Throughout 2024, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law is celebrating members of its vast alumni network in honor of the school’s 100-year anniversary. These posts are part of a series highlighting 100 exceptional McGeorge School of Law alumni.
As we continue publishing stories, we invite you to follow along and explore the stories of exceptional McGeorge alumni. The page features McGeorge alumni who have emerged as formidable forces in their respective industries, making significant impacts on their communities and even extending their influence to the government level. McGeorge alumni pave the way for the next generation of law professionals, with their stellar career histories, continued dedication for justice, and status as leading experts in their fields.
Highlighted Alumni
Mark Amodei, ‘83
Mark Amodei, ‘83, has been the U.S. Representative for Nevada's Second Congressional District since 2011 and serves as Chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee in the House Appropriations Committee. He has a background in law, serving with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps and in the Nevada Assembly and State Senate before his time in Congress. Amodei is involved in various caucuses in Congress.
Eric Barnum, ‘94
Eric Barnum, ‘94, was the founding president of the McGeorge Black Alumni Association and the first chair of the McGeorge Alumni Diversity Board. In 2021, he founded the Eric and Daisy Barnum Scholarship Fund to provide financial assistance to McGeorge students from historically underrepresented communities. Barnum is a partner at Baker & Hostetler LLP in Atlanta, Georgia. He has garnered a plethora of recognitions, including Chambers USA, the Legal 500 United States, the Best Lawyers in America, and Minority Corporate Counsel Association Outstanding Outside Counsel.
Michael Belote, ‘87
Michael Belote, ‘87, has over 40 years of experience as a lobbyist in California, including 10 years as President of California Advocates, Inc. Capitol Weekly named him one of the Top 100 in California politics many times, and he was named the recipient of the annual President’s Award by the California Judges Association twice. Belote has supported McGeorge’s Public Legal Services Society by volunteering at their yearly fundraising auction, donating financially, and encouraging others to match his gifts.
Tia Boatman Patterson, ‘94
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Tia Boatman Patterson, ‘94, is recognized nationally as a policy expert in affordable housing, community development, small business, and economic development. She served as a special assistant to four Speakers of the California State Assembly and in the Executive Office of the U.S. President’s Office of Management & Budget.
Scott Boras, ‘82
Scott Boras, ‘82, was named as the most powerful sports agent in the world for the eighth time by Forbes Magazine in 2022. Boras is the founder, owner, and president of the Boras Corporation, a sports agency in Newport Beach, CA. Boras Corporation is the most valuable baseball (only) agency in the country, with 106 clients and more than $3.8 billion in active playing contracts.
The Hon. Consuelo María Callahan, ‘75
The Hon. Consuelo María Callahan, ‘75, worked as a Deputy District Attorney for the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office after graduating from McGeorge School of Law, where she focused her practice on child abuse and sexual assault cases. In 1992, she became the first Hispanic woman to be appointed to the San Joaquin Superior Court. She now serves on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; nomination confirmed by a 99-0 vote by the Senate in 2003. Judge Callahan remains actively involved with the law school through speaking engagements, service, and her role on the University’s Board of Regents.
John Doolittle, ‘78
John Doolittle, ‘78, served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1991 to 2009. He retired from Congress and became a registered federal lobbyist in 2010. In this role as a lobbyist, he specializes in representation before Congress and agencies of the federal government.
The Hon. Jack Duran, ‘02
The Hon. Jack Duran, ‘02, currently serves as a Chief Judge for Indian tribes in California, Nevada, and South Dakota, in addition to maintaining a thriving law practice. In 2021, Duran was named as the Chief Justice of the Oglala Sioux Tribe Supreme Court in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Duran is a member of the McGeorge School of Law Diversity Alumni Board and has served as a mentor to many law students and newly licensed attorneys.
Mara Elliott, ‘94
Mara Elliott, ‘94, is the first woman, mother, and Latina to be elected San Diego City Attorney and will complete her second term in December 2024. She is a national leader in preventing gun violence and a staunch protector of victims of domestic violence and sex trafficking. Elliott has also been a fierce advocate for California’s workforce, initiating lawsuits against the gig industry to ensure misclassified workers received the pay they were owed under the law.
The Hon. Morrison England, '77 and ‘83
The Hon. Morrison England ('77, ‘83) has more than 20 years of experience serving as a judge. He was nominated by President Bush in 2002, and today is a Senior United States District Judge for the Eastern District of California. Judge England has dedicated years serving on committees for the United States, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Eastern District of California, such as the IT Advisory Council and the State-Federal Judicial Council.
Noël Ferris, ‘79
Noël Ferris, ‘79, was the first lawyer in Sacramento to be inducted into the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers, subsequently serving as its president. She championed young women lawyers and advocated for their advancement on a consistent basis. The on-campus courtroom was named as the Noël M. Ferris Courthouse in 2017 and is utilized daily by McGeorge students.
Ron Freitas, ‘88
Ron Freitas, ’88, is a career prosecutor and the current District Attorney of San Joaquin County. He is the founder of the San Joaquin County Homicide Task Force, Evidence Task Force, and the Grand Jury Task Force. Freitas has been published by the Pacific Law Journal, the California District Attorney’s Association, and the National District Attorney’s Association, and is a Chapter Author for the California Continuing Education of the Bar, Criminal Sentencing Enhancements manual.
Anna Frostic, ‘07
Anna Frostic, ‘07, is the Senior Vice President of Programs and Policy for the Humane Society International, overseeing all of Asian global programs and policy work. Frostic has many professional accomplishments, including eliminating a loophole in the federal law that allowed chimpanzees to continue to be subjected to invasive biomedical research.
Justice John M. Gerrard, ‘81
Justice John M. Gerrard, ‘81, became the youngest serving member of the Nebraska Supreme Court in 1995 at 41. He served for 16.5 years on Nebraska’s high court. In May 2011, President Barack Obama nominated Judge Gerrard for a United States District Court judgeship. He was Chief Judge of the District of Nebraska from 2018-2021. Judge Gerrard took senior status in Feb. 2023 and continues to carry a full case load for the District of Nebraska.
The Hon. James Hardesty (Ret.), ‘75
The Hon. James Hardesty, ’75, served as Chief Justice of the Nevada Supreme Court for four years and was on the Supreme Court from 2004 until he retired in 2023. In 2014, he led the Nevada Supreme Court’s educational effort to amend the Nevada Constitution to create a Court of Appeals, which the voters approved in the November election. Nevada’s Court of Appeals commenced on January 5, 2015.
Jose Hermocillo, ‘83
Jose Hermocillo, ‘83, has been at the center of dozens of high-profile ballot measure campaigns and legislative and regulatory debates on issues ranging from workers’ compensation to natural resources and taxation. He has been recognized as “Public Affairs Executive of the Year” and one of the most influential people in the region by Sacramento Magazine.
Thomas W. Hiltachk, ’87
Thomas Hiltachk, ’87, has served as legal counsel and treasurer to numerous statewide and local committees, lobbyists, candidates, and officeholders. Hiltachk served as legal counsel for the campaign behind the Three Strikes Law and was also a legal counsel for the campaign to recall Gov. Gray Davis. Hiltachk has previously served as general counsel to the California Republican Party and lead counsel for former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Thien Ho, ‘98
Thien Ho, ‘98, is the District Attorney of Sacramento County. Over Ho’s 23-year career as an attorney, he successfully prosecuted sexual assault, gang, and homicide cases. Most notably, he successfully prosecuted the Golden State Killer. He also helped to build a nationally ranked trial advocacy program at McGeorge, winning multiple regional and national mock trial competitions.
Mikayil Jabbarov, ‘98
Mikayil Jabbarov, ‘98, has served as the Minister of Economy in Azerbaijan since 2019. Before this role, he was the Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Minister of Education, and Minister of Taxes. He put forward several initiatives to turn Icherisheher into a center for domestic and foreign tourism, including the restoration of the Maiden Tower, a UNESCO-listed Cultural Heritage site.
Nora Klug, ‘01
Nora Klug, LLM ’01, serves as Group General Counsel for Bosch Global in Germany. Klug leads the legal department of a global company that ranks No. 95 on the Fortune Global 500 and employs nearly 400,000 people. Before her current role, she was General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of the global legal and compliance sector at BSH Hausgeräte GmbH in Munich, Germany for over 7 years. Klug earned her LLM from McGeorge in Transnational Business Practice in 2001.
Matina Kolokotronis, ‘89
Matina Kolokotronis, ‘89, is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Sacramento Kings and is the only woman in the NBA to have held the titles of COO and President of Business Operations. Kolokotronis’ leadership was essential to the development of the award-winning Golden 1 Center and its adjacent, $500 million development project, Downtown Commons. Her professional background includes sports and government law, community affairs, and contract negotiations.
The Hon. Barbara Kronlund, ‘89
The Hon. Barbara Kronlund, ’89, made history as the first South Asian American female judge in California on both the state and federal benches, and was appointed to the Superior Court of San Joaquin County in 2005. Throughout her tenure, Judge Kronlund has served in various capacities, including presiding over the Juvenile Court and assuming roles as a supervising civil judge and court commissioner.
The Hon. Margaret Kuroda Masunaga, '87
The Hon. Margaret Kuroda Masunaga, '87, grew up in Sacramento, California, and graduated from C.K. McClatchy High School, near McGeorge School of Law. She has served on the McGeorge Alumni Association Board since 2023. When she was a student at McGeorge, she was President of the Asian American Law Students Association, as well as Minority Representative on the admissions committee. Judge Masunaga had a lengthy career of public service in Hawaii in various capacities before serving on the bench for six years.
Kristine Kwong, ‘92
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Kristine Kwong, ‘92, has trained over 1,000 government agencies and college districts. Kwong has litigated cases in both federal and state courts throughout California involving labor, student issues, and operational compliance. She represented clients within the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Office of Administrative Hearings, the Public Employment Relations Board and the National Labor Relations Board. Her knowledge and leadership resulted in community recognition as a minority leader of influence.
Capt. Michael Lilly, '74
Capt. Michael Lilly, '74, had a distinguished career as Hawaii’s Attorney General and as a successful trial attorney for 45 years. Capt. Lilly was licensed in Hawaii and California, appeared twice before the U.S. Supreme Court, and specialized in commercial, wrongful termination, and personal injury litigation. He also served as surface warfare Navy Captain for 30 years.
Darrin Lim, ‘04
Darrin Lim, ’04, is the co-founder and partner of Politicom Law LLP, an innovative and leading political compliance law firm. Lim supports some of the largest corporations throughout the U.S. to efficiently navigate the patchwork of campaign finance, lobby disclosure, and ethics laws. In addition, Lim is very active with the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws and is a passionate supporter of McGeorge School of Law. Lim is a founding member of the McGeorge Diversity Alumni Board.
Douglas Love, ‘95
Douglas Love, ‘95, joined Annexon Biosciences as President and Chief Executive Officer in 2018 with extensive business and legal leadership experience in biotech. He has previously served as Head of Operations for Elan Pharmaceuticals. There, Love led the Tysabri multiple sclerosis franchise, helping to propel it to nearly $2 billion in annual sales. He also led Elan’s Alzheimer’s Immunotherapy Program, which was licensed to Johnson & Johnson for $1 billion plus milestones and royalties.
The Hon. Dana Makoto Sabraw, ‘85
The Hon. Dana Makoto Sabraw, ‘85, is the chief district judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Judge Sabraw was 37 years old when he was first appointed to the bench. Judge Sabraw is a member of the U.S. Judicial Conference Committee on the Judicial Branch and has been active in several professional organizations. In addition, he has received numerous awards from the community and bar associations.
Katherine Martin, ‘87
Katherine Martin, ‘87, serves as the chair of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s board of directors and a partner in the firm’s Palo Alto office, where she practices corporate and securities law. Martin led the team at her firm that advised Twitter, Inc. on a $44 billion acquisition in 2022 by Elon Musk.
Steve Martini, ‘74
Steve Martini, ‘74, is a New York Times bestselling author. He wrote a 17-book series called Paul Madriani. He came to Sacramento in July 1970 from Los Angeles as the Capitol correspondent and bureau chief for the Los Angeles Daily Journal. Martini wrote news, practiced law, worked for the state government, and lobbied in and around Sacramento for 22 years, between 1970 and 1992.
Ann Morgan, ‘79
Ann Morgan, ‘79, has decades of service on various bar associations, including serving as president of the State Bar of Nevada. Morgan is recognized as one of the pioneering women attorneys in Nevada and specializes in employment and labor law, aviation law, and general business law matters. She is the director at Fennemore, an Am Law 200 business law firm.
Carrie Nocella, '02
Carrie Nocella, '02, has demonstrated remarkable leadership as Director of External Affairs at Disneyland Resort, orchestrating the successful reopening of the park after a 412-day closure amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Collaborating closely with government officials and industry partners, Nocella ensured the safe return of the beloved theme park.
Lance H. Olson, ‘77
Lance H. Olson, ’77, has advised scores of elected and public officials, including Speakers of the Assembly and Presidents Pro Tem of the Senate. He has provided legal advice to the California Democratic Party since 1982 and has played a major part in the drafting and passage of many of California’s major laws. Olson also serves as counsel to many of California’s foremost labor unions, several large trade associations, several major environmental organizations, and many of California’s leading tech entrepreneurs.
Emmanuel “Mickey” Ortega, LLM ‘20
Emmanuel “Mickey” Ortega, LLM ’20, is a passionate advocate for global citizenship who has made a significant impact in the Philippines and beyond. Ortega serves as the president of the University of Saint Anthony in Iriga City, Philippines.
Analea Patterson, ‘03
Analea Patterson, ‘03, is the secretary of cabinet affairs for California Gov. Gavin Newsom and manages the state government for the fourth largest economy in the world. Patterson has served in all three branches of government and in private law practice. While working in private practice, Patterson led her firm’s national pro bono legal and legislative collaborative project with nonprofit entities to close legal loopholes that prevented full prosecution and denied justice to victims of sexual extortion.
The Hon. Johnnie Rawlinson, ‘79
The Hon. Johnnie Blakeney Rawlinson, ’79, was the first woman and the first Person of Color to serve on the Federal District Court in Nevada. In addition, Judge Rawlinson was also the first African-American woman to sit on the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Rawlinson is a member of the Federal Judges Association, State Bar of Nevada, California State Bar, National Bar Association, American Bar Association, American Law Institute, and Duke University Board of Visitors.
Justice Arthur Scotland, ‘74
The legal career of the Hon. Arthur Scotland, ‘74, spanned over four decades, including 23 years on the bench. During this time, he received numerous honors for his commitment to justice, civility, diversity, and inclusion. He was appointed a Judge of the Sacramento County Superior Court in 1987 and an Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, in 1989, then Presiding Justice of the court in 1998. As Presiding Justice, he started an award-winning outreach program holding oral arguments before students in high schools within the court’s jurisdiction.
Mark Slaughter, ‘02
Mark Slaughter, ‘02, has dedicated over 20 years to the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office and has handled cases ranging from traffic infractions to homicides. Slaughter is the supervising attorney of the Juvenile Division of the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office. He has worked with Juvenile Justice Partners to develop a Juvenile Trauma Response court to support youth who have experienced significant trauma and find themselves in the juvenile system.
Summer Stephan, ‘86
Summer Stephan, ‘86, has served as the San Diego County District Attorney since 2018. As District Attorney, she leads the second-largest DA’s Office in California, and the fifth-largest in the United States, managing a professional staff of 1,000 employees, serving as the People’s Prosecutor for San Diego County and its more than three million residents.
Vida Thomas, ‘93
Vida Thomas, '93, has been practicing law for over two decades. In that time, she has conducted over 200 workplace investigations and serves as an expert witness in state and federal employment lawsuits and mediates litigation and non-litigation matters. She is currently the managing partner of Oppenheimer Investigations Group LLP. Additionally, she serves on McGeorge School of Law’s Diversity Alumni Board and regularly speaks to law students about topics related to diversity.
Brian Tippens, ‘00
Brian Tippens, ‘00, is the Senior Vice President and Chief Social Impact Officer at Cisco. He leads the company’s work in social justice, accessibility, and community impact. Previously, Tippens served as the Chief Diversity Officer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and President of the HPE Foundation.
The Hon. Michelle Tong, ‘01
The Hon. Michelle Tong, ‘01, is a judge for the San Francisco Superior Court. Prior to this, she dedicated 17 years to the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, focused on social justice causes. After working in San Francisco serving low-income Asian immigrants for several years, Judge Tong attended McGeorge and was active in the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, Black Law Students Association, and Minority Students Bar Association.
Pamela Tondreau, ‘87
Pamela Tondreau, ‘87, is the executive vice president and chief legal officer at Onsemi and has extensive experience in business compliance, antitrust, M&A, and patent portfolio management. Tondreau was formerly the chief legal officer for Cypress Semiconductor Corporation and spent 13 years at Hewlett-Packard. She is a strong advocate for diversity in the workplace, a believer in mentorship programs, and actively works to build the next generation of leaders.
Sue Ann Van Dermyden, '93
Sue Ann Van Dermyden, '93, is a founding partner of Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation and has been an employment attorney since 1993. She specializes in workplace and Title IX investigations. Van Dermyden serves as an adjunct professor at McGeorge School of Law, sits on the McGeorge Alumni Association Board of Directors, and has been an active member of the Anthony M. Kennedy Inn of Court's Executive Committee since 2022.
Dr. Margaret Vick, ‘83 and ‘10
Dr. Margaret Vick (‘83, ‘10) recently retired after more than 30 years of experience working with and advising Native American tribes and tribal organizations in the Western United States. She has advised governments on complex cross-jurisdictional legal issues including transboundary water, resources, and environmental issues, tribal-state-federal regulations, and government operations.
Parker White, ‘80
Parker White, ‘80, is a personal injury attorney at the Sacramento-based firm of Brelsford Androvich & White. White remains dedicated to his alma mater, McGeorge School of Law, through his philanthropic endeavors. He established a trial skills professorship and scholarship, ensuring future generations of McGeorge students have the resources and support to excel in trial advocacy.
Dan Wilcoxen, ‘72
Dan Wilcoxen, ‘72, has represented injured plaintiffs since opening his own practice in 1979, after working at Rust & Armenis defense firm for seven years. He has obtained over 90 multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements throughout his career. Wilcoxen is highly respected in the legal community. He has served on various boards and received many awards for his contributions to the field of law.
Kim Wilford, ‘94
Kim Wilford, ‘94, serves as Chief Legal Counsel for the fundraising platform GoFundMe, Inc. She is responsible for contracts, data security and privacy matters, IP portfolio, litigation process, payments, and other risk management issues in the role. Wilford was recognized as one of the top 20 general counsels in the world by the Financial Times in 2021.
Michelle Wong, ‘03
Michelle Wong, ‘03, focuses her practice on estate planning, wealth preservation, and estate administration. A significant portion of Wong’s practice is tailored to addressing the complex needs and issues unique to professional athletes and coaches as they progress through various stages of their careers and beyond, including clients in the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL. In addition, Wong teaches Wills, Trusts, and Estates as an adjunct professor at The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law.
