Friday, October 3, 2008
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

The Westin Gaslamp Quarter
910 Broadway Circle
San Diego, CA 92101

The University of San Diego School of Law and the Law Alumni Association Board of Directors present the 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients:

Hon. Richard M. Aronson '72 (B.A.), '75 (J.D.)
California Court of Appeal Fourth Appellate District, Division Three

Dennis J. Doucette '86
Luce, Forward, Hamilton, & Scripps LLP

Lynne R. Lasry '79
Sandler, Lasry, Laube, Byer & Valdez LLP

You are cordially invited to the awards luncheon celebrating the accomplishments of Justice Aronson, Mr. Doucette and Ms. Lasry.

RSVP to the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at lawalum@sandiego.edu or by calling (619) 260-4692, or click here to register online.

The Honorable Richard M. Aronson ’72 (B.A.), ’75 (J.D.)

The Honorable Richard M. Aronson received both his Juris Doctor degree (1975) and his bachelor’s degree (1972) from USD. He obtained a Master of Laws degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2004.

Justice Aronson is an associate justice for the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three, in Orange County, Calif. Justice Aronson was appointed as associate justice in 2001. Before his appointment, he served as justice pro tempore on the Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three. Justice Aronson was appointed to the California Superior Court in 1996. From 1989 to 1996, he was a superior court commissioner. In 1991, he became the first commissioner to receive a trial court assignment and served on the Felony Criminal Panel until 1996.

Justice Aronson served as a senior staff attorney at the Court of Appeal, an Orange County public defender and a deputy district attorney for San Bernardino County, prosecuting major felonies, including homicides. He has served as a panelist and instructor for the Rutter Group, Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) and California Center for Judicial Education and Research (CJER).

Justice Aronson is a member of the California Judges Association, Orange County Bar Association, and American Bar Association. He serves on the board of directors of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers (ABTL).

Justice Aronson has been involved in numerous civic and charitable activities such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, National Junior Basketball, Orangewood Home for Children, Santa Ana Stay In School Program, St. Edward’s Parochial School and the Victim Assistance Program.

Justice Aronson participated in his 20th and 25th class reunion celebrations and is active in Orange County law alumni activities.

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Dennis J. Doucette ’86

Dennis J. Doucette received his Juris Doctor degree from USD in 1986 and both his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in economics from the University of Southern California (USC) in 1983.

Doucette is Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps LLP’s partner-in-charge of the Carmel Valley/Del Mar office and has worked for the firm for 22 years. He practices in corporate, securities, mergers and acquisitions and corporate and venture financing. Doucette has participated in more than 200 corporate finance transactions. In 2007, he was recognized in Southern California Super Lawyers magazine in the area of securities and corporate finance.

Doucette serves as a board member and provides leadership for the following nonprofit organizations: San Diego Venture Group, past president; Corporate Directors Forum, corporate governance committee chair and past program committee chair; Ecke YMCA, incoming board chair and nominating committee chair; USC Associates; San Diego Social Venture Partners; MIT Enterprise Forum, National Association of Bond Lawyers, San Diego County Bar Association; and LEAD San Diego.

He has served on boards of directors and in leadership positions for the following community organizations: Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce; Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce Foundation, treasurer; St. James Catholic Church, finance council chair and eucharistic minister; Hanna Fenichal Center, finance committee chair; Deaf Community Services; and Del Mar/Carmel Valley Soccer League, division coordinator/coach.

Doucette currently serves on the USD School of Law’s Board of Visitors and is the former president of the USD Law Alumni Association Board of Directors. He has participated on committees and panels for the law school and is an adjunct professor. Doucette was a member of the law school’s endowment campaign committee and is a member of the Maudsley Fellows Society.

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Lynne R. Lasry ’79

Lynne R. Lasry received her Juris Doctor degree from USD in 1979. She completed her undergraduate degree in comparative literature at the University of California, Davis, and the University of Barcelona.

For more than 28 years, Lasry has served as a trial lawyer and litigator, trying criminal and civil cases. She was an associate at Hillyer & Irwin, A.P.C.; an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of California; and a partner at Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch, LLP. Lasry is a founding partner at Sandler, Lasry, Laube, Byer & Valdez, LLP, specializing in civil litigation and trial work.

Lasry has received numerous awards and recognition for her professional work, and for teaching trial skills. She was voted one of the top ten lawyers in San Diego in the areas of employment law and commercial litigation, and selected as both one of the top 50 Super Lawyers and top 25 female Super Lawyers.

Lasry is an adjunct professor for Lawyering Skills II and Advanced Trial Advocacy at USD School of Law. She is a program director/faculty member for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA), and received NITA’s Outstanding Lawyer and Teacher of Trial Advocacy Award.

Lasry has been actively involved in pro-bono legal representation for the past 30 years. She has volunteered for the Mental Health Association, American Red Cross, Canine Companions for Independence and Habitat for Humanity. She currently serves on
the board of the California Appellate Project.

A current member of the USD Law Alumni Association Board of Directors, Lasry actively participates in student activities. Lasry is
a member of the Maudsley Fellows Society.

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$50 per person / $1,000 Bronze Sponsor for Table of 10

Valet parking is available for $12 per vehicle.

Visit www.law.sandiego.edu/alumni/weekend for more information on sponsorship opportunities, or contact the office of development and alumni relations at lawalum@sandiego.edu or (619) 260-4692.

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