April 4, 2014
Western State's Public Service Week April 5th-April 12th
The Student Bar Association Public Service Committee has planned over 15 different events for students, faculty and staff to again participate in service to the community. Options include a Blood and Bone Marrow Drives, the MS Walk, Tax Assistance, mentoring high school students, and donation drives for Orangewood Children’s home and Human Options domestic violence shelter. Law student volunteers report and track their contributions and are recognized for their public service at graduation. For full calendar of events click here.
March 31, 2014
Kaitlyn Daley & Marta Bachynska win honors at National Juvenile Law Moot Court Competition
Kudos to 2Ls Kaitlyn Daley and Marta Bachynska, Honors Moot Court Team members, who won the second place trophy for “best brief” in the 2014 spring competition held in Southern California. The problem dealt with immigration enforcement and child welfare issues.
View the rest of the story
Says Kaitlyn Daley of her Moot Court experience, “We advanced to the quarter finals and placed second in the ‘best brief’ competition at the National Juvenile Law Moot Court Competition … the first year legal writing program and the advanced advocacy course at Western State truly prepared us to succeed. We also owe a lot of our success to our faculty advisor and the dedicated faculty and students that assisted us in preparing for the competition.”
March 29, 2014
Treana Allen and Kathleen McHale win Moot Court Honors
Congratulations to our Western State Honors Moot Court Team members Treana Allen and Kathleen McHale - they attended The Federal Bar Association's Thurgood A. Marshall Memorial Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C. last weekend ..... 46 law schools competed and our students won THIRD PLACE for BEST BRIEF! Many thanks to their faculty advisor Professor Udoka Nwanna.
March 26, 2014
Environmental Law Society hears about developing climate change law
Professors Myanna Dellinger and Stacey Sobel gave a presentation to the newly-formed Environmental Law Society on developing climate change law at the sub-national, national and supranational levels, as well as the constitutional implications of such new law.
View the rest of the story
The Western State College of Law ELS is dedicated to providing and promoting a forum for education, advocacy, and scholarship aimed at protecting the environment. Professor Dellinger is the faculty advisor of ELS, which seeks to inform the law school and surrounding community about environmental issues and sponsor engaging activities such as symposia, documentaries, research projects, social and networking events.
March 21, 2014
Real Estate Practice Certificate Program Launched
Western State faculty has approved the creation of a Certificate Program in Real Estate Practice (REPC). Students will earn the Certificate by demonstrating-a distinguished commitment to the practice of real estate law, through their course of study, performance, experiential learning, and pro bono / public service work. This brings to four the number of Certificate options offered, including Immigration Law, Business Law, and Criminal Law.
Read more here.
March 20, 2014
New Certificate Program in Immigration Law Announced
A new Certificate Program in Immigration Law has been created and approved by Western State’s faculty, available fall 2014. Students will demonstrate commitment to the practice of Immigration Law by completing 12 required and 6 elective course credits, 5 credits of experiential learning and 25 hours of pro bono legal work to earn the Certificate. Professor Jennifer Koh, Director of the Immigration Clinic, will oversee the new certificate program.
Read more here.
March 19, 2014
Caren Seenauth Represents Western State College of Law at 13th Annual IMG World Congress of Sports
Caren Seenauth, 3L and President of the WSCL Entertainment and Sports Law Society, attended the 2014 IMG World Congress of Sports hosted by the Sports Business Journal at the St. Regis Hotel in Dana Point, CA on March 19th and 20th.
View the rest of the story
In attendance, U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan shared his views on the state of education in America and how sports should be promoted as a means to reducing high school dropout rates and improving education at all levels. Also comprised of panel discussions and interviews, the conference garnered the dozens of senior executives from various organizations in sports, media and entertainment who addressed the evolution of sports business, intellectual property, social media marketing and media rights. Among them were NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver; President of the Los Angeles Lakers, Jeanie Buss; and Chairman and CEO of Legendary Entertainment and part owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thomas Tull.
A recurring theme throughout the conference was the evolution of social media marketing and the growing necessity to cater to the “millennial generation” of tech savvy consumers through an interactive fan experience. Also on the table for discussion – management of intellectual property, a need for environmentally conscious stadium operations and transparency within the NBA. Red Bull’s High Performance Director Andy Walshe explored innovations in technology designed to mimic the cognitive patterns of high performance athletes, a concept best described as “hacking talent.” Dick Glover, President and CEO of Funny or Die, discussed how his company thrives outside of the traditional “Hollywood system” and places emphasis on a combination of creative content, social media and selective advertising to create a new category of branded entertainment.
The two-day event is one of the most prominent annual gatherings of sports business leaders. This year’s IMG World Congress was attended by 500 professional attendees, 12 hand-selected student volunteers from across the nation and featured corporate sponsors such as Cartier, Yahoo and Proskauer, the nation’s leading sports law firm.
March 6, 2014
Western State Alumni Officers of Long Beach Barristers
Four Western State Alumni were installed as officers for 2014-2015 in the Long Beach Barristers, a group for practicing lawyers aged 35 and under in Long Beach, CA.: http://longbeachbarristers.com/. The Western State community congratulates our graduates incoming President Christopher Montes De Oca, class of ’06; Vice President Sean Brady, class of “08; Secretary Elisa Guadan, ‘11; and Membership Chair Christy Beard, “06 as they assume their leadership roles in this dynamic young lawyers' organization.
January 15, 2014
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.
January 15, 2014
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.
December 3, 2013
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.
December 2, 2013
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.
November 13, 2013
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.
November 12, 2013
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.
November 11, 2013
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.
November 10, 2013
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.
November 9, 2013
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.
November 8, 2013
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..
November 7, 2013
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.
