|
School News
New Institute to Expand Jewish and Israel Studies at UC Berkeley
| Panelists at the recent Gilbert Foundation Colloquium in Israeli Law, Economy and Society. |
Funded by a $750,000 seed gift from The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation, the new Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israeli Law, Economy and Society reflects both a flourishing of Jewish legal studies in U.S. law schools and a national surge in the academic study of Israel. The institute is guided by 15 faculty members from across campus in a diversity of disciplines, including economics, business, political science, history, sociology, and Jewish studies.
The institute will run two distinct programs--one on Jewish Law, the other on Israeli Law, Economy and Society.
"We're working to support broader discourse on campus around Jewish and Israel-related scholarship," said institute faculty director Kenneth A. Bamberger, a constitutional and administrative law scholar who teaches courses in Jewish law and ethics. "We want to better serve UC students interested in studying these topics in-depth. Our programming will be truly interdisciplinary in scope and scholarship."
|
Grim Financial Forecast for UC Regents
Annual tuition increases at the University of California, significant layoffs, larger classes and reduced enrollment. That's the likely future unless state lawmakers put a tax extension on the ballot and voters approve it, UC finance experts told the regents this month in San Francisco. "We have a real crisis now," UC President Mark Yudof told the regents during a wide-ranging discussion of financial options for the nation's premier public university, which expects its state funding to be cut by half a billion dollars even if the tax extensions are approved. "We cannot engage in wishful thinking." Click here for more on this story. Click here to join Cal Advocacy, a coalition of thousands of Cal alumni, students, staff, faculty and parents in advocating for UC.
|
Changes in Fall Recruiting
For the fall 2011 semester, nearly all of Boalt's on-campus interviews will take place over the course of a single week (August 8-12) prior to the start of classes. The change results partly from recent developments in the legal hiring market, and also in response to student feedback.
Adopting an early interview week schedule will better align the timing of our on-campus interviews with those of students from other schools with whom our students compete for positions. Some schools have recently announced their intention to move their on-campus interviews earlier in the fall of 2011. Moreover, during the last recruiting season, employers appeared to have scheduled callback interviews earlier than in years past. Scheduling an early interview week here at Boalt responds to these trends in a way that we believe will maximize our students' employment options.
|
The Ginkgoes Are Back
From Kathleen Vanden Heuvel, Associate Dean, Capital Projects:
"Long live the Ginkgoes! We had to remove our mature Ginkgoes in order to build the South Addition, but we have replaced them with six young ones, hand selected by campus landscape architect Jim Horner. Last week the new trees were lowered with a crane onto the west courtyard and workers are now in the process of getting them settled in their new planter homes. Those of you who have been around long enough to remember our former Ginkgoes may be concerned that the unpleasant smell associated with these beautiful trees will also be returning. Not to worry. Although we may be contributing to the loss of biodiversity of the species by doing it, we did not plant any female trees this time around. We planted only male trees, and as a result we will be fruitless, and therefore odorless. (For an amusing article on smelly Ginkgo trees, see the June, 2008 New Yorker) Ginkgoes are thought to be oldest tree species on earth, and individual trees can live 3,000 years. So in theory these trees could be the ultimate naming opportunity."
|
Death Penalty Clinic Receives Abolition Award from Death Penalty Focus
Death Penalty Focus has named Boalt's Death Penalty Clinic as the winner of its 2011 Abolition Award. The clinic, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this fall, is led by Director Elisabeth Semel and Associate Director Ty Alper. Past award recipients include Gov. Mario Cuomo, Chief Justice Rose Elizabeth Bird, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson. The clinic will receive its award at the Death Penalty Focus Annual Awards Dinner on May 12 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. For more information on the event, click here.
In other news:
Also, check out In the News to see what our Boalt scholars are saying. |
Campaign for Boalt Hall
Noel Nellis '66 and Art Shartsis '71 Lead Reunion Gift Campaign
Class reunion campaigns for graduates in classes ending in 1 and 6 are officially underway. More than 50 volunteers have committed to helping plan reunion celebrations and fundraise for a class gift. Noel Nellis '66, a partner in Orrick's San Francisco office, and Art Shartsis '71, a founding partner of Shartsis Friese LLP, are chairing the overall effort.
Class reunions will be held during Alumni Weekend, September 30 through October 1, in the Bay Area. All gifts and pledges made from January 1 through December 31, will count toward class gifts. More information is available online here.
|
Gifts Matched for Grads 2006 to 2011
Alumni and students in classes 2006 through 2011 can have their gifts matched 1:1 by the UC Berkeley Foundation. Contributions can be designated to any of Boalt Hall's funds, and the matching offer ends June 30. Please act now, as only a limited amount of matching money is available to UC Berkeley grads. Learn more and make your gift here. |
Naming Opportunities for the New Building
The "South Addition" will debut later this spring. Highlights of the pavilion include an expansive roof-deck garden, student commons and café, and sky bridges to the existing building. Opportunities are available to name these areas and some of the featured areas of the new building. For more information, contact Robert Sproul at 510.643.8170 or rsproul@law.berkeley.edu.You can take a virtual tour of the pavilion here.
|
Alumni News
The Judith Leslie Soley '70 Memorial Fund for Disabled Students Established
Judith Leslie Soley '70 passed away on February 16. A trailblazer, she led the way for women in the legal profession and the community. As a result of a birth injury, Judy was wheelchair-bound, which made her accomplishments all the more exceptional. After graduation, she became a Certified Family Law Specialist and the first woman president of the Fresno County Bar Association. Judy received the Fresno County Women Lawyers Pauline Davis Hansen award for excellence and served as Judge Pro Tempore for Fresno County Superior Court. Governor Brown appointed her to the California Transportation Commission and she co-chaired the Fresno County Commission for the International Year of Disabled Persons. Judy was also chair of the Valley Small Business Development Board of Directors and received the Marjoree Mason Award for the Top 10 Businesswomen. Judy provided for Boalt in her will with a gift to establish The Judith Leslie Soley Memorial Fund for Disabled Students to provide financial aid to disabled students at the law school. Gifts made in memory of Judy have been directed to this fund with a goal to endow it. Additional gifts are welcome and can be made online here with the name of the fund in the special instructions box. For information on contributions by check, please click here.
|
Honoring Stephen Bundy '78
Professor Stephen Bundy '78 is the 2011 recipient of Boalt's Rutter Award for Teaching Distinction. The award honors outstanding commitment to teaching, and was established in 1995 by William Rutter--a philanthropist, lawyer, educator and author. Recent recipients of the award include Eric Rakowski and the late Philip Frickey.
Professor Bundy, an expert on civil procedure, complex litigation and legal ethics, graduated from Boalt Hall in 1978. He has been on the Boalt faculty since 1984. Professor Bundy's scholarship has centered on the legal profession and dispute resolution. He also co-authored "Pleading and Procedure: State and Federal Cases and Materials," a leading law school textbook. He has taught many courses over the years, including Civil Procedure, Complex Civil Litigation, Law and Ethics of Lawyering, and the Civil Justice Workshop.
After law school, Professor Bundy clerked for Judge John J. Gibbons of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and worked for the New York firm Cravath Swaine & Moore, where he specialized in litigation.
|
Amelia Miazad '02 Returns to Boalt to Head LL.M. and JSD
Amelia Miazad '02 has been named executive director of the law school's Advanced Degree Programs Office, which oversees the LL.M. and J.S.D. degree programs. Miazad had been a senior counsel at Hanson Bridgett in San Francisco, where she gained extensive experience managing cases. Born in Afghanistan, Miazad is active in legal development and policy issues relating to that country and has been closely involved with the Miller Institute for Global Challenges and the Law's "Rule of Law" project on Afghanistan. Miazad is also a board member of the Boalt Hall Alumni Association. |
Student Corner
Diana Rashid '13 and Homaira Hosseini '13 Named Soros Fellows
Diana Rashid '13 and Homaira Hosseini '13 have been awarded Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans. Each year, 30 fellows--all children of immigrants--receive up to $90,000 to help cover two years of tuition and other educational and living expenses at a U.S. graduate school. The program was created in 1997 to recognize the contributions New Americans have made to American life, and in gratitude for the opportunities the U.S. afforded the donors and their family. Fellows are selected on the basis of merit, with an emphasis on creativity, originality, initiative, and sustained accomplishment in annual national competitions.
|
3L and LL.M. Gifts Matched to Any Boalt Hall Fund -- Including Student Orgs
Maximize your support to the areas of Boalt you care for most! Matching funds are limited, and the program expires June 30. Students in the class of 2011 will have their gifts up to $1,000 matched dollar-for-dollar by the UC Berkeley Foundation Board of Trustees. To make your gift now click here.
|
LSAD Alumni Reunion April 8-10
Sponsored by the Law Students of African-Descent, this year's Black Alumni Weekend will take place from April 8-10. The weekend kicks off with the annual LSAD Legacy Dinner on Friday, April 8, from 7-10 pm at Z Cafe in Oakland. The headlining event of Black Alumni Weekend, the Legacy Dinner, will be a sophisticated affair. Alumni and LSAD supporters will honor the achievements of alumni and current student membership of the Law Students of African Descent. Sponsors and supporters will also receive special recognition. There is a $40 suggested donation. On Saturday April 9th, between 12-2 p.m., please join us for the Coalition for Diversity BBQ featuring Ms. Joyce's famous soul food cooking! Many of you remember the years of dedication Ms. Joyce gave to the Law Students of African Descent through her work in the book store as well as providing good food and support to students. Come fellowship with current and recently admitted students at this annual event. Finally, On Sunday April 10th between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., please join us for brunch with Dean Edley at his home.
We hope to see you throughout the weekend of April 8-10! If you have any questions or concerns please e-mail lsad@law.berkeley.edu.
|
Online Alumni Communities Alumni + Students = the New Mentor Directory!
Please take a moment now to join Boalt Hall's new Mentor Directory on LinkedIn. Just click here.
This new group is being established to become a primary source for Boalt law students seeking to benefit from alumni assistance with regard to career-related advice.
Students may use the forum to obtain informational interviews, ask advice on choosing a practice area, and seek information on legal trends in diverse geographic locations. They are advised not to contact mentors for employment or business purposes.
|
Boalt 1st Generation Professionals Group Forming
Stay tuned for further information about this effort to connect Boalt students and alums who share the experience of being the first in their families to become professionals. Join the Facebook group First Generation Professionals online here.
Stay Connected with Boalt Online!
AlumNetwork | Facebook | Flickr | LinkedIn | Twitter
|
Ask the Archivist Women at Boalt
Q. Who are the women in the class photos in the Donor Lobby? Were they students, and if so, what did they do with their careers? - TC, Berkeley
A. Most of the women in the class photographs were indeed law students at Boalt Hall. Some were members of the staff. Though not all of them can be identified at this point, there are a few names we can attach to faces, and some interesting lives associated with those names. Read more.
|
|
In this Issue
Make a difference in helping secure the future of the law school.
|
Upcoming Events
| March 30, Silicon Valley alumni reception and presentation "The Future of K-12 Education: A Look at Teacher Quality and Technology" More information here.
April 1, Samuelson Clinic 10th Anniversary, Berkeley
April 7, Ecology Law Quarterly 40th Anniversary Banquet, Berkeley
Join friends, fellow alumni, and current ELQ members in celebrating our 40th Anniversary and the establishment of ELQ's new diversity scholarship! There will be drinks, dinner, and the presentation of awards for our student writing competitions and our annual Environmental Leadership Award.
April 9, Charter Gala honoring Cloey Hewlett '79, San Francisco. If you'd like to be seated at the Boalt alumni table, please email rsvp@law.berkeley.edu. More information here.
April 14, California Law Review Annual Alumni and Student Banquet, Berkeley. Join the California Law Review for this year's Alumni Banquet. The California Law Review will be honoring Dave Frohnmayer '67 with its Alumnus of the Year Award, as well as awarding bar grants to members of the graduating class who are entering public service. Details here. April 19, Alumni Reception with Admitted Students,
Washington DC
Join fellow DC-area alumni and Dean of Admissions Edward Tom for a special reception with Boalt's newly admitted students. Special thanks to Ruth Greenspan Bell '67 for hosting.
April 21, Alumni Reception with Admitted Students
New York City
Meet alumni and newly admitted students from the NY area, as well as hear from Dean of Admissions Edward Tom. Special thanks to Benson Cohen '04 and Sidley Austin for hosting.
June 7, Alumni reception with admitted and current students, Los Angeles Save the date!
June 17-19, Annual Reunion of International Alumni, London. For information contact Ana Penteado LL.M. '97 penteado.ana2008@gmail.com
July 29, San Francisco Alumni Happy Hour. Save the date! This special event is to celebrate completion of the July Bar Exam and welcome incoming students.
|
Career Corner |
Support for your career development doesn't end with graduation. The Career Development Office provides resources for alums, including access to the b-Line jobs database and individualized confidential career counseling: resume review, job search strategies, career exploration (including careers outside of law practice), and more. See the Alumni Resources page on the CDO website.
Notices:
Solo Criminal Defense Lawyers, the CDO is seeking alums practicing in solo/small criminal defense firms as contacts for students/alums considering careers in that area.Please contact us if you are willing to do an informational interview or quick mentoring.
Sample B-Line Job Board Postings for Alums:
Corporate Patent Counsel, NVIDIA,Santa Clara, CA. See b-Line job ID #9418
Corporate Associate, K&L Gates, Portland, OR. See b-Line job ID #9422
Deputy Attorney General, California Attorney General, Fresno, San Francisco or Los Angeles, CA. See b-Line job ID #9374
Access b-Line from the CDO website for more details and additional listings. Email career@law.berkeley.edu for a password. And if your organization or firm is hiring please let us know!
Check out these upcoming career-focused events:
Thursday, April 28th 6:00-7:30 p.m., Boalt CDO Program: In-house Legal Careers.This will be a panel discussion featuring Boalt alums in a variety of in-house positions and addressing questions on timing and strategies for moving in-house.Hosted and light refreshments courtesy of Farella Braun + Martel LLP, 235 Montgomery Street, San Francisco.RSVP please.
AIDS Legal Referral Panel offers several free MCLE trainings, including:
Consensual Dispute Resolution in LGBTQ Separation and Divorce, March 29th
Intro to Wills & Trusts for LGBTQ Clients, April 19th
Intro to Immigration Law, May 12th
News and Updates: Despite the tough legal job market, Boalt alums are persisting in finding great jobs. See "Success Stories" posted on the Career Corner website.
|
Online Alumni Networks
All law school graduates are invited to join AlumNetwork. Just email alumni@law.berkeley.edu for your security ID, then visit AlumNetwork here to activate your profile. The online community includes: a directory of alumni, Class Notes, your own personal profile, alumni/ae profiles, events and registration, and more.... And be sure to join our other groups: Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. LinkedIn is a great resource for referrals, job listings and career development advice from Robert White, Boalt's director of alumni career services.
|
|
|
|
Class Notes Keep your fellow alums up-to-date with your important life changes by submitting a Class Note. To submit a class note, you will need to use your AlumNetwork ID and password. If you do not have your ID, email alumni@law.berkeley.edu. We'll publish your news on the web and/or the alumni magazine, Transcript. You can also browse current class notes here. |
- Gary Cohen '74
Gary J. Cohen returned to Sidley Austin in Los Angeles in February 2011 after serving 14 months as the General Counsel to the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission in Washington DC. He notes that it was a remarkable experience in any number of ways and is now trying to remember how to fill out a timesheet.
While GC of the Commission, he interviewed many of the leading figures and commentators on the financial crisis, including Paul Krugman, George Soros, Sandy Weill, Hank Paulson, Warren Buffett, Judge Richard Posner and Pimco's Bill Gross, among others. - Jonathan M. Eisenberg '96
Jonathan received one of the 2011 "California Lawyer Attorney of the Year" awards from California Lawyer magazine. The award recognizes his work, as a deputy attorney general in the Antitrust Law Section of the California Attorney General's Office, in prosecuting two antitrust cases, one involving profit-pooling in the supermarket industry and the other involving vertical price-fixing in the cosmetics industry. - Josh Friday '09
"My husband, Josh Fryday, is a Boalt Hall 2009 alum. After Boalt, he joined the US Navy as a JAG. We have been stationed in Japan for nearly a year now. We are based at Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka, about 40 miles south of Tokyo. Following the recent earthquake and tsunami, my husband was called out to sea to join the USS Blue Ridge in coordinating the American relief efforts for Japan.
Just wanted to let you all know that we are safe and that Josh is very excited and honored to be assisting the Japanese with their relief effort. We truly love the Japanese people and culture and find the series of recent events completely devastating." - Mollye Fryday - David Osias '79
Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis has elected a new managing partner -- and only the second in the firm's 35-year history. Brian Leck, the managing partner since the firm's founding in 1977, will pass the baton to San Diego bankruptcy partner David Osias effective July 1. Osias, who was voted in unanimously by the partnership Tuesday night, represents the next generation of leaders at the 240-lawyer real estate and business firm. He joined in 1991 and has been involved in various leadership roles since, including compensation and strategic planning. Allen Matkins will look to him to help with the adjustment to a more stable economy and more vigorous deal flow. "David is a brilliant guy," said Leck. "He's creative, he's strategic, he's a tireless worker ... and he has the trust of the partners." - Nicole Ries '09
Nicole received a Bristow Fellowship, just one of four awarded each year. Fellows work for one year in the Office of the Solicitor General in the US Department of Justice. Not only is this a terrific achievement for Nicole, but it also marks the second year in a row that a Boalt graduates has been selected for a Bristow Fellowship. Gerry Sinzdak '08, an incoming clerk for Justice Ginsburg, was a 2010-11 Bristow Fellow.
|
- Scott Stratman '94
Scott was recently named the managing attorney for Valerian, Patterson & Stratman, a 16-lawyer staff counsel office for Farmers Insurance. Scott is the eighth managing attorney in the firm's 79-year history. Its trial practice represents Farmer's insured's sued in three counties: Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco. - Karin Wang '95
Karin Wang '95, vice-president of Programs & Communications at the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC), has been named the 2011 Woman of the Year for California's 49th Assembly District. The Los Angeles-area district includes the cities of Alhambra, El Monte, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino and South El Monte. Assembly member Mike Eng, who selected Wang for the award, said she "has a distinguished history of fighting for the rights of disadvantaged communities, including immigrants, limited English speakers, low-income families, and gays and lesbians."
APALC is the nation's largest legal and civil rights organization serving Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Previously, Wang directed APALC's immigrant rights project and helped file a landmark civil rights complaint against Los Angeles County on behalf of limited English-speaking welfare recipients, leading to major reforms to the department's services to immigrants and a $1.7 million payment in back benefits. She also ran the first Los Angeles field office of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, enforcing federal civil rights laws across the Southwest and the Pacific.
Wang is currently a member of the State Bar's Council on Access & Fairness and co-chairs the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association's Pro Bono & Community Service Committee. She is also past president of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County, a past board member of the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association, and former chair of the State Bar's Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services. - Jeff Zinsmeister '04
In his present tour in the U.S. Foreign Service, Jeff Zinsmeister is serving as U.S. vice consul to the Republic of Cape Verde. In addition to deciding "who gets U.S. visas and who does not," Zinsmeister helps Americans with citizenship issues such as passport issuance and registering U.S. citizens born abroad, as well as emergencies. Despite a population of only 500,000, Cape Verde is home to many dual citizens and immigrants because of its long history of migration to the U.S.; one of the first U.S. consulates was established there in 1818.
In October, Zinmeister will go to Washington, D.C. and receive five months of training for his next assignment as a counter-narcotics officer in Mexico City. The Narcotics Affairs Section there implements the Merida Initiative, a security cooperation agreement between the U.S., Mexico, and other Central American and Caribbean nations.
|
|
|