Alumni Associations

2022-2023

Alicia Matricardi '06, President
Attorney at Law
Matricardi Law

Robert Glassman '09, Past President
Attorney at Law
Panish Shea & Boyle

Daniel K. Kramer '08, President-Elect
Attorney at Law 
Kramer Holcomb Sheik

Lynda Sheridan '94, Vice President
Attorney at Law 
Law Offices of Lynda Sheridan

Patrick Baghdaserians '07
Attorney at Law
Baghdaserians Law Group

Robert Brandt '76
Attorney at Law
Feinberg Mindel Brandt & Klein

Hon. Deborah S. Brazil '96
Judge
Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles

Martin Carpenter '76
Attorney at Law
Carpenter Rothans & Dumont

Evan Clark '14
Attorney at Law

Julianne DeMarco '87
Attorney at Law
Taylor DeMarco

Mia Ellis '03
Assistant Chief Trial Counsel
State Bar of California

Rachel Gezerseh '07 
Attorney at Law
Panish Shea & Boyle

Art Gharibian '11
Attorney at Law
Gharibian Law, APC

Bernetta Hardy '10
Attorney at Law
The Walt Disney Company

Hon. H. Clay Jacke, II '82
Judge
Los Angeles County Superior Court

Erin Joyce '90
Attorney at Law 
Erin Joyce Law

Gerard V. Kassabian '01
Attorney at Law 
Law Offices of Gerard V. Kassabian

Jody Klipple ‘11
Attorney at Law
SEIU

April Macaraeg '15
Attorney at Law
Macaraeg Law

Alan Romero '06
Attorney at Law
Romero Law

Stephen Strauss '83
Attorney at Law
Buchalter

Jeannette L. Van Horst '93 
Attorney at Law 
Law + Brandmeyer

Shannon Wainright '12 
Deputy District Attorney 
Los Angeles County District Attorney

Anna Wassenberg '10 
Attorney at Law 
Law Office of Ana Wassenberg

Hon. Timothy Weiner '00
Judge
Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles

The Southwestern Alumni Association established the Nickel Club in 2008 to meet the specific needs of Southwestern alumni who have graduated within the past five years. For the 2020-21 academic year, that includes class years 2016-2020. 

Recently graduated alumni have different needs than attorneys who have been in practice for more than five years. As a result, the Nickel Club was created to help improve and ease the transition into the legal profession by providing support and resources to recent alumni. The group also fosters relationships between recent graduates and current students. There's no application process - alumni are automatically members and no dues are required. And all are welcome and encouraged to join and participate in any Nickel Club events.

Applications for the Nickel Club Board of Directors and Committees go live every spring. The Board and Committee members plan events that focus on networking (both among Nickels and with older alumni), career development (CLE programming), and engagement with students. 

To learn more about joining the Nickel Club or about upcoming events and activities please email alumni@swlaw.edu. 

Governing Board of Directors
2021-2022

Robert Ford '17, President
A3 Artists Agency

Yarden Fedida '17, Past President
Fedida Law Firm

Matthew French '19, Co-Vice President
Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman

Caitlyn Dillon '18, Co-Vice President
Lewitt Hackman

Julio Soto-Kim '19, Secretary
Plante Lebovic LLP

Blake Burtchaell '17
Burtchaell Law

Joya De Foor '18

Andrew Grassel '17
Solomon Saltsman & Jamieson

Daniel Reutskiy '18
Law Office of Daniel Reutskiy

Erica Zohar '17, Past President 
Levin Law Corp.

Sub-Committees

Nickel Focused Sub-Committee
This committee helps foster social interaction and professional development between its members. The committee will create opportunities for Nickel members to meet and network with one another, with the expectation to reconnect with former classmates and develop professional contacts with other recent Southwestern alumni. The Nickel Focused Committee will also work collaboratively with the other committees for the purpose of organizing and maintaining a Nickel Club contact network accessible to all members.

Student Focused Sub-Committee
This committee concentrates on the interaction between recent graduates and current students by developing programs, events, and activities to promote networking between these two groups. The committee works closely with current representatives of the various student body organizations. The committee goals are to mentor and prepare students for their first few years in the legal profession and to encourage them to remain active in Southwestern as alumni. Fostering these types of relationships with current students will create pride in their alma mater to build a stronger alumni base for the future.

Career Related Sub-Committee
This committee is focused on career development and related activities aimed at improving the alumni community's legal practice. Events presented will include MCLE events and informational seminars, focused both generally and in specific practice areas, and will also include networking components for panelists and attendees. Future events include a judicial panel addressing common ethical pitfalls for young attorneys and the ABCs of court appearances. Seminars regarding attorney interactions, including how to develop a productive mentor/mentee relationship with the partners and senior associates in your firm, how to interact with co-counsel, and how to deal with difficult opposing counsel. Along with many great events to follow! Get MCLE credit and develop those important relationships with the Southwestern and Los Angeles legal communities.

Public Affairs Sub-Committee
This committee has two focuses. First, it will increase awareness among Nickel alumni about the law school's existing civic-minded efforts, including the Southwestern Children's Rights Clinic, Immigration Law Clinic and Street Law Clinic. Second, the committee will identify for Southwestern students and alumni pro bono and other civic-minded activities with varying commitment levels. These activities will include participation in programs like Habitat for Humanity, tutoring for youth in need, and exciting fundraising events.

Southwestern's Entertainment and Intellectual Property Law Alumni Association (SWEIP) was launched in 2011 to bring together all Southwestern alumni who are currently working in the fields of entertainment and/or IP transaction law or litigation; those who work for an entertainment company or entertainer; and/or those who work as a creative person in the entertainment industry. SWEIP also invites graduates from the Southwestern's Entertainment and Media Law LL.M. program to join. Honorary members may join SWEIP with a majority vote of the board. 

Southwestern understands the need and importance of building an active community, therefore, it created the group to cultivate relationships and create valuable resources and activities for its alums. SWEIP serves as a way to facilitate interactions between Southwestern alumni and the entertainment business, legal and creative communities. In addition to supporting programs and events focused on entertainment and intellectual property issues, SWEIP serves as a liaison between Southwestern alumni and the current Southwestern student body. There are no dues required to be a member of this group.

Southwestern alumni who are interested in joining the Southwestern's Entertainment and Intellectual Property Law Alumni Association, can contact the Institutional Advancement Office.

Board of Directors
2019-2020

Mitchell Federer '09, President
Senior Vice President, Business, and Legal Affairs
Kinetic Content

Robert F. Helfing '79, Vice President
Attorney at Law 
Formerly with Sedgwick

Lance Pritikin '06, Treasurer
Attorney at Law
Law Office of Lance Pritikin

Hillary Kane '93, Secretary
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer /
Adjunct Professor of Law - Southwestern Law School

Shahrokh Sheik '06, Past President
Partner
Kramer Holcomb Sheik

Ilyssa Adler '12
Ubisoft Motion Pictures

Jay Cameron Ayers '05
Laurel Canyon Law

Caroline Barbee '05
Attorney at Law
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton

Emma Brackett '05
Vice President
Content and Programming, AT&T Entertainment Group

Matthew Broussard '11
Vice President, Business, and Legal Affairs
LLP Production Services, Inc.

Grace Duplissea '13
The H Collective

Eric Early '93, Past President
Partner
Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae

John Fagerholm '00
Founding Partner
M.E.T.A.L. Law Group

Kian Ghaffari '02
Attorney at Law
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Inc

Zeina Grenier '06
Attorney at Law

Victor de Gyarfas '94
Partner
Foley & Lardner

David A. Helfant '80
Senior Partner
Law Offices of David A. Helfant

Neville L. Johnson '75
Attorney at Law
Johnson & Johnson

Lynette Jones '11
AT&T Entertainment

Sally Koenig '92
Attorney at Law
Koenig Law Offices

Matthew Laviano '02
Attorney at Law
Berman Braun

Steven Lowy '76
Attorney at Law
Isaacman Kaufman & Painter

Andrew Marcus '92
Andrew Marcus & Associates

Douglas McClure '95
Senior Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs
Silver Pictures

Kamal Moo '05
Attorney at Law
Law Offices of Kamal Moo

Deanna Newell '97
Attorney at Law
Business and Legal Affairs Consultant

Romy Schneider '04
Attorney at Law
Activision Blizzard Studios

Stephen Strauss '83
Buchalter

Robert Wernick '06
Senior Counsel
Ticketmaster LLC

Sub-Committees

Alumni-Student Committee
The committee shall develop programs, activities, and events for Southwestern students and provide them with opportunities to interact with alumni and allow them access to alumni volunteers as mentors and networking contacts.  Programs may include establishing a mentoring program for students through the Biederman Institute, attending Biederman-Scholar student dinners, or collaborating with the Alumni Association’s Inn of St. Ives program.

Events Committee
The committee shall establish and organize social events for the Association to promote involvement with other alumni and the law school.  Programs may include Fall/Spring Mixers, Law Firm Networking Receptions, and the biannual SWEIP/Biederman Dinner.

Professional Development Committee
The committee shall establish and organize continuing legal education courses, seminars, and similar type programs for the Association to provide educational and career development resources for alumni and law students.  

Admissions Outreach Committee

The Admissions Outreach Committee consists of two sub-committees that focus on establishing active recruitment of incoming students and admission pipelines.

• Student Recruitment assists the Admissions Office by actively participating in the recruitment of students to Southwestern. 

• Pipeline Initiatives will actively cultivate and establish relationships with undergraduate universities, high schools, community colleges and other organizations such as law enforcement and the armed forces to create pipelines and increase admission applications.

Advancement Committee

Advancement consists of two sub-committees that focus on fundraising and scholarships and grants.

• Fundraising and Capital Campaign works directly with the Institutional Advancement Office (IA) to assist in the fundraising plan set forth by IA and Southwestern's Board of Trustees. The committee develops strategic plans to increase alumni donations and helps secure resources that support the mission and programs of the law school.

• Scholarships and Grants is responsible for establishing and managing the criteria for the scholarship, screening the student applicants and presenting names of nominees to the Board for the Alumni Scholarship. 

Alumni Engagement Committee

The Alumni Engagement Committee consists of three sub-committees that focus on alumni events, diversity, and strengthening the connection between alumni and the law school. The Alumni Engagement Committee also oversees the planning of the Awards Recognition Event.

• Alumni Events, Chapters & Associations will develop and encourage alumni participation in alumni regional receptions, assistance in maintaining a connection with regional Alumni Chapters, the Nickel Club and the Entertainment and Intellectual Property Alumni Association, and overseeing the Inn of St. Ives Program. 

• Public Affairs assists with the PR and marketing of the Alumni Association and its alumni, which may include identifying key alumni to profile and recognize, creating and obtaining articles about these individuals, and maintaining an active presence on social media applications such as LinkedIn and Facebook.

• Diversity is responsible for promoting Southwestern’s commitment to diversity and members will work directly with the Diversity Affairs Office at Southwestern to plan programs and activities to celebrate Southwestern’s diversity and help continue the tradition.

Professional Development

Professional Development consists of two sub-committees that focus on alumni and student career placement, training and education.

• Recruitment and Placement focuses on direct recruitment and hiring of Southwestern alumni and students.  They assist the Career Services Office in providing programs that facilitate and enhance the transition from law school to law practice.

• Training and Education focuses on providing substantive educational programs that will help advance the careers of Southwestern students and alumni.  They work with the Career Services Office to plan activities which may include Continuing Legal Education seminars, expanding the Mock Interview Program, and recruiting mentors for the Alumni Resource Network.

Questions? For more information on how to join a committee, please contact the Institutional Advancement Office.

There are a number of avenues for alumni to remain involved in the Southwestern community after graduation. Some of these opportunities are described below. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Institutional Advancement or the specific office listed.

Alumni Resource Network

Over 450 alumni participate in the program that provides students with an opportunity to contact and network with alumni in specific practice and/or geographic areas. Alumni offer advice on networking opportunities, career matters, and expertise in particular areas of practice.

Donald L. Stone's Inn of St. Ives

This monthly program is based on the Inns of Court model where senior attorneys and judges meet with small groups of law students to discuss issues of law and practice.

Dean's Round Table

This semi-monthly program brings together individual alumni of outstanding achievement with small groups of students for stimulating, informal luncheon discussions on campus.

Moot Court

A large contingent of alumni are recruited each year to serve as judges for a number of advocacy programs, most notably the annual Intramural Moot Court Competition. They are also called upon to preside over SCALE appellate arguments, mock trial and trial advocacy practice rounds and finals, and occasionally to serve as advisors to Moot Court Honors Program teams competing in interscholastic competitions. For more information, please contact the Student Affairs Office.

Mock Interview Program

Prior to the fall recruiting season each year, alumni volunteers help prepare students by conducting videotaped mock interviews and providing evaluations and advice. For more information on participating as a mock interviewer, please contact the Career Services Office.

On-Campus Interviews

During the fall recruiting season, a number of alumni are among the firm and agency representatives who come to the campus to interview students for summer clerkship and full-time associate positions. For more information on how to get participate, please contact the Career Services Office.

Guest Speakers

Alumni are often invited to serve as panelists or lecturers for a variety of seminars, workshops and roundtable discussions sponsored by the faculty, the Career Services Office and student organizations. If you are interested in serving as a guest speaker, please contact Institutional Advancement and/or the Career Services Office.

Other Alumni Events

In addition, Southwestern regularly sponsors alumni events such as MCLE classes, regional receptions for alumni around the country, and reunions.