Fowler School of Law

2013

Chapman University School of Law offers scholarships to exceptional students on an annual basis. This spring, we are delighted to announce the 2013 scholarship recipients. Alaa Alomar (2L) and Caroline Le (3L) received the 2013 Parham H. Williams Endowed Scholarship for Public Interest. This scholarship is awarded to graduating students with a strong academic background whose leadership and public interest work demonstrate a commitment to public interest endeavors. Recipient Caroline says her interest in human rights and public interest law were the main reasons she decided to go to law school. “My previous experience working with trafficked victims inspired me to obtain a law degree so I could advocate on behalf of those marginalized populations who greatly need and deserve legal assistance, but whose economic and social circumstances limit their access to it,” said Caroline. “I feel very privileged to have gotten his scholarship especially because it was aimed at students who are passionate about public interest work.” Other scholarship recipients include Jason Armbruster (3L) and Katie Haldorsen (3L). Both students received the 2013 Lee Memorial Award for their academic standing and interest in working in areas of Public Interest law. "I hope to be an advocate for public interest and give back to the community throughout my legal career, and the Lee Memorial Scholarship will help me to achieve this goal," mentioned Jason. In the past, Jason clerked for several non-profit and government organizations, including Ventura Coastkeeper, the Orange County District Attorney's Office and the United States Attorney's Office. Lastly, Karel Raba (3L) received the 2013 M. Katherine Baird Darmer Scholarship. This scholarship, named after the late Chapman Law Professor Katherine Darmer, is awarded to students who are committed to expanding human rights. For more information about Chapman’s scholarships, please contact Kathleen Clark, Director of Financial Aid.

businessblog

On Saturday, April 13, the School of Law will co-sponsor a free, all-day workshop with Chapman’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts and Argyros School of Business and Economics. The workshop, “Hollywood2go”, has been compared to “earning a one-day MBA in film” and has been presented to Sony Pictures and the Microsoft Corporation. Robert Rubin and Jeffrey Korchek, both 20-year entertainment veterans who have been involved in scores of films as senior executives at major studios, will be leading the workshop. Mr. Korchek has served as a senior executive at USA Entertainment, a literary agent, and senior executive in charge of business and legal affairs at Universal Pictures and Mr. Rubin is cited by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal as an authority on investing in motion pictures. “This workshop is truly a one-of-a-kind experience,” said Professor Judd Funk who teaches entertainment law classes at Chapman. “The entertainment industry is incredibly dynamic and always changing. The presenters give a unique insider’s look into what’s been happening and where the industry is headed,” he added.

Participants will also come away with a free thumbdrive full of information that will help kickstart their career in the entertainment industry. moviereel

Hollywood2go will be held in the Folino Theatre in Dodge College on Saturday, April 13 starting at 9:00 am. To reserve your seat at no charge, rsvp to kagrums@chapman.edu. This event is approved for 6 1/2 hours of MCLE credit.

anime

Alumnus Sean Thordsen (’09) knows video games--really, really well. But his knowledge goes far beyond leisurely play. During his final year of law school at Chapman, he conducted a study on advances in IT law in the video game industry. Under the guidance of Professor Kathy Heller with whom he participated in Chapman’s Entertainment Contracts Law Clinic, he presented his final project on the video game Second Life in Professor Heller’s Entertainment Law Course and introduced the intriguing concept of tangible property rights in a digital world. Sean says the video game project and the clinic provided him with valuable skills that he has since employed in his current law practice. “The experience was worthwhile because it provided me with actual practice, and not just theory. I learned how to interact with clients and that, in turn, actually helped to expand my knowledge of both law and business,” says Sean. Today, he regularly assists clients in assisting start-ups in the video game industry, obtaining copyrights and trademarks and successfully defends those accused of violating them in federal court. Sean has built quite a name for himself through his specialization and experience within the video game industry. In 2012, he was chosen to speak on a panel at SMU ‘s “Games, Business and Law Legal Summit” regarding tax incentives for video game developers. This prestigious summit brought together prominent video game developers, leading lawyers, government agencies and corporations to talk about important changes in technology and the law. In addition to this accomplishment, Sean is also the first and only legal writer to ever appear on The Anime News Network, the largest source of anime news and information in America as well as a board member of the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation. [caption id="attachment_5451" align="alignleft" width="150"]

Sean Thordsen ('09)[/caption] “The most valuable thing I did for my career was to attend conferences,” says Sean. From video game conferences to copyright round table discussions, Sean’s expertise and networking ability has made it possible for him to exchange information with potential clients. “Attending industry specific events will help get your name out there and build your resume, neither of which will hurt you,” Sean added. Networking is a great skill, but keeping up with the latest court cases is essential. As online content becomes easier to share and remix, Sean says his work will continue to change. When he is not protecting his clients from copyright infringement claims, Sean says he would like to continue to teach the true meaning of fair use and consumer rights and strive to be a voice of reason in a rapidly changing digital frontier. Since his graduation in 2009, Chapman Law has seen a continued growth in intellectual property and gaming law courses. In fall 2013, noted Silicon Valley patent lawyer Sam Ernst will join the Chapman Law faculty to teach Patent Law and related intellectual property subjects. Also teaching in fall 2013 will be Eric Roeder, general counsel of Blizzard Entertainment, producer of the World of Warcraft series of video games. Mr. Ernst will teach a special course on Gaming Law.

(From the left) Judge Josephine Tucker of the United States District Court, Benjamin Bertch (student winner), John Hurlbut, Partner at Rutan & Tucker, Kassandra Castillo (student winner), Justice David Thompson of the California Court of Appeal, Central District of California and Dean Tom Campbell.

Benjamin Bertch (1L) and Kassanda Castillo (1L) are the winners of the 2013 Rutan & Tucker Golden Gavel Competition. The competition, sponsored by the firm Rutan & Tucker, seeks to test the oral argument skills of first year law students at Chapman. Students compete against each other in front of practicing lawyers, professors and members of Chapman's Moot Court Board. The competition began last week with 160 students arguing a brief that they drafted relating to the standard to apply to an exception to the warrant requirement and whether the defendant is entitled to an entrapment jury instruction. Out of the 160 student competitors, 32 advanced to the quarter-final rounds where they argued. Of these 32 students, 4 students representing the Defendant (Benjamin Bertch, Amanda Herman, William Kelly and Kaitlin Peterson) and 4 students representing the Government (Arthur Arutyunyanta, Kassandra Castillo, Lisa Poladian and Taylor Tondevold) advanced to the semi-final rounds on Saturday. After one round, the field was narrowed to 2 students for the Defendant (Benjamin Bertch and Kaitlin Peterson) and 2 students for the Government (Kassandra Castillo and Taylor Tondevold). After the final arguments, Kassandra Castillo and Benjamin Bertch emerged as winners and each received a scholarship furnished by Rutan & Tucker.

2013 scholarship awardees (names below)

On Friday, April 19, Chapman Law held its annual Scholarship Awards Luncheon and reception honoring the achievements of this year’s scholarship recipients. The reception was attended by scholarship recipients and their family members, as well as Dean Tom Campbell, Assistant Dean Bowdich, faculty members and scholarship sponsors. Ski Harrison and Kim Thompson, partners at Rutan & Tucker, were both present to see firsthand the benefits of the Rutan & Tucker Scholarship. Minhquan Nguyen (2L), recipient of the Rutan & Tucker Golden Quill Scholarship, said the best part of the reception was getting the opportunity to express his gratitude to them. Near the end of the reception, each scholarship recipient expressed how thankful they were and also talked about how their respective scholarships will help them pursue their goals. “My scholarship was positive proof that I could be good at something in law school,” stated Minhquan. “Everyone goes to law school hoping to leave a mark and prove that their acceptance wasn’t a fluke-- that they really deserve to be there. A scholarship represents a student’s drive, hard work, and talent all in one, because without all three in tandem, you can’t win a scholarship,” he added. The entire Chapman Law community is proud of this year’s very talented and deserving scholarship recipients: Allison Bollback (2L)- William Stallworth Endowed Scholarship Andrew Gahan (2L)- William Stallworth Endowed Scholarship and Rutan & Tucker Golden Quill Award Marissa Cale (2L)- William Stallworth Endowed Scholarship Minhquan Nguyen (2L) - Rutan & Tucker Golden Quill Award Jonathon Cayton (2L)- Rutan & Tucker Golden Gavel Award Dallis Pflueger-Cavallaro (2L) - Rutan & Tucker Golden Gavel Award Jason Armbruster (3L) – Albert and Mary Lee Memorial Scholarship and Enlure Katharine Haldorsen (3L)- Albert and Mary Lee Memorial Scholarship Alaa Alomar (2L) – Parham H. Williams Endowed Scholarship for Public Interest Law Caroline Le (3L) – Parham H. Williams Endowed Scholarship for Public Interest Law Karel Raba (3L) – M. Katherine Baird Darmer Memorial Scholarship Damon Pitt (3L)- CalABOTA Marjorie W. Day Memorial Scholarship Jordana Furman (3L) - Tax Law Honors Tiffany Rachel Smith - (2L) Tax Law Honors

competitionsv2

As we near the end of this academic year, we like to reflect back on Chapman’s overall performance in the 2012-2013 academic competitions. We are happy to report that this year has been our most exciting yet! For the first time in our history, we took first place at a Mediation Tournament hosted by the International Academy of Dispute Resolution (INADR) in Dublin, Ireland among other great successes. Thank you to the students and faculty members who worked so hard to make this academic year an especially strong one for Chapman Law! September 2012 National Sports Law Negotiation Competition 4th Place: Andrew Mase and Clay O’Neal October 2012 Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition First Place Brief, Regional Second Place and National Finalists: Chris Hossellman and Lindsay Johnson National Pretrial Competition Quarterfinalists: Harrison Brown, Jonathan Cayton, Nick Evans, Brett Swenson California Attorneys for Criminal Justice Trial Competition Quarterfinalists: Nicole Hughes, Stephanie Lincoln, Amber Munos, Brittany Shirley National Entertainment Law Negotiations Competition 6th Place: Mary Collins and Dayna Richards November 2012 ABA Arbitration Competition Regional Champions and National Finalists: Kristin Aoun, Melissa Bohl, Nick Evans, Noel Rayo National Moot Court Competition Regional Semifinalists, Fourth Place Brief: Stephanie Brault (Fifth Place Advocate), Ryan Poteet, Sara Zimmerman Regional Quarterfinalists, Third Place Brief: Dallis Pflueger-Cavallaro, Jaryn Saritzky, Tom Wynsma ABA Negotiation Competition Regional 6th Place: Catherine Conroy and Paul Deese February 2013 ABA Representation in Mediation Competition Regional Champions and National Finalists: Nicole Hughes and Clay O’Neal Regional Third Place: Travis Casey and Chris Seide ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition Regional Champions: Jonathan Cayton (Second Place Advocate), Stephanie Lincoln, Dallis Pflueger-Cavallaro Regional Finalists: Chris Hossellman, Lindsay Johnson (Best Advocate), Brett Swenson ABA Client Counseling Competition Regional Second Place: Catherine Conroy and Paul Deese National Juvenile Law Moot Court Competition Semifinalists, Third Place Brief: Katherine Currie-Diamond (Second Place Advocate) and Jaryn Saritzky (Third Place Advocate) Fourth Place Advocate: Andrew Mase National Trial Competition Regional Quarterfinalists: Nicole Hughes, Stephanie Lincoln, Damon Pitt March 2013 International Law School Mediation Tournament First Place Mediation Team and Eighth Place Advocate/Client Team: Melissa Bohl, Britni Falter, Amanda Singer Fifth Place Advocate/Client Team: Clay O’Neal, Brett Swenson, Austin Underhill Third Place Individual Advocate/Client: Clay O’Neal and Austin Underhill Ninth Place Individual Advocate/Client: Melissa Bohl and Amanda Singer South Texas Mock Trial Challenge Octofinalists: Jonathan Cayton, Paul Deese, Damon Pitt, Brett Swenson (Most Professional Advocate in the competition) April 2013 ABA Representation in Mediation Competition National Semifinalists: Nicole Hughes and Clay O’Neal

Professor Frank J. Doti and Dr. Zeinab Dabbah

On April 24, the Chapman Law community celebrated a generous gift made by alumna Dr. Zeinab Dabbah and her husband, Dr. Daniel Temianka. Because of their donation, Lecture Hall 142 has been renamed and dedicated in honor of current Chapman Law Professor Frank J. Doti. “It was the quality of education that Zeinab received in Professor Doti’s classes that inspired her to make this gift,” said Assistant Dean of Development Cary Bowdich. “This donation makes a tremendous statement about how the generosity of one alumni can be turned into a meaningful recognition of the excellent experience she had at Chapman Law.” The new Professor Frank J. Doti Lecture Hall represents both the involvement of our alumni as well as the long-lasting impact of our faculty members. On behalf of the entire law school community, we thank Dr. Zeinab Dabbah for her continued support of Chapman Law and we are proud that Professor Doti’s hard work will be recognized. [caption id="attachment_5554" align="aligncenter" width="300"]

Unveiling the Frank J. Doti photograph and dedication plaque [/caption] [caption id="attachment_5555" align="aligncenter" width="300"]

The Doti Family[/caption] About Professor Frank J. Doti: Professor Doti is a CPA as well as a tax attorney, and distinguished scholar and teacher. His “Contracts Law Flowcharts and Cases” is widely used by contracts professors and students across the nation. He also holds the William P. Foley, II Chair in Corporate Law & Taxation. Professor Doti was selected by students to receive the Katherine Darmer Memorial Award for Best Teacher of the Year in 2012.

Professor Marisa S. Cianciarulo

Professor Marisa S. Cianciarulo has taught at Chapman University School of Law since 2006. She currently teaches Civil Procedure, the Family Violence Clinic, Gender & the Law, and Refugee Law. She earned a bachelor’s degree at the Catholic University of America, a JD at American University Washington College of Law and a Masters in International Relations at American University School of International Service. After graduating from American and passing two bar exams, Marisa worked for a local nonprofit agency representing indigent immigrants in immigration court. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, she began working for the American Bar Association’s Commission on Immigration as a policy advocate for the rights of vulnerable immigrants. She then transitioned into teaching, first as a clinical teaching fellow at Villanova Law School and then as a professor at Chapman. In total, Marisa has been teaching for nearly ten years. In the spring of 2012, she became a tenured professor. Marisa’s scholarship and service activities focus on issues of gender, vulnerable immigrant populations, and clinical legal education. She created and continues to direct the Bette & Wylie Aitken Family Violence Clinic, which offers free representation in immigration and protection order cases. Her work provides assistance to some of the most vulnerable people in Southern California, mostly undocumented immigrant women who are in abusive relationships. Many clients have grown up in the United States, have U.S. citizen children, and work hard and contribute to their communities and the economy but the threat of deportation is very real for them, and makes them fearful of reporting abuse to law enforcement authorities or seeking restraining orders. The Family Violence Clinic gives Chapman law students the chance to represent these clients in their applications for immigration benefits and restraining orders. "Seeing our law students grow as attorneys and individuals, and being a part of the life-changing services the students provide to the clients, is an amazing experience," said Marisa. Her favorite aspect of Chapman Law is teaching Civil Procedure to 1Ls."It gives me the opportunity to get to know our wonderful students during the three years that they are with us," she said. "I enjoy the energy of the 1Ls and the excitement of teaching students for whom the study of law is new and full of promise," she noted. Marisa is also passionate about the Global Project for LGBTQ Rights and Feminism, which she co-directed with her mentor and friend, the late Professor Katherine Darmer. Marisa has also served on the Executive Committee of the AALS Section on Clinical Legal Education for several years, last year as secretary and this year as co-chair elect. Additionally, she has served on the Section’s Membership, Training and Outreach Committee for a number of years. Marisa has been published in the Yale Journal of Law and Feminism, the Harvard Journal on Legislation, the Harvard Journal of Law and Gender, the Harvard Latino Law Review, and the American University Law Review. In her free time, Marisa enjoys returning back east to spend time with her family in the New Jersey suburbs of Philadelphia. Her husband, Clint, a native southern Californian who composes music for film and television, enjoys the trips back east to experience the "unique cultural experience of an Italian-American family." Marisa and Clint were blessed with their first child, Ryan Robert Cianciarusich (a combination of their last names), on February 22, 2013.

Chapman Law School

As expected, Chapman Law has been re-accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). Every seven years, each ABA-approved law school in the country must apply for re-accreditation in order to stay endorsed by the ABA.

April 29, 2013: "The American Bar Association (ABA) has just granted California based Chapman University Law School full re-accreditation, without conditions, for another seven years. ABA law school accreditation is a comprehensive process involving site visits and committee work demonstrating that the school is in full compliance with all ABA standards."
Read more>>

The 2013-2014 academic year will be an exciting one as we welcome a host of new faculty members and courses. Chapman Law will be offering a broader array of new classes in areas such as international trade law, healthcare law, patent law, mergers and acquisitions, practice transactions, in-house corporate practice, video game law, patent litigation and sports law among others. Join us in welcoming the following the professors to Chapman University School of Law!

Lan Cao

Lan Cao, Professor of Law
Professor Cao is currently teaching at William & Mary Law School where she is the Boyd Fellow and Professor of Law. She earned her J.D. from Yale Law School and clerked for Judge Constance Baker Motley of the U.S District Court for the Southern District of New York. She practiced with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison in New York City. Additionally, Professor Cao was a Ford Foundation Scholar in 1991. She will be teaching Corporations, International Business Transactions and International Trade Law.

Samuel Ernst

Samuel Ernst, Assistant Professor of Law
Professor Ernst is presently a partner at the national firm of Covington & Burling LLP. He earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law School and clerked for Justice Timothy Dyk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He is an intellectual property and appellate litigation attorney working in all fields of technology, including semiconductor fabrication, circuit design, biomedical devices, software, and pharmaceuticals. He will be teaching Contracts, Pre-trial Civil Litigation, Patent Law and related intellectual property subjects.

Davis Gibbs

Davis H. Gibbs, Associate Professor of Practice
Professor Gibbs is currently a partner at Bowditch & Dewey LLP in Boston and is a Practitioner in Residence at Suffolk University Law School. He earned his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a business and trial lawyer with a national practice in dispute resolution and he is the founder of the Massachusetts Innovation and Technology Exchange. Professor Gibbs is listed in Best Lawyers in America in Dispute Resolution and Massachusetts Super Lawyers in Businesses Litigation. He will be teaching Practice Foundation Transactions and other practice-oriented topics.

Leigh Steinberg is a special adjunct professor who will teach Sports Law starting in fall 2013. As one of the nation’s most prominent sports agents, Professor Steinberg attended Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law where he intended to become a public defender. He has represented a “who’s who” of professional athletes and is credited as the real life inspiration of the sports agent from the film Jerry Maguire.

Eric Roeder is a special adjunct professor who will teach Video Game Law in fall 2013. Professor Roeder is the General Counsel of Blizzard Entertainment Inc., the producer of the World of Warcraft series of video games.

Other new faculty

William Black
Adjunct Professor
Course: Fundamentals
of In-House Corporate Practice

Gabriel Bowne
Adjunct Professor
Course: Arbitration

William Caplan
Adjunct Professor
Course: Mediation

Tom Crane
Adjunct Professor
Course: Mergers & Acquisitions

Tom Curtis
Adjunct Professor
Course: Healthcare Law

Joan Donnellan
Adjunct Professor
Course: Real Estate Finance and
Transactions

Mark Edwards
Adjunct Professor
Course: Arbitration

Martin Florman
Adjunct Professor
Course: Business Planning

Albert Garcia
Adjunct Professor
Course: California Environmental Law

Joe Jennings
Adjunct Professor
Course: Patent Litigation

Anne Lanphar
Adjunct Professor
Course: Commercial Leasing

Paul Marchegiani
Adjunct Professor
Course: Television Law

Julie Marzouk
Adjunct Professor
Course: Family Violence
Clinic; Immigration

Kenneth Miller
Adjunct Professor
Course: Pre-trial Civil Practice

Glen Pfeiffer
Adjunct Professor
Course: Financial Accounting

Barrie Roberts
Adjunct Professor
Course: Negotiations (LL.M.)

John Rosenthal
Adjunct Professor
Course: Healthcare Law

Mark Rothenberg
Adjunct Professor
Course: California Environmental Law; Municipal Ordinances; Land Use Dispute

John Sganga
Adjunct Professor
Course: Patent Litigation

Margaret Thomas
Adjunct Professor
Course: Selected Topics

Bryan Yacker
Adjunct Professor
Course: Tax Exempt Organizations (J.D./LL.M.)

Chapman Law students at the Riverside County Probation Department of Juvenile Hall

Chapman Law is pleased to announce the creation of the Juvenile Mediation Clinic, a new addition to the school’s wide array of Clinic options for students looking to gain practical experience outside of class. The program arose out of the Mediation Clinic’s existing relationship with the Riverside Superior Court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Director, Barrie Roberts. Professor David Dowling, who runs the Mediation Clinic, and Roberts had previously discussed expanding the Clinic’s scope to cover services for the Riverside Juvenile Hall population. The Juvenile Hall director was enthusiastic about welcoming Chapman students into the facility to provide mediation services to its juveniles. Utilizing training materials shared by faculty at other law schools, Melissa Bohl (3L) and Amanda Singer (3L) crafted the program while working with Professor Dowling. This program provides an important resource for the male adolescents residing in Juvenile Hall, as they experience issues as impactful as race conflicts and gang rivalries, according to Bohl. “Many of the minors have never been exposed to conflict resolution techniques outside of physical fighting, so providing information on how to communicate needs and interests is a new concept,” Bohl said. According to Professor Dowling, the Juvenile Hall supervisors will refer young men who have been involved in altercations to the student mediators on a weekly basis. The Clinic now offers two different types of conflict resolution: dispute mediation and peer mediation training for the juveniles. Before engaging in dispute mediation, the students in the Clinic will first undergo training so they understand how to create a comfortable environment for the participants in which they can engage in a dialogue about their problem, agree upon terms, and strategize ways to prevent future conflicts. The student mediator will then summarize the agreed-upon terms in a settlement agreement. The peer mediation gives the juveniles the chance to develop skills in mediating conflicts themselves while they reside in the facility and after they are back in their home environments, Professor Dowling said. Professor Dowling hopes to offer this program during both fall and spring semesters. Bohl advised that students who want to sign up for the Clinic must be completing or have previously completed Mediation, Client Counseling or Negotiations. The Juvenile Mediation program gives students the opportunity to take strategies for working with client conflicts and parlay those skills into a rewarding experience. “Seeing the growth and take-away that many of the participants get from the peer mediation training is incredible. Sometimes I will think that the minor is not listening to what I'm saying, but then when you ask them what they learned, they will not only tell you what you taught [them], but give insight and examples,” Bohl said. To learn more about the new Juvenile Mediation Clinic, contact Professor David Dowling at ddowling@chapman.edu.

Munira Akhunzada

On Friday, May 17, the Class of 2013 heard from many outstanding and accomplished speakers at their graduation ceremony, but perhaps the most unique among them was Munira Akhunzada (LL.M. ’13). Munira was chosen to speak at graduation by her classmates through a popular vote. And her speech was just as inspiring as her background--it even made KPCC news! [caption id="attachment_5706" align="alignleft" width="150"]

Munira Akhunzada and Shamsi Maqsoudi[/caption] Munira and fellow LL.M. graduate, Shamsi Maqsoudi, were selected by the US government’s Public Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan, which is a very selective program that promotes the next generation of Afghan legal scholars and judges. Before coming to Chapman Law, Shamsi worked for USAID Afghanistan and Munira worked for United Nations organizations for the promotion of women and human rights. “Munira’s selection as graduation speaker shows how much she and Shamsi have impressed their fellow students, but they have impressed the faculty as well. It’s been an honor to work with them,” said Professor Ron Steiner. Both Munira and Shamsi were interviewed by KPCC back in October 2012 when they first arrived in the United States. Since then, Munira and Shamsi more than lived up to the PPP’s high expectations. Munira earned the highest grade in four of her classes: Introduction to American Law, Advanced Legal Research, International Law & Organizations, and Negotiations. Munira says she will use her new knowledge of the law to become a judge in Afghanistan and Shamsi wants to become a Professor of Law at Kabul University. Anyone who knows Shamsi and Munira has likely already been inspired by them. But we all know that this is just the beginning.

Dean Campbell at 2013 Graduation Ceremony

Covered in gray, purple and red regalia, the combined J.D. and LL.M class of 2013 sat together at a bitter-sweet graduation celebration on Friday, May 17. After being welcomed by Dean Tom Campbell, the sizable graduating class (221 grads!) heard inspiring speeches from The Honorable Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and classmates Damon Pitt (J.D. ’13) and Munira Akhunzada (LL.M. ’13). Judge O’Scannlain gave the opening address. His speech provided insights into lawyers in America and referenced Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America. He also congratulated the Class of 2013 for their hard work in reaching this pivotal moment in their lives. "Be proud of what you have done." Damon Pitt (J.D. ’13) also spoke at graduation. He was selected by his fellow J.D. graduates to address the class and it was no surprise as to why Damon was chosen. In his typically brilliant manner, Damon’s speech compared law school to childhood with graduation being the entrance into adulthood. For comedic relief, Damon mimicked Professor Mario Mainero’s new favorite catchphrase, “You’re mine this summer. ” Professor Mainero runs the Bar Prep program at Chapman Law, so graduates will be back at school studying for the Bar until July.

"Professor Mainero, you're scarier than the Bar. And for that, we thank you." -Damon Pitt — Chapman Law School (@Chapman_Law) May 18, 2013

The LL.M. students chose Munira Akhunzada, a native of Afghanistan, as the LL.M. student speaker. Munira’s background and speech were so moving that local NPR affiliate KPCC 89.3 FM ran a story about it. Her message was simple yet packed with wisdom. “The person who goes furthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare,” she said. “This is the challenge that lies before us.” Towards the end of the ceremony, recent graduate and 2012-2013 Student Bar Association President Stephanie Morris announced that Professor Mario Mainero was the students’ choice for the Katherine M. Baird Darmer “Outstanding Professor of the Year” award. Each year, students select the professor they feel went above and beyond the call of the duty. The award is named after the late Professor Katherine M. Baird Darmer, whose hard work and dedication to her students will never be forgotten. Last year, the Class of 2012 bestowed the honor on Professor Frank J. Doti. “It was a great honor and a wonderful surprise to have been named Professor of the Year,” said Professor Mainero. “I am truly humbled by the announcement and I am looking forward to working with the Class of 2013 to help them achieve great success on the July 2013 Bar Exam.”

New adjunct Professor Leigh Steinberg is one of the nation's most prominent sports agents.

Incoming law students, faculty members, alumni and other special guests filled the lobby of Chapman's Kennedy Hall for a special “Meet the Professors” reception on Thursday, May 23. The event, hosted by Chapman Law’s Admissions Office, provided an opportunity for recently admitted students to meet the law school’s newest faculty members as well as many existing professors and administrators. Highlighting Chapman Law’s growing entertainment and intellectual property programs, the evening featured presentations by three new professors: entertainment law specialist Judd Funk, Blizzard Entertainment general counsel Eric Roeder, and internationally recognized super sports agent Leigh Steinberg. Each of the special guests explained their journey from law school to their current positions, giving salient advice to incoming students and also providing an overview of the courses they will teach at Chapman Law. Professor Funk will teach Entertainment Law and the Entertainment Law Clinic; Professor Roeder will teach Video Gaming Law; and, Professor Steinberg will teach Sports Law. In addition to 18 recently added adjunct professors, four new full time faculty members will join Chapman Law in fall 2013. “We are extremely excited about the many new additions to our law school faculty,” said Karman Hsu, Chapman Law’s Assistant Dean of Admissions and Diversity Initiatives. “Chapman Law continues to hire extraordinary faculty with impressive resumes, including leading scholars and educators with cutting edge, real world experience.” [caption id="attachment_5766" align="aligncenter" width="350"]

Newly admitted students chat with staff and new faculty members[/caption] [caption id="attachment_5775" align="aligncenter" width="350"]

(From the left) Dean Tom Campbell, Leigh Steinberg, Eric Roeder, Judd Funk, and Karman Hsu[/caption]

Leslie Ivie (’08)

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 fill out our short survey and tell us your good news!

Ruby Banipal (’09) recently left her position with Ernst & Young to join DLA Piper’s tax practice based in Chicago. Her focus is primarily on private wealth planning (everything from trusts/estates to business/corporate formation, M&A and financial governance). She works with a small group of highly specialized tax attorneys and works on complicated planning/restructuring projects and to develop client relationships.
Michelle Tran (’10) is the new Chair of the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) of the Orange County Bar Association, replacing Van Ha (’10).
Sandra Diaz (’06) became the President of the Southern California Region of the nonprofit National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). [caption id="attachment_5788" align="alignright" width="100"] Allison Lin (’12)[/caption]
Allison Lin (’12) and Robert Odell (’12) formed their own firm this year, Workplace Justice Advocates, PLC, with their colleague Tamara S. Freeze, specializing in representing employees in primarily wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, medical leave/accommodation, and wage and hour cases. The three managing shareholders recently also prevailed in a published decision from the California Court of Appeal: Hartwell Harris v. Bingham McCutchen LLP et al., 214 Cal. App. 4th 1399 (2013). [caption id="attachment_5789" align="alignright" width="150"] Robert Odell (’12)[/caption]
Anastasia "Ana" Lang (Sohrakoff) (’08) joined the Emerging Companies practice group at Perkins Coie. Lang is based in the Boise office and focuses her practice on corporate formation, venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, technology transfer transactions and general business. She represents companies in transactions across industries such as software, digital media and Internet services. Read more.
Farouk Systems appointed alumnus Jason L. Rumsey (’01) as General Counsel. Read more.
Jered Ede (’10) recently moved to Green & Hall APC as an Associate Attorney.
Rachel Tallon Reynolds ( Pickens) (’05) was recently published in the American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal, Vol. 48, Issue 1.
Leslie Ivie (’08) joined the Liberty Hill Foundation as the Interim Director of Development. The Liberty Hill Foundation, located in Los Angeles, advances social change through a strategic combination of grants, leadership training and campaigns.
Antionette Balta (’06) has been assigned to lead Public Law Center's new veterans project, Operation Veterans Re-Entry, a program dedicated to providing Orange County veterans and their families with free legal assistance to facilitate their re-entry into civilian life.
Cecilia Hong was appointed as Director of Communication and Assistant Policy Advisor for Orange County, District Three. She will be working at the Santa Ana Civic Center's Hall of Administration.

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Maryland v. King that police may take DNA from people arrested in connection with serious crimes. The federal government and 28 states, including California, collect DNA from people who have been arrested instead of waiting for a conviction. This morning, Chapman Law Professor Larry Rosenthal joined Erin Murphy, professor of law at NYU Law School, and Hank Greely, director of the Center for Law and the Biosciences and law professor at Stanford University, to discuss the implications of the decision on San Francisco’s KQED Forum radio broadcast.

The court ruled that police can take DNA samples from people who are arrested but not yet convicted of a crime to see if the DNA matches any samples from unsolved crimes in a national database. The majority opinion argued it’s a booking procedure, like modern day fingerprinting. But opponents say it’s a major change in police powers that tramples the privacy of suspects who haven’t been proven guilty. Professor Rosenthal discussed what the ruling will mean for pending challenges to California’s DNA collection program.

Professor Rosenthal is a former U.S. Supreme Court clerk, former federal prosecutor and a Harvard Law School graduate. He currently teaches Civil Rights, First Amendment Law, Constitutional Argument, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Local Government Law at Chapman.

Mainero

Congratulations to Professor Mario Mainero, Chapman Law’s 2013 recipient of the M. Katherine Baird Darmer “Outstanding Professor of the Year” award. The Student Bar Association presented Professor Mainero with this award on May 17, 2013, during the 2013 Graduation Ceremony. Professor Mainero was an adjunct professor when Chapman first opened, but left to teach at Whittier Law School, later became Whittier’s Director of Academic Support in 2001, went on to create Whittier’s bar preparation program, and doubled the pass rate before returning to Chapman. He has been running Chapman’s bar prep program since 2008, and over the past few years we have seen our rates move up to the high 70s and low 80s. The cornerstone of Professor Mainero’s bar prep program is his Select Topics in American Law class, a survey of all the essay subjects covered in the California Bar Exam. Answering in true law school format, Professor Mainero said that Select Topics helps students pass the bar. The class includes (1) what studying multiple subjects at the same time, and in a short period of time, is like; (2) what it is like to prepare for an exam with seven to eight subjects on it; (3) what it is like to take an exam with three essays, all with two or more different subjects; and (4) a baseline knowledge of the fifteen or so subjects tested on the bar exam. Sean O’Hair (J.D. ’13) spoke of his experience with Professor Mainero: “As a professor, he's tough, he expects a lot from you, but it's clear that he cares about his students and preparing them for his finals and ultimately the bar,” O’Hair said. During the school year, Professor Mainero said that he spends “70-80 hours and during the summer, about 100 hours preparing for classes, grading papers and exams, teaching, meeting with students, and the like.” Stephanie Brault (J.D. ’13), who took Professor Mainero’s classes for Evidence and Select Topics, said that he goes “unbelievably above and beyond for his students.” In Select Topics, he provided condensed outlines for each subject and he graded student essays each week and left specific comments on every single one. Brault commented on the importance of Professor Mainero’s Select Topics class; “If I didn’t have his class, I would feel so overwhelmed right now [during bar preparation].” When asked whether he believes his hard-working attitude and enthusiasm for learning motivates his students, Professor Mainero said, “Certainly with many of them, they appreciate my enjoyment of teaching and enthusiasm for the material. I hope my willingness to work hard for them translates to a willingness to work hard for themselves.” Professor Mainero hopes his students will take away one thing from their experiences in his classes: “Work hard--harder than they ever believed they could, and at the end of the day, be able to say, ‘I tried my best, and left nothing on the table.’ If they do that, success will find them.” Professor Mainero held the “Outstanding Professor” award in humble regard; “Each of them [the professors at Chapman Law] is, in many ways, far more deserving of the award, so to have received it, I regard it as a recognition of the importance of academic support and bar preparation in the curriculum and life of the law school community.”

Appellate Courtroom

On Monday, June 3, Chapman Law’s February 2013 Bar Exam passers gathered in Kennedy Hall to celebrate their accomplishment at the official swearing-in ceremony. Chapman’s most recent Bar pass rate continues to beat the national average even though the February Bar Exam is typically taken by fewer people. “70% of our first time takers who participated in our supplemental program in February passed, exceeding the CA ABA average by 10 percentage points,” mentioned Professor Mario Mainero who heads the Bar prep program. In December, Chapman’s Bar passage rate was 82%–a record breaker for the school. The ceremony was attended by Orange County Superior Court Judge Wendy Lindley, who administered the state oath and opening remarks. The Honorable Theodor C. Albert, United States Bankruptcy Court, also bestowed a few words of wisdom to the recent bar passers followed by the OCBA Young Lawyers Division Chair, Michelle Tran (J.D. '10) and the Chapman Law Alumni Chair Scott Levitt (’03, ‘10). Congratulations to the newest attorneys from the Chapman Law family!

Alex Winsberg, General Counsel for Angels Baseball, LP

Any law student interested in sports law will tell you that studying down the street from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is a great perk of going to Chapman. But an even bigger perk is getting the opportunity to receive career advice from Alex Winsberg, the General Counsel for Angels Baseball, LP. And that’s exactly what happened on Friday, June 14. Several newly admitted students, current students and alumni of Chapman Law gathered underneath the giant Angels “A” in the stadium parking lot for an afternoon “meet and greet” with Mr. Winsberg before the game. Winsberg, who sits on Chapman Law’s Business Law Emphasis Advisory Board, gave Chapman Law students personalized advice and counseling on getting through law school and following a career path, like his, into sports law. Angels

“The Angels chose me because they needed a generalist. And I demonstrated knowledge of various different aspects of the business-side of operations,” said Winsberg. Because the Angels is such a large enterprise, Winsberg works on wide range of “behind-the-scenes” legal issues. This includes anything from transactional matters and contract negotiation, civil and commercial litigation, intellectual property protection and registration, and product liability, to corporate risk management. “The most important thing is that you learn how to think like a lawyer,” Winsberg told Chris Lipides, an incoming Chapman Law student. Chris is interested in both sports and entertainment law and looks forward to getting involved with Chapman Law’s Entertainment Contracts Law Clinic. He is also excited that Leigh Steinberg, a well-known sports agent, will be teaching at Chapman Law starting this fall. After listening to Mr. Winsberg talk about everything from maintaining a work-life balance to his previous jobs, Chris said he genuinely enjoyed getting to know Mr. Winsberg. Not very many incoming law students get a networking opportunity such as this. After meeting Mr. Winsberg and eating delicious BBQ, the Chapman Law family proceeded to the stadium to watch the game. What was already an eventful afternoon ended with even more excitement as Angels fans celebrated the defeat of their rivals, the New York Yankees, followed by a spectacular stadium fireworks show.

Diversity Matters Award top ten finalists

The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) recently named Chapman Law a top 10 finalist for the 2013 Diversity Matters Award. The Award recognizes law schools that take the initiative to involve racially and ethnically diverse students in law school’s community, mainly through events. Chapman Law’s Associate Director of Admission and Diversity Initiatives Colby Carter commented on the award’s impact on Chapman Law and admissions: “Over the last three years, the Law School Admission Council has awarded Chapman Law one of the top three spots in the Diversity Matters award. This award exemplifies Chapman Law’s commitment to diversity in the legal profession, now and in the future. We hope that prospective applicants will find that Chapman Law is a place where we welcome and encourage diversity.” In terms of overall criteria, LSAC considers schools that hold events for racially and ethnically diverse students in high school, freshman or sophomore year of college from July 2012 through April 2013 and between January 15 and March 15, 2014. Additionally, LSAC examines the following factors: website promotion of the events; the school’s participation in DiscoverLaw.org events; whether the school volunteers on LSAC diversity panels, webinars and podcasts; the number of students attending the events; the maximum use of available funding for such events; the law school response to LSAC requests for alumni participation in videos and testimonials; the distribution of information about DiscoverLaw.org programs; and the overall creativity of the events. For the full explanation of the Diversity Matters Award Criteria, visit the law school section of DiscoverLaw.org.

Spring 2013 Scholarship Recipients

Entertainment, Film, and Business Law Event Brings Prominent Industry Leaders to Chapman

Alumnus Sean Thordsen is a Gamer Turned Lawyer, Now Specializes in Video Game Law

Chapman Law Announces 2013 Golden Gavel Award Winners

Chapman Law Celebrates Outstanding Students at 2012-13 Scholarship Awards Reception

A Year of Competition Successes for Chapman Law

Introducing the Professor Frank J. Doti Lecture Hall!

Faculty Spotlight: Marisa S. Cianciarulo

Chapman Law Receives ABA Re-accreditation

Meet the Newest Faculty Members Joining Chapman Law

Other new faculty

Chapman Law Introduces First Peer Mediation Clinic as Part of Juvenile Mediation Clinic

LL.M. Student from Afghanistan, Munira Akhunzada, Chosen as 2013 Commencement Speaker, Interviewed by KPCC

Chapman Law Graduates one of the Largest Classes in its History

Super Sports Agent Leigh Steinberg Featured at Chapman Law’s Meet the Professors Event

Alumni Highlights – May 2013

Professor Larry Rosenthal Discusses Supreme Court’s Recent DNA Ruling on San Francisco NPR Broadcast

Chapman Law Students Select Bar Prep Wizard Mario Mainero as 2013 “Outstanding Professor of the Year”

February 2013 Bar Passers Sworn in on June 3

Chapman Law Students Meet Alex Winsberg, the Legal Rock Star behind Angels Baseball, LP

Chapman Law Named Top Ten Finalist for 2013 Diversity Matters Award