SDCBA Ambassador Program
Approach Your SDCBA Ambassadors
At the next SDCBA event, look for “Bar Ambassadors” wearing this badge. These long-time SDCBA members provide a wealth of knowledge and want to help you get integrated with the SDCBA and our legal community. They will be at SDCBA networking and educational events throughout the year, so be sure to seek them out and say hello!
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Favorite moment as an attorney | |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | |
Best Teaching Moment | |
Favorite sports team/sport | |
Favorite San Diego activity | |
Favorite travel spot | |
Law school | |
Hometown |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | My first day as an attorney and, hopefully, my last day. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | Soak up as much law as you can while you're young because once you get caught up in the rat-race of the practice, it's going to be hard to stay on top of the ever-expanding body of the law. |
Best Teaching Moment | My first boss told me what you lack in evidence and law make up for with " blue smoke and mirrors." I interpreted that to mean, be fearless and creative. Comes in handy as a criminal defense lawyer. |
Favorite sports team/sport |
All the Cleveland teams and the Buckeyes. |
Favorite San Diego activity | Tennis in February while my Ohio friends are freezing their butts off. |
Favorite travel spot | San Francisco |
Law school | Ohio State University. Go Buckeyes! |
Hometown |
Cleveland, Ohio Go Cavs! |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | |
Best Teaching Moment | |
Favorite sports team/sport | |
Favorite San Diego activity | |
Favorite travel spot | |
Law school | |
Hometown |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | Filing my first civil case |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | Spend some time in court watching more senior lawyers do their thing |
Best Teaching Moment | Reading papers filed in opposition to your motion |
Favorite sports team/sport |
My son’s basketball team |
Favorite San Diego activity | Balboa Park |
Favorite travel spot | Thailand |
Law school | University of San Diego |
Hometown |
San Bernardino County |
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Favorite moment as an attorney |
That moment when the client shakes your hand or gives you a hug, and thanks you for taking good care of them. I have been blessed to experience that many times in my 30+ year career. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers |
Network, network, network!!! It never hurts to know people, and to have people know you. You never know where you next client referral may come from. |
Best Teaching Moment | Watching members of my 7th grade Youth in Court team examine a “witness.” |
Favorite sports team/sport |
I am a diehard Chargers and Padres fan. |
Favorite San Diego activity | Touring local craft breweries with my college age children and their friends. |
Favorite travel spot |
Florence, Italy. I love the art, the people, the food, and the wine. I also get mistaken for a local there. |
Law school | Loyola Law School, Los Angeles |
Hometown |
I grew up in Los Angeles, but have lived in San Diego now for more than 30 years and consider it to be my home. |
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Favorite moment as an attorney |
Coming out of a case – whether in state or federal court, or higher or lower court – feeling as though my preparation and presentation had a positive effect on the outcome. I love those moments, and they make the more difficult aspects of the job worth it. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers |
Having a great mentor or champion is almost as important as building strong professional skills and putting out good work product. So don’t forget to prioritize making professional relationships and to approach more experienced attorneys whose abilities you admire and ask for advice. |
Best Teaching Moment |
Nearly every case I work on presents something new, which reminds me not to get complacent in my experience no matter how many years of practice, because there will always be questions I don’t know the answer to. |
Favorite sports team/sport |
College football. I should be a UCLA fan, but I always end up watching more Cal games… |
Favorite San Diego activity |
Spending a nice sunny day at Balboa Park. |
Favorite travel spot |
Vegas! |
Law school | Cornell |
Hometown |
The LBC (Long Beach, CA) |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | Being sworn in to the U.S. Supreme Court and meeting Ruth Bader Ginsburg afterward |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | Remember that the buck stops with you. Know everything about your case, and know how to manage it. Take initiative and be proactive, even if you are a junior person staffed on a team. Know the rules yourself, including understanding deadlines and filing procedures. |
Best Teaching Moment | I was a newspaper reporter before I was a lawyer. Early in my legal career, I realized how much being a litigator was like being a reporter. You need to break down your case into its essential parts, and tell a story that the judge or jury can connect with and easily understand. |
Favorite sports team/sport |
Ohio State Buckeyes football, my younger daughter's softball teams |
Favorite San Diego activity | Walking along the bay and beach, taking my dogs to Coronado dog beach |
Favorite travel spot | Southern France |
Law school | American University, Washington College of Law (Washington, D.C.) |
Hometown |
Columbus, Ohio (although I actually lived in Washington, D.C., longer) |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | |
Best Teaching Moment | |
Favorite sports team/sport | |
Favorite San Diego activity | |
Favorite travel spot | |
Law school | |
Hometown |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | When a jury announces a verdict in your client’s favor after a hard-fought trial. Second favorite moment – having a drink with opposing counsel after a hard-fought case is over. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | Get out of your chair and out of your office, go to an event, meet some people, make some connections, volunteer, do some good, build a reputation. Don’t wait, do it now, it’s never too early and will become too late sooner than you think! |
Favorite sports team/sport |
San Antonio Spurs |
Favorite San Diego activity | Tie between sailing and going to the beach. |
Favorite travel spot | Hawaii or Mexico or San Francisco or New York City or Caribbean or…….. |
Law school | USD |
Hometown |
Born in LA. Raised in Santa Barbara. In San Diego since I was 20. |
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Favorite moment as an attorney |
Successfully winning a case (dismisal of charges at a prelim) in front of my former trial advocacy professor |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | As the saying goes, if you love what you do, then it really isn't work |
Best Teaching Moment |
When I made a mistake in a case as a young prosecutor and the judge told me with a sympathetic smile, "Counsel, that is why they call it the practice of law." |
Favorite sports team/sport |
Portland Trailblazers/NBA |
Favorite San Diego activity | Cycling |
Favorite travel spot | San Francisco |
Law school | USD |
Hometown |
I was born in Portland, Oregon, but grew up in Chula Vista- so I consider both my hometown. |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | |
Best Teaching Moment | |
Favorite sports team/sport | |
Favorite San Diego activity | |
Law school | |
Hometown |
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Favorite moment as an attorney |
Winning my first appeal on my first trial and having the appellate decision published |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers |
Use your common sense and don't be afraid to ask for advice from an experienced attorney |
Best Teaching Moment |
Second chairing a jury trial with a new attorney and teaching him in the course of the trial |
Favorite sports team/sport |
SDSU Aztecs Men's Basketball/San Diego Padres |
Favorite San Diego activity |
Enjoying this marvelous City and playing softball |
Favorite travel spot |
Tel Aviv, Israel |
Law school | University of Arizona College of Law |
Hometown |
San Diego |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | |
Best Teaching Moment | |
Favorite sports team/sport | |
Favorite San Diego activity | |
Favorite travel spot | |
Law school | |
Hometown |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | A jury verdict in favor of my client |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | Always be professional and strive to attain balance in your life |
Best Teaching Moment |
When someone takes a short cut and makes a mistake. |
Favorite sports team/sport |
Padres/Yankees (baseball); Knicks/Lakers (basketball); USC Trojans (college football); Chargers/Giants/Jets (pro football); Ducks/Gulls/Islanders/Kings (hockey); and Galaxy/Sockers (soccer) |
Favorite San Diego activity |
Hiking at Torrey Pines State Beach, SDCBA softball and San Diego County Fair |
Favorite travel spot | Italy |
Law school | University of San Diego |
Hometown |
East Meadow, NY |
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Favorite moment as an attorney |
Winning when the opposition said they were going to kick my a** and mop the floor with me! |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers |
Focus on doing a good job for the client – the rest will fall into place. |
Best Teaching Moment |
Being in the courtroom, listening to the judge’s ruling and rationale, gaining invaluable insight re how that particular judicial officer thinks (so I can tailor my presentation accordingly). |
Favorite sports team/sport |
Gymnastics |
Favorite San Diego activity | Sailing |
Favorite travel spot |
Poland (I have a friend who lives there). |
Law school |
Thomas Jefferson School of Law |
Hometown |
Kent, Washington (Seattle area) |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | As a judge pro temp when my daughter recognized me in the courtroom |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | Get as wide experience as possible |
Favorite sports team/sport |
My daughter’s dance team; Irish dance |
Favorite San Diego activity | Bicycling, beer, calories |
Favorite travel spot | Majorca |
Law school | USD |
Hometown |
La Jolla |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | |
Best Teaching Moment | |
Favorite sports team/sport | |
Favorite San Diego activity | |
Favorite travel spot | |
Law school | |
Hometown |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | When I got my clients' home of 25 years returned to them after it was sold to a BFP in a wrongful foreclosure. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | When in doubt, ask someone and don't be worried about sounding "dumb." Better to be embarassed for a minute than to permanently harm your client or your reputation. |
Favorite sports team/sport |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
Favorite San Diego activity | Kayaking with the dolphins at La Jolla Shores |
Favorite travel spot | Crete, Greece |
Law school | John Marshall |
Hometown |
Port Jefferson, NY |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | |
Best Teaching Moment | |
Favorite sports team/sport | |
Favorite San Diego activity | |
Favorite travel spot | |
Law school | |
Hometown |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | |
Best Teaching Moment | |
Favorite sports team/sport | |
Favorite San Diego activity | |
Favorite travel spot | |
Law school | |
Hometown |
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Favorite moment as an attorney |
Representing pro bono fire victims of the 2003 San Diego Wildfires who were underinsured, taking on their insurance companies, and then meeting with them in my office to hand them checks for sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars over what their insurance company had paid them. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers |
Get out of your office and do the old-school face-to-face thing as often as you can. |
Best Teaching Moment |
Prepare every case as if it were going to trial, even though 95% of cases settle. |
Favorite sports team/sport |
Notre Dame Fighting Irish |
Favorite San Diego activity | Golf…and sushi |
Favorite travel spot | Hawaii |
Law school |
Southwestern in LA |
Hometown |
LA – North Hollywood and La Canada |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | Every time a jury returns a Not Guilty verdict, especially when I know my client was innocent! |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | Your word is your bond; once given, it is kept even when it may inconvenient. You enter this world only with your name, you leave this world only with your name. Try not to do anything in the interim which sullies your name or your reputation. |
Favorite sports team/sport |
Late 70’s, early 80’s era San Diego Chargers with Dan Fouts at the helm throwing to the likes of Kellen Winslow, John Jefferson and Charlie Joiner. It was like watching poetry in action. |
Favorite San Diego activity |
Salt water fishing/lobstering |
Favorite travel spot | Cabo San Lucas |
Law school | Willamette University School of Law |
Hometown |
Escondido [by way of Brawley, CA] |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | |
Best Teaching Moment | |
Favorite sports team/sport | |
Favorite San Diego activity | |
Favorite travel spot | |
Law school | |
Hometown |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | Arguing an appellate case to the Ninth circuit |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | The practice of law is a marathon, not a sprint |
Best Teaching Moment | I was a 1st Lieutenant in the infantry in Vietnam. I asked a platoon Sergeant the difference between Officers and Sergeants. He said the Sergeants teach the men how to live. The Officers teach the men how to die. |
Favorite sports team/sport |
Cleveland Browns |
Favorite San Diego activity | Fiesta island with my wife and dog |
Favorite travel spot | Our little condo on the gulf of Venice, Florida |
Law school | Cal Western |
Hometown |
Cleveland, Ohio |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | Swearing in. Second favorite - flashing my bar card and going to the front of the line at the courthouse. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | Find your mentors |
Favorite San Diego activity | Walking |
Favorite travel spot | US: NYC. International: Israel |
Law school | CWSL |
Hometown |
Encino CA |
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Favorite moment as an attorney |
I had the honor of presenting the family of the legendary U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall with the UC San Diego Marshall College Medal. It was the first time that anyone from the Marshall family had visited the college bearing his name. As an attorney and alum, this was a very special moment for me. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers |
Make time to “give back” to the community as a volunteer or through pro bono services. |
Best Teaching Moment |
I had the opportunity to observe and interact with multiple attorneys as a federal law clerk many years ago, and I remember how their behavior (good and bad) made an impression on me. |
Favorite sports team/sport |
Can movie-watching be counted as a sport?! |
Favorite San Diego activity |
Dinner with friends overlooking San Diego Bay |
Favorite travel spot |
Hawaii |
Law school | California Western School of Law |
Hometown |
Chula Vista |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | |
Best Teaching Moment | |
Favorite sports team/sport | |
Favorite San Diego activity | |
Favorite travel spot | |
Law school | |
Hometown |
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Favorite moment as an attorney |
Swearing in my first jury for trial as a prosecutor. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | Be humble. Listen. Learn from those more experienced. |
Best Teaching Moment | Any time I can inspire a young person who wants to be a crime fighter |
Favorite sports team/sport |
SD Padres |
Favorite San Diego activity |
Breakfast at Harry’s then visiting La Jolla |
Favorite travel spot |
Hawaii |
Law school | CWSL |
Hometown |
San Jose |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | After 36 years there are too many to choose just one. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | Build relationships with potential clients, and people who may refer the type of cases you want. |
Best Teaching Moment | I like to put processes in context, so explaining why to my paralegal or a colleague who practices in a different field has been rewarding to me. No specific moments come to mind at this moment. |
Favorite San Diego activity | Hiking, biking, walking, gym |
Favorite travel spot | Kauai |
Law school | CalWestern |
Hometown |
Newport Beach |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | |
Best Teaching Moment | |
Favorite sports team/sport | |
Favorite San Diego activity | |
Favorite travel spot | |
Law school | |
Hometown |
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Favorite moment as an attorney |
I have so many memorable moments as an attorney, I’m not sure I have a favorite |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers |
Stay hungry |
Best Teaching Moment |
Watching my students engaged in what i was teaching. This was when I was an adjunct professor at a local university |
Favorite sports team/sport |
Used to be the Celtics, now the Warriors / basketball |
Favorite San Diego activity |
Walking at the beach |
Favorite travel spot |
Villa Escudero |
Law school |
Thomas Jefferson |
Hometown |
Philippines |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | |
Best Teaching Moment | |
Favorite sports team/sport | |
Favorite San Diego activity | |
Favorite travel spot | |
Law school | |
Hometown |
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Favorite moment as an attorney |
Being sworn in as an attorney with my parents in the courtroom. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers |
Meet as many people as you can – you never know who may be your next boss, colleague, opposing counsel, judge, or friend. |
Best Teaching Moment |
“Carrying bags” for senior attorneys and watching them work is a great way to see what you should and should not do. Ask to attend meetings, court hearings, whatever with your colleagues and with attorneys you respect and admire in other firms. |
Favorite sports team/sport |
NY Yankees |
Favorite San Diego activity | Del Mar Racetrack |
Favorite travel spot | Anywhere with a swim up bar and umbrella drinks |
Law school | Albany Law School |
Hometown |
Putnam Valley, NY |
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Favorite moment as an attorney |
My favorite days are always settlement disbursement days, i.e. handing my client a settlement check, giving them a hug and wishing them well in the future. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers |
Always be professional; civility isn’t just a goal to obtain sometimes, it’s a must all the time. If you want to succeed personally and professionally in the practice of law, always be civil; respect your opposing counsel, you don’t have to agree with them, but keep it professional. Your work-life will be far more pleasant if you are cordial and respectful of opposing counsel, and likely, they will treat you with civility and respect in return. |
Best Teaching Moment |
A senior attorney whom I respected greatly told me not to sweat the small stuff, that litigation was filled with small battles, some worth fighting, some not, but what was really important was to know my case, fight hard (when warranted), let it go (when needed), know that mistakes happen, and do the best I could for my client. |
Favorite San Diego activity |
Paddle-boarding |
Favorite travel spot |
Poipu Beach, Kauai |
Law school |
University of San Diego |
Hometown |
San Diego – born and bred |
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Favorite moment as an attorney |
Being able to assist a client obtain a result she or he would not have been able to accomplish without my help. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers |
Don’t ever compromise your personal or professional values. Remember why you went into the legal profession and what footprint you hope to leave on your community. |
Best Teaching Moment |
My last presentation to the ABA Young Lawyers Division about “networking on the run” – learning how to build and cultivate professional relationships in alternative settings |
Favorite sports team/sport |
Hockey/ Red Wings |
Favorite San Diego activity |
Cycling, hiking, and just being outdoors |
Favorite travel spot |
This is a tough one. Probably Italy. |
Law school | Thomas Jefferson School of Law |
Hometown |
Los Angeles |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | Having dinner with Hon. Sandra Day O’Connor during my term as President of Lawyers Club. We talked about legal and everyday stuff. What an honor. |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | Build your resilience — it is critical to bouncing back form mistakes, setbacks, failure, and other obstacles. Lawyers have relatively low resilience, but there are ways to build yours up. Google it. :) |
Favorite sports team/sport |
Kentucky Wildcats (college basketball) |
Favorite San Diego activity | Coronado dog beach with my dogs |
Favorite travel spot | Anyplace outdoorsy |
Law school | UCLA |
Hometown |
Louisville, Kentucky |
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Law school | |
Hometown |
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Favorite moment as an attorney | |
Top advice for Emerging Lawyers | |
Best Teaching Moment | |
Favorite sports team/sport | |
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Law school | |
Hometown |