Tatiana Yokoyama, 3L, named Student of the Year by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.
Tatiana Yokoyama, a third year law student at the Western State College of Law at Argosy University, was awarded the National Student of the Year Award at the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Annual Conference in Kansas City, Missouri on November 8, 2013. This merit-based scholarship award recognizes demonstrated student leaders in the Asian Pacific American community from across the country.
View the rest of the story
"Thank you to Dean Adams, as well as Western faculty and administration, for encouraging us, students, to contribute our education and experiences to the community," stated Yokoyama, President of the Western State Student Bar Association and the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association. "I am honored to represent Western State at the NAPABA Conference and humbled to receive the National Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (NAPALSA) Student of the Year Award for my public service efforts."
"Tatiana is most deserving of this national honor," stated Patricia Lee-Gulley, Partner at Gordon & Rees, LLP and President of the Orange County Asian American Bar Association (OCAABA). "She has developed extensive public service and leadership experience while attending Western State College of Law, which will prove useful in her legal career."
NAPABA is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA is comprised of over 40,000 attorneys and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. NAPALSA was founded to promote education, leadership, community awareness/service, communication and interaction amongst Asian Pacific American law students across the country.
Law students win release from detention for clients in Immigration Court bond hearings.
Kristalyn Bautista and Angel Lalama, third-year law students participating in the Advanced Immigration Clinic, each represented a client detained under the federal immigration laws. Their efforts led to release or release on bond for their respective clients who were detained under federal immigration laws.
View the rest of the story
Kristalyn Bautista and Angel Lalama represented their respective clients in November before the Los Angeles Immigration Court in bond hearings, to convince an Immigration Judge that the clients were neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community. Both students' performances– which included direct examinations and closing arguments -- produced amazing results for the clients: in Kris's case, her HIV+ client was released on an ankle bracelet and was released in time to spend Thanksgiving with his family. Angel's client was given a bond, which the family is working to meet it so that the client can come home to his wife and family. Both clients will continue to fight their deportations in immigration court, but the results of the bond hearings will enable them to do so while not being physically incarcerated in an immigration detention facility. Said Kris: "This was the best experience of my law school career.” Angel stated "I never imagined being able to help people with their real cases while still in law school".
Both law students were supervised in these cases by Professor Munmeeth Soni, staff attorney at the Public Law Center and adjunct professor in the Western State Immigration Clinic.
California Supreme Court cites Professor Philip L. Merkel
The California Supreme Court has once again cited Professor Philip L. Merkel's law review article, Physicians Policing Physicians: The Development of Medical Staff Peer Review Law at California Hospitals, in one of the high court's opinions. The article was published in the University of San Francisco Law Review. It discusses substantive and procedural due process requirements hospital medical staffs must follow when attempting to discipline member physicians. The Supreme Court first referenced the article in Mileikowsky v. West Hills Hospital and Medical Center (2009). Recently, the Court cited the article in El-Attar v. Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center (2013). Professor Merkel, who has represented clients in medical staff peer review hearings, intended the article to be a guide for attorneys who practice in the area. The article has been cited in other appellate court opinions, appellate court briefs, and law review articles.
Judge John Nho Nguyen Retires from the Bench
The Western State community proudly congratulates alumnus Judge Nguyen on the conclusion of his distinguished career as a Judge on the Orange County Superior Court. Dean Adams and senior faculty were in attendance with over 200 guests at a gala retirement dinner sponsored by OCAABA, Western State, and 14 other organizations in honor of Judge Nguyen. The event was held at the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel on November 18th. A member of the Western State College Class of 1988, Judge Nguyen was the first Vietnamese Judge to serve in Orange County. He was inducted to the Western State Hall of Fame in 2001, and awarded an Honorary "Doctor of Laws" degree from Western State College in 2008. Judge Nguyen has also taught at Western State as an adjunct faculty member. Western State College is proud to celebrate the legal career of an alumnus who is so accomplished and esteemed.
Govenor Brown Appoints Honorable Sherri Honer To Orange County Superior Court
Kudos to Hon. Sherri Honer (Class of 1996) on her appointment as Judge for the Orange County Superior Court by Governor Brown. She joins over 100 active judicial officers in California who are Western State graduates.
Jeffrey Witjas Gives Talk To Entertainment & Sports Law Society
Jeffrey Witjas, Senior VP, Talent, at APA Talent and Literary Agency, spoke at Western State's Entertainment & Sports Law Society on Friday, October 4. Graduate of the Class of 1979, Mr Witjas characterizes his role as a talent agent as "one of the most exciting jobs anyone can have" and credits his law background for giving him "the balance and the ability to be reasonable and understanding" required for his success.
Western State Graduate Named President Of The Beverly Hills Bar Aassociation
The Western State community congratulates Diane Karpman, class of 1974, Principal of Karpman and Associates, who was recently installed as the 82nd President of the Beverly Hills Bar Association.
Western State Professors & Students Complete Marathon
Professor Philip Merkel and three of his Torts I students, Lauren Calhoon, Lauren Ruvalcaba and Jamie Newton, completed the Long Beach ICB Half Marathon on October 13, 2013. Professor Jennifer Koh also ran the 13.1 mile course. Pictured after the finish are (from the left) Ms. Newton, Prof. Merkel, and Ms. Ruvalcaba.
Professor Dellinger's Article On Climate Change To Be Presented At International Law Forums In New York.
Professor Myanna Dellinger's forthcoming law review article on climate change treaty negotiations and potential adoption, soon to be published in the Fordham International Law Journal, has been selected from more than 200 submissions from 36 countries for presentation at the meeting of the American Society of International Law at New York University School of Law in early November. A reception at the United Nations Headquarters will follow. The article is entitled Narrowed Constellations in a Supranational Climate Change Regime Complex: The "Magic Number" is Four, and analyzes the realities of climate change treaty negotiations and potential adoption.
Western State Invests in Student Futures
We are delighted to announce that we have been invited to provide membership in the Orange County Bar Association for all current students and recent graduates. This will provide our entire student body with previously unavailable networking opportunities with potential employers, students from other nearby law schools, and practitioners from around the county..
Incoming Spring Class Students Meet Recent Alumni
On Thursday, November 14th, Western State College hosted a dinner for students already admitted to the January 2014 incoming class at Zov's Bistro in Tustin. Students were able to bring guests and meet personally with faculty and recent alumni in a social setting. We were pleased to give our incoming students the opportunity to discuss the study and career of law in an atmosphere that was warm and relaxed.
