Western State University College of Law

WILLIAM E. ADAMS

PROFESSOR OF LAW
DEAN AND PRESIDENT

J.D., Indiana University School of Law
A.B., Indiana University

Courses:  Torts, Criminal Law

Dean Adams brings to Western State a diverse background of creating and administering community clinical and legal services programs, as well extensive academic experience, both as an administrator and in front of a classroom.

ANTONETTE BARILLA

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAWYERING SKILLS
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF STELLAR

J.D., Western State University College of Law
B.A., California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Courses: Solving Legal Problems, International Law, International Business Transactions, Introduction to International Treaties, Introduction to Legal Methods, Legal Methods, Advanced Legal Methods

Professor Barilla brings to Western State a unique blend of international experience, language and literary facility, and insight to multi-cultural dimensions of the law.

LISA BLASSER

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAWYERING SKILLS
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, STELLAR

J.D., Western State University College of Law
B.S., California State University, San Diego

Introduction to Legal Methods

A former civil practitioner with a wide range of experience in litigation and public law, Professor Blasser has developed a widely acknowledged expertise in creating successful bar studies programs.

TODD BROWER

PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D., Stanford University
LL.M., Yale University
A.B., Princeton University

Courses: Constitutional Law, Employment Discrimination, Property

A former Fulbright-Hays Scholar, Professor Brower has built a formidable career researching, writing, and speaking on human rights and constitutional issues at conferences and universities across the nation and throughout the world.

MATTHEW CAVANAUGH

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW
DIRECTOR OF COMPETITIONS

J.D., University of Southern California
M.B.A., University of Chicago
B.A., University of Pennsylvania

Courses: Business Associations I & II, Financial Principles, Tax, Contracts Drafting, Intellectual Property

Professor Cavanaugh has held a wide range of positions - legal, management, and development - in a number of corporations; in addition to teaching at several law schools, he has held noteworthy positions of leadership within the State Bar of California as well as local bar associations.

STEPHEN CHAVEZ

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAWYERING SKILLS
DIRECTOR, CIVIL & JUDICIAL EXTERNSHIPS

J.D., Western State University College of Law

Courses: Externship Seminar, Legal Writing & Research I & II

Valedictorian of his graduating class, Professor Chavez has distinguished himself in the courts, working as attorney for both the US Ninth Circuit and California appellate courts.

DONALD DAUCHER

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D., Duke University School of Law
B.S., University of Rochester

Courses: Civil Procedure I & II

Professor Daucher brings a rare depth of experience to the classroom, having served as a partner at one of the nation’s largest law and most elite firms for more than three decades.

MARIANNE DELLINGER

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D., the University of Oregon School of Law
M.A. (LSP), the Aarhus School of Business, Denmark
B.A., The Aarhus School of Business

Courses: Contracts I and II

With extensive experience clerking for judges on the federal bench as well as a diversity of teaching experience, Professor Dellinger, maintains a lively publishing and blogging dialogue on international and environmental issues.

CHAD DEVEAUX

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D., University of Notre Dame
LL.M., Harvard University
B.A., Bowling Green State University

Courses: Civil Procedure, Contracts, Criminal Procedure

Professor DeVeaux produces important scholarship addressing fundamental political and constitutional issues the nation faces on federalism and the separation of powers.

NEIL GOTANDA

PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D., University of California, Berkeley (Boalt Hall)
LL.M., Harvard University
B.S., Stanford University

Courses: Constitutional Law, Equal Protection and Due Process, First Amendment, Asian American Jurisprudence

Professor Gotanda has litigated, taught, and published deeply on discrimination and civil rights; he is one of the nation’s foremost scholars on critical race theory.

DAVID GROSHOFF

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW
DIRECTOR, BUSINESS LAW CENTER

Ed.M., Harvard Graduate School of Education
J.D., The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
M.B.A., Northern Kentucky University
B.A., Indiana University

Courses: Business Associations, Business Law Ethics

Professor Groshoff teaches and publishes on a wide range of business oriented law subjects and graduate business courses, as well as current instructional techniques related to delivering those subjects; prior to his career in academia, he held several high-level posts in the financial services and sports management industries.

CHEYANNA JAFFKE

PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D., University of Idaho College of Law
LL.M., University of Washington School of Law
B.S., University of Idaho

Courses: Estate and Gift Taxation, Corporations, Community Property, Taxation of Business Entities, Federal Income Tax, American Indian Law, Wills & Trusts

Professor Jaffke has served on several government and state bar committees addressing the improvement of legal services to Native Americans. She is an expert on tax and created Western State’s award-winning student pro bono community tax program.

ELIZABETH JONES

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAWYERING SKILLS
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF LEGAL WRITING & RESEARCH

J.D. , University of Miami School of Law
B.A., University of California, Los Angeles

Courses: Legal Writing & Research I and II, Criminal Law, Juvenile Law, Criminal Justice Ethics, Legal Methods

An authority on criminal law and juvenile law, Professor Jones has taught those subjects as well as an array of legal skills courses at law schools throughout Southern California.

SUSAN KELLER

PROFESSOR
ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

J.D., Harvard University
M.F.A., University of California, Irvine
A.B., Harvard/Radcliffe Colleges

Courses: Property, Torts, Women and the Law, Employment Discrimination Law

Dean Keller, trained in literary techniques and scholarship as well as the law, introduces analysis of transgressive cultural streams into lively classroom dialogues.

JENNIFER KOH

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW
DIRECTOR, IMMIGRATION CLINIC

J.D., Columbia Law School
B.A., Yale University

Courses: Clinical Studies, Immigration

Professor Koh is an expert on a wide range of issues relating to the delivery of immigration services on individual and community level as well as in clinical settings.

GLENN KOPPEL

PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D., Harvard Law School
B.A., City College of New York

Courses: Civil Procedure, Evidence, Evidence Practice

Professor Koppel is an authority on civil procedure and consults widely on access to justice and court administration issues.

PAULA MANNING

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF LAW
DIRECTOR OF STELLAR

J.D., Western State University College of Law
B.A., University of California, Irvine

Courses: Advocacy. Advanced Legal Methods, Introduction to Legal Methods, Solving Legal Problems, Torts I & II, Professional Skills I & II

Professor Manning is a nationally acclaimed expert on creating programs to integrate legal skills training into law school curricula.

PHIL MERKEL

PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D., University of Illinois
M.A., University of Virginia
B.A., University of Illinois

Courses: Remedies, Torts, Legal History, Professional Skills

Experienced with managing a legal writing program and legal services clinical program prior to his tenure at Western State, Professor Merkel is widely published in a remarkable range of subjects that inform his classroom expertise.

KEVIN MOHR

PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D., Yale Law School
M.S., University of Wisconsin
B.A., Harpur College

Courses: Contracts, Intellectual Property, Professional Responsibility

Professor Mohr is an authority on legal ethics and professional responsibility. He was Special Advisor to the State Bar's Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct and Consultant to the State Bar of California's Special Commission for the Revision of the California Rules of Professional Conduct.

ROBERT MOLKO

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D., Southwestern School of Law
M.S.E.E., New York University, New York
B.S.E.E., City College of New York

Courses: Criminal Externship Seminar, Trial Practice, Criminal Justice Ethics, Evidence

Professor Molko is a veteran prosecutor who brings unusual depth of experience to the classroom. He has tried more than 155 jury trials, including thirty five homicides and a death penalty case.

PATRICIA HARRIS O'CONNOR

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
LAW LIBRARY DIRECTOR

J.D., University of Texas
M.L.S., University of Oklahoma
B.A., University of Oklahoma

Courses: Copyright Law, Legal Research

Professor O’Connor is an expert on the applicability of new technologies to law library administration, and innovative ways for students to intregrate the library into their course of study.

EUNICE PARK

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAWYERING SKILLS

J.D., University of Michigan
A.B., Smith College

Courses: Legal Writing & Research, I & II

Professor Park has developed a considerable expertise in teaching a wide range of legal skills classes, and providing innovative client-centered training in counseling, interviewing, and mediation.

TRACIE PORTER

VISITING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D., Drake University Law School
B.A., Cornell College

Courses: Estates, Property

Professor Porter has taught widely at law schools throughout the Midwest and overseas; she is an authority on real estate and probate matters.

LORI A. ROBERTS

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF LAW
DIRECTOR OF LEGAL WRITING & RESEARCH

J.D., University of Miami School of Law
B.A., University of Washington

Courses: Legal Writing & Research I & II

Professor Roberts is an expert on law school pedagogy, particularly creating and analyzing learning assessments and techniques for developing law student professional identities.

GREGORY SERGIENKO

PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D., Harvard Law School
B.A., Harvard College

Courses: Civil Procedure, Torts, Remedies

Professor Sergienko is widely published on matters relating to law school instructional techniques, evaluations, assessments, and instructional design; he has a distinguished teaching career that includes stints at law schools throughout the country.

CHARLES SHEPPARD

PROFESSOR OF LAW
ASSOCIATE DEAN OF STUDENTS

J.D., Loyola University School of Law
B.A., California State University, Dominguez Hills

Courses: Property, Trusts, Secured Land Transactions, Real Estate Transactions

A veteran of several high-level in-house counsel positions with a number of title insurance companies, Professor Sheppard is an authority on business and real estate transaction matters, as well as student life issues.

STACEY SOBEL

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW
DIRECTOR OF THE CRIMINAL LAW PRACTICE CENTER

J.D., The George Washington University Law School
B.A., University of Albany, State University of New York

Courses: Constitutional Law I and II, Criminal Law, and Criminal Procedure

Professor Sobel was Executive Director of Equality Advocates when that organization advanced noteworthy state and national legislative successes; she is an award winning teacher who has written and lectured deeply on the law of gender identity and sexual orientation.

EDITH WARKENTINE

PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D. University of California, Davis
A.B. University of California, Berkeley

Courses: Contracts, Commercial Law, Real Property

Professor Warkentine chaired the California State Bar Business Law Section; she is a prolific scholar on matters of contract and commercial law, and business transactions.

RYAN WILLIAMS

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW

J.D., Georgetown University Law Center
B.A., Yale University

Courses: Civil Procedure I and II, National Security Law

Professor Williams has distinguished himself in the evolving law related to national security and terrorism.