FACULTY UPDATES

Judicature Journal just published an interview with Judge Diane P. Woods (7th Circuit) along with Professor Brenner Johnson and her co-author for their book, Shortlisted: Women in the Shadows of the Supreme Court. Perfect timing for Women’s History Months.

Professor Brenner Johnson spoke at a webinar hosted by a consortium of Externship faculty at Southern California law schools. They provided training for attorneys who supervise externs and law students. She presented on bias/professional identity/first generation students and on providing feedback.

Presentations: Panelist, AALS Open-Source Program, Author Meets Readers: Women Trailblazers in Legal Education, AALS Annual Conference, San Diego, CA 2023. Invited Speaker, Belmont Law Review

Annual Symposium, Shifting Landscapes: 21st Century Property Law, Real Estate Trends: Title and Blockchain, Belmont Law School, Nashville, TN, Sept. 2022. Panelist and Organizer, Graciela Olivares Latinas in the Legal Academy “GO LILA” Inaugural Workshop, Stanford Law School (via Zoom), June 2022. Co-hosted Latina/o Law Professor Dinner AALS 2023.

Professor Nancy Marcus

In January, Professor Nancy Marcus became the first legal skills professor voted to join the tenure track faculty through California Western School of Law’s new unitary tenure track program. She has also recently joined the Board of Directors for the National Chosen Family Law Center.

Professor Simon’s most recent work, Using AI in the Law Review Submissions Process, was published by the UC Davis Law Review. She presented at the University of San Diego’s 10th Annual Patent Conference in March.

Recent publications: Sax, J.K. and Doran, N., Evaluation of Risk Perception of Smoking After the Implementation of California’s Tobacco 21 Law, 19 INT’L J. OF ENV’T RES. AND PUB. HEALTH 16971 (2022); Sax, J.K., Genetically Engineered Food, Food Security, and Climate Change, 6 MO. BUS., ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND TAX L. REV. 1 (2022); Sax, J.K., COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and (Mis)perception of Risk, 48 AM. J. L. & MED. 54 (2022). Recent media: KCBS – San Francisco, Interview about FDA’s proposed rule for labeling food as ‘healthy’ (September 2022); KCBS – San Francisco, Interview about Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (June 2022); KPBS – San Diego, Interview about challenge to COVID-19 vaccine mandate in Doe v. San Diego Unified School District (May 2022); KPBS – San Diego, Interview about mask mandate decision in Health Freedom Defense Fund v. Biden (April 2022).

In the Fall Professor Glenn Smith was quoted in an article by nationally known humorist A.J. Jacobs appearing in the English newspaper, The Guardian. The article makes a serious point about the perils of over-emphasis on history in constitutional interpretation. Professor Smith criticized the current Supreme Court majority for “let[ting] their hidebound sense of history overcome a reasonable originalist approach.”

To include your professional or personal news in a future online newsletter, please email alumni@cwsl.edu

The Honorable David A. Elofson ‘85—Judge David Elofson retired from the bench on January 31, 2023. During his tenure on the Yakima County bench, David worked as a deputy Yakima County prosecuting attorney before joining his father’s law firm, Elofson, Vincent, Hurst and Crossland, and later becoming a partner in Menke Jackson Beyer and Elofson until his election to the court.

Stephen N. Doty ‘87—Stephen recently wrote a dictionary of fallacies in logic called 97 Fallacies to Know. It is designed to help lawyers find the correct names and definitional criteria of each fallacy their opponent commits, orally and in writing, during a case.

James P. Dwyer ‘87—Jim’s firm, Bridge City Law, became the first personal injury law firm in the world that is B Corp certified. The firm was also awarded small business of the year by the Better Business Bureau in the state of Oregon.

Joseph P. Potocki ’87 Daniel J. Brast ’08, Kacy M. Thompson ’16, and Joseph P. Potocki ’87 have formed Chalifoux, Brast, Thompson & Potocki, APC. Headquartered in San Diego, the firm concentrates on litigation and transactional matters involving construction, real property, and public contracting. Joe has represented national developers, property owners, specialty contractors, design professionals and product manufacturers for over 30 years. He is one of San Diego’s foremost real estate and construction law attorneys, with extensive experience litigating high-value disputes related to real estate, business, construction defects, personal injury, mechanic’s liens, Miller Act and delay, acceleration, and inefficiency claims. Additionally, he has worked on hundreds of transactional matters on behalf of his clients including business formation and contract drafting, review and negotiation.

Kirk D. Hendrick ‘91—Kirk has been appointed chairman of the Gaming Control Board by Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo. He will begin his four-year appointment at the end of January. Kirk will oversee the statewide, 400-person agency charged with regulating and enforcing the laws associated with Nevada’s largest industry.

Greg G. Rizio ‘91—Greg has been sworn in as the 2023 president of Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC). Greg is the founder and senior trial attorney of the law firm Rizio Lipinsky. CAOC is a professional organization that represents the interests of 39 million Californians.

The Honorable Lupe C. Rodriguez ‘94—Lupe was appointed as a magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California based in Imperial County. Prior to his appointment, Lupe’s civil litigation work included handling business and insurance disputes as well as employment and general liability issues.

Eric A. Seiken ‘94—Eric was named general counsel of CML Security, LLC, a nationwide detention equipment and security electronics integrator located in Broomfield, Colorado that specializes in the manufacture, maintenance, and service of correctional facilities across the United States.

Paul A. Reynolds ‘95—Paul has been elected President of the San Diego chapter Association of Business Trial Lawyers for 2023. Paul has been a member of the Board of Governors of the San Diego ABTL chapter since 2016 and has previously served in various positions, including Chairman of the Dinner Program Committee, Treasurer, and Vice-President, before being named President for the upcoming year.

David J. Frankenberger, Jr. ‘96—David has joined insurance and civil litigation defense firm Tyson & Mendes LLP as managing partner of its new Fresno office. David brings 25 years of litigation and trial experience to Tyson & Mendes, previously serving as an associate attorney for several large insurance defense firms in Los Angeles before relocating to Fresno and joining Ericksen Arbuthnot in 2002.

Oren Lavi ‘00—Oren has been promoted to chief sales officer at Plano-based LiquidAgents Healthcare. Oren previously was vice president of sales following an extended stint as director of client advisory.

The Honorable Tait D. Elkie ‘02—Tait was appointed as a judge for the East Valley Regional Veterans’ Court (EVRVC). The EVRVC is a cooperative effort among judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, members of the Veterans Health Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs Justice Outreach program and human service agencies working together to assist Arizona veterans transitioning from military service. One goal is to address life situations such as medical conditions, unemployment, lack of education, homelessness, mental health or PTSD issues and drug or alcohol abuse that may be an underlying cause of a veteran’s charges. It is designed to expedite access to veteran-specific resources such as VA benefits and treatment.

Moira S. Brennan ‘05—Moira has been named as a partner in Dummit, Buchholz & Trapp’s San Diego office. She is involved in healthcare law, business litigation, and serves as co-chair of the employment law group. Along with expertise in litigation, Moira also serves clients in policies and practices to curtail regulatory issues and prevent litigation.

Adena M. Santiago ‘05—Adena has joined Foster Garvey, PC’s Washington, D.C. office as of counsel. Adena joins Foster Garvey’s Commercial, IP & Tech Transactions practice where she brings extensive experience as an alcohol beverage attorney counseling clients across the three tiers of the alcohol beverage industry – licensing, labeling and compliance. Adena joins the firm from McDermott Will & Emery and holds experience in all 50 states.

Daniel R. Antonelli ‘06—Daniel was awarded the Frieda S. Nisnewitz Award for pro bono service by the Brooklyn Bar Association. Daniel was recognized for his work during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading the way with a pro bono program for families who had lost loved ones due to COVID.

Erich A. Drotleff ‘06—Erich joined Plume Health, Inc., as their General Counsel and Compliance Officer. Plume provides gender-affirming hormone therapy via telehealth for the transcommunity across the United States. Based in Denver, Plume is a trans-founded digital health start-up with top-tier venture capital backing. Plume’s mission is to create deeply affirming direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical services for the trans and broader queer community.

Gillian I. Miller ‘06—Gillian has joined Warner Bros. Discovery as senior counsel, music business and legal affairs. Prior to Warner Bros. Discovery, Gillian was the Director of Business Affairs at The Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency, Inc.

Caroline A. Hopkins ‘07—Caroline has been elevated to the position of Senior Counsel at the law firm of Wood, Smith, Henning and Berman LLP. Based at the firm’s Portland office, Caroline handles complex litigation, including catastrophic injury, products liability, transportation matters and a wide variety of complex tort matters.

Nicole A. Silveira ‘07—Nicole has been sworn in as Merced County’s new District Attorney. Nicole is a longtime prosecutor who has worked in the Merced County District Attorney’s Office since 2010. She was promoted to supervising district attorney by then-District Attorney Larry Morse II, making her the first woman to hold a management role in that office.

Gabriela M. Torres ‘07—Gabriela has joined Disability Rights California (DRC) as managing attorney. DRC is the agency designated under federal law to protect and advocate for the rights of Californians with disabilities. DRC works in litigation, legal representation, advocacy services, investigations, public policy, and provides information, advice, referral, and community outreach. Prior to joining DRC, Gabriela was deputy city attorney at the city of National City.

Daniel J. Brast ‘08—Daniel J. Brast ’08, Kacy M. Thompson ’16, and Joseph P. Potocki ’87 have formed Chalifoux, Brast, Thompson & Potocki, APC. Headquartered in San Diego, the firm concentrates on litigation and transactional matters involving construction, real property, and public contracting. For over 13 years, Daniel Brast has represented San Diego real estate developers and general contractors in complex constructionrelated disputes and handled transactional matters for a variety of companies, ranging from small local businesses to Fortune 500 giants.

The Honorable Rebecca G. Church ‘08—Rebecca has been appointed to serve as a judge in the San Diego County Superior Court by Governor Gavin Newsom. Rebecca has served as an assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California since 2015. She was an associate at Duane Morris LLP from 2012 to 2014 and served as a law clerk for the Honorable Ruben B. Brooks at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California from 2008 to 2010.

Victor J. Herrera ‘08—Victor has been named a partner at the law firm Carmel & Naccasha LLP. Victor’s practice focuses on estate planning, trust administration, trust litigation, probate litigation, and conservatorships.

Martin L. Hirsch ‘08—Martin has been elevated to partner at Santa Rosa law firm Perry, Johnson, Anderson, Miller & Moskowitz LLP. His practice focuses on real estate transactions, business transactions, land use, homeowners’ associations, and water companies. He represents public agencies, homeowners’ associations, businesses, and individuals.

Pari H. Granum ‘09—Pari has been named as a partner in Dummit, Buchholz & Trapp’s San Diego office. She focuses her practice on defending healthcare systems, hospitals, and individual health care providers in professional liability matters. She is also continuing her defense of general liability claims against major retail centers and other businesses throughout California.

Nicole G. Wells ‘10—Nicole has been named as a partner in Dummit, Buchholz & Trapp’s San Diego office. She represents hospital entities and their non-physician staff in professional liability actions and provides counsel in a variety of risk reduction and regulatory compliance matters. She has successfully defended individual providers and healthcare organizations throughout California against actions spanning catastrophic birth, brain, and spine injuries to complex medical issues.

Nadine R. Hatten ‘11—Nadine has been appointed juvenile court referee for the 6th Circuit Court, Oakland County, Michigan.

The Honorable Jillian B. Francis ‘12—Jillian has been appointed to the Maricopa County Superior Court by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. Jillian served as assistant attorney general in the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, where she’s held several roles since 2014. The bulk of Jillian’s work has been in the Criminal Appeals Section, representing the State of Arizona in non-capital felony appeals ranging from drug offenses to first-degree murder and dangerous crimes against children.

Lauren G. Kane ‘12—Lauren has joined the San Diego office of Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman as an associate attorney. With more than 10 years of experience in civil litigation, Lauren has represented multi-national businesses, small business, employers, and professionals in a wide range of legal matters, including complex business disputes and professional liability defense.

Jacqueline H. Rudolph ‘12—Jackie is head of a professional community for in-house legal professionals at Legal.io. Legal. io offers a free community for in-house legal professionals including networking opportunities, job postings, webinars, panel speaking opportunities, and more.

Chanté F. Coleman ‘13—Chanté has been promoted to senior vice president, equity, and justice at the National Wildlife Federation. Chanté leads the effort to fully operationalize equitable policies and practices and supports the organization to actively challenge systemic racism. She drives culture change by reframing how the organization thinks about power, while also encouraging others to develop their own expertise on equity and justice in their work.

Rachel E. Garrard ‘15—Gomez Trial Attorneys launches appellate department with Rachel. Rachel, who will serve as the firm’s appellate specialist and head of the new appellate department at Gomez Trial Attorneys. In her role, Rachel will be instrumental in not only handling the firm’s writs and appeals but also lending her talent and expertise to the firm’s trial teams through major motion work, trial consulting, appellate strategy, and more. Rachel is certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization, as a specialist in appellate law.

Adam B. Levine ‘15—Adam has been promoted to partner at CaseyGerry in San Diego. A key member of the firm’s serious personal injury team, Adam focuses his practice on product defects, premises, auto and aviation cases. He began working for CaseyGerry in 2013 as a law clerk. Prior to joining CaseyGerry, Adam worked as a federal judicial extern at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California for the Honorable Irma E. Gonzalez.

Kacy M. Thompson ’16 Daniel J. Brast ’08, Kacy M. Thompson ’16, and Joseph P. Potocki ’87 have formed Chalifoux, Brast, Thompson & Potocki, APC. Headquartered in San Diego, the firm concentrates on litigation and transactional matters involving construction, real property, and public contracting. Kacy represents clients in both Nevada and California in the areas of general business, construction defect, business litigation, complex civil litigation, and personal injury. In addition, Kacy has experience serving as general counsel for clients, providing management support as well as reviewing, drafting, and negotiating contracts.

Aaron F. Hughes ’17—Aaron has joined San Diego law firm Weiner Law as an associate attorney. Aaron handles cases in estate planning, trust, taxation, and probate administration.

Alexis J. Schuler’17—Alexis has been promoted to senior counsel at the law firm of Wood, Smith, Henning and Berman LLP. Alexis’ practice focuses on complex civil litigation and high-exposure cases.

Maresa N. Talbert ‘17—Maresa was named on San Diego Business Journal’s Top 50 2023 Honorees of Black Leaders of Influences. Maresa is founder and CEO of Talbert Law Office, APC, a business and intellectual property law practice that supports businesses, nonprofits and individuals by providing premier legal services and culturally relevant legal education. In addition to running her practice, Talbert serves in the Navy Reserves as a Surface Warfare Officer, is co-chair of San Diegans for Justice, and the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association, as Immediate Past President.

Lara Deitz ‘19—Lara has joined Gomez Trial Attorneys as a trial attorney. In that role, Lara will represent personal injury clients in our San Diego office. Lara is bilingual in both Spanish and English and prior to joining Gomez Trial Attorneys, she was a litigation attorney at a prominent family law firm in San Diego, California

Ethan B. Shakoor ‘19—Ethan has joined Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP’s San Diego office as a litigation associate. Ethan’s practice at Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP will include representing clients in shareholder and partnership disputes, as well as defending against class actions and claims involving breach of contract, unfair business practices, fraud, and negligence.

Leeza M. Birko ‘20—Leeza has joined Wilson Elser as an associate attorney. Based in the Phoenix office her practice focuses on the defense of claims related to insurance defense, general liability, employment disputes, premises liability, contractual disputes and other matters.

Elizabeth Dimaano ‘20—Elizabeth has joined San Diego-based law firm Berger & Williams as an associate attorney. Elizabeth’s practice focuses on employment litigation including wrongful termination, retaliation, and wage and hour claims. She has experience representing individuals, businesses, and public entities across Southern California.

Elizabeth Mireles ‘21—Elizabeth has joined the business litigation and tort & insurance law practice groups of San Diego based law firm Higgs Fletcher & Mack. Elizabeth’s background includes work on subrogation and recovery, advising clients on subrogation viability, supervising forensic examinations, and assisting on property loss cases. In addition, Elizabeth has served as a Housing Justice Fellow with the Inner City Law Center in Los Angeles, and also served as a legal extern for the California State Division of Labor and Standards Enforcement.

Lationa D. Simpson-James ‘21—Lationa has joined the San Diego office of Hawkins Parnell & Young LLP as an associate attorney. Lationa represents insurance companies in insurance coverage and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims, including cases arising out of rideshare motor vehicle accidents. Her clients include rideshare and transportation companies.

Aurora V. Gallardo ‘22—Aurora has joined Gupta Evans & Ayres as an associate attorney. The San Diego-based law firm specializes in the areas of bankruptcy, corporate litigation, and real estate law.

Greer L. Houston ‘22—Greer has joined Higgs Fletcher & Mack’s trust and estates practice group. Prior to passing the California bar exam, Greer was both an extern and a post bar law clerk at the firm. In addition to her experience at Higgs Fletcher & Mack, Greer has served as a judicial extern to The Honorable Anthony J. Battaglia.

Celeste M. Leung ‘22—Celeste has joined Pettit Kohn Ingrassia Lutz & Dolin as an associate attorney. Based in the San Diego office, Celeste focuses her practice on the defense of employers in all aspects of employment litigation.

Tyler J. Strycula ‘22—Tyler has joined Burton Kelley LLP as an associate attorney. The San Diego-based law firm’s practice focuses on insurance coverage, first and third-party defense, insurance regulatory compliance, risk management, professional and insurance broker malpractice along with a variety of business matters.

In Memoriam

Patrick Daly

John A. Ward ‘72

Tarik S. Soudani ‘76

Maureen “Mo” Ecke ‘79

Justin L. Salas ‘12