All through this special Centennial year, we at Boalt Hall have been awash with gratitude. Thanks to you, our inspiring alumni and friends, we've had plenty to celebrate. From sold-out Centennial events to meaningful increases in philanthropic giving to the countless other ways you enrich our community, we're extraordinarily grateful for all that you do to make Boalt--as Dean Edley likes to say--the best public law school on the planet. We wish you and your family a very safe and happy Thanksgiving, and a joyous holiday season ahead.

Boalt's much-anticipated Centennial Gala proved nothing short of an epic celebration. On Nov. 9, the law school entertained about 400 guests at Pauley Ballroom with a lavish dinner, a congratulatory proclamation from California State Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner, appearances by Oski Bear and the student a cappella group DeCadence, historical video presentations projected on the ballroom's large walls, confetti, cake, and dancing to the Dick Bright Orchestra. Dean Edley, Chancellor Birgeneau and others paid tribute to Boalt's remarkable first century, and spoke of the exciting challenges ahead for the next 100 years.

GALA PHOTO GALLERY

On Nov. 9, as a meaningful prelude to the Gala celebration, Boalt dedicated its new Centennial Society Donor Wall with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and champagne reception. Thank you again to the generous lifetime supporters who have made our success possible.

See photos here.

Reunion '12 was great fun, as All-Alumni Weekend saw graduates pack our Political Roundtable event, honor anniversary milestones of some of Boalt's top centers and clinics, attend the Jensen Public Service Award luncheon, catch up with classmates, and enjoy reunion dinners. 

Alums with graduation years ending in 2 or 7 still have time to participate in giving back to Boalt through their class gift. You can join your classmates and help boost the law school's alumni participation rate here or send a check to the Alumni Center at 2850 Telegraph Avenue, Suite 500, Berkeley, CA 94705. 

See photos from this year's special-edition Centennial reunion celebration here. Congratulations to all of this year's celebrants!

Congratulations to Boalt's Class of 2012! The annual State Bar Admissions Ceremony will be held in Booth Auditorium on Friday, Dec. 7. Presiding judges are Justice Kathryn Werdegar '62 of the California Supreme Court, Judge William Fletcher of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and Judge Claudia Wilken '75, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court in California's Northern District. Registration begins at 2 pm, the ceremony starts at 3, and a reception follows from 4-5 for new lawyers, family, and friends. Please RSVP to 510.643.6549 or [email protected].

Q: How did the Boalts make their money? Were they like robber barons or something?

--JPM, Berkeley 

A. Robber barons? Well, it depends on how you feel about lawyers. John Henry Boalt was successful Bay Area attorney, but notoriety (and a nice chunk of change) came from his involvement with one of the biggest tabloid scandals of gaslight-era San Francisco.

Read more...

Heather Tewksbury '02 and classmate Lidia Maher '02 recently received the U.S. Attorney General's Award for Meritorious Public Service. Tewksbury and Maher were honored for their work as members of the team that successfully prosecuted AU Optronics, among others, for price fixing. The case marked the first time that the U.S. Antitrust Division litigated the issue of ill-gotten gain before a jury.

"This year's award recipients have made significant contributions across, and far beyond, the Department of Justice and helped to protect the rights, safety, and best interests of the citizens we are privileged to serve," Attorney General Eric Holder said. "I am grateful for the dedication and passion that these extraordinary public servants bring to their work, and I am honored to count them as colleagues."

Mitchell Zuklie '96 Named Chair at Orrick

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe has chosen Mitchell Zuklie '96 to become chair of the international law firm starting in January 2014. His selection capped an 18-month process in which Orrick's Nominating Committee obtained direct input from its 370 partners. As the leader of Orrick's Corporate Business Unit, Zuklie oversees its Capital Markets, Compensation & Benefits, Emerging Companies, M&A/Private Equity, and Tax groups. A top advisor to entrepreneurs, technology companies, and the venture capital community, Zuklie won Berkeley Law's Young Alumni Award in 2011. While a law student, he was editor-in-chief of the California Law Review.

Brian Walsh '72 Elected Presiding Judge

Brian Walsh '72 has been elected Presiding Judge of the Santa Clara County Superior Court for the 2013-15 term. Currently the court's Assistant Presiding Judge, he will take over his new post on Jan. 1. First appointed to the Superior Court in 2000, Walsh worked in private practice and was managing partner at McTernan, Stender, Walsh, Weingus & Tondreau. He also co-directed the Legal Aid Society of Monterey County from 1972-1974. "Having worked closely with Judge Walsh over the past two years, I know that I'll be leaving the court's helm in incredibly capable hands," said Presiding Judge Richard J. Loftus, Jr.

Lecturer in Residence Henry Hecht was recently honored for his 30 years at Berkeley Law. The first instructor to teach specific lawyering skills at the law school, Hecht guided its first courses in client interviewing, counseling, and negotiation. Three decades later, professional skills comprise more than 15 percent of Berkeley Law's academic program, with a significant portion taught by leading practitioners and judges. Hecht is also an independent consultant on legal skills training and co-founder of The Hecht Training Group, a group of attorneys who have each taught lawyering skills for over 25 years.

Rebecca Nichols '10 passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 5, 2012. She will be deeply missed and fondly remembered. A tireless advocate for social justice, Rebecca was active during her time at Boalt in the California Asylum Representation Clinic, the East Bay Community Law Center (EBCLC), Community Legal Outreach, the Berkeley Journal of International Law, and the National Lawyers Guild. After completing a Bridge Fellowship at EBCLC, Rebecca worked as an associate at Manatt Phelps Phillips, where she earned the deep respect of her colleagues and continued her dogged pursuit of social justice, developing an active pro bono practice and serving on the New Leadership Council of Bet Tzedek. Family, friends, and colleagues will remember Rebecca for her extraordinary generosity, her unfailing kindness, her quiet brilliance, her goofy sense of humor, and the zeal with which she lived her life. To honor her generous spirit, donations may be made to Bet Tzedek in memory of Rebecca Nichols.

Online Alumni Networks

All law school graduates are invited to join AlumNetwork. Just email [email protected] 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.

The Inside Scoop on Boutique, Small and Midsize Firms

On Nov. 27 the Career Development Office and Boalt alumni with specialties including employment law, mediation, white collar defense, and complex commercial litigation will share their thoughts in a webinar on the unique aspects of working in boutique, small, and mid-size firms. The discussion will focus on finding positions and building careers at smaller firms, small-firm economics, professional development, client development, and work-life balance. Please RSVP to Robert White, Director of Alumni Career Services, at [email protected] by noon on Monday, November 26th. Information on how to access the program from your computer or mobile device will be emailed to you before the webinar, which runs from 1:00 pm to 2:15 pm. More information is available here.

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.

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