John Renehan '00 announces that his wife, Susan, had their first child, Colin Francis, on March 1 of this year. John and his family moved to Washington D.C. this summer, where he works in the General Counsel's office at the Defense Department, working on Guantanamo Bay detainee issues. The transition in work came naturally for John after working on some detainee issues with the Iraqis while deployed.
(11/13/09)

Kate Ladd Pearson '05 has been appointed Vice President, Business Development for Legal Ease Solutions, LLC -- a legal process outsourcing firm using a combination of onshore attorneys based in the U.S. and offshore attorneys in India. With rates starting as low as $30 per hour, the savings for law firms and corporate law departments are significant. The LegalEase Solutions specializes in legal research and writing, litigation support, contract and document drafting and review. Kate is currently based in Newport Beach, California.

Olga Mack '06 and her husband, Kevin J. Mack ('07), are discovering the joys and challenges of parenthood after the birth of their child Katie Marie Mack arrived on August 31, 2009 at 3:51 A.M.
(10/9/09)

Ilham Hosseini '07 was married on May 24, 2009 to Sajjad Matin (Boalt '08) in the nation's capital. The two had spent the previous year planning the wedding on opposite ends of the country, with Sajjad working in the San Francisco office of Kirkland & Ellis' intellectual property group and Ilham clerking in Miami, FL for the Honorable Adalberto Jordan. The civil ceremony was officiated by Judge Jordan and the religious sermon was offered by Professor Hatem Bazian. Sajjad and Ilham first met in Professor Bazian’s Islamic Law class at Boalt.
Sajjad, of Pakistani descent, and Ilham, of Afghan descent, incorporated elements from both cultures in what they referred to as a "Durand Line" wedding, after the official name of the porous border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Following the ceremony, where the two donned Pakistani wedding attire, Sajjad and Ilham made a quick wardrobe change into typical Afghan wedding attire for the reception that followed. Both ceremony and reception were held at the Ritz Carlton in Washington, DC. Following her clerkship, Ilham plans to join Sajjad in San Francisco and begin work in Jones Day's litigation group.
(09/30/2009)

Zheng Liu '03 had a baby boy early this year. His name is Rimu and is now 7 months old. Zheng is back at work at Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe's Menlo Park office, still focusing on IP litigation.
(09/15/09)

Marvin Dunson III '01 is happy to announce the formation of Valdez Dunson & Doyle, a San Francisco Bay Area employment law firm dedicated to providing exceptional employment litigation and counseling services. Founded by three former big firm attorneys, Valdez Dunson & Doyle (http://www.vddlaw.com) provides sophisticated employment counsel from experienced attorneys committed to delivering prompt personal service at competitive rates.
Prior to founding his own firm, Marvin practiced with the Employment Law Group at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto. Marvin presently lives in Mountain View with his partner, José Manuel Muñoz, a Hastings grad who specializes in labor and employee relations for the San Francisco Superior Court.
(08/31/09)

Yuichiro Tsuji '06 is an associate professor of law in Japan. He is in charge of Western Japan Boalt Hall (such as Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima?, as well as public law. Currently, with the aid of Judge Sungmei Hsiung (JSD at Boalt), Yuichiro is working to hold an Asian Judge Symposium in November 2009 in Kansai university. He recently attended an international symposium for climate law and policy in Bangkok, Thailand with Professor Dan Farber, the Sho Sato Professor of Law and chair of the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley. Both of their papers were in the Comparative Law Journal of the International Affairs Division, judiciary of Thailand as well. Tsuji is on a tenured track in Japan.
(08/31/09)

Amanda Dranginis '07 reports that she got married in January 2009 to Jim Athanasiou. Boalties Jocelyn Belloni ('07), Holly Dranginis ('13), and Sharla Draemel ('07) (second, sixth, and seventh from left, respectively) served as bridesmaids and Lenin Lopez ('07) emceed the reception. Amanda has been enjoying her work as a tax attorney at the Mountain View office of Fenwick and West since graduation. Amanda has taken her husband's name and is now Amanda Athanasiou.
(08/31/09)

John Derrick '02 has been certified as a Specialist in Appellate Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization -- he is now one of about 240 lawyers in the state with that certification. For the past four years, he has had a statewide solo practice specializing in appeals. He mostly handles civil cases, but does some criminal ones, too. His website is www.californiaappeals.com. His wife, Lisa, now flies Citation jets for an aircraft management company. His daughter Emily, 14, is starting in high school and his five-year old son, Michael, is starting in kindergarten.
(07/13/09)

Erica Smith '06 began practicing law in the Business Trial Practice Group of a prominent Los Angeles firm upon graduating in 2006. In 2008, Erica left practice and relocated to the MD/DC/VA area to pursue an LL.M. in Trial Advocacy from Beasely School of Law at Temple University. Finally, in May 2009, Erica received her LL.M. in Trial Advocacy. Currently, Erica is looking for a position in the District of Columbia that will allow her to utilize her LL.M. in Trial Advocacy.
(07/09/09)

Jeffrey Schrepfer '01 has been at the law firm of Morrison & Foerster since law school and moved to the Tokyo office in 2004. Jeffrey and his wife have three daughters, including twin girls, who were all born since coming to Japan.
(07/07/09)

Rana Awad '04 has become an in-house attorney for NBC Universal’s Television Distribution Group after practicing trademark and copyright law at Loeb & Loeb and Foley & Larder. As Director of Business and Legal Affairs, Rana drafts and negotiates license agreements in connection with the domestic and international distribution of NBC Universal’s film and television content. She enjoys practicing law in-house as it combines her interests in intellectual property and international business. The work is interesting and challenging and her colleagues are wonderful.
Rana presently lives in Southern California with her husband, Akram Awad, who is also an attorney and a mediator.

(3/30/09)

Justin Karczag '02 recently became a Partner at Foley Bezek Behle & Curtis,(LLP www.foleybezek.com), a boutique trial law firm in Santa Barbara and Costa Mesa that specializes in class action (plaintiff), IP (trademark/copyright), lender liability, FLSA and general business litigation. Justin has been an associate there since being admitted to the bar.
While there, Justin has participated (second chair) in two federal jury trials (including questioning adverse party and expert witnesses), and received the largest jury verdict in history nationwide in a landmark residential architectural copyright infringement action. Justin has also participated as second chair in multiple state court jury trials and private contractual arbitrations (including questioning expert and lay witnesses). Also, he has primary responsibility on writing briefs for the California Court of Appeals (anti-SLAPP) and the Ninth Circuit (Copyright). In addition, he has participated (second chair) in multiple private settlement conferences, resulting in payments to clients of seven figures and higher.
In 2008, Justin was named one of the California Super Lawyers “Rising Stars,” which is published annually and recognizes the young and promising attorneys throughout Southern California for their work in specific practices. Only 2.5 percent of Southern California attorneys were bestowed this honor.

2/27/'09

Hanson Bridgett is pleased to announce that Amelia Miazad '02 has been elevated to senior counsel, effective January 1, 2009. Amelia Miazad is a member of the firm’s Insurance Recovery and Public Agency practice groups. In the Insurance Recovery group, she represents policy-holders in disputes against their insurance carriers in both alternative dispute resolution and litigation settings, including developing strategies for resolving disputes with insurance funds and pursuing claims against insurers. In the Public Agency group, Amelia represents cities, counties, bridges, school districts and transportation districts in various matters involving constitutional law issues and code enforcement. In addition to practicing law, Amelia, who was born in Afghanistan, is active in legal, development, and policy issues relating to Afghanistan and she volunteers for various non-profits that are committed to development in Afghanistan. She is also involved with the US State Department's Public Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan, and is participating in the Afghan Women Lawyers Training and Empowerment Conference in January 2009. Amelia is also a member of the UC Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall) Alumni Board. Amelia received her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall) in 2002 and her B.A., with honors and distinction, from Sonoma State University in 1998.
(12/27/08)

Monique Farris '08 shares: "Joe Farris'08 & I were married on August 23, 2008! The ceremony and reception took place in an olive orchard in the East Bay. The ceremony was officiated by the one and only Rodrigo Sanchez'08. Krystal LoPilato'08 was my wonderful maid of honor. Christine Diaz-Herrera,08 and Reid Mullen '08 were members of the bridal party as well."
(12/15/08)

Neelam Ihsanullah '07 has joined the the national immigration law firm Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer.

Neelam Ihsanullah’s practice focuses on employment-based, family and litigation-related immigration matters. Neelam worked at the Asian Law Caucus in San Francisco California where she assisted immigrants and citizens whose civil liberties had been impinged at the airport and at the border.
A member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, she is also a member of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild. A member of the California Bar, Neelam received her undergraduate degree magna cum laude from Ohio State University (B.A. 2003).
(11/03/08)

Demetrius and Shanda Chapin-Rienzo '03 and '04 are pleased to announce their recent marriage. They are attending the Alumni weekend and looking forward to reconnecting with old Boalties.
(09/15/08)

John Renehan '00 shares: "I have recently returned from a 15-month deployment to Ramadi, Iraq (U.S. Army, 3d Infantry Division), where my soldiers and I lived in Iraqi police stations and trained the nascent Ramadi police force, supported the emerging Ramadi justice system, ensured the humane treatment of detainees in the Iraqi jails, and trained the citywide police leadership in human rights, due process, and humane policing. On return, I married my long-suffering fiancee Susan, and am now getting ready to complete my term of service and re-enter civilian life. Best to all."
(08/26/08)

Professor Yuichiro Tsuji '05 JSD attended an international symposium held by the judiciary of Thailand in August. This annual event was held on August 6th and 7th, and was led by Judge Comwatchara Iangong, '07 LLM. Judges and a member of the royal family of Thailand kingdom attended the lecture.

For judges in Thailand, at the Thailand Judicial Training Instisute (JTI),
Prof. Yuichiro talked about U.S. and Japanese environmental law issue, and shared a viewpoint he learned from Prof. Dan Farber at Boalt Hall during his JSD study.

Prof. Tsuji and Judge Comwatchara Iangong, who is now a director of International Affairs division at Judiciary of Thailand, promised to work together for a sustainable society for the future among Thailand and Japan as Boalt Hall alumni.

This symposium was written up in the Bangkok Independent Newspaper on August 11, 2008.

For more information please see the following links:
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/topstory/read.php?newsid=30080233
http://www.judiciary.go.th/rabi/
(08/26/08)

Rajiv Vrudhula '02 has recently joined Axiom, a new model professional services firm focused on the high-end legal market, at the firm’s New York office.

Prior to joining Axiom, Vrudhula was a corporate associate with Baker & Hostetler where he represented lenders in secured loan transactions, manufacturing companies in stock and asset acquisitions, and real estate funds in joint ventures.

Axiom is a new model firm that empowers its attorneys and clients by changing the way they work together. Alums of the nation’s best law firms and corporate law departments, Axiom Attorneys work in a uniquely integrated way with large companies. In Axiom, they’ve found variety, close client relationships, an element of self-determination, and the chance to be a legal pioneer.
(6/26/08)

Lauren Sudar ’02 of Dreier Stein Kahan Browne Woods George LLP Named One of the 2008 California Super Lawyers “Rising Stars”

Southern California Rising Stars, published annually in the July issue of Los Angeles Magazine and the Southern California Super Lawyer — Rising Stars Edition, recognizes young and promising attorneys throughout Southern California for their work in specific practices. Rising Stars are up-and-coming Southern California attorneys who are 40 or younger or have been in practice for less than ten years. Only 2.5 percent of Southern California attorneys were bestowed this honor.
(6/19/08)

Jonathan Stern ’02 of Dreier Stein Kahan Browne Woods George LLP Named One of the 2008 California Super Lawyers “Rising Stars”

Southern California Rising Stars, published annually in the July issue of Los Angeles Magazine and the Southern California Super Lawyer — Rising Stars Edition, recognizes young and promising attorneys throughout Southern California for their work in specific practices. Rising Stars are up-and-coming Southern California attorneys who are 40 or younger or have been in practice for less than ten years. Only 2.5 percent of Southern California attorneys were bestowed this honor.
(6/19/08)

Brooke Eisenhart ’03 of Dreier Stein Kahan Browne Woods George LLP Named One of the 2008 California Super Lawyers “Rising Stars"

Southern California Rising Stars, published annually in the July issue of Los Angeles Magazine and the Southern California Super Lawyer — Rising Stars Edition, recognizes young and promising attorneys throughout Southern California for their work in specific practices. Rising Stars are up-and-coming Southern California attorneys who are 40 or younger or have been in practice for less than ten years. Only 2.5 percent of Southern California attorneys were bestowed this honor.
(6/19/08)

Amy Guzman '02 writes: Since graduating I got married, had two children, left practicing in a law firm, and am currently working at a small private finance company.
(05/07/08)

Paolo Cioppa '05 writes: After a great experience with the Skadden M&A team in New York, I have accepted an offer at Davis Polk. I will be spending the first few months in the New York office of Davis, and as of September I will relocate to the Madrid office for two years. I would really like to see any fellow alumni in Spain.
(04/28/08)

Heather Elliott '00 writes: This summer, I am leaving my position at Catholic University to teach at the University of Alabama, so that I can be with my fiance, a philosophy professor there.
(04/18/08)

Elena Acevedo was married in a civil ceremony on November 30, 2007 to Michol Dalcourt, of Alberta, Canada. Their wedding ceremony with friends and family will be June 7, 2008. Elena is now Elena Acevedo Dalcourt.
(12/18/07)

Nicolas Tollet writes: "I am currently working at Willkie, Farr & Gallagher LLP in Paris and you can contact me at nicolastollet@yahoo.com."
(7/5/07)

Kelly McCown is excited to announce that she was recently nominated to the board of the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) in San Francisco, a national advocacy, litigation, and direct services organization working for LGBT civil rights. NCLR was lead counsel in the "In Re: Marriage Cases" before the California Supreme Court, which resulted in the Court's decision last May that laws directed at gays and lesbians are subject to strict judicial scrutiny and that marriage is a fundamental right under Article 1, Section 7 of the California Constitution. As an immigration attorney, McCown has long admired the work of NCLR in the immigration area, particularly its long history of helping LGBT immigrants who are fleeing persecution in their home countries secure asylum in the U.S. She has also been a long time volunteer at NCLR's monthly free legal clinics in San Francisco that give foreign nationals the opportunity to meet with attorneys familiar with the specific circumstances of immigrants in the LGBT community. Kelly still practices corporate immigration law at McCown & Evans LLP in San Francisco, and lives in the Oakland Hills with her partner Barbara Fitterer, a Physician Assistant with Kaiser Permanente.
(11/02/09)

Stephen Venable '90 has recently become the President of the Midwest Minority Supplier Development Council - an independent nonprofit affiliate of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, which facilitates the development of symbiotic business relationships between the corporate community and minority suppliers. Also, Venable was recently elected to the Board of Directors of The People's Center Medical Clinic at Cedar Riverside - a Minneapolis-based nonprofit community health center that offers high-quality, affordable health care to all (including countless members of local underserved, lower socio-economic communities).
(10/23/09)

Rachel Nosowsky '94 has been senior counsel in the law firm of Miller Canfield and was recently elected vice president of the board of directors of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor. At Miller Canfield, where Nosowsky has practiced since 2008, she works primarily in the areas of health care and life sciences. During her career she has represented academic medical centers and other health care providers and payers in a broad range of health law and regulatory compliance matters, in particular in the areas of corporate governance, ethics and compliance; medical staff bylaws, credentialing and peer review; physician-hospital relations; health privacy; and human research protection, biospecimen banking, and clinical trials and FDA regulation. She also has written and spoken extensively on health privacy and human research issues.
(07/31/09)

Kimberly Sayers-Fay '99 left California with her family in 2007 to join the U.S. Attorney's Office in Anchorage, Alaska. Though Kimberly and her husband lived in California for a long time, the transition has turned out to be both personally and professionally rewarding. In October 2008, Kimberly won the John Marshall Award for Trial of Litigation, which is the Department of Justice's highest honor for trial attorneys. The award was recognition for the successful prosecution of a violent sex trafficker who had victimized over a dozen women and girls in Anchorage over a several year period. Since then, Kimberly and a colleague of hers obtained the largest restitution award ever entered against a sex trafficker: over $3 million. Needless to say, she is having a ball trying criminal cases in the last frontier.
(07/07/09)

Kristina Haymes '99 was recently named as an associate of the firm- Brown Law Group, a leading San Diego business litigation boutique law firm. Ms. Haymes will focus on employment law and commercial litigation. She will provide employment counseling and litigation representation to employers in all types of employment-related litigation involving claims of discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and wage and hour class actions. In addition to employment litigation expertise, Ms. Haymes has extensive commercial litigation experience that includes preparing and contributing to a defense victory in a state court trade secret theft trial, grand jury investigations, and managing class action complex securities and product liabilities litigation. Ms. Haymes remains actively involved in her community as an advisory board member for the Boys & Girls Club Montessori School, a member of the San Diego County Bar Association, and as a barrister with the Wallace Inn of Court.
(07/07/09)

Hanson Bridgett is pleased to announce Jahmal Davis '97 to its partnership ranks, effective January 1, 2009. Jahmal Davis is a member of the firm’s Labor and Employment practice group. He represents public and private employers in state and federal employment litigation, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination and wage and hour claims. Jahmal also provides preventive advice and training to clients in employment matters. Jahmal received his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall) in 1997 and his B.B.A., with honors, from Tennessee State University in 1993.
(12/27/08)

Nan E. Joesten '97 has been appointed a co-chair of the Woman Advocate Committee of the Litigation Section of the American Bar Association for 2008-2009. Joesten is a partner at Farella Braun + Martel and practices in the firm’s Intellectual Property & Technology and Business Litigation Departments.

The Woman Advocate Committee sponsors programs on trial and advocacy skills, as well as on business development and issues of interest to women advocates. Additionally, the Committee offers numerous networking opportunities and publishes a quarterly newsletter.

Joesten’s complex litigation practice emphasizes intellectual property matters, including patent and trademark disputes, trade secret misappropriation cases, and technology-related litigation. She is the partner co-chair of Farella Braun + Martel's Professional Development Committee and is serving a two-year term as president of the Boalt Hall Alumni Association. In 2007, Joesten was awarded the UC Berkeley Foundation Trustee’s Citation Award for outstanding service to the law school.

Joesten received her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law in 1997, and her B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1982, where she currently serves as a member of the Engineering Advisory Council. Prior to her legal career, Joesten was a manufacturing engineer and an advertising brand manager for the Procter & Gamble Company.
(11/03/08)

Kuk Cho '95 reports: "I was appointed as a Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea by the recommendation of Chief Justice of the Korean Supreme Court in 2007."
(10/23/08)

Super Lawyers magazine recently selected Navid Dayzad '99 as a "Rising Star"� in immigration law. The magazine published a personal account of Navid and his law school days. See the following for more:http://www.dayzadlaw.com/super_lawyers_2008.pdf

Navid is also excited to share news of his niece's birth, Lily.
(09/08/08)

Neal Jannol '95, was promoted from senior counsel to partner in Loeb & Loeb’s Los Angeles office effective July 1, 2008. Neal concentrates his practice on sophisticated estate and tax planning for individual clients, the representation of individual and corporate fiduciaries, and the administration of estates and trusts. His experience includes drafting revocable and irrevocable trusts, business succession planning, premarital planning, charitable gift planning, and all aspects of estate administration and probate procedures. Loeb & Loeb LLP is a multi-service national law firm approaching 300 attorneys with four domestic offices in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Nashville and affiliations in Asia and Europe.
(08/20/08)

Debra (Green) Garfinkle '90 reports: "The first two books in my humorous series for children, Supernatural Rubber Chicken, were published in June and enthusiastically reviewed on CNN and in newspapers in New York, Massachusetts, and Las Vegas. The next four books will be published this year and next year. Visit me at dlgarfinkle.com."
(07/25/08)

Steven Gonzales '91 shares his news: I have just been elected to another four-year term as a King County Superior Court Judge in Seattle.
(6/18/08)

Michael Kwun '98 writes: I've had a busy year. My wife Sigrid and I got married in May 2007, and our son Anders was born in April 2008. And now, in June 2008, I've left my job at Google as Managing Counsel, Litigation to join the Electronic Frontier Foundation as a Senior Intellectual Property Staff Attorney.

Chandra Lekha Sriram ’94 has recently published Peace as Governance: Power-Sharing, Armed Groups and Contemporary Peace Negotiations. This book critically analyzes one key set of negotiation incentives used in peace agreements: inclusion of armed groups in structures of power. She writes: “Though I loosely term these incentives as ‘power-sharing’, they are much broader than traditional power-sharing, and rely on explicit institutionalization of the state and the use of state institutions. These negotiation incentives can involve inclusion of previously excluded or outlawed groups as legitimate political parties, sharing of resources with such groups, inclusion of former combatants in reformed military or police forces, and offers of partial or complete autonomy. The book, drawing upon studies in Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Colombia, demonstrates the limitations and even dangers of using such strategies.” For more information, you can visit the publisher’s Web site: http://www.palgrave.com/products/title.aspx?PID=274909.
Chandra Sriram holds the Chair in Human Rights and is the director of the Centre on Human Rights in Conflict at the University of East London, School of Law.
(06/03/08)

After practicing law for a number of years, Christine Kurek ’96 has recently launched a business venture of her own out of L.A., sleep & loungewear label Buxom Inc. (Christine was also on her class reunion committee a few years back.) After law school, Christine clerked for Chief Judge Jerry Buchmeyer, N.D. TX (in Dallas), then worked at Covington & Burling in D.C. for a few years before returning to CA. Here she worked for Yahoo! Inc. at their corporate offices in Sunnyvale as their first, in-house employment attorney. Influenced by the entrepreneurial environment at Yahoo!, Christine left in Jan. '06 to move back to LA (to be closer to the garment district) to start Buxom Inc. A stint working in the lingerie department at a Nordstrom’s while still in law school would incidentally work out to Christine’s advantage, as she was able to gain knowledge about customer needs, wants, and fit that is now put to use in Buxom Inc.’s collections. Christine moved back to Los Angeles to pursue the idea of Buxom Inc. further. Combining her lingerie retail sales experience with fashion design classes in the San Francisco Bay area, Christine officially launched Buxom Inc. Offering beautiful designs that both flatter and fit full-busted women, Buxom Inc. debuts with its Fall 2008 Collection of sleep, loungewear and crossover pieces. Currently targeting thin to average-sized women with cup sizes C-DD, Christine has plans moving forward to launch a plus-size division as well. Christine has already received ample interest from buyers as well as press, and is soon to be featured in trade magazines Body & Contours as well as consumer magazine InStyle. Currently she is selling online at www.buxominc.com however expects to be in stores by August for the Fall season.
(05/01/08)

Mae O'Malley '98 sends this update: Raising 3 young boys while also nurturing my 4th and largest baby--Paragon Legal, which I founded in 2006. Paragon provides highly experienced attorneys to leading bay area companies such as Google, Cisco and Autodesk on a project basis, with an expertise in technology transactions. We're honored to have been featured in a number of major publications including most recently the American Bar Association Journal for our innovative business model in leveraging the talents of seasoned lawyer moms (and dads!) seeking a challenging yet flexible practice. We're proud to have a number of Boalt graduates working on our team. www.paragonlegal.com
(05/01/08)

Kelly McCown '93 reports: I recently was elected to the board of directors of Bank of San Francisco, a regional bank in downtown San Francisco that focuses on serving privately owned Bay Area-based companies as well as nonprofit organizations and schools, entrepreneurs, and professionals.
(04/28/08)

Donna Schuele '99 reports: I joined the faculty in the Department of Criminology, Law & Society at the University of California, Irvine, in July 2007.
(04/20/08)

Adam Lovingood reports: In November, I was nominated for Video and Online Games Counsel of the Year for 2007 by the Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel.
(12/20/07)

Dawn Van Tassel and husband Mark Lorenzen welcomed their first child, daughter Julia Grace Lorenzen, on August 2, 2007. Dawn is a partner at Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand in Minneapolis.
(9/10/07)

Navid Dayzad who practices immigration law was selected as a “Rising Star”–among the top 2.5% of the outstanding, emerging lawyers in Southern California. This recognition was published in Los Angeles magazine and Law & Politics Super Lawyers magazine. He adds, “I am enjoying my two nephews in Los Angeles–and most recently, a niece too!”
(8/10/07)

Joanna Mendoza writes: "At the end of the State Bar annual meeting in Anaheim in late September I will be sworn in as the Chair of the Intellectual Property Law Section of the State Bar. The IP Section is one of the most active, dynamic and larger sections of the State Bar, and I am proud to have served on its Executive Committee for several years. Of course, as Chair of the section I will also have the honor of serving under the new State Bar President, Jeffrey Bleich ('89), who has always been an excellent role-model for those of us who went to Boalt in the late '80's. Once again I am in the shadow of a giant!"

"In August I had the honor of again being named a "Super Lawyer" in the area of Intellectual Property Litigation for Northern California. San Francisco Magazine , using selective criteria, identifies the top 5% of all Northern California lawyers to be named “Super Lawyers” each year in the different practice areas. Less than 10% of all named Northern California “Super Lawyers” practice in Sacramento."

"I continue to enjoy my practice as a partner in a small firm in Sacramento. My husband of 15 years, Joe, is a producer in the entertainment industry and frequently calls upon me for free legal advice. We have two boys, Joey (12) and Joshua (9), and live in Granite Bay near Folsom Lake."
(8/8/07)

Frank A. Delzompo, USMC (Ret.) and his wife Lisa share the following update: "After Frank retired from the Marine Corps in 2004, he felt he needed a break from practicing law, so we joined some friends in a small real estate brokerage in southwest Riverside county (Temecula). We got into the real estate business at a good time in the market and learned a great deal about residential and investment properties. At the end of 2006, we decided it was time to start our own company, and in February of this year we incorporated and opened the doors to Sand to Sea Properties, Inc. Being broker-owners presents a whole new set of issues, but we're doing our best to enjoy the business while raising our four children. You can contact us via our website: www.SandToSeaProperties.com."
(6/27/07)

Mark Ople '95 has opened his own office after over 10 years of specializing in immigration law in San Diego. He specializes in employment-based immigration, but also works extensively in family-based immigration, asylum, deportation, and international child custody law under the Hague Convention. He is recently engaged to Christa Cerra of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Christa will be attending the Master's Program in Nursing at the University of San Diego in Fall 2007. They plan to wed in May of 2008, and honestly believe their puppy Emma is the most perfect dog in the world.

(06/19/07)

Brandt Andersson writes: "Last November, I was elected to a four-year term on the Lafayette City Council. I was immediately presented with the "Crosses of Lafayette," a private display of (currently) 3475 four-foot wooden crosses, commemorating American lives lost in Iraq, on a private hillside across the street from the Lafayette Bart station. Free Speech v. the Sign Ordinance. Lots of passion, some shouting, and a remarkable amount of civil discourse. We have managed to bring the display into compliance with the sign ordinance, and next Monday will revise the sign ordinance to put some reasonable limits on future residential displays.
"On the more pedestrian side, this summer I will celebrate my 10th year in estate planning and tax practice with Patricia as Andersson & Andersson, and my 35th year of marriage to the very same lawyer."
(6/7/07)

Daniel Cravens announces: "Elisabeth and I celebrated the birth of our twins William and Claire on October 31, 2006. We are all happy, healthy, and exhausted."
(6/6/07)

Dan Engel '87 recently formed the Non-Profit Purchasing Group (www.nonprofitpurchasinggroup.org) to help lower the recurring costs of non-profit organizations by providing its members with discounted rates on their most commonly purchased goods and services. Dan is also President of the Miracle League of San Diego and Chairman of the Board of the California Oncology Research Institute.
(09/23/09)

Kathryn Ma '82 has officially turned to writing after practicing law for a number of years at the San Francisco firm of Keker & Brockett. She has a new book of fiction out, called "All That Work and Still No Boys." The book won the Iowa Short Fiction Award from the Iowa Writers' Workshop and the University of Iowa Press. Ma is the first Asian-American to be so honored in the forty-year history of this distinguished award. Kathryn would love to see Berkeley Law friends at any of her upcoming readings, which are listed on her Web site at www.kathrynma.com.
(09/02/09)

Molly Tami '83 serves as the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Admissions at Northern Kentucky University's Chase College of Law. In addition, she continues to direct the law school's pro-bono service program. Molly resides in Cincinnati, but travels a few short miles across the river to work at NKU.
(07/20/09)

Michael Colantuono '88 is enjoying the variety that comes with life in rural Nevada County with a law partner (Sandi Levin, Boalt '87) and firm in LA. Still specializing in local government law, Michael's emphasis remains in the law of public revenues. Michael was given the opportunity to argue for amici League of California Cities and the California State Association of Counties in the California Supreme Court in a case involving assessments (Bonander v. Tiburon) while also working on a petition for review in another case involving flood-control fees. If that gets granted it will be his third trip to that Court. His office will also be moving the LA office this summer from the Gas Company Tower to One Cal. Plaza, so there will be lots of entertainment for his staff. Michael enjoys his work as the colleagues are good lawyers, the work interesting, and life varied. He hopes all is well with his fellow Class of 1988-ers.
(04/23/09)

Glenn Bacal '81 shares: "Earlier in 2008, I was the founding partner and became the Managing Attorney for Business Relations and Development of the new Arizona office of Holme Roberts & Owen (HRO). As I have many friends, family and business contacts in the Bay Area, it was important for me to be at a firm with a San Francisco office for the first time in my 27 year career. It has been a dream being at a firm with a platform that matches my IP practice so well--and it is no coincidence that it has worked so well. I had triangulated to find the best firm in the country that wasn't yet in Arizona, then I contacted them and convinced them of the opportunity here. We have gotten off to an amazing start, and we are looking for more lawyers to join the 8 lawyers who now make up the Scottsdale office of HRO. Call me if you want to live and work in a fabulous place (480 624 4510)I have a high opinion of Boalt graduates!"
(10/23/08)

Craig C. Beles '88 of the Beles Group, Counselors at Law and Adjunct Professor at Seattle University School of Law has been awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to lecture at Masaryk University Faculty of Law in Brno, Czech Republic during the 2008-2009 academic year, according to the United States Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Professor Beles will be teaching classes in Comparative International Arbitration and Transnational Litigation.
(08/08/08)

Laura Clayton '84 reports: "Effective July 1, 2008 I was named Vice President, Public Sector West Region for IBM. In this capacity, I lead a sales organization with responsibility for selling IBM hardware, software, and services to clients in the state and local government, education, and healthcare industries. I was previously the Vice President of Services Business Development for the Communications Sector in the Americas at IBM. Prior to IBM, I was Vice President, Business Development at Rational Software."
(08/04/08)

Farella Braun + Martel LLP recently welcomed Edward L. Quevedo (’84) to its Environmental Law Department as special counsel. Quevedo has 23 years of experience advising clients on domestic and international sustainability planning and program development, and strategic environmental, health and safety compliance and performance counseling, both in a legal and business consulting capacity. Most recently, he was a senior consultant with WSP Environment & Energy.

“Ed’s experience in sustainable development, clean technology and strategic environmental management in a broad range of industry sectors adds depth to the full array of environmental law services we offer to clients,” said Chris Locke, chair of the firm’s Environmental Law Department. “Ed has a strong record of skill, business acumen, leadership and client service in these areas of environmental law, and we enthusiastically welcome him to our practice.”

Quevedo has litigated environmental law cases and advised clients on environmental regulatory matters since 1990. He has handled environmental law matters domestically and internationally, including litigating before the California Supreme Court, the International Board of Arbitrators in The Hague and the European Court of Justice on several matters. His clients have included major colleges and universities and firms in the high technology, wine, agricultural, food and beverage, life sciences, biotech, automotive and manufacturing industries, as well as public agencies. He is a frequent instructor on sustainable business practices at a number of colleges and universities, and lectures widely on these topics before diverse industry trade associations.
(05/21/08)

Zee Claiborne '82, full-time mediator and arbitrator since 1998, is moving her practice to JAMS, effective April 18, 2008. She will be based in the San Francisco JAMS office and will continue to travel as needed to handle domestic and international disputes. She specializes in the resolution of complex business, intellectual property, real estate, and construction matters. For more information, visit www.jamsadr.com.
(05/01/08)

Tamar Dyson '83 shares this update: Last March I accepted a position with the California Integrated Waste Management Board as staff counsel practicing environmental law. I feel as though I have come full circle. My first permanent job was in public service as an Army officer. After retirement I entered into various positions in private law practice. Now I have returned to public service, in an area of law that is new and exciting. I am particularly happy to be involved in the implementation of statutes which seek to reduce Global Warming and the state's carbon footprint. I knew that somehow my implantation in Berkeley during my three years at Boalt would someday yield fruit!
(03/25/08)

Damon M. Connolly '88 was elected to the San Rafael City Council in November. For many years he served as a Supervising Deputy Attorney General for the State of California, and was a leader in the State's efforts to recover billions of dollars for California ratepayers from the Energy Crisis of 2000-01. In 2007, Damon became a partner with the San Francisco firm of Girard Gibbs, LLP. More recently, he established his own private practice with offices in San Rafael and San Francisco, and also serves as of counsel to the firm of Keegin, Harrison, Schoppert, Smith and Karner, LLP.
(03/17/08)

Hughes S. Turner reports: Retired from the Army in 2004. Served combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Upon retirement from the Army I took a career appointment as a member of the Federal Government's Senior Executive Service (SES). In fact, I headed the Federal Government's SES policy program office at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for two years before transferring to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to head up the policy program office for senior executives within the Intelligence Community. Life is good when you are not being shot at or having to dodge RPGs (rocket propelled grenades). One more thing, I recently survived prostate cancer...to the men out there get your annual check up!
(12/18/07)

Jean K. Hyams graduated from the class of ‘89 and is working as an attorney at Boxer & Gerson, LLP in Oakland, CA. For the third year in a row, San Francisco Magazine has recognized her as one of Northern California’s Super Lawyers in the field of employment law and litigation.
(8/2/07)

Holly B. Burke writes: "Whoever said solving America's health care issues is easy? I've been hanging out in the Legal Department at Kaiser Permanente for the past 1 1/2 years. I was brought aboard to help Kaiser build a world-class procurement and supply chain organization for their health care network that spans 8 States and 9 million members. This is my first experience working 'behind the scenes' in healthcare. It's been fascinating/challenging/rewarding to get a first hand look at a very complex industry, where solutions to seemingly simple problems face a myriad of regulatory, labor, political, social and ... media issues! Oh yeah - I almost forgot to say - I just got married to Buddy Burke. Buddy's a pilot for Virgin America (the new SF-based airline). We live in Walnut Creek, CA. Life is crazy - and wonderful!"
(07/05/07)

Since leaving Boalt Hall, Salomon Quintero '72 has returned to his hometown, Redwood City, CA. Since then he has been in private practice that is now exclusively focused on Family Law. After being certified as a specialist in 1980, Quintero has been recognized by Northern California Superlawyers Magazine for the past two years. His three-lawyer firm is completely multi-lingual. Quintero is fluent in Spanish and Associate Attorney Amy Yimei Gu is from Shanghai, China and speaks Shanghainese, Mandarin and Cantonese. Associate Julie Zhalkovsky is a native Russian speaker. Their partnership has proven perfect for the diverse Bay Area community.
(07/07/09)

Joe Simitian ’77 was re-elected to the California State Senate for a second four-year term on election day this past November. He represents the 11th Senate District, including all or parts of 13 cities and towns in three counties accounting for roughly 900,000 constituents.
(03/13/'09)

Richard F. Liebman '72 has been named as one of the Top 50 Lawyers in Oregon in the 2008 Super Lawyers magazine. He was also named on the Super Lawyers list in 2006 and 2007.
(11/17/08)

Butzel Long Chairman Philip J. Kessler '72 has been appointed National Membership Chairman of the United States Supreme Court Historical Society, a private, non-profit organization, dedicated to the collection and preservation of the history of the Supreme Court of the United States. His term began on July 1, 2008 and runs through June 30, 2009. In addition, Mr. Kessler becomes an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee of the Society’s Board of Trustees. Most recently, Mr. Kessler was the Michigan Membership Chair of the Society.
(07/25/08)

In January 2008, Jas. Adams ('76) was appointed Attorney-in-Charge of the Natural Resources Section of the Oregon Attorney General's office. In that general counsel role, he oversees all legal advice provided to Oregon's natural resource and environmental agencies on forestry, water resources, fish and wildlife, state lands, and environmental quality matters. Current issues of particular note include wave energy proposals, the siting of LNG facilities in Oregon, and the Portland Harbor Superfund clean-up.
(04/12/08)

Judith Kleinberg reports: I finished my year as Mayor of Palo Alto in January 2007 with special initiatives focused on climate protection, affordable housing and disaster planning. After 8 fascinating years on the City Council, I'll leave office in January '08 with few scars and a much thicker skin. I continued to work full time while in office and was previously an Executive Director of AeA (American Electronics Association) and Vice President of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network, in both of which organizations I promoted legislative initiatives for technology innovation at the state and federal levels. In April of '07, I was recruited to be the first employee of InSTEDD, an international nonprofit start-up/spin-off from Google.org, working with technology companies to bring innovative tools and resources to humanitarian and public health organizations responding to emergencies and disasters around the world. As Vice President/COO/CFO (it's a start-up, after all), I get to combine my management and legal skills with my passion for technology and emergency planning on the international level --- and we're located in Palo Alto so I can even walk to work! Our classmate Mario Rosati's law firm provides our legal support. On the personal side, my husband, Jim, a Superior Court Judge, and I have managed to fit in a bit of traveling, most recently to visit our son, Alexander, who heads a business development team for Google for SE Asia, and works with his wife, Sheryn, in Google's Singapore office. Our daughter, Lauren, is an architect in Palo Alto so we're happy to have one "child" nearby. Make a note of my new business address: kleinberg@instedd.org and please get in touch if you pass through Silicon Valley.
(12/22/07)

Diane Yu reports: It was great to see many classmates at the recent 30th reunion. I am enjoying my seventh year at NYU, where I continue as Chief of Staff and Deputy to the President. As the new President of the White House Fellows Foundation and Association, I encourage applications to the White House Fellows Program from Boalt alums who are in early to mid-career and are looking for an exceptional leadership experience - check out the website at www.whitehousefellows.gov. In addition to taking advantage of the cultural riches of New York, I also serve on the boards of the American Management Association, Oberlin College, and the Minority Corporate Counsel Association.
(12/18/07)

Michael Ashburne writes: "Married on November 17, 2007 to Sarisa Middleton, CPA and mother of Nikki and Charel Middleton."

(11/20/07)

Mark LeHocky reports: "After spending seven years as the general counsel at Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream (one mile from Boalt Hall and two blocks from my first home), I agreed to become senior vice president and general counsel for Ross Stores, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Pleasanton, Calif. I'm trading ice cream for the off-price retail industry--a great opportunity and probably better for my waistline."
(6/27/07)

Franchesca Callejo writes: "I'm still living in Berkeley and practicing probate/family law. My son Victor is graduating from UCSC in 10 days and my daughter Isabel will be a senior at Berkeley High this fall and is still riding and training in dressage, now on her own horse Windsor at a fantastic stable in Walnut Creek. Being self-employed gives me the flexibility to take her out there 3-4 times a week, and I know these days will soon be gone once she's off to college. Missed the Citation Awards Dinner this year unfortunately, but hope to be there next year. Am doing more mediation work (saw David Meadows a few months ago). I've noticed I'm not the only one, something different about the class of '79? Hope some of you check in here so we can keep in touch."
(6/6/07)

Jeffrey Allen writes: "As I have never sent information in before, I will give you the thumbnail update. I became a partner in a small firm in 1974. We changed the name of the firm to Graves & Allen in 1976. The partnership name became Graves, Allen, Cornelius & Celestre in 1985. We terminated the partnership in 1996; I continued doing business using the name Graves & Allen from that time to the present. My offices have remained in Oakland throughout my career. My practice has emphasized real estate and business transactions and related litigation for the last 30+ years. Over the years, I have represented real estate owners, sellers, lenders (private and commercial), brokers, developers, contractors and title insurance companies."

"I have also developed a practice as an ADR provider doing both arbitration and mediation work."

"I developed an interest in technology and its application to the practice of law. As a result of that interest, I have published numerous articles for a variety of publications ranging from law reviews to CEB newsletters, to magazines and on line journals published by the American Bar Association. I also have presented on technology at CLE programs throughout the United States. In addition to my work with technology, I have done presentations for CEB, the Rutter Group, Lorman Educational Services, the American Bar Association and other groups on numerous topics including: privacy, litigation technique, evidence issues, discovery matters, setting up a law office and ethical issues associated with marketing."

"I served a term on the California Bar Association's Standing Committee on ADR. I also served several terms on the executive committee of the Alameda County Bar Association ADR Service as well as on the council of the Association's ADR Section."

"I have actively participated in the ABA, particularly in the General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section (now Division). I currently serve as the ABA advisor to the Electronic Discovery Rules Drafting Committee of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws."

"A few years ago I concluded that it has been too long since I took a bar exam. I applied for admission to the Qualified Lawyer Transfer Test (British Bar exam for foreign lawyers for admission as a Solicitor). I passed the exam and have received admission to the Law Society of England and Wales and as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales."

"I have continued my interest in teaching throughout my career. I have taught at St. Mary's College, and currently in the MBA program at University of Phoenix and in both the paralegal and construction management programs at CSU East Bay (formerly CSU Hayward)."

I have always believed strongly in community service and spent time as a member of the Board and as the Chairman of the Board of Family Services of the East Bay. I also spent a substantial amount of time over the last 25 years working with outdoor and indoor soccer. I coached youth soccer at the Recreational, Competitive, Premier and Olympic Development levels for 23 years acquiring several state and two national coaching licenses issued by the US Soccer Federation (US Soccer).

"I married my wife Anne (a soon to be retired school teacher) in August 1975. We remain married and on good terms almost 32 years later. We have two children. Our daughter, Sara, teaches fourth grade in San Francisco and is writing her thesis for her Master's Degree at San Francisco State University. Our son, Jason, after obtaining his teaching credential worked for the Boys & Girls Club of East Palo Alto for several years as a curriculum coordinator and as the Club Director. He resigned his position last August to enable him to attend law school. He currently attends Northwestern University Law School."
(3/23/07)

Jerome Cohen '66 is featured in a new book, "The Union of Their Dreams -- Power, Hope and Struggle in Cesar Chavez's Farm Worker Movement." Cohen was the first chief counsel to the United Farm Workers and who worked for Chavez from 1967-1981. He is one of eight major characters through whom the rise and fall of the farm workers' union is told. The highly personal and gripping narrative illustrates the ways the law became a key organizing tool during the heyday of the UFW. More photos and documents about Cohen are on display on the book's website at www.unionoftheirdreams.com
(10/21/09)

Tracy Westen '67 founded the Center for Governmental Studies (www.CGS.org) in 1983 and recently launched a new website (www.PolicyArchive.org), which is already one of the largest online collections of public policy research. This new website contains over 20,000 policy research documents from over 500 contributors, and this research is free to all users. PolicyArchive also features a collection of over 100 policy documents advising the Obama administration on a range of policy questions (see "Presidential Advisory").
(3/16/'09)

Beverly Lyon '69 reports: "After 35 years, I retired from active practice for health reasons at the end of 2005. I am still a certified specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law, State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization and was selected by my peers as a Super Lawyer in Northern California for the last two years of my Bay Area practice. I still handle the occasional estate plan or probate, but mostly enjoy our new relaxing life and renewed health in Grass Valley in the foothills of the Sierra.
The most recent joy is that Lynn, my partner of more than 17 years, and I were able to marry this past September, and I was walked down the aisle by my son Ben. Thank you, California Supreme Court!
We travel throughout California and Europe whenever possible, and I write fiction, primarily for young adults, whenever so moved."
(12/27/08)

Tracy Westen '67 shares:

Lots of activities lately:

1)I've helped launch, through the Center for Governmental Studies (CGS), which I founded, a powerful new website called PolicyArchive (www.PolicyArchive.org). We believe this will grow into the world's largest online collection of public policy research.

Ellen Miller, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Sunlight Foundation commented on PolicyArchive, saying, "It's like Christmas morning for public policy geeks when groups like the non-profit Center for Governmental Studies (CGS) launch something like PolicyArchive.org...The site doesn't just upload the reports, they use the best of easy-to-use technology by providing summaries and synopses, indexing, and an internal search engine, among other devices and tools. And this is just the beginning...."

2)We've also produced and released a series of humorous voter information PSAs that are now available on YouTube (see www.YouTube.com/centgov).

3)And I've helped write and edit a number of new publications in the past few months, including:
-Democracy by Initiative: Shaping California's Fourth Branch of Government (2008, 400 pages), the most detailed analysis yet published of California's ballot initiative process.
-Termed Out: Reforming California's Legislative Term Limits (2008)
-Public Campaign Financing: New Jersey Legislature: A Pilot Project Takes Flight (2008).
-Public Campaign Financing: New Jersey Governor: Weeding Out big Money in the Garden State (2008)
-Public Campaign Financing: Minnesota: Damming Big Money in the Land of 10,000 Lakes (2008)
-Public Campaign Financing: Wisconsin: Showing Its Age (2008)
-Public Campaign Financing: Michigan: Driving Towards Collapse

All these publications appear on our website (www.CGS.org) and on PolicyArchive (www.PolicyArchive.org).


Best,

Tracy
Adj. Professor
(08/28/08)

Ann Z. Cook, class of 1969, retired July 1 as an administrative law judge in Washington, DC, after 30 years of federal service. She practiced law in Marin County for five years before moving to Washington with her husband and their two sons. In 1978, she joined the enforcement division of the Commodity Futures Trading Administration. She became an ALJ with the Social Security Administration in 1984, then served successively with the Department of Transportation, Office of Occupational Health & Safety Review Commission, and the Office of Financial Institution Adjudication, hearing cases from FDIC, Federal Reserve Board, Comptroller of the Currency, and other banking agencies. In retirement, she plans to spend more time with her children (Nicholas is a manager at New York Times Digital, Benjamin is financing solar projects at SunPower Corp.) and her grandchildren and to travel extensively with her husband of 41 years.
(6/25/08)

J. Gary Gwilliam’s new book, Getting A Winning Verdict In My Personal Life: A Trial Lawyer Finds His Soul, is a riveting autobiography by a well-known, successful courtroom lawyer who talks openly about his losses, failed relationships, and his addiction to alcohol---things lawyers never mention---in a brutally honest way. Never has a well-known lawyer written a book that so openly bares his soul for the entire world to see.

Gary’s life is one of extremes. He transforms himself from a gang member to prosecutor, morphs from a staunch conservative into a liberal Democrat, from alcoholic to being sober, from follower in his professional life to leader, and from wild party guy to devoted and loving husband. These are just a few of the personal transformations that are recorded by gifted storyteller Gary Gwilliam. But Winning Verdict is more than just a sordid, legal tell-all book. Through the stories in his book, Gary tells us that where you start out in life is not necessarily where you will end up, a point clearly illustrated when Gary takes us on the spiritual journey he describes in his book.

Lawyers, judges, and others connected to the legal profession who have read Gwilliam’s book enthusiastically endorse it. It would be a shame for everyone, however, if this book were only known about within the legal community. Gary’s story is a prime example of what can happen when people face the worst in themselves, and by doing that, learn how to bring forth the best. All of us need wisdom like that.
(9/21/07)

Brian Landsberg shares this update: "My latest book, Free at Last to Vote: The Alabama Origins of the Voting Rights Act, was recently published by the University Press of Kansas. See http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/lanfre.html.
(6/06/07)

See the attached photo of the book cover.
(9/15/07)

Michael Tigar's newest book, Thinking About Terrorism, will be out this summer. It deals with state-sponsored and non-state-sponsored terrorism and includes a rebuttal of Judge Richard Posner's published views. Tigar was visiting professor at the law faculty of the Universite Paul Cezanne in Aix-en-Provence in March, where he delivered two lectures in French, on universal jurisdiction, and on comparative constitutional law. In June, he is to lecture at the TMC Asser Institute in The Hague, on criminal liability of heads of state and the legal status of organizations designated as "terrorist." He will give a seminar at Washington College of Law in the Fall on storytelling and advocacy, and will again be a visiting professor at Duke in the Spring. He is co-editing a book for Foundation Press with Professor Angela Jordan Davis of WCLl, to be titled Trial Advocacy Stories, and contributed two chapters to that book -- on the Nichols case and on the Vioxx litigation. He will teach in workshops on capital case defense in Texas and Indiana in late summer. He has been advising the defense lawyers in the Guantanamo detainee cases.
(5/22/07)

Ernest B. Lageson, '59 has just had his fifth book published, "Guarding the Rock." Ernie’s first two books, "Battle at Alcatraz," (1999), and "Alcatraz Justice," (2002) detailed the sensational 1946 escape attempt from the island prison, and the murder trial that followed. Ernie’s father worked for a time as a custodial officer in the prison, and Ernie and his family lived on the island. During the 1946 uprising Ernie’s dad was taken hostage and wounded. Following the unsuccessful escape attempt during which three inmates and two officers lost their lives, the three surviving convicts were tried for the murder of one of the hostages.
His latest book, "Guarding the Rock," began as a manuscript of his father’s that was never completed due his father’s untimely death in 1953. Ernie has revised, edited, and added to the original manuscript, and appears as a co-author with his late father. Guarding the Rock is the fascinating story of life serene family life amid the violence and danger of one of the world’s most famous prisons. It describes the day-to-day activities of the convicts, the periodic prison violence, and the fourteen escape attempts, all of which took place alongside the homes of the approximately 300 employee family members who shared the island with the hardened criminal occupants.
In 2006 Ernie and his wife, Jeanne (BA UC Berkeley 1954), together published "The Other Alcatraz;" the story of the Alcatraz Western Gull colony. In 2005 he published "The Lageson Legacy," which documented the Lageson family history.
Ernie’s writing career began in 1993 after his retirement from active practice. He began his practice as a deputy district attorney in the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. In 1961 he joined the San Francisco firm of Bronson, Bronson, and McKinnon where he developed a nationally known practice as a civil litigator. After twenty-five years with the Bronson office, he spent the final eight years of practice with Archer, McComas & Lageson in Walnut Creek, CA. He is a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, The American Board of Trial Advocates, among other organizations, and is a past president of the Defense Research Institute. Ernie still works as an arbitrator in Northern California. He and Jeanne, his wife of 54 years, live in Kensington, CA. They have two children, Kristine and Ernie III and five grandchildren.
(12/01/08)

Dave Fuller '56 shares this update: After 40 years working as a trial lawyer and managing a general practice firm in Chico, I retired to spend more time with my family and friends. JoAnne and I have been able to travel extensively visiting many other countries, and are lucky enough to both be in good health twelve years later. We still live in Chico, but spend three months at our summer home on Lake Almanor and a month on Maui in January each year. In between we visit our three children and seven grandchildren in Colorado and Oregon.

Watching Cal football remains one of our favorite activities , and we attend most home games as well as many away from Berkeley. We were fortunate to have all of our children receive their degrees through the U.C. system, with our two daughters both graduating from Berkeley. Acting as the Butte County representatives for the Cal Alumni Association also keeps us in close touch with the University. Contacts from any members of the Class of 1956 would be welcome at drfchico@juno.com.
Dave Fuller -Class of 1956
(05/07/08)