using our marks in their promotions.” Later, the conference confronted stadium development issues, with a focus on Northern California. Myers and D’Alessandro, both lawyers, then described the challenges of their lives as general managers in the NBA. The final session probed the rise of off-field transgressions and corresponding discipline. Panelists included Berkeley Law alums Steinberg (who revolutionized the sports agency industry and inspired the 1996 hit
movie Jerry Maguire), Hunter (a former NFL player who headed the NBA players union from 1996 to 2013), and Greg Genske ’98 (a top baseball agent who also represents quarterback Jameis Winston, the first pick in this year’s NFL draft). “People know this school produces leaders in fields like social justice, politics, and environmental law,” Brokaw says. “Now they’re starting to realize it also produces leaders in sports.” —Andrew Cohen
One panel examined the increasingly blurred lines between athlete and entertainer representation.
Travels with Choudhry: Engaging Alums
JIM BLOCK
D
ean Sujit Choudhry values alumni engagement the way plants value water. As he sees it, “Berkeley Law’s ability to flourish is tied directly to our alumni community’s involvement with the school.” Toward that end, Choudhry hit the ground sprinting after he arrived last July. Over his first nine months, the numbers were staggering: 18 alumni events in 13 cities on 3 continents—and over 125 one-on-one meetings. His desire to gain insights from Berkeley Law graduates and involve them in the school’s future took him to Los Angeles, Denver, New York City, Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Frankfurt, New Delhi, and London—as well as San Francisco and Silicon Valley. “The dean’s enthusiasm for the school is infectious,” says Tracy Edmonson ’88, a partner at Latham & Watkins’ London office. “We had a lively discussion about the faculty, the student body, and future plans. We spent a lot of time talking about making law school affordable, as it was when I attended.” Choudhry’s outreach has helped bring prominent alums back to campus to speak, assist various programs, and mentor students. Among them: environmental lawyer Ruth Greenspan Bell ’67, who met with Choudhry in Washington, D.C., and returned to Berkeley in March to deliver a dynamic talk to students at the Faculty Club. “It was huge fun to spend a day at the
school,” Bell says. “I came away actively envious of the current students and the experience they’re getting.” A Friday snapshot from Choudhry’s fall schedule: He takes a 6 a.m. flight to Los Angeles and has four meetings—two with individual alums and two with multiple alumni partners at different downtown law firms—before his 7:35 p.m. flight home. His tireless travels, Bell believes, have helped reaffirm Berkeley Law’s national and global standing. “As I’ve learned hosting the new admits reception in D.C. for many years, it isn’t always clear to prospective students that Berkeley opens doors well beyond California for its graduates,” Bell says. “Sujit’s interest in solidifying ties with alumni in D.C. and elsewhere helps reinforce the message that Berkeley Law students can take their skills anywhere in America or the world and be welcomed.” —Andrew Cohen
Dean Sujit Choudhry has shared his vision with alumni from coast to coast—and overseas.
ROAD WARRIOR:
S P R I N G 2015 | T R A N S C R I P T |
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