EVENTS
Bryan Hawkins is an associate at Stoel Rives LLP and a staff editor of Sacramento Lawyer magazine. He may be contacted at bryan. hawkins@stoel.com.
Jan Scully
Celebrates Her Retirement with the First Annual Benefit Event for the Sacramento Regional Family Justice Center by Bryan Hawkins
December 12, 2014, members of the Sacramento and California legal and political community gathered to celebrate and honor retiring Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully’s 36-year career with the District Attorney’s Office–the past 20 years as the elected District Attorney. It was a celebration that included video tributes from friends and colleagues and an alumna profile video hailing her time at Sacramento State University. Speakers included Chief Deputy Steve Grippi, former California Governor Pete Wilson, and, of course, Jan Scully herself. Jan Scully’s Distinguished Career. In an interview a few weeks be-
Former Governor Pete Wilson introducing Jan Scully
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fore the event, Scully reflected on her career and said that the actual catalyst for her attending law school was a constitutional law class she took during her third year at California State University, Sacramento. What impressed her most about the class was that nothing was “black and white,” thereby allowing her to argue both sides of any position. She also confirmed that she never actually intended on becoming prosecutor. Rather, she expected to work at CalTrans (where she worked full-time while attending Lincoln Law School) or possibly the Attorney General’s Office. But she did interview with the District Attorney’s office and was hired as a deputy district attorney in
1979. Scully also recalled that, prior to becoming a prosecutor, she had always felt that those accused were the underdogs in the criminal system. After a few weeks, however, she came to a different conclusion–that the prosecutors were the underdogs as they were “the only one[s] in the courtroom to advocate on behalf of the community and victims.” As District Attorney, Scully has focused her career not just on prosecuting the guilty, but on educating the community. The reason for this is simple: she wanted to change the perception in the community that “we were just attorneys in a building who walked across the street and went to
Jan Scully and former Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg
SACRAMENTO LAWYER | January/February 2015 | www.sacbar.org
SCBA Executive Director Mary Burroughs presents to District Attorney Jan Scully the SCBA’s award extending its thanks for 35 years of distinguished service to our community.
Photo by Mark Long-Eleakis & Elder Photography
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