Southwestern Law School Welcomes Oscar D. Teran, the New Associate Dean for Career Services

Join us in welcoming Oscar D. Teran as the new Associate Dean of the Career Services Office. Teran joined Southwestern Law School in early October to help improve our students’ and recent graduates’ career placements. Teran and the career services office aim to provide personalized support to students and build strong partnerships with our legal community to achieve employment outcomes.

Learn more about Oscar Teran. Send him a welcome note.

Preserving Southwestern's Past for Future Generations

Sara Halpert hired in the Fall of 2022 to lead archive project.

Southwestern Law is dedicated to documenting, preserving and celebrating the rich history of the law school and the Bullocks Wilshire building. In September, Southwestern hired Sara Halpert as its first Archivist as part of the law school’s continuing effort to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to learn from records, artifacts, and other historical items the school has accumulated over 111 years.

Southwestern's Homecoming, a Huge Success!

Described as “wildly successful,” “fun,” “fresh,” “impressive,” and “electric,” more than 520 alums, students, faculty, staff, and guests participated in Southwestern’s first-ever Homecoming on Friday, October 28, 2022. The event, originally designed to welcome alums back to campus following the pandemic, turned into a campus-wide celebration. The CLEs were well received and attended. The student-led activities and the carnival were spectacular. The alumni reception provided a space for alumni, faculty and students to mingle, connect, share information and exchange stories over drinks and good food!

View the photo gallery, read more about this event, and save the date for next year's Homecoming: October 27, 2023!

Swearing-in Ceremony Celebrated at Southwestern

On December 1, more than 90 Southwestern alums who passed the July 2022 California bar participated in a special swearing-in ceremony to join the State Bar of California and the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The ceremony was officiated by Hon. Deborah Brazil '96 for the state courts and Hon. Otis Wright II ’80 for the federal court.

Watch the ceremony on YouTube or Instagram.

Association of Corporate Counsel Gala Dinner

Jessica E. Johnson, Southwestern’s Assistant General Counsel (far left), attended the Association of Corporate Counsel of Southern California's 25th Annual Gala on November 7, with Southwestern students Mawuena Teiko and Liana Ohanian (far right). During the event, alumna Lynette Jones ’11 (in blue) interviewed international human rights attorney Amal Clooney. Jones is an Assistant Vice President and Senior Legal Counsel at ATT Entertainment.

Law Commentator Published

The Law Commentator Editorial Staff is happy to announce the publication of its sixth issue. This publication features pieces from current students to promote student voices, perspectives, and creative endeavors.

Read the Law Commentator

Upcoming Alumni Events

SIDEBAR: Bench Trial Best Practices with Hon. Frank Tavelman '92 and Hon. Mark Juhas

Tuesday, January 10

Via Zoom, 12:15–1:15 p.m.

CLE: Lawyers' Duty of Confidentiality with Ashod Mooradian '95

1 Hour of Ethics Credit

Tuesday, January 17

Via Zoom, 6:00–7:00 p.m.

State of the Law School Address

Wednesday, January 25

Livestreamed, 12:30–1:30 p.m.

Judicial Reception

Thursday, January 26

6:00–8:00 p.m.

Southwestern Law School

Save the Dates

San Diego Alumni Reception

Thursday, February 16

Location TBD

50/50 Alumni Reception

Tuesday, February 28

Location TBD

San Francisco Alumni Reception

Thursday, May 4

Location TBD

Alumni Gala

Thursday, June 15

Skirball Cultural Center

SIDEBAR Dates

Via Zoom, 12:15 p.m.

Wednesday, April 5, with Hon. Paul Watford, U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, Southwestern’s Inaugural Distinguished Jurist-in-Residence

CLE Dates, Via Zoom

Thursday, February 16

Tuesday, April 11

Tuesday, May 16

Homecoming 2023

Friday, October 27

Southwestern Law School

Specific times TBD, but anticipated 4:00–9:30 p.m.

Bison on the Move

Bison Lawyers Appointed to the Bench by Gov. Newsom

Governor Gavin Newsom appointed two Southwestern alums, Magdalena Cohen '06 and Adrian G. Roxas '04, to the Los Angeles County Superior Court in October.

Read Full Story Here.

The Hon. Magdalena Cohen '06

Judge Cohen has served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Law Offices of the Riverside County Public Defender since 2007.

The Hon. Adrian G. Roxas '04

Judge Roxas has been a partner at Roxas Law, APC since 2020. He served as a Deputy District Attorney in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office from 2007 to 2020. He was an Associate at the Law Office of Linda W. Lau from 2004 to 2007.

Paul Edmond Stephan ’76, a senior partner at Selman Law LLP, has been appointed as the 2023–2024 Incident Commander for the Red Cross First Aid Stations supporting the Tournament of Roses ("Rose Parade") activities in Pasadena, California. Stephan holds a certification as an Emergency Medical Responder. He was awarded the Red Cross "Lifesaving Award" by the President of the United States in 2020 for his actions while a passenger aboard a Southwest flight.
Steven E. Braun '77 won a criminal appeal before the New Jersey Supreme Court in State v. Jamal Wade.
Arash Homampour ’92, was named 2023 Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs by Los Angeles Best Lawyers.
Leah K. Burton ’05, joined Steptoe & Johnson PLLC and will focus her practice on community association law in the firm’s Collin County and San Antonio offices.
Hildegarde B. Aguinaldo ’08, was elected vice president of The California Community Colleges Board of Governors. The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 1.8 million students per year. Aguinaldo is senior director and associate general counsel for DaVita Inc.
Daniel Kramer ’08 was featured on an episode of the "Trial Lawyer View" podcast.
Brian Yeretzian ’11 was elected shareholder of Polsinelli in its Real Estate Finance Practice Group. He works in the firm's Los Angeles office.
Adam J. Houtz ’12, was named partner in Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP’s Los Angeles office.
Andrew N. Janz ’12 was appointed City Attorney for Fresno. Janz has been deputy district attorney for the County of Fresno since 2014.
Savannah B. Brutto ’14 joined RMO, LLP to lead its Ventura County office in Westlake Village.
Malia A. Kekai ’15, was named deputy director of the Hawaii County Department of Public Works. She was previously deputy corporation counsel for the county.
Melissa Hanna ’17 was honored among the Most Exceptional Entrepreneurs at the 2022 Goldman Sachs Builders and Innovators Summit.

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In Memoriam

The Hon. Lyle M. MacKenzie ’64, of Huntington Beach, CA, died on November 5.
The Hon. Frances Muñoz ’71, of Corona del Mar, CA, died on October 17. Muñoz was the first Latina trial judge in the United States. Read more about Judge Muñoz.

700 Bison Gave Back!

December 31 is around the corner! Make your year-end gift today by visiting www.swlaw.edu/giving. And to the more than 700 Bison have already given this calendar year, thank you!

Join the Bison Herd