March, 2010

Have you moved to a new city or job? Do you have a baby on the way? Did you get a promotion? Keep your fellow alums up-to-date with your important life changes by submitting a Class Note. We'll publish your news on the web and/or the alumni magazine, Transcript. And if you don't have anything new to report, just browse our Class Notes page.

• Wayne M. Barsky ’83
  Wayne M. Barsky was honored with the American Jewish Committee Los Angeles 30th Annual Learned Hand Award.  This prestigious award is the highest honor AJC bestows upon members of the legal profession who have been voices of understanding and good will.  Wayne is a partner in the Century City office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and is National Co-Chairman of the firm’s 125-lawyer Intellectual Property Practice Group.  He has consistently been rated one of the top intellectual property legal specialist in the country.
  
• Ana de Alba ’07
  Ana de Alba was appointed by the Board of Governors to the California State Bar Standing Committee for the Delivery of Legal Services ("SCDLS"). SCDLS identifies, develops, and supports improvement in the delivery of legal services (civil and criminal) to low-and moderate income individuals in California; serves as a resource to the Board of Governors on legal services issues and relevant legislation; develops and presents educational programs and materials to improve the delivery of legal services; maintains liaison relationships with other State Bar entities; and works to encourage and increase pro bono participation in California. Her appointment began on September 13, 2009 and will expire on the close of the 2012 State Bar Annual Meeting.
  
• Nadia Costa '01 and Joshua Safran '01
  Nadia Costa and Joshua Safran were honored with the 2010 Domestic Violence Pro Bono Law Award by the Domestic Violence Practicum at UC Berkeley School of Law, the California Coalition of Women Prisoners, & the California Habeas Project. They were accompanied at the awards ceremony by their newly free client, Deborah Peagler who had been unlawfully incarcerated for 27 years. Safran and Cost spent six and a half years working to free Peagler. The award was given "for outstanding and tireless pro bono legal and investigative work in proving Deborah Peagler's case, freeing her from prison, and raising public awareness of domestic violence."
  
• The Honorable Kelvin D. Filer '80
  The Honorable Kelvin D. Filer was honored on February 27, 2010 by the Compton Chamber of Commerce during Black History Month as one of the first African-Americans from the City of Compton to be appointed to the position of LA Superior Court Judge.
  
• Sonia M. Gonzales ’07
  Sonia M. Gonzales is the new Managing Director for the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area. Previously, Sonia was the Assistant Director of the ACLU of Northern California. As a member of the senior management team, she partnered with the Executive Director in managing operations of the nation's largest ACLU affiliate. Her legal experience includes positions at Morrison & Foerster LLP, National ACLU Immigrants Rights Project, and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.
  
  
• Christina G. Hioureas ’07
  Christina G. Hioureas has joined the Public International Law Practice Group of Latham and Watkins in London. The group represents sovereign States, international organizations and private entities in disputes and advisory transactional matters relating to every continent and region of the world. Christina is engaged in advising clients on overseas investments, land boundaries and international human rights before tribunals including the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the European Court of Human Rights and the UNCITRAL tribunal.
  
  

• James McManis '67
  James McManis, a name partner at McManis Faulkner and Boalt Hall Alumni Association Board President, has been chosen for inclusion in Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition 2010. Head of 35-year-old McManis Faulkner, McManis also was named a 2009 Northern California Super Lawyer. He has represented many Silicon Valley companies with regard to commercial, trade secret and intellectual property issues and also represents individuals in civil rights actions, employment disputes and criminal defense.
  
  
• Donald J. Morgan '60
  Donald J. Morgan passed away on December 28, 2009. Donald returned to Portland after graduation from Boalt and worked for the Law Firm of Wood, Wood, Tanum, Moser, Brooks and Holden from 1965 until his retirement in 1988. He led a joyful life with his college sweetheart, Connie, to whom he was married for over 50 years. Donald is survived by his wife, daughters, son and grandchildren.
  
• Julia C. Nienhaus ’04
  Julia C. Nienhaus has taken a position as legal counsel for structured and project financing at the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg. She enjoys working with this international institution and would love to meet up with fellow alumni who happen to stop by in Luxembourg.
  
• Diana L. Powell ’80
  Diana L. Powell has been named to the 2010 edition of Colorado Super Lawyers. As vice president and shareholder in the law firm of Gutterman Griffiths PC, Diana's primary focus is on high asset, high conflict divorce representation. She also has experience as lead counsel to buyers and sellers in over 100 merger and acquisition transactions, ranging from $1 million to $150 million.
  
• The Honorable Reynato S. Puno ’68
  The Honorable Reynato S. Puno, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, is this year's Haas International Award winner. He will be presented with the award at the 2010 Commencement Convocation on May 16 at the Greek Theatre.
  
• Willis S. Slusser '41
  Willis S. Slusser passed away on February 28, 2009. He was 93. A long-standing supporter of the law school, he had an exemplary and distinguished career, and was extraordinarily generous in his support of the University and of Boalt Hall.
  
• Lee H. Storey ’87
  Lee H. Storey, a partner in the Litigation Department of Ballard Spahr, has been named to the advisory board of the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity (CCSRE) at Stanford University. The center’s research institute sponsors fellowship programs, seminar series, conferences, and other activities focusing on race and ethnicity dynamics in human relations. Lee practices in Ballard Spahr’s Phoenix office. She is a member of the firm’s Climate Change and Sustainability, Environment, and P3/Infrastructure Groups and leads the Water Rights Group.
  
• Allison M. Woodall ’95
  Allison M. Woodall, a San Francisco-based partner in the Hanson Bridgett LLP’s Labor & Employment Section, was named Managing Counsel of the Labor, Employment and Benefits Group in the Office of the General Counsel at the University of California. As Managing Counsel, Allison will manage the attorneys in the labor, employment and benefits group and provide advice and counsel to senior management on complex labor and employment matters.