news briefs
Frances Burge Appointed to Bench In early June, Gov. Ted Kulongoski announced the appointment of WUCL alumna Frances Burge JD’98 to the Douglas County Circuit Court bench. Her appointment will last through May 2010, when she can run for election. “Frances Burge will bring her extensive knowledge of criminal law to the court,” the governor said in a press release. “I am very pleased to appoint a lawyer of her work ethic to serve as a judge. I am also pleased to appoint the first Hispanic judge to the Douglas County Circuit Court bench. I believe her service on the bench will be an asset to the citizens of Douglas County and the state of Oregon.” Burge received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California–Davis and her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Willamette University College of Law. She has worked for the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for nearly 10 years, including the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team and the Douglas County Drug Court.
Lopez Appointed to Multnomah County Court Gov. Ted Kulongoski recently announced the appointment of WUCL alumnus Angel G. Lopez JD’78 to the Multnomah County Circuit Court. The governor said he was pleased to appoint Lopez to the Multnomah County bench, adding that Lopez will bring a strong work ethic, judicious temperament and a great breadth of experience to the judicial position. Lopez earned his Bachelor of Arts from Occidental College in 1975 and his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Willamette University College of Law in 1978. Previously, he was a partner in the Portland law firm Squires & Lopez PC with his spouse, Wendy J. Squires JD’79. Their practice covers all aspects of criminal law, with a special focus placed on representing Spanish-speaking individuals. Lopez was president of the Oregon State Bar in 2002. In February 2008, he received the Honorable Paul J. De Muniz Professionalism Award from the Oregon Hispanic Bar Association.
Clinic Students Help End Fraud in Oregon In early April, the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a settlement that prohibits a Washington County woman from offering fraudulent translation and legal services to Spanish-speakers. The settlement also requires Olimpia Santizo to pay a total of $2,000 in restitution to two victims. Warren Binford
The Santizo investigation was conducted by two law students in the Clinical Law Program last year. Secondyear student Katherine Silva and third-year student Casey Bieberich worked on the case while enrolled in the Law and Government Clinic. Caren Rovics, senior assistant attorney general at the DOJ and adjunct law professor in the Clinical Law Program, supervised their progress. Willamette’s Clinical Law Program has enjoyed a successful working relationship with the DOJ since 2006, when clinic
professors were deputized special assistant attorney generals. Through the partnership, clinic students, in conjunction with the Oregon DOJ, prosecute civil cases involving financial fraud and consumer protection issues on behalf of the state. “With the current financial crisis, it is more important than ever to think about the benefits that public-private partnerships provide to everyone involved, including the taxpayer and potential victims of fraud,” said Professor Warren Binford, director of the Clinical Law Program. “The Santizo case is a perfect example of how Willamette and the DOJ continue to work together to serve Oregon while teaching the next generation of lawyers the challenges and importance of government lawyering.”
For more recent College of Law news, visit the law school’s home page at willamette.edu/wucl. Fall 2009 |