law Panel and Reception
On October 26, USD alumni engaged in a wide variety of alternative legal careers attended a panel addressing the versatility and marketability of a law degree. We are grateful to our distinguished panelists: Jack R. McGrory, '81, CEO, La Jolla MJ Management, LLC;
Former CEO, San Diego Padres;
Former City Manager, City of San Diego; and
2002 Distinguished Alumni Award Honoree; David M. Rosenthal, '92, COO/Partner, LegalVision; and
Taylor R. Wallace '09, Regional Director SoCal, Kaplan PMBR.
View photos from the panel and reception.
 Las Vegas Alumni Reception with the Honorable Ronald D. Parraguirre '85
On October 19, Nevada Supreme Court Justice Ronald D. Parraguirre, '85, and Leslie Parraguirre, hosted a reception in their Las Vegas home with Dean Stephen Ferruolo, Nevada alumni and friends. View photos from the reception.
 USD Law Connect 1L Alumni Volunteers HOst welcome events for 2011 Entering Class
Twenty USD Law Connect alumni volunteers who will be working with the 2011 entering class throughout their law school career hosted welcome events with the five first-year sections throughout the month of October. More than 150 first-year students attended the events and we are grateful to our alumni hosts. Read more.
If you are interested in volunteering for the USD Law Connect program next year, or would like more information, email Shari Baurle, associate director of alumni relations or call (619) 260-4692. We are recruiting for the 2012-13 academic year.
Law School Briefs
 USD School of Law Students Prepare for Legal Profession With the Oath Of Professionalism
As USD School of Law admitted the 2011 entering class in August, incoming students took an Oath of Professionalism administered by incoming presiding judge of the San Diego Superior Court the Honorable Robert J. Trentacosta, '79. The law school posted a video on the law school's website to highlight some of the new curricular and co-curricular initiatives, including the Oath of Professionalism. View the video online.
 Whitney Sharpe Joins Law School's Office of Development and Relations Team
USD School of Law's Office of Development and Alumni Relations welcomes Whitney Sharpe as the new associate director of development for the Law Annual Fund. Whitney is responsible for soliciting law school alumni through mail, phone and email for annual fund gifts. She also manages the Graduating Class Gift and works to build a culture of philanthropy with current law students.
Read more.
 Career Services Welcomes Two New Assistant Directors
USD School of Law's Career Services Office has added two members to its talented team of attorneys—Assistant Director of Employer Outreach & Communication Scott Morris and Assistant Director Julie Caron Remer. Read more.
 Professor Frank Partnoy Analyzes Works About Economic Meltdown in
The New York Review of Books
A regular contributor to The New York Times, USD School of Law’s George E. Barrett Professor of Law and Finance Frank Partnoy is a nationally recognized expert in the highly complex transactions that nearly resulted in the collapse of Wall Street. On October 27, and again on November 10, Professor Partnoy and co-author Jeff Madrick, a former economics columnist for The New York Times and editor of Challenge Magazine, collaborated to review, discuss and rebut published works analyzing the 2008 economic meltdown in The New York Review of Books. Read more.
 Professor Orly Lobel Elected to the American Law Institute
USD School of Law Professor Orly Lobel was elected to the American Law Institute (ALI) on October 20, 2011. Lobel is one of 52 newly elected ALI members. Read more.
 Professor Lesley McAllister Appointed Wallace Stegner Young Scholar
USD School of Law Professor Lesley McAllister will visit the University of Utah School of Law's Wallace Stenger Center as the Stenger Center Young Scholar. Professor McAllister will deliver two talks: the Stenger Center's 7th Annual Young Scholar Lecture and a Downtown CLE on "Regulation by Third-Party Verification," where she will analyze legal and policy issues arising as regulatory agencies increasingly rely on third-party verification to make compliance determinations. Read more.
 Bloomberg News: Patent Lawyer Demand Rises Following U.S. Legislative Overhaul
Patent attorneys, who typically have degrees in fields such as engineering as well as law, are in such demand that their specialty may account for more than 15 percent of law firm job openings while representing just three percent of U.S. lawyers.
Some law firms are almost doubling recruitment fees to meet the growing demand for intellectual property specialists, particularly in the technology sector, said T.J. Duane, a principal at legal recruitment firm Lateral Link. Read more.
 Intellectual Property Lawyers are in High Demand
Recent federal patent law reforms have created a need for well-trained intellectual property (IP) law attorneys. USD School of Law's strong and growing intellectual property program provides students with the academic foundation and hands-on training that allows them hit the ground running in today’s lightening fast, innovation-driven environment. Read more
 Law Student Wins Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award
USD School of Law student Rosibel Mancillas Lopez, JD candidate '13, has been selected as the national recipient of the Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award, which is given by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development to one young adult in the country who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership and dedication in efforts against poverty and injustice in the U.S. Read more.
 USD School of Law Announces Bi-National Legal Education Partnership
USD School of Law, its Trans-Border Institute and the Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad Autonoma de Baja California have created a bi-national partnership to promote legal education and cross-border exchange in the San Diego-Baja California region. Thanks to a grant from Higher Education for Development (HED) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), this partnership will offer advanced legal training to Mexican attorneys through USD School of Law's LLM program. Read more.
 Professor Lisa Ramsey Leads "Hot Topics" Presentation at Cal. Bar Annual Meeting
On September 17, Professor Lisa Ramsey presented, "Hot Topics in Trademark Law for Non-IP attorneys," at the California State Bar's Annual Meeting in Long Beach, Calif. She discussed three topics concerning today's trademark holders: brandjacking, the effect of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) on trademark and the social implications of the gTLD. Read more.
 USD Among Travel and Leisure's America's Most Beautiful College Campuses
In the September 2011 issue of Travel and Leisure magazine, USD was chosen among more than 2,600 American college campuses as one of the most beautiful with respect to architecture, landscaping and surroundings. Read more.
Alumni Spotlights
 Hon. Robert J. Trentacosta '79 To Lead San Diego Superior Court
The Honorable Robert J. Trentacosta, '79, will become Presiding Judge of the San Diego Superior Court on January 1, 2012. Judge Trentacosta currently serves on USD School of Law's Alumni Association Board of Directors and was president of the board from 2008-09. In addition, he is member of the law school's Board of Visitors. Read more.
 Theo N. Epstein '00 Named President of Chicago Cubs
Theo N. Epstein, '00, has been named president of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs. Theo joins the Cubs after ten seasons with the Boston Red Sox where he served as the club's general manager for the past nine years. He was named the Baseball America "Executive of the Year" in 2008 and was recognized by Sports Illustrated as baseball's "General Manager of the Decade" in 2009.
Read more.
 Two USD Law Alumni Named to Top Posts at Qualcomm
Qualcomm Incorporated announced that Steve Altman, '86, will become vice chairman, and Derek Aberle, '96, has been promoted to executive vice president and group president. Read more.
 USD Alumni Sweep Top Awards at La Raza Lawyers Association Annual Dinner
USD School of Law alumni swept top awards and honors at 32nd Annual La Raza Lawyers Association Dinner and Awards Ceremony on October 21, at the Hard Rock Hotel in downtown San Diego. Victor M. Torres, '84, '88, and the Honorable Federico Castro, '71, were among the honorees. USD law students brought home three scholarships.The event concluded with the swearing in of incoming board president Lizzette Herrera Castellanos, '02.
Read more.
 Judith A. Litzenberger '98 Recognized with 2011 President's Pro Bono Service Award
Judith "Jude" A. Litzenberger, '98, received the 2011 President's Pro Bono Service Award from the State Bar of California.
In 2010, Jude devoted 1,200 pro bono hours to developing the San Diego Superior Court Veterans Treatment Review Calendar and assisted at least 100 veterans to seek alternative sentencing in local criminal cases.
Read more.
 Class of 1975 Endowed Scholarship and Professorship
The Class of 1975 Scholarship has been endowed through the generosity of the members of the Class of 1975. This scholarship will add to USD School of Law’s scholarship program and will benefit students who have achieved superior academic success and demonstrate financial need.
Read more.
 Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP Funds $10,000 Diversity Scholarship for Second Year
For the second straight year, Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP, has provided a $10,000 scholarship to a USD law student. The scholarship was awarded to Mellissa Tell for the 2011-12 academic year. "This scholarship supports our firm's commitment to promoting diversity in the San Diego legal community," said Steve Cologne, '84, a partner at Higgs Fletcher & Mack. "We are proud to collectively help one USD student lessen their financial burden of law school."
Tell was awarded the scholarship based on her superior academic achievement, test scores, leadership, service, talent and other personal qualities. Read more.
 Nominate a USD Law Alumnus/a for the 2011 CLAY Awards
California Lawyer is currently seeking nominations for the 16th annual CLAY (California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year) Awards, honoring California attorneys whose achievements have had a significant impact on the law, the profession, a particular industry; or the general good of the public.
The nomination deadline is Thursday, December 1, 2011. Nominate a USD law alumnus/a today.
 Welcome New Law Firm Challenge Participants
USD School of Law's Office of Development and Alumni Relations is pleased to announce our newest participants in this year's Law Firm Challenge.
Buchalter Nemer, Cooley LLP and Koenig Jacobsen LLP. Read more. |
