2013-2014 WLS Yearbook

STUDENT BAR ASSOCIATION
The fireworks begin today.
Each diploma is a lighted match.
Each one of you is a fuse.”
- Edward Koch.
Dear
Class of
2014:
Rarely in our lives do we get
to
experience
such
satisfaction
for
past
accomplishments
and
excitement about future
possibilities simultaneously.
At such a time, words seem
inadequate. The three most
important words I can tell
you are: Pass. The. Bar. We
believe in you. You must
believe in yourselves. Each
of you has the capacity to
pass the first time. But you
must put in the work—there is
simply no substitute. And be
there
for
your
fellow
students.
We pride ourselves on being
a community, and I dare say
a family. The most important
lesson I have learned as a
parent is that you love
someone more the more you
give to them—not, as one
might think, the more they
give to you.
This is a powerful and
complicated time for you
all—the
relief
and
excitement of finally being
done(!), mixed with the
anticipation
and,
yes,
anxiety of the bar exam
followed by your entire
professional career.
Savor it.
I, and everyone who works
at this institution, have
devoted our careers to
preparing you, our students,
to practice and to serve.
We care deeply about you
and your success.
If you appreciate what the
school has given to you, pay
it forward—mentor a new
student, judge a moot court
or mock trial practice round,
tell a friend or colleague
what a great education you
got (all once you’ve gotten
past your bar studies, of
course). If there is something
you didn’t like about your
time here, help us change it
and improve for future
classes. We want you to be
proud of your alma mater.
You should also be proud to
be
entering
the
most
honorable profession there is.
You have the capacity to
change people’s lives and
to better society in ways that
most people never do.
Unfortunately,
you
are
entering that profession at a
time of a declining civility
and economic uncertainty.
You
may
become
discouraged at times, but do
not despair. The law is a lifelong investment.
If you
persevere, you will succeed,
and
you
can
literally
transform the profession.
You must.
There is no
“someone else” to do it.
It has been a pleasure and
an honor to serve as your
Dean this semester. Please
keep us informed about your
future
accomplishments,
and let us know what we
can do to help.
All the best,
Dean Martin Pritikin
Parting Words
from Class Valedictorian
Congratulations, Class of 2014! It’s difficult
to grasp that nearly three years have
passed since we walked into orientation
with wonderment and fear in our eyes.
We’ve lived through six painstaking
semesters of law school exams and written
enough briefs to last a lifetime. Now the
real fun begins, right?
We have an exhilarating and terrifying
responsibility ahead of us. No longer will
our clients be figments of imaginary
hypotheticals.
Flesh-and-blood human
beings will come to us, oftentimes
confused and desperate with nowhere to
turn.
By now we know how to “think like
lawyers,” but that is not all that is required
of us. We must learn what it takes to be
counselors, and that requires much more
than understanding the law. We must live
every moment with integrity, kindness,
vigilance and passion. Furthermore, we
have a responsibility to ourselves to live full
and happy lives. With that in mind, I’d like
to leave you with the following thoughts
that give me inspiration:
First: Take action and don’t be caught
waiting around. Our desire to be of value
should be greater than our fear of failure.
Allison
Poole
Second: Be a trailblazer. Nobody is going
to hold our hands and show us the way.
We should make the path and leave a trail
for others to follow.
Third: Find what will make you happy in life
because nobody is guaranteed a
tomorrow. One of my favorite quotes is by
John Lennon, who said: “When I was 5
years old, my mother told me that
happiness was the key to life. When I went
to school, they asked me what I wanted to
be when I grew up. I wrote down
‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand
the assignment, and I told them they didn’t
understand life.”
I look forward to seeing the remarkable
things you all do!
Good luck, and
congratulations!
Introducing: Class of 2014
Elias
Acosta
Maria
Akopyan
Joseph
Armendariz
Alex
Armendariz
Natalie
Badillo-Casas
Rowennakete
Barnes
Kara
Barnthouse
Ignacio
Barragan
Marina
Barsoumian
Matthew
Bauchiero
Samir
Belani
Carolyn
Bell
Shawn
Bonner
Amanda
Breyer
William
Brindley IV
Brandon
Burns
Jason
Burrows
Kristin
Cable
Lauren-Ashley
Caron
Adam
Carpinelli
Zachary
Ceriani
Irene
Cha
Eugene
Chan
Kevin E.
Collins, Jr.
Courtney
Cordes
Jason
Cotton
Monica
Cruz
David
Dang
Sam
Dehbozorgi
Edward
Dellarocca
Ritika
Deshmukh
Lisa Jean
Didak
Jordan
Dixon
Matthew
Dobson
Breanna
Dominguez
James
Drake IV
Nicole Duncan
Ryan
Dunlevy
Genene
Dunn
Dale
Durham
James
Eashoo
Albert
Elmassian
Nathaniel
Epstein
Brian
Ferguson
Kelsey
Ferguson
Michael
Fitzsimons
Gerald
Fritz
Ebenezer
Garcia
Ashley
Gordillo
Kelly
Gott
Jillian
Green
Andrew
Greer
Julie
Hamlin
Heather
Hare
Leyna
Harris
Jacob
Hash
Ashkan
Hejazi
Krista
Hemming
Harte
Hill
Huy
Hoang
Lance
Hobbie
Daniel
Hoevel
Mitchell
Hoffer
Wallace
Howard III
Leneer
Hutchinson
Justin
Irish
Adam
Jackson
Daron
Jackson
Robert
Jackson
Mustafa
Kadri
Joshua
Kang
Jeff
Kao
Lucy
Karaguezian
Elizabeth
Karsokas
Nima
Kashani
Nafisa J.
Khwaja
Stella
Kim
Meline
Kyurkchyan
Christine
La Vorgna
Jennifer
Lamm
Richard
Lara
Michelle
Le
Edwin
Lee
Angela
Leong
Brittany
Lichtig
James
Lim
Thomas
Logan
Grace
Lok
Jonathan
Lopez
Seamus
Lovelace
Chris
Lozano
Aren
Manukyan
Taleen
Mardirossian
Vincent
Marinaccio
Diana
Martinez
Jessica
Matic
Erin
McCusker
Ashely
McGill
Tadeusz
McMahon
Gillian
Mellon
Gabriel
Mendoza
Lacey
Mickleburgh
Brett
Mitchell
Aleksandr
Mkhitarian
Negar
Mohajer
David
Mojica
Marisa
Montenegro
Jose
Montoya
Shayda
Naeim
Mani
Navab
Peilin
Ngo
Tila
Nguyen
Ayami
Nieves
Brian
Novak
Aidin
Okhovat
Amanda
O’Neal
Caitlin
O’Shea
Joann
Paanio
Rodolfo
Pacheco
Paris
Page
Herjit
Panesar
Alexander
Paul
April
Perez
Jami
Perez
Lindsay
Perkins
Sheena
Pham
Sally
Pineda
Allison
Poole
Matthew
Primm
Areej
Rajput
Marhiell
Ramirez
Rochelle
Regner
Randy
Rodriguez
Rochelle
Rodriguez
Melinda
Romines
Stephanie
Rosil
Meghan
Russell
Harmeet
Sahani
Carlos
Sanchez
Dominique
Sanchez
Jose
Sanchez
Mark
Sanchez
Michael
Sanchez
Katherine
Sandoval
Jana
Santiago
Marta
Santiago
Samuel
Santos
Valerie
Saryan
Timothy
Schneider
Jay
Schrecengost
Michael
Schulze
Earth
Shah
Justin
Sharaf
Karen A.
Shiffman
Betty
Shu
Rose
Simityan
Shruti
Sinha
Tara
Sisneros
Brian
Soash II
James
Speights
Stephanie
Stout
Annette
Tagliaferro
Jonathan
Tan
Belinda
Theam
Michelle
Thompson
Lora
Touloumdjian
Colleen
Tye
Sharmin
Vadsaria
William
Vang
Andrew
Vartanian
Oshea
Vasquez
Arthur
Villegas
Jessica
Villegas
Melissa
Viramontes
Guan
Wang
Stefanie
West
Joshua
Wolfe
Carolina
Wu
Christopher
Yi
Adoree
Yu
Robert
Zimmer, Jr.
Class Superlatives
Best Couple:
James Lim
& Stella Kim
Best Smile:
Caitlin
O’Shea
Most Likely to
Take Over
the World:
Brian Ferguson
Best Speaker:
Dale Durham
Best Friends:
Samuel
Santos &
Brian Soash II
Most
Talkative:
William
Brindley IV
Most
Involved:
Stella Kim
Most
Philanthropic:
Gillian Mellon
Superlative Winners Not Pictured
Most Spirited:
James
Drake IV
Class Clown:
Brandon
Burns
Professor Kelch has been a Whittier Law
School faculty member since 1989. His “no
nonsense” style of teaching has earned
praise and respect from his students and
colleagues alike, and he is universally
considered to be a wonderful educator,
mentor, and friend.
Numerous students in this year’s 3L class
agree that “Professor Kelch is not only
extremely knowledgeable, but he also
gives you everything you need to know in
class… You won’t learn more from another
professor in one topic.”
After graduating magna cum laude from
the University of Michigan Law School,
Professor Kelch established himself as a
leader in the fields of bankruptcy, real
estate, and commercial law.
As a young professor, Professor Kelch was a
pioneer in the field of animal law, teaching
one of the nation’s first animal law courses.
Professor Kelch has successfully integrated
those experiences into his scholarship,
through which he has distinguished himself
as an influential thinker. Indeed,
We are honored and
delighted to announce that
Professor Thomas G. Kelch
has been named “Professor
of the Year” by the Whittier
Law School student body.
by Thomas Logan
Class of 2014
Professor Kelch has published extensively
on bankruptcy, real estate and animal law
issues,
has
spoken
at
numerous
conferences both in the United States and
abroad, and his work has been cited in
several judicial decisions. Professor Kelch is
also a tireless advocate. He has worked for
years with local nonprofit groups to rescue
and care for homeless companion animals.
More recently, Professor Kelch appeared
before the Long Beach City Council to
advocate for the city’s adoption of a “no
kill” policy for its shelter. He places a special
emphasis on advocacy in his role as a
professor, and inspires others to advocate
through his role as a moot court coach
and advisor to the school’s burgeoning
chapter of the Student Animal Legal
Defense Fund.
We are fortunate to have him as an
upstanding member and professor of the
Whittier Law School Community.
Student Organizations
Student Bar Association
James Drake IV, President; Stella Kim, Vice President Day;
Joe Armendariz, Vice President Evening;
Jacob Hash (Fall)/Karen Shiffman (Spring), Treasurer; Megan McGovern, Secretary
Edward Dellarocca (Fall)/Luis Montoya (Spring), Parliamentarian;
Elias Acosta, Sergeant-at-Arms; Jessica Matic (Fall)/Claire Chang (Spring), Zealous Advocate
Editor-in-Chief; Stephanie Caughlin, Public Relations Chair; Dominique Banos, Social Activities
Chair; Areej Rajput, Alumni Liaison; Rick Ma, ABA Representative
Karen Shiffman (Fall) 4L Representative; Alex Armendariz/Luis Elias/Caitlin O’Shea, 3L
Representatives; Ben John Atienza/Jayjay Ding/Mykhal Ofili, 2L Representatives;
Jayd Banuelos/Christy Garcia/Tiffany Larson, 1L Representatives
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Brett Scott, President; Ben Atienza, Internal Vice President;
Stephanie Caughlin, External Vice President;
Jayjay Ding, Treasurer; Megan McGovern, Secretary
Asian Pacific American Law Students Association
Larry Valdez, President; Claire Chang, Vice President; Ben John Atienza,
Treasurer; Joseph Desiderio, Secretary; Grace Pak, External Liaison; Madison
Bui, Social Chair; Rachel Van, Philanthropy Chair
Armenian Law Society
Lauren Shenian, President; Lilya Dishchyan, Vice President; Arianna
Isbirian, Treasurer; Ani Megerdichyan, Secretary;
Narek Balagyozyan, Social Chair
Black Law Students Association
Mercedes Campbell, President; Mykhal Ofili, Michael Ofili, Sydney
LaCour , Treasurer; Dominique Banos, Secretary
Criminal Law Society
Adam Jackson, President; Huy Hoang, Vice President; Dima Barakat, Treasurer;
Jay Schrecengost, Parliamentarian; Gillian Mellon, Secretary
Christian Law Society
Sonia Okoreeh, Jay Hong, Stephanie Stout, Lauren Caron, Krystle White,
Highkuhi Dzhanszyan, Matt Garvey, Hosea Brown, Michael Jones and
Megan McGovern, Members
Employment and Labor Law Society
Sachiyo Miller, President; Lane Bogard, Vice President;
Mykhal Ofili, Secretary; Carlos Oliva, Treasurer
Environmental Law Society
Areej Rajput, President; Daniel Lopez, Vice President; Mykhal Ofili, Treasurer;
Hanna Chandoo, 2L Representative
Hispanic American Law Students Association
Luis Elias, President; Ayami Nieves, Vice President; Carlos Sanchez, Secretary;
Jose Sanchez, Treasurer; Stephanie Rosil, Public Relations; Elias Acosta,
Networking Advisor; Rochelle Rodriguez, 3L Representative; Dominique Banos,
2L Representative; Luis Sandoval, 1L Representative
Entertainment & Sports Law Society
Sharmin Vadsaria, President; Elizabeth Karsokas, Vice President of TV & Film;
Nafisa Khawaja, Vice President of Music; Joshua Kang, Vice President of
Sports; Naheed Sahak, Vice President of Gaming; Amanda Breyer, Secretary;
Karen Shiffman, Treasurer;; Stephanie Caughlin, External Liaison
International Law Society
Jenna Novela, President; Matthew Peters, Vice President and Acting Treasurer;
Stephanie Caughlin , Secretary; Jacqueline Neumann, Social Chair
Intellectual Property Law Society
Nafisa Khwaja, President; Sharmin Vadsaria, Vice President; Brittany Lichtig,
Secretary; Karen Shiffman, Treasurer; Elizabeth Karsokas, External Liaison and PR
Jewish Law Society
Brittany Lichtig, President; Lauren Gindi, Vice President;
Ariel Mossazadeh, Secretary
Intramural Club
William Brindley IV, President; Jenna Novela, Vice President; Brett Scott, Treasurer;
Jayjay Ding, Secretary; Lacey Mickleburgh, Social Chair
Law Review
Vincent Marinaccio, Editor-in-Chief; Matthew Bauchiero, Executive Editor;
Betty Shu, Executive Editor; Faythe Hughes, Managing Editor; Nafisa Khwaja,
Solicitations & Symposia Editor; Thomas Logan, Solicitations & Symposia Editor;
Lacey Mickleburgh, Lead Articles Editor; Jami Perez, Lead Articles Editor;
Zachary Ceriani, Notes & Comments Editor; Timothy Schneider, Notes & Comments
Editor; Christopher Yi, Notes & Comments Editor; Brian Ferguson, Research Editor;
Andrea Golan, Research Editor
Journal of Law and Family Advocacy
Jana Santiago, Editor-In-Chief; Katherine Sandoval, Executive Editor; Amanda O'Neal,
Solicitations Editor; Lauren Caron, Article Editor; Stephanie Stout, Article Editor; Jillian
Green, Managing Editor; Shayda Naeim, Research Editor; Huy Hoang, Associate Editor
OUTlaw
Stephanie Beaudry, President; Robert Zimmerman, Vice President; Natasha
Gonzales, Treasurer; To Uyen Nguyen, Secretary;
Stephanie Caughlin, Social Chair
Moot Court Honors Board
Brian Soash II, Chief Justice; Amanda Breyer, External Justice; Andrew Greer,
Administrative Justice; Krista Hemming, Internal Justice; Elizabeth Karsokas, Juvenile
Justice; Gillian Mellon, Clerical Justice; Ignacio Barragan, Head Bailiff
Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity
Stella Kim, Justice; Krista Hemming, Vice Justice;
Ayami Nieves, Treasurer; Madison Bui, Clerk; Jayjay Ding, Marshal
Public Interest Law Foundation
Gillian Mellon, President; Lilya Dishchyan, Vice President; Johnny Lopez, Treasurer;
Natalie Casas, Secretary
PULSE Health Law Society
Ashley McGill, President; Courtney Cordes, Acting VP and Secretary
Student Animal Legal Defense Fund
Jacqueline Neumann, President; Thomas Logan, Vice President; Vincent
Marrinachio, Treasurer; Dale Durham, Secretary; Stephanie Beaudry, Public
Relations Chair
Students for a Sensible Drug Policy
Shirin Buckman, President; Daniel Moussatche, Vice President of Membership;
Stephanie Beaudry, Vice President of Programming and Public Relations;
Ben Eghbali, Treasurer; Irene Vatjaranuruk, Secretary
Tax Law Society
Meghan Russell, President; Jacob Hash, Treasurer; Herjit Panesar, Secretary
Trial Advocacy Honors Board
Dale Durham, President; Alex Armendariz, Vice President External Affairs; Rochelle
Regner, Vice President Internal Affairs; Jana Santiago, Treasurer;
Lacey Mickleburgh, Secretary
Whittier Hiking Organization
Zachary Ceriani, President
Women’s Law Students Association
Betty Shu, President; Stephanie Rosil, Vice President; Belinda Theam, Secretary;
Natasha Gonzales, Treasurer; Jenna Elhaj, Publicist
Organizations Not Pictured
Campus Democrats
David Mojica, President; Daniel Moussatche, Vice President;
Lee Hoffman, Treasurer; Naheed Sahak, Secretary
J. Reuben Clark Law Society
Jason Burrows, President
Best Speaker Event
CIPL/CICL/Law Review’s
Symposium
Best Professional Event
Women’s Law Student
Association: “Women and
the Legal Profession: A
Contemporary Dialectic”
Student
Organization
Awards
Best Cultural Event
Armenian Law Student
Association: “Day of
Silence”
Best Philanthropy Event
Public Interest Law
Foundation: “PILF Auction
– Brunch and Bubbly”
Best Organization Leader
Employment and Labor
Law Society: Sachiyo Miller
Outstanding Event
Women’s Law Student
Association: “Women and
the Legal Profession: A
Contemporary Dialectic”
Outstanding Organization
Asian Pacific American
Law Students Association
Long Live the Memories