1980 - 1989

1980

David S. Ettinger of Horvitz & Levy LLP was honored by the Los Angeles County Bar Association with the Pamela E. Dunn Appellate Justice Award, presented in April 2012 at the annual luncheon sponsored by the Bar Association’s Appellate Courts Section for the California Supreme Court and Second District Court of Appeal justices. 

1981

Douglas M. DeGrave of the litigation firm Poliquin & DeGrave LLP was named Orange County Trial Lawyer of the Year by the American Board of Trial Advocates for his defense victories in two back-to-back road rage cases.

Dina B. Tecimer was elected board of trustees chair for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Southern California and Nevada Chapter; a partner with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, Tecimer is only the second woman to chair the board in its 64-year history, and plans to lead the Society in raising $250 million by 2015. 

1982

There is no news at this time for the class of 1982.

1983

Steven B. Effres of Effres & Associates in Woodland Hills, CA was selected by The National Trial Lawyers as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in California.

Marc J. Graboff was named president in January of CKx, Inc., the parent company to 19 Entertainment (American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance), Elvis Presley Enterprises and Muhammad Ali Enterprises; Graboff was president of the West Coast business operations for NBCUniversal Television Entertainment.

Pamela G. Lacey joined Archer Norris PLC as special counsel in the Newport Beach, CA office, specializing in business and complex litigation.

Cheryl L. McDermott was promoted to managing director of Universal Studios International B.V. and relocated to Amsterdam to run the Dutch subsidiary of NBCUniversal.

Malcolm S. McNeil, chair of the international practice group at the Los Angeles office of Fox Rothschild LLP, was honored with a lifetime membership to Pakistan’s Lahore High Court Bar Association in recognition of his leadership with the International Association of Young Lawyers, whose efforts helped free imprisoned Pakistani attorneys.

Richard L. Stone moved from Hogan Lovells to Jenner & Block, Los Angeles; Stone practices antitrust, intellectual property and complex commercial litigation.

1984

There is no news at this time for the class of 1984. 

1985

George F. Bird, Jr. of Bird & Bird in Torrance, CA was elected this spring to his first term as mayor of Palos Verdes Estates. Bird also volunteers in the community, advising local youth on avoiding life-threatening issues such as substance abuse or juvenile delinquency.

Sung Y. Kim was nominated by President Barack Obama on June 27, 2011 as ambassador of the U.S. to the Republic of Korea, confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 13, 2011 and sworn-in to office on November 3, 2011. Kim, who was born in Seoul and grew up in Los Angeles, is the first American of Korean descent to serve as chief diplomat of the U.S. to Korea.

1986

Manuel Dominguez was promoted from house counsel for the inter-insurance exchange of the Automobile Club of Southern California to corporate counsel.

1987

Hon. Kevin G. Murray, former California state senator, is president and chief executive officer at the Weingart Center Association; the Center offers a homeless shelter combined with job training and counseling. Murray also runs a legal consulting firm, The Murray Group.

1988

Geoffrey D. Chin’s Christian-spiritual adventure novel, The Last Magi, has been published. Chin practices trusts, wills, probate, estate planning, conservatorships, trust administration and business law at the Law Offices of Geoffrey D. Chin in Pasadena, CA.

Darren Levine, a Krav Maga (self-defense and  fitness training) worldwide chief instructor, holds home invasion defense seminars in Orange County, CA; Levine is supervisor for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office.

Zia F. Modabber, a partner with Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, created and organized the Malibu Canyons GranFondo Charity Ride benefiting Livestrong. Four hundred bicycle riders participated in the event.

Betty M. Shumener cofounded the law firm of Shumener Odson & Oh LLP in downtown Los Angeles with two of her former litigation partners from DLA Piper.

1989

Lewis R. Landau left private practice and joined Dykema in Los Angeles as senior counsel, focusing on bankruptcy law and insolvency law. 

Patrick Muñoz was named to the Los Angeles Daily Journal’s inaugural list of Top 25 Municipal Lawyers for 2011. A partner with Rutan & Tucker, LLP in Costa Mesa, CA, Muñoz practices municipal law, specializing in local government, solid waste, land use and special education, serves as city attorney for Dana Point, CA and Twentynine Palms, CA and as assistant city attorney for Adelanto, CA.

Michael B. Powers is chief executive officer for Ventura County, CA; Powers is charged with overseeing all major county functions including the budget, finance, legislation, human resources, labor relations, economic development and information technology.

Christopher I. Ritter now practices as a partner at Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae LLP, specializing in commercial litigation, intellectual property, and real estate litigation.

Michelle A. Wakino joined WilmerHale in Washington, D.C. as special counsel. 

Judiciary

The Hon. Lewis W. Clapp ’80 was appointed in May by Governor Jerry Brown to the California Superior Court, County of Orange; Judge Clapp most recently served as director of the Orange County Associate Defender’s Office and previously served as assistant public defender and deputy public defender for the Orange County Public Defender’s Office.

The Hon. Elizabeth Allen White ’81 was the featured speaker and special honoree at UC LA Extension’s annual certificate graduation ceremony in June—her first step toward a legal career, prior to law school, began with a paralegal certificate from the program. 

The Hon. Carol D. Codrington ’84, associate justice of the California Court of Appeals, spoke at the California African American Museum in February in conjunction with the exhibition, Justice, Balance and Achievements: African Americans and the California Courts. Justice Codrington is the first African-American justice appointed to the Fourth District, and the only African-American female justice in the state.

The Hon. Michael Garcia ’85 was elevated from commissioner to judge for the California Superior Court, County of Los Angeles.

The Hon. Debra A. Cole ’88 was appointed to the California Superior  Court, County of Los Angeles, by Governor Brown; Judge Cole has served as head deputy, deputy-in-charge  Public Defender’s office, and as trial deputy for the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office. She will serve the Southeast District in Downey, CA.

Congratulations!

2012 Southern California Super Lawyers
The Top 100
Janet I. Levine ’80
Linda C. Miller Savitt ’80
Kirk A. Pasich ’80
Gregory R. Vanni ’82
Steven B. Effres ’83
Christine D. Spagnoli ’86
Angela C. Agrusa ’87
Stuart A. Liner ’87
Amy Fisch Solomon ’87
Brian S. Kabateck ’89

Top Women Lawyers
Los Angeles Daily Journal • May 9, 2012
Janet I. Levine ’80
Linda C. Miller Savitt ’80
Christine D. Spagnoli ’86
Amy Fisch Solomon ’87

2012 Southern California Super Lawyers
The Top 50 Women
Janet I. Levine ’80
Linda C. Miller Savitt ’80
Lisa Helfend Meyer ’82
Caren R. Nielsen ’83
Christine D. Spagnoli ’86
Angela C. Agrusa ’87
Amy Fisch Solomon ’87
Lisa J. Perrochet ’87