Fowler School of Law

Nancy Sandoval

Guest blogger: Nancy Sandoval, Class of 2014 As a law student, one of my greatest concerns is tailoring my education to be a valuable new associate. Employers are increasingly looking for recent graduates to be able to hit the ground running. This is why I am personally looking forward to the Chapman Law Review Symposium on February 1. My 1L courses were predetermined, leaving only four semesters to make meaningful choices about which classes to take. Designing my schedule this year became a balancing act between “substantive” courses grounded in legal theory that would teach me the concepts I would need to know to practice law and pass the bar, and “practical” courses, that would give me the skills necessary to effectively convey the material I learned in my substantive courses. Through a last-minute opportunity, I was spared this grueling decision-making process by enrolling in a full-time judicial externship my fall semester. A few times at the beginning of my externship, I often worried that I was somehow missing out because my learning was not taking place in an organized classroom setting. When I listened to my classmates’ debates over a particular rule of evidence, I would worry that there would not be enough time to learn all there was to know when I returned to campus. But then I realized that listening to motions in limine on a regular basis was a great primer for evidence and routinely checking subject matter jurisdiction for parties that filed with the court was a daily civil procedure review. Through my judicial externship, I was exposed to more areas of law than any class I could have enrolled in. Because of my judicial externship, organizing my thoughts in a “legal writing” format became second nature. My experience last semester has made me question whether traditional classroom methods are the most effective for producing capable attorneys—and I am not the only one who is questioning this. There is an on-going debate about the role of law schools in preparing students for the practice of law. In today’s economic climate, learning legal theory is not enough. Employers expect new associates to come with the practical skills necessary to assist the firm immediately. As a result of these market demands, law schools across the country—including Chapman—have begun adapting their curriculum and their approach to the teaching of law to meet these needs. Externships, clinics, and competition teams allow students to receive academic credit for invaluable real-world experience or practice. The 2013 Chapman Law Review’s Symposium will assemble several panels of experts to weigh in on this debate. The Symposium will give Chapman Law students insight into employers’ needs and a guideline for structuring our education to meet those needs. You can get tickets here. Not only will this give students an edge this hiring season, but this event will provide ample networking opportunities. The Symposium will be on Friday, February 1, 2013. The Symposium is entitled “The Future of Law, Business, and Legal Education: How to Prepare Students to Meet Corporate Needs.” It will discuss legal education reform, and how law schools can prepare students to be practice-ready to meet the specific needs of the business community and in-house counsel. Regardless of what career path you plan on taking, legal education reform is a topic that affects all of us. I am most looking forward to the third panel of the day, bearing the same title as the Symposium, in order to best plan my own legal education before registration comes around again.

Amanda Singer, 3L

Mediation jobs usually come after at least a decade of experience, but for Chapman 3L Amanda Singer, her mediation job will start immediately following graduation and the Bar Exam. Through her self-determination and the help of Chapman’s Mediation Clinic, ADR Board, and two negotiation competitions, Amanda has already secured post-graduation employment in mediation. In addition to earning her Juris Doctorate at Chapman Law School, Amanda has been simultaneously pursuing a Masters of Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University which has bolstered her resume. Amanda says that her interest in mediation goes back to her undergrad studies at Brandeis University. It was there that she took her first class on conflict resolution and mediation. After graduating from Brandeis, she worked in youth programming at a synagogue but when the market crashed in 2008, she found herself out of a job like so many young Americans. This gave Amanda the impetus to aggressively pursue her field of interest. Amanda chose Chapman Law School because of our renowned Mediation Clinic led by Professor David Dowling. “Professor Dowling has been a great mentor to me and participating in his mediation clinic has been one of my best experiences at law school. The clinic has allowed me to gain hands-on experience mediating cases while I’m still a student; that definitely helped me obtain externships and a job in the area I want,” said Amanda. Before landing her mediation position, Amanda found an externship at the San Diego Family Mediation Center after sending out emails to all the family mediation practices in San Diego. Through the contacts she made at the San Diego Family Mediation Center, Amanda has been offered post-graduation employment at The Divorce Help Clinic in San Diego. “I think Chapman has done a great job of providing a variety of legal skills classes and clinics and I hope that they continue this in the future as it provides great experiences for students outside of the classroom,” says Singer. Indeed, the demand for hands-on skills learning is growing among the legal community. Because of this, Professor Dowling has recently announced that he is expanding the Mediation Clinic to include a separate specialization in Juvenile Mediation. In today’s job market, it is essential that students get out of the classroom and get relevant experience.

Hugo Salazar

When we talk to new law students after their first semester, they often tell us that law school has been one of the toughest challenges they have ever faced. But first year law student Hugo Salazar has a different story to tell. Hugo grew up in an impoverished area of Tijuana, Mexico. At the age of ten, his family immigrated to the United States in search for better opportunities. “We were determined to find a way to succeed even though we couldn’t speak English and didn’t have any money,” said Hugo. With only a first grade education, Hugo’s parents taught him the value of hard work. While in middle school, Hugo helped his parents by cleaning homes to make ends meet. Unlike his classmates, Hugo’s responsibilities included mastering English and translating, excelling at his studies, and keeping his family afloat. This, no doubt, was one of the toughest times in Hugo’s life but the challenge made him work even harder. “I graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and international studies,” said Hugo. While at UCI, he completed 20 units per quarter, two honors theses and volunteered as a mentor. “My parents were so proud that I was selected as the commencement speaker for my graduating class,” Hugo mentioned. Shortly afterwards, he became a Coro Fellow and had the opportunity to intern at the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and the Caesar Chavez Foundation. After this, Hugo was selected as a prestigious Fulbright Fellow. During this fellowship, he traveled to South America and studied the peace process in Colombia. More recently, Hugo worked as a community organizer and mobilized immigrant communities to acquire a better understanding of the political process and environmental issues. Hugo began law school at Chapman in August 2012 in hopes of pursuing a career as a land use attorney. He sailed through his first semester with a heightened determination to succeed and his hard work has not gone unnoticed. On March 2, 2013, Hugo will receive the 2012-2013 Wally Davis Scholarship, a prestigious award given by the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association. On behalf of the entire Chapman Law community, we couldn’t be more proud of his accomplishments. Hugo has a bright future ahead of him and we are delighted to play a part in helping him achieve his dreams. Read more about the scholarship here.

Minhquan

Student blogger: Minhquan Nguyen ('14) PILF Co-President Midnight. Still not in bed. Alarm is set for 6 AM (argh, argh). One month until the Silent Auction. So why does it feel like the Silent Auction is tomorrow and years away all at the same time? I should never have gotten myself into this. I thought I knew what I was doing when I signed up to be the Public Interest Law Foundation’s (PILF) president. I never would’ve thought the job entailed staying up to the wee hours of the morning worrying that a bunch of missing envelopes may be the thing that dooms us all. The letters soliciting donors for our auction should’ve gone out two weeks ago. That’s according to the very specific timeline we wrote out a month earlier, a dreamer’s folly I just laugh at in a worrying manner now. After all the revisions to make the letters plaintive without actually begging for donations, after inputting some hundred-odd lines of contacts into a spreadsheet for the mail merge, after sorting and folding all letters to be ready for mailing, we are being set back because we don’t have the right envelopes! If the letters don’t go out on time, no one will know anything about our auction. About the painstaking negotiating we had to do to reserve the venue (with its sizable security deposit—gah! Gah!!). About the nervous sweat I and co-prez Ali Bollbach went through asking Judge Wendy S. Lindley and Bette and Wylie Aitken, public interest superstars, to be our honorees for the evening. About all the work the entire Silent Auction team put in to make the night fun: semi-open bar, lawyers playing jazz! No one will know about any of that, and no one will donate anything to auction off at the event and everyone who attends will have to bid on a night on the town with me, the highlight of which will probably be watching White Collar back at my house. Obviously no one’s going to put in good money for that and then we’ll have disappointed every law student at our school hoping to do some good in the world this summer. All those innocent, naïve kids wanting to use their legal skills to help folks—all disappointed because I failed to get the right envelopes. Thinking of all this makes me want to do something drastic and hysterical, right now, like ordering in a coterie of carrier pigeons to deliver all the letters. But there are downsides to that too, namely clean-up duty and bird flu and the question of whether they can bring us back checks. If I fixate on all the stress and troubles of the present moment, I’ll probably quit, honestly. Instead, I think of the goal: using the funds from our auction to help students help others who really, really need it. Doing good works for their own sake, not for the money. Proving that not all lawyers are the heartless, manipulative highway robbers people see us as; some of us really want to make the world a better place. With that in mind, the work ahead suddenly seems doable and worthwhile. Whatever happens, we’ll be fine. We’ll have a great night and do a great job and one way or another, some students will have the money they need to work in the public interest this summer. Even if we never find those dang envelopes. One in the morning—glargh!

PILF’s Silent Auction will take place at 6 PM on March 7th, 2013 at the Orange DoubleTree Hotel. The gala dinner will celebrate the work done by Chapman’s Public Interest Law Foundation and will be attended by students, alumni, professors, practicing attorneys and judges. Students may attend the dinner at a discounted rate of $20 per ticket (regularly $50). Auction items will include photos and memorabilia signed by celebrated artists and performers, parties or meals with professors, gift baskets, discounted Bar preparation courses, and more. RSVP here, or contact David Finley at (714) 628-2565 or dfinley@chapmn.edu for additional information.

About the author: Minhquan Nguyen is a second-year law student and the current Co-President of the Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF) at Chapman University School of Law. He went to the University of California, Irvine to receive his undergraduate degree. Minhquan likes to tell people he watches Game of Thrones and Mad Men, while he actually prefers Downton Abbey and Cougar Town.

Alice B. Lustre

In June 2013, Alice B. Lustre (LL.M. ’10) will be presenting her research entitled “After the Gavel Falls: Application of the Federal Crime Victims’ Rights Act in Habeas Corpus Proceedings” at the National Crime Victims Law Institute’s 2013 Crime Victim Law Conference. The presentation is based on a directed research project Alice undertook as part of her LL.M. in Prosecutorial Science. Chapman's LL.M in Prosecutorial Science is relaunching in the summer of 2013. As a current Deputy Attorney General for the State of California, Alice says that she enjoys being part of a system that ensures justice. This is the same disposition Alice had when she began her studies at Chapman Law School. “I am a big believer in education and I wanted to advance my knowledge in an area designed specifically for prosecutors,” mentioned Alice. “The LL.M. in Prosecutorial Science provided me with the opportunity to both enhance my understanding of prosecution and also network with others who had the same mission of ensuring that justice is done,” said Alice. Inspired by her research at Chapman, Alice will present some troubling gaps in the current justice system and provide opportunities for remedial action at the upcoming Crime Victim Law Conference. “With capital litigations, we have victims in it for the long haul. Unfortunately, the longer the process takes, the easier it is for victims to fall off the radar, especially in an appeal of a Habeas Corpus decision,” mentioned Alice. If habeas relief is granted, the conviction and/or sentence can be set aside many years after the trial. Getting ahold of a victim’s family twenty or thirty years down the road can be next to impossible. Alice hopes she can contribute to closing this gap by educating practitioners and bringing these types of cases to forefront of the agenda. “I feel like I am doing something worthwhile,” said Alice, “It’s the right thing to do.” It comes as no surprise that Ethics was one of Alice’s favorite classes at Chapman, but it is notable that Alice has taken it upon herself to shed light on disenfranchised groups of people who, overtime, become buried in the shadows.

Professor Katherine Darmer passed away on February 17, 2012.

One year ago, we lost a treasured member of the law school community—Professor Katherine Darmer. Professor Darmer was an excellent scholar and teacher. In addition, she devoted her amazing advocacy talents to a number of causes including marriage equality and human rights. We are pleased to announce that a scholarship has been created in memory of Professor Darmer. One or more scholarships will be awarded this Spring to students who are interested in using their law degree to promote human rights and public interest law. Students may receive this scholarship for more than one year of their JD program. Preference will be given to students who:

Are committed to maintain working in the public interest/human rights sector.
Are in good academic standing and have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 2.5.

Students interested in applying for this scholarship should pick up the application in the Financial Aid Office in Kennedy Hall, room 140 and return the completed form by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 8, 2013. Anyone interested in donating to the Katherine Darmer Memorial Scholarship may do so online by clicking here.

Competition Team with Professor Nancy Schultz

Earlier this month, Chapman Law School sent two teams to the National Juvenile Law Moot Court Competition at Whittier Law School. The teams were comprised of Katherine Currie-Diamond (2L) and Jaryn Saritzky (2L) and Andrew Mase (2L) and Minhquan Nguyen (2L). After the preliminary rounds on Friday, Katherine and Jaryn received the third-place brief award and Jaryn was recognized as third place and Katherine was fourth place as advocates. After their triumph, they moved on to the quarterfinal round as a team. Andrew Mase ultimately tied with Katherine for the fourth-place advocate award. After the quarterfinal round, the competition gave another set of advocacy awards, and this time Katherine received second-place honors, while Jaryn received third place. The team moved on to the semifinals, where they lost an extremely tough round. Chapman Law also attended an ABA Client Counseling Competition regional in Minneapolis. The teams were Frank Mickadeit (3L) and Jessi Castro (3L), along with Paul Deese (2L) and Catherine Conroy (2L). After the preliminary rounds, Paul and Catherine were tied for third place and advanced to the semifinals where they defeated a team from the University of Illinois. In the final round, Paul and Catherine placed second and narrowly missed the chance to go to the national finals. Finally, just last weekend, Chapman Law Mock Trial traveled to Tucson, Arizona for a regional round of the National Trial Competition. Chapman was represented by the teams of Damon Pitt (3L), Nicole Hughes (3L), and Stephanie Lincoln (2L), and Stephen Tanizaki (2L), Katherine Lubinski (2L), and Jennifer Crampton (2L). The team of Pitt, Hughes, and Lincoln reached the quarterfinal round. Congratulations to all the teams that competed this month and special thanks to Professor Nancy Schultz, Andy Bugman, and Professor David Dowling for coaching our students.

Alumni

Are you a Chapman Law alumni? Have you recently changed firms, been promoted or made partner and would like to be featured in the next online edition of Alumni Highlights? Please email Janna Parris and include your information and year of graduation.

Jimmy Blalock (’09) recently finished his term as Chair of the Alumni Advisory Board. During his tenure, he successfully increased Chapman Law alumni benefits.

Alex Feldman ('11) recently prevailed in a published decision from the Court of Appeal.

Brad Kuhn ('06) co-authored an article in the Los Angeles Daily Journal in January 2013, entitled “Eminent domain opinions focus on ‘just compensation’". He also co-authored another article for the Los Angeles Daily Journal entitled “Big year for published eminent domain decisions”.

Alice B. Lustre, LL.M. (’10), a Deputy Attorney General for the State of California, will present “After the Gavel Falls: Application of the Federal Crime Victims’ Rights Act in Habeas Corpus Proceedings” at the National Crime Victims Law Institute’s 2013 Crime Victim Law Conference. The presentation is based on a directed research project Alice did as part of her LL.M. in Prosecutorial Science. The Conference will be held June 7th-8th, 2013, at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon.

Lauren Mayfield (’10) and Darrel J. Greenwald (’10) were featured in a Los Angeles Daily Journal article on December 26, 2012 entitled, "Recent Bar Graduates Increasingly Hanging their own Shingles." The article details their success starting a law firm amid a poor economy.

Heather M. Brel ('08) was installed as Barristers President of the Long Beach Bar Association and Felipe “Mike” Vela ('04) was installed as one of the Board of Governors at the Long Beach Bar Association.

Jared Berman

Student blogger: Jared Berman ('15) Exhausted from a full day of first year classes, I dragged myself to a Chapman Law event, hoping to network and educate myself on immigration law, and discovered a field I never knew existed – sports immigration law. Yes, you read that correctly, sports immigration law – it's a real thing. Now you may be able to anticipate what I am going to say next, but if you’re like me and relatively uneducated on the topic – then prepare for that feeling of, “That makes sense, how come I never thought of that.” I sat down at a table dressed professionally with white cloth, with a gratis Mexican platter of beans, rice, and enchiladas. I began to quick-eat to satisfy my hunger before the panel began. As I ate the fiesta on my plate an attorney sat down directly to the right of me, who came to support her fellow Immigration Law colleagues. Before I could ask a question she started explaining her practice and the field, using the Los Angeles Clippers as an example, and the story goes as so… On Feb 2nd of 2013, the Los Angeles Clippers traveled on a road trip to Toronto for their game against the Raptors. Before arriving, the Clippers management – aware of Canadian Law- contacted this attorney (who I will keep anonymous for the time being) to make sure the players would have no trouble crossing the border. At the time I thought this was odd, because I often read about American Senior Citizens crossing the border to get pain medication and the issue is not entrance into Canada, but re-entrance back into the United States. So what were the Clippers concerned about? Were some of the players wanted by the Canadian police? Were they international criminals? My guesses weren’t even close. The Clippers were worried about their players’ DUI convictions. Turns out, Canada is extremely harsh on prior DUI convictions, even those that did not occur in Canada.

Routine screening upon entry into Canada includes the question, “Have you ever been convicted of a crime?” If you have been convicted of impaired driving – even if no collision was involved - you may be denied entrance. Even with no other criminal violations. Think carefully. Don’t lie about any convictions, regardless of how ‘trivial’. This is especially true if you’re entering from the U.S. Increased cooperation between Canada and U.S., as part of post-911 security measures, means that the border agent could already have access to criminal records. Lying/forgetting about a conviction could get you barred from entry into Canada for many years. -via TripAdvisor.com

Once again I envy the Canadian way, this is a great issue for a country to put its foot down on. It is relatively uncontroversial and saves lives. Now the attorney wouldn’t dish exactly which Clippers had prior DUI convictions, but she did mention ten of the players were concerned with the strict law. I can’t say I’m surprised. Ever see those KIA commercials? I imagine Blake Griffin in his Optima flying down the 405 with a jet pack in the back seat. Regardless, as the Clippers' immigration attorney she researched and successfully found a way for the convicted players to enter Canada. At a panel where I expected to be mildly entertained about lawyers who moved here from another country or who help people immigrate from foreign soil; I had the pleasure of learning about a new aspect of sports law – sports immigration law. It reaches to Olympic athletes, foreign boxers who fight in Las Vegas, and teams in the Little League World Series; but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Think NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, MLS, MMA, UFC, WWE, and more. All of these sports play internationally and have international players on their teams; all of whom aforementioned can afford high legal fees. Needless to say, sports immigration law is a lucrative business and one that I will keep an eye on as I continue into the depths of sports law.

About the author: Jared Berman is a University of Arizona Alumnus (2011) and first year student at Chapman Law School. Jared was the only first-year selected to be on Chapman's Mock Trial Team, and is interested in trial advocacy and Sports Law. He is an avid sports fan and a self proclaimed fantasy football guru, hard-core problem solver, and his favorite meal of the day is caffeine. Jared founded a website, SportsNLaw.com, which provides sports news through a legal lens.

jcastro

On March 7, 2013 from 6 to 9 p.m., Chapman Law’s student chapter of the Public Interest Law Foundation will hold its annual Awards Dinner & Silent Auction at the Hilton DoubleTree in Orange. The event will raise funds for PILF’s public interest summer jobs grant program and will honor Judge Wendy Lindley and Bette and Wylie Aitken for their devotion to public service. This event is made possible thanks to its two co-sponsors, The Gorczyca Firm and Chapman Law’s Student Bar Association, as well as the more than 60 auction item donors. Adjunct Professor Gary Gorczyca teaches family law and community property at Chapman Law and is also a partner at Phillips, Whisnant, Gazin, & Gorczyca, LLP, a family law firm in Newport Beach. For the past two years, the partners at this reputable firm have contributed to PILF for this event. This year, the firm’s $1,500 donation was instrumental in funding the dinner and auction. As Chapman Law’s official student organization, SBA not only holds events uniting the Chapman Law community, but it also provides funding for student activities and organizations like PILF. In demonstration of SBA’s continued support of PILF, SBA matched its donation from last year and contributed $1,500 to the upcoming dinner. "I love the PILF Auction because attendees win fantastic prizes, Chapman students earn scholarships to work on charitable causes, and our community benefits from the energy and ambition of the brightest young legal minds of the next generation," said SBA Vice President 2L Ray Gennawey. The silent auction will commence in the Chapman Law lobby on Monday, March 4 and will continue until Thursday, March 7, the day of the dinner. Among the many desirable items up for auction are a weeklong timeshare in Kauai, Hawaii, a Star Wars poster signed by the original cast and George Lucas, tickets to see the Anaheim Angels, a Newport Harbor whale watching cruise excursion, the iconic Thriller album signed by Michael Jackson, dinner with Dean Campbell and plenty of faculty-hosted meals and parties.

GET TICKETS BEFORE THEY SELL OUT: Tickets are $20 for Chapman Law students, $32 for Chapman Law faculty and staff , $40 for Chapman Law alumni, judges and public interest lawyers, $50 for attorneys, and $400 for a ten-person table. You can RSVP to reserve your dinner ticket or table for the event by calling 714-628-2605 or online here; or purchase tickets in the lobby during the lunch hour this week.

Chapman Law winning teams

This academic year has proven to be a successful one for Chapman Law's competitions team. In addition to a string of recent successes, two of our teams traveled to Berkeley during spring break to compete in the regional ABA Representation in Mediation Competition and both teams faired extremely well. The team of Travis Casey (3L) and Chris Seide (3L) won both of their preliminary rounds and placed third, narrowly missing the final round. The team of Nicole Hughes (3L) and Clay O'Neal (2L) did make the final round and won, earning a spot in the national finals in Chicago in April. The Chapman teams outperformed teams from Berkeley, Hastings, Pepperdine, and Idaho, among others. In addition to these successes, two more teams traveled to San Francisco for a regional of the ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition. Our team of Lindsay Johnson (3L), Brett Swenson (3L), and Chris Hossellman (3L) split the four judges' ballots 2-2 in the final round with a team from Minnesota, and ultimately lost on points. But our team of Jon Cayton (2L), Stephanie Lincoln (2L), and Dallis Pflueger-Cavallaro (2L) won their final round against Hastings and will also be going to the Finals in Chicago. In addition, Lindsay was recognized as the Best Advocate in the region and Jon was recognized as the Second Place Advocate.

alumnihighlights

Are you a Chapman Law alumni? Have you recently changed firms, been promoted or made partner and would like to be featured in the next online edition of Alumni Highlights? Then please email Janna Parris and include your information and year of graduation.

The Class of 2012 alumni have achieved the highest Bar passage rate (82%) in Chapman Law history for the July 2012 bar exam, ranking Chapman #7 in the state, just behind UC Berkeley.
Jason Rednour (’05) has been elected to the Paul Hastings partnership. He is the first person in several years at this firm to make partner after only 7 years of practice.
Christian McGuigan (’10) utilized Chapman Law's Entertainment Contracts Law Clinic to attain a position in a global entertainment company, Participant Media.
Sharona Keshrim (’09) received an early promotion at Deloitte in their downtown LA office.
Kevin O’Donnell (‘12) is a current Presidential Management Fellow working as a Social Science Analyst in the United States Department of Agriculture.
The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California released a press release and Bobbie Ross (‘09) was among those listed on the Honor Roll for her efforts handling a bankruptcy case through Orange County’s Public Law Center. Ms. Ross also recently authored an article entitled “Ninth Circuit to Hear Oral Arguments in Three Important Gun Cases” that has been featured on the American Bar Association Civil Rights Litigation Committee website.
Suzanna Adelizi (’05) was quoted in California Litigation, the Journal of the Litigation Section, State Bar of California regarding the trend of young lawyers going into solo practice.
Michael Loesevitz (’11) has been offered a position as shareholder at Camrud, Maddock, Olson & Larson, Ltd beginning on January 1, 2013. Their typical partnership track is usually about five years but Michael has made this happen in just a little over two years with the firm.

Jimmy Blalock ('09)

Jimmy Blalock (‘09) was Chair of the Chapman Law Alumni Advisory Board from 2011-2012. “Jimmy drafted the board bylaws, solicited new members and served as an outstanding advocate on behalf of the Chapman Law alumni,” said Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Administration Jayne Kacer. Jimmy always went above and beyond to ensure that feedback was heard and actions were taken. “He really energized the board,” added Dean Kacer. Even as a student, Jimmy became a great advocate for his classmates when he served as SBA President from 2008-2009. “I loved being able to voice the opinions of students in a way that brought real change to the law school,” said Jimmy. When asked why he decided to serve as Chair of the Alumni Advisory Board, Jimmy said he wanted to help promote Chapman Law School because it is truly a one-of-a-kind legal education. "I realized that every lawyer I’ve met has some complaint about their respective law schools...except Chapman grads,” he added. As the Chair, Jimmy gained an understanding of the behind-the-scenes actions of Chapman Law and helped to bring many positive changes to the law school. From small feats like the coffee stand in the lobby to large-scale establishments such as the board bylaws and increased alumni benefits, his hard work will always be appreciated. Currently, Scott Levitt (’03, ‘10) is the Chair of the Chapman Law Alumni Advisory Board. Alumni who wish to get involved should contact Ian Jones Assistant Director of Student and Alumni Affairs.

Jimmy Blalock received his Juris Doctorate in May 2009 from Chapman Law School and was sworn in as a member of the California State Bar in December 2009. He is currently an associate in the Orange County office of Sheppard and Woolley. Sheppard and Woolley is the exclusive counsel for workers’ compensation and insurance matters for Applied Underwriters, Inc., a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. Click here to read more.

Naser Alshamasi

Naser Alshamasi (LL.M. ’13) became one the newest Academic Fellows at Chapman Law School. This accomplishment means that he is in the top of his class and has been hand-selected by a professor to help teach. Like all Academic Fellows, Naser is highly intelligent, easy to understand and enthusiastically helps students in their first semester. But unlike other Academic Fellows, Naser could not write a single word in English three years ago. Naser is an international student and he grew up in a small town in Saudi Arabia named Arar. It is located on the northern side of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. After finishing high school in Alshams, he attended King Saud University where he received his degree in law. “I chose law because I love assisting others and what better way to help, than through law,” mentioned Naser. After Law school, he worked as a legal advisor at the General Organization for Social Insurance from October 2005 until April 2007. After this, Naser was chosen by the academic committee at King Saud University to work as a Professor’s assistant at the College of Law and Political Sciences in the Department of Civil Law. He taught classes in civil law and volunteered in the human rights office in Saudi Arabia for six months as a legal advisor. Shortly thereafter, Naser chose to expand on his studies in the United States. “I was inspired to attend Chapman University’s LL.M. program because it is one of the best law programs for international students,” said Naser. Right before attending Chapman, Naser took an extension course in English. “I had to force myself to study and practice every day. I practiced English with my classmates, friends, neighbors, shoppers in the supermarket and with anyone who wanted to listen to me.” Today, Naser regularly speaks, writes and grades in English. “His writing is indistinguishable from a domestic student,” says Professor Rick Faulkner. Although American laws are foreign to him, Naser learns quickly and always talks about what he learns. “This is precisely what makes him a great Academic Fellow,” added Professor Faulkner. Dr. Ronald Steiner, Director of the Chapman LL.M. program, considers Naser an outstanding asset to the Law School and the University. “Naser has done a lot to help those of us at Chapman understand the law and legal education in Saudi Arabia. He is a great ambassador for his country and for King Saud University.” When he finishes his LL.M program and returns to Saudi Arabia, Naser will already have a position in King Saud University as full-time professor of law. He wants to teach Mortgage law, Mediation and Negotiation and any other courses that deal with civil law.

Competition teams

Chapman Law placed first at the Twelfth Annual International Law School Mediation Tournament hosted by the International Academy of Dispute Resolution (INADR) in Dublin, Ireland. When the first place team was announced on March 15, 2013, the Chapman Law team received a standing ovation. “It was a huge deal,” said Professor David Dowling who helped coached the teams, “I am extremely proud of our law students and how they represented Chapman.” [caption id="attachment_5253" align="alignleft" width="150"] Ireland coast

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland[/caption]After getting the rare opportunity to travel to Ireland to compete in the INADR Competition, bringing home the top team award for mediation was the icing on the cake. Our two teams of Melissa Bohl (3L), Britni Falter (3L), and Amanda Singer (3L) and Brett Swenson (3L), Austin Underhill (3L), and Clay O’Neal (2L) competed against 36 teams from the U.S. and around the world including Ireland, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Australia, and India. Melissa, Britni and Amanda placed first in the entire competition. “It was great getting the opportunity to meet and work with law students from all over the world. In addition to having the chance to co-mediate with other students we had the chance to learn more about the legal system in other countries,” said Amanda. The schools from other countries were impressed by our students and made a point to say so. “Teams came up to us after we won to tell us that our students were professional, prepared and deserved to win,” said Professor Dowling. In winning this award, Chapman also competed against domestic law schools such as Cornell, Northeastern and UC Hastings. In addition to the top team mediation award, our team of Brett, Austin, and Clay brought home two awards–a third place individual award for advocacy for Austin and Clay, and a fifth place team award for advocacy. Our team of Melissa, Britni, and Amanda brought home the 9th place individual award for advocacy for Melissa and Amanda, and an 8th place team award for advocacy. After coming back from Ireland, Amanda reflected about the meaning of this competition and she emphasized the valuable practical skills she has attained. “Melissa, Britni and myself have all taken mediation with Professor Dowling and we were able to use the skills we had learned from him to help us win the competition,” she said. This tremendous accomplishment could not have been possible without the support and guidance of our coaches, Professor Nancy Schultz and Professor David Dowling.

PILF award honorees OC Superior Court Judge Wendy Lindley (left), Wylie Aitken (middle) and Bette Aitken (right)

When law students pursue public interest work, they often assist firms and individuals without many resources. This is precisely why Chapman’s Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF) hosts an annual silent auction fundraiser. Without these funds, low income parties may not receive the justice they deserve. This year, we are pleased to report that PILF has raised over $10,000 at its annual silent auction fundraiser dinner on March 7, 2013. The money raised will be used for grants to students working in public interest jobs this summer. At the gala dinner, Orange County Superior Court Judge Wendy Lindley and Wylie and Bette Aitken were honored for their public service work. The dinner also featured last summer’s PILF grant recipients Jaryn Saritzky and Ali Bushra, who each gave inspiring descriptions of their work and the importance of the PILF program. This event was attended by nearly 200 judges, attorneys, students and faculty members, showcasing Chapman’s commitment to public interest work. Our students are excited to be able to help disadvantaged community members this summer and we are all looking forward to next year’s PILF event. Chapman Law students interested in applying for a PILF summer grant can contact PILF Co-president Minhquan Nguyen for more information.

Matt Stevens (3L)

Matt Stevens is a third year Chapman Law Student who has braved Washington D.C’s icy temperatures since January. His passion for health care law has led him almost 3,000 miles away from sunny Orange County, California to the Office of Counsel to the Inspector General at Health and Human Services (OCIG). “I love everything about my externship at OCIG. And working in health care law at the federal level means I get to work on a lot of interesting cases,” said Matt. On a typical day at OCIG, you’ll find Matt working on several completely different projects that require knowledge of different areas of law. “We regularly deal with fraud and provider exclusion appeals that raise a host of distinct legal issues” mentioned Matt. “The goal is to help a program succeed, so we come in from a unique perspective of program integrity.” After receiving excellent guidance and advice from Chapman Law Professor Hugh Hewitt, Matt decided first to extern at St. Joseph Health. It was there he learned that health care law was truly its own universe. His experience at St. Joseph's lead Matt to pursue the externship at OCIG where he is diving even deeper into the universe of health care litigation. “It’s fascinating how the government deals with health care litigation at the administrative level,” said Matt. After he passes the bar, Matt hopes to work in the healthcare regulatory field. His advice to students looking for great externship opportunities like this is to 1) start early and, 2) apply again if you don’t get it the first time. “Externships provide students with hands-on learning that you just can’t get in the classroom,” Matt added. Even if you have to tolerate below 30 degree weather, it’s worth it to follow your dream.

Brett Swenson (3L)

This past weekend, Chapman competed at the South Texas Mock Trial Challenge against 43 other schools from around the country. Our team of Damon Pitt (3L), Brett Swenson (3L), Paul Deese (2L), and Jonathan Cayton (2L) swept their first three rounds against Catholic, Suffolk, and Valparaiso to make the round of 16. Brett was recognized for his professionalism when he received the Williams Kherkher trophy, a trophy awarded to the law student chosen by the judges “as the most professional advocate in the South Texas Mock Trial Challenge". “Needless to say, I am once again extraordinarily proud of our competition teams,” said Professor Nancy Schultz who recently coached our mediation teams to success. Williams, Kherkher, Hart & Boundas, L.L.P. donated this trophy to promote the highest levels of civility, ethics and professionalism in the practice of law. All of our team's judges nominated Brett in the rounds where he served as an advocate. Brett was the only advocate out of 176 to receive a 100% nomination from his judges. In the octofinal round of this competition, our team lost a 3-2 decision to Campbell, which went on to make the final round. However, Chapman outperformed Georgetown, Baylor, Texas, Fordham, and Wisconsin, along with 23 other schools that did not make the cut. Ultimately, Brett coming away with the Williams Kherkher trophy was the highlight of the event.

auen-cropped

Chapman Law has received a generous grant from the Auen Foundation that will provide approximately 100 seniors with free legal assistance. The contribution was made to the Alona Cortese Elder Law Center and it will assist the Center in providing our law students with hands-on training to help navigate low-income seniors through the complex court system. “Not only is this a benefit to seniors who might otherwise attempt to represent themselves in cases of durable powers of attorney, elder abuse and financial scams, but many of our students say this clinical experience is their most memorable of law school,” said Dean Campbell. “It is our intention that the spirit of giving back starts with the generosity of the Auen Foundation and is perpetuated through our students even after they graduate by doing pro bono work during their careers.” Each semester, professors work intensively with about 7-10 law students to develop their skills in working closely with clients and their legal issues. Many of the cases require daunting paperwork that must be carefully completed. The law students manage this court requirement and guide clients through the legal system, avoiding fees that can be upwards of $10,000 for private representation. “The program at Chapman University [School of Law] assists people who cannot afford these legal services,” said Catharine Reed, Program Director for the Auen Foundation. “Seniors in situations of physical or financial abuse or other legal cases find themselves not dealing with important issues because they can’t afford it and because the process is overwhelming. We believe the program at the Alona Cortese Law Center is improving the lives of seniors, and we are proud to support the work happening there.” The Center continues to increase the number of cases it handles each year, thanks to generous support like that of the Auen Foundation. The law program at Chapman receives referrals from throughout southern California including from organizations such as the Public Law Center, Legal Aid and the court system. Many clients have had three or four court appearances and are still mired in paperwork and need assistance to follow complicated guidelines and regulations.

Steven Cometa

At the recent ABA Spring Board of Governors Meeting in New Orleans, Steven Cometa (2L) was elected by the Board of Governors to serve as the ABA- Law Student Division's next Vice Chair. For the past year, Steven had the pleasure of serving as the ABA-Student Governor for the 9th Circuit and after he handed over the position to his successor, Steven was elected to the second highest ranked position at the ABA-Law Student Division. "When the announcement was made that the Board of Governors had selected me to serve as their Vice Chair, I was elated,” said Steven. He will soon be responsible for all membership and marketing campaigns for the ABA-Law Student Division throughout the country. As an incredibly accomplished second- year law student, he is excited for the new challenge. “It is a high honor to serve in this capacity and I am happy to represent Chapman while doing it,” Steven added. Steven will be officially sworn into office at the ABA Annual Meeting in front of the Law Student Division Assembly--that includes ABA Representatives and SBA Presidents from every U.S. ABA approved law school--this August in San Francisco. "I look forward to working with the rest of my executive team to hear and remedy student concerns as well as promoting the overall goals of our division, which include student debt reform and law school transparency," Steven said. Law students, especially those at Chapman, are very lucky to have an experienced leader representing them at the ABA-Law Student Division for the 2013-2014 term.

The 2013 Law Review Symposium Focuses on the Need for More Business Skills Training in Law School

3L Amanda Singer’s Work in Chapman’s Mediation Clinic Helps her Land Competitive Mediation Position

From Poverty to Fulbright Fellow, Chapman 1L Hugo Salazar Receives OC Hispanic Bar Scholarship

PILF’s Silent Auction Will be Amazing, Despite Lack of Carrier Pigeons

LL.M. Alumna to Present Scholarly Findings at National Crime Victims Conference

Remembering Professor Katherine Darmer

Chapman Law’s Competition Teams Continue to Triumph

Alumni Highlights – February 2013

Sports Immigration Law, It’s a Real Thing

PILF Silent Auction to Help Fund Summer Public Interest Positions

Chapman Law ABA Teams will Compete at National Finals

Alumni Highlights – January 2013

As Chair, Jimmy Blalock (‘09) Built Strong Alumni Advisory Board that Brought Change to Chapman Law

LL.M. Student from Saudi Arabia Becomes Academic Fellow

Chapman Law Wins First Place at International ADR Competition in Ireland

PILF’s Silent Auction Raises More than $10,000 to Fund Summer Public Interest Jobs

3L Matt Stevens’ Passion for Health Care Law Leads to Opportunity at the Health and Human Services Office

Brett Swenson (3L) Receives Williams Kherkher Trophy for Most Professional Advocate

Auen Foundation Grant will Enable Chapman to Provide Legal Counsel to Seniors

Chapman Law Student Elected to Serve as the Vice Chair for the ABA-Law Student Division