Alumni Newsletter | January 2021
Our Community
Illustration by Ariel Sinha
Berkeley Law launched a new racial justice webpage designed to bring together and raise visibility for the many efforts being undertaken throughout the law school. You will find videos from recent talks and dozens of links to work by students, affinity group sites, recent event spotlights, upcoming events, fellowships, faculty & curricular highlights, faculty scholarship & writings, featured stories, media coverage, ideas for getting involved with centers, clinics, and pro bono, a look at some of our trailblazing faculty and alumni, and resources at UC Berkeley beyond the law school. Visit the Racial Justice webpage>>
What's New?
In a recent Science article, Professor Holly Doremus argues the Endangered Species Act needs a major overhaul to better protect animals like the Arctic ringed seal.
From California’s accelerating wildfires to the glut of hurricanes in the Southeast, it’s increasingly clear that global climate change is no longer just a threat but a sobering reality. Five of Berkeley Law’s resident experts on climate and environmental policy weighed in on what they think is coming, during the first 100 days and the rest of President-elect Joe Biden’s term. Read more>>

Growing pressure to curb misleading or false information online sets the big platforms, and the government, at odds with free speech concerns. Professor Pamela Samuelson, faculty co-director of the Berkeley Center for Law & Technology and a pioneer in digital copyright law, intellectual property, cyberlaw, and information policy, takes stock of what’s happened, and where President-elect Joe Biden’s administration might take this issue. Read more>>
Alumni News
Alumni Admissions Recruitment
We need alumni to help us with J.D. student recruitment so that we continue to enroll the most qualified and diverse class of 1Ls. Graduates interested in volunteering for this effort should contact Erin Dineen, director of alumni engagement, edineen@law.berkeley.edu

Interested in Hiring Our Students & Alums During These Challenging Times?
Message from the Career Development Office
It will come as no surprise to you that the pandemic has had an effect on our students’ summer and post-grad job prospects, just as it has, no doubt, had an impact on your own work. What may surprise you is the level of talent and ability among our students who are still in search of summer or post-graduate employment. The Career Development Office is looking to expand the number of job opportunities available to our students and alums - specifically at law firms of all sizes and with in-house legal departments. If you would like to post a position with us, please fill out this google form and we will get the word out to our students and/or alums.

Save the Date: Advocacy Competition Judging
Berkeley Law's Advocacy Competitions Programs couldn't happen without alumni support. Every year we rely on practitioner volunteers to judge our internal trial, ADR, and moot court competitions. This spring, all of our competitions will be held virtually, which means that out-of-town alumni will have a unique opportunity to serve as judges remotely. The tentative dates are below; sign-ups will be available soon. We hope to see you at one of these events!

  • Bales Trial Competition: February 8-11
  • McBaine Moot Court Competition: March 2-4, 9-11
  • Halloum Negotiation Competition: April 5 & 7
Alumni Events
The Appointment Process: California's State Boards and Commissions
On Thursday, January 21 from 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm PDT, Cathryn Rivera-Hernandez '97, appointments secretary to Governor Gavin Newsom, will speak about the California appointments process. You will learn about applying, interviewing, and receiving an appointed position within Governor Newsom’s administration. Register here>>

Virtual California Bar Swearing-In Ceremony
Berkeley Law graduates who recently passed the California Bar Exam are invited to our annual Bar Swearing-In Ceremony. The event will take place on Wednesday, January 27 at 4:00 pm PDT. Please contact alumni@law.berkeley.edu with questions.

Berkeley Law Alumni Leading Indigent Defense During COVID-19
The Los Angeles alumni chapter invites you to join them for a virtual discussion on the work of California Public Defender’s Offices on Thursday, January 28 from 5:00 - 6:30 pm PDT via Zoom. The panel will include Ricardo García '95, Los Angeles Public Defender, Manohar Raju '95, San Francisco Public Defender, Robin Lipetzky '86, Contra Costa Public Defender, and Steven Garrett '83, Sacramento Public Defender. The session will be moderated by Berkeley Law Professor Andrea Roth. Register here>>

Silicon Valley Alumni Chapter Event - Topic: General Counsel Insights
The Berkeley Law Silicon Valley Alumni Chapter is hosting a virtual discussion on Thursday, February 25 from 12:00 - 1:00 pm PDT via Zoom. The panel will feature David Estrada '93, Chief Legal Officer at Nuro, Rashmi Garde '95, Chief Legal Officer at Sophos, and Irene Liu '06, Chief Legal Officer at Hopin. The discussion will be moderated by Brad Lewis '87, Chief Legal Officer at Informatica and cover topics such as their career paths, the evolving role of General Counsel/Chief Legal Officer, the challenges faced during COVID-19 and more. Invitation forthcoming.

San Francisco Alumni Chapter Event
Dean Chemerinsky will join the San Francisco Alumni Chapter on Wednesday, February 10, 5:00 - 6:00 pm PDT for a discussion on "The Path Forward for American Democracy". The Dean will talk about the guardrails and fragility of our democracy, addressing the most immediate challenges and ways to strengthen our institutions going forward. Invitation forthcoming.

Save the Date! Virtual Shakespeare Trial with Dean Chemerinsky, March 9
More information to follow.

Big Give, March 11
Big Give 2021 is coming and we need your help to reach our fundraising goals. Stay tuned for more information on ways you can support Berkeley Law!
Faculty Highlights
Prized Paper on Plessy
Faculty member Joy Milligan received the Emerging Scholar Award from the Association of American Law Schools’ Section on Administrative Law. A Berkeley Law assistant professor since 2017, Milligan was recognized for her paper, Plessy Preserved: Agencies and the Effective Constitution, during an online awards ceremony at the AALS annual meeting on January 5.
Dean Erwin Chemerinsky Wins AALS Pro Bono Award, Will Serve as President-Elect
Berkeley Law’s dean, twice named the most influential person in United States legal education by National Jurist magazine, Chemerinsky accepted the Association of American Law Schools Deborah L. Rhode Award from the organization’s Section on Pro Bono & Public Service Opportunities. Read more here>>
Media Highlights
California Constitution Center Executive Director David Carrillo '95 and Senior Research Fellow Nicholas Cotter ask whether and how cash bail will survive. Read more>>
Professor Catherine Fisk '86 says Google employees’ union’s relatively low numbers should be expected, if not embraced, as a start. Read more>>
Professor Roxanna Altholz '99, co-director of the International Human Rights Law Clinic, discusses the murder of activist Berta Cáceres‎. Watch video here>>
Dean Erwin Chemerinsky weighs in on possible outcomes as the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals grapples with the constitutionality of Governor Newsom’s pandemic restrictions on places of worship. You may read the LA Times article here>> Also available on Yahoo>>

Visit the Media Highlights and News page to view recent headlines and news. And check out the latest issue of Berkeley Law's Transcript magazine.
Virtual Enrichment Programs
Women in Business Law Mentorship Kick-off Mixer
January 21 | 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm PDT | Online Mixer
The Women in Business Law Mentorship Program will kick off our 2021 cycle with a virtual mixer for all participants. This is a chance for students to meet and mingle with mentoring attorneys from law firms, government agencies, and industry. This year’s mixer will feature guest speaker Michelle Fang, chief legal officer at Turo and Women in Business Law Initiative Advisory Board member. Mentors will be matched with their mentees following the mixer. To join or learn more, please contact us at bclb@law.berkeley.edu.

On Wednesday, January 27 at 10 am PDT, the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment is hosting a webinar discussing their new new report, "Capturing Opportunity: Law and Policy Solutions to Accelerate Engineered Carbon Removal in California," and policy solutions to boost engineered carbon removal technologies. Register here>>

Corporate Directors Forum Conference February 1-3 | Online Program
The Berkeley Center for Law and Business will be partnering with the Corporate Directors Forum for the 16th annual Corporate Directors Forum Conference. In light of our changed reality, and with increasingly stringent requirements, attorneys, directors, management, and investors must now lead their organizations through uncharted territory. The Corporate Directors Forum Conference will provide an open forum for global business leaders to interact and discuss today's most pressing governance issues. Learn more and register today>>
Free CLE Program Special Limited Time Offer Ends February 1
Berkeley Law Executive Education is offering CLE credit at no charge to those who watch recordings of a large selection of past Berkeley Boosts webinarsSubscribe and start learning today>>

Corporate Finance Fundamentals: Mastering Financial Analysis and Corporate Valuation Featuring New Ethics Content
Corporate Finance Fundamentals is a certificate program for practicing attorneys and other non-financial professionals that focuses on how to apply financial information analysis and corporate valuation in a variety of corporate settings and throughout the legal practice. The next cohort begins on March 1 and we offer an alumni discount. Learn more and register today>>

Leadership in the Legal Profession New European Central Time Zone Cohort
Leadership in the Legal Profession is a 10-week, online business school-style course for legal professionals who want to challenge intuitive approaches to leadership and management, as well as learn new mental models and dynamic leadership skills that can be quickly applied to their practice. Topics include systems thinking, behavioral science, motivation, agile innovation, and decision leadership. The next cohorts begin on March 1 and we offer an alumni discount. Learn more and apply today>>
Student Spotlight

Hometown: San Carlos, CA
Education: UC Davis
Affiliations: International Human Rights Law Clinic

During my 1L year I went to a lunch presentation at the law school for the Keta Taylor Colby Death Penalty Project. It’s a program that places law students at under-resourced death penalty offices in the south. I came out of it thinking, ‘wow’—I get chills thinking about it now.  

My father was a prosecutor. He spent the majority of his career, and my entire life growing up, with the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office. That was always an influence in my life. Read more about Ian here>>
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