Cappello Courtroom Series Addresses Oil Spill Class Action, Protecting Verdicts on Appeal The Cappello Courtroom Series: The Art of the Trial continued into its fifth year with two lectures led by alumnus and veteran trial attorney A. Barry Cappello ’65. In March 2016, the topic was “When Is a Multimillion Dollar Trial Verdict Worthless?” Cappello, who has tried hundreds of cases with cumulative verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 billion, was joined in the lecture by appellate specialist Norman Pine of Pine Pine Freeman Tillett LLP. The lecture focused on actions trial attorneys can take to protect their cases on appeal. In November 2015, the subject was “Class Action Warfare: The Secrets to Prosecuting and Defending a Mass Class Action.” The lecture focused on a Santa Barbara oil spill case in which fishermen, property owners, employees, and busiA. Barry Cappello ‘65. ness owners brought a class action against Plains All American Pipeline Co. after a pipeline rupture in May 2015. The lecture was presented by the attorneys who brought the case: Cappello, who was lead trial counsel, and co-lead counsel Robert Nelson from Lieff, Cabraser & Heimann and Lynn Lincoln Sarko from Keller Rohrback. Cappello also served as the chief plaintiffs counsel against Union Oil, Mobil, Gulf and Texaco in litigation brought after the 1969 Santa Barbara Channel oil spill.
Distinguished Alumni Lectures: Where Students Connect with Practitioners
Robert DeBitetto ’81
Gina Despres ’74
Jessie Kornberg ’07
UCLA School of Law’s Distinguished Alumni Lecture Series provides an opportunity for students to learn from alumni who have led exceptional careers in the practice of law, on the bench or in the business, nonprofit and government sectors. At the invitation of the dean, guests participate in roundtable discussions with students, address legal issues, reflect on their careers and legal education and answer questions. Guests in the 2015-16 academic year included:
• Gina Despres ’74, Senior Vice President (Ret.), Capital Research and Management Company
• Matthew Epstein ’98, CEO, Camstoll Group • Jeffrey Ettinger ’83, Chairman and CEO, Hormel Foods • Joanna Strober ’93, Founder and Chief Executive,
• Linda J. Smith ’77, Partner, DLA Piper • Robert DeBitetto ’81, President of Brand Strategy,
Business Development and A&E Studios, A&E Networks
• Jessie Kornberg ’07, President and CEO, Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Inc.
Kurbo Health
FALL 2016 | UCLA LAW MAGAZINE 69