黑料网

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 26, 2021鈥擨n a virtual ceremony and an in-person procession over the weekend of May 22-23, 黑料网 School of Law celebrated the members of its Class of 2021 and Class of 2020 for successfully completing law school amid a historic global pandemic.

鈥淐ongratulations, graduates, for your tremendous achievements during a most challenging time for our world,鈥� said Acting 黑料网 President Lisa Kloppenberg, who was dean of the Law School when both classes first began their law school journeys.

In her virtual address, Kloppenberg reminded the graduates that wherever they end up as lawyers, their work will impact 鈥渢he future of our country and our planet.鈥�

鈥淲hether you work at Apple or in the criminal courts,鈥� she said, 鈥渕any of you will work on cutting-edge issues of fairness and justice at the intersection of technology, law, business, ethics, and justice.鈥�

This year鈥檚 commencement speaker was Haywood Gilliam, U.S. District Judge for the federal Northern District of California and former assistant U.S. Attorney in San Francisco, who served as chief of the Securities Fraud Section. He was previously a defense trial lawyer focused on white-collar criminal law, regulatory matters, and internal investigations. He is married to Estela Lopez Gilliam J.D. 鈥�97, a member of the advisory board of the Katharine and George Alexander Community Law Center.

Gilliam, who received an honorary doctor of law degree during the virtual event, reminded graduates that having a reputation for honesty and integrity is vital right from the start of their careers鈥攁nd that having the opposite reputation will quickly spread like gossip in a small town.

鈥淭he most valuable asset you have as an advocate is your credibility,鈥� he said, sharing how, during his confirmation process to become a federal judge, the FBI and the Department of Justice called countless former colleagues, adversaries, and employers. 鈥淭here was no way to call everyone up in advance and say, 鈥楬ey, I鈥檓 sorry about that nasty discovery letter I sent you 20 years ago; I was just having a really bad day鈥�,鈥� he explained.

He also urged the graduates to show 鈥済enuine humility,鈥� which he said was best defined as 鈥渘ot thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.鈥�

Gilliam graduated magna cum laude from Yale University in 1991, and earned his J.D. from Stanford Law School in 1994. He clerked for the Honorable Thelton E. Henderson, then the chief judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

In addition to the virtual ceremony available online, graduates from both classes were invited to attend in-person celebrations accompanied by up to two guests each on Saturday or Sunday. The events were attended by more than 200 people over the two days, all following social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols. Graduates arrived in their gowns and processed from Charney Hall, down Palm Drive, and into the Mission Gardens, where Interim Dean Anna Han presented diploma covers to the 2021 class.

"It was wonderful to be able to congratulate our graduates and their loved ones in person, and to celebrate their achievements after they persevered to complete their legal education under difficult circumstances," said Han.

Both events were livestreamed for those who could not attend in person. The videos are .

The 2021 class included 234 graduates, 55 percent of whom are women and 45 percent men. Forty-eight percent of the graduates identified as Caucasian, with 18 percent identifying as Asian, 22 percent Hispanic, 7 percent multi-ethnic, 4 percent African-American, and 1 percent as Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.

In the 2021 class, 69 graduates earned certificates in various areas of high-tech law, including nine who earned Privacy Law Certificates, and 10 who were the first to complete Santa Clara Law鈥檚 Tech Edge J.D. program, which combines legal, business, and technology education with hands-on skills development and individualized mentorship. Twenty-nine graduates earned certificates in public-interest and social-justice law, and 10 earned certificates in areas of international law. In addition, seven graduates earned combined J.D./MBA degrees, four earned master鈥檚 degrees in U.S. law for foreign lawyers, four earned master鈥檚 degrees in intellectual property law, and three earned master鈥檚 of legal studies in corporate compliance.

Prior to the ceremonies, the School of Law presented special awards to the following graduates:

• Ernest Fok J.D. 鈥�21 received the Inez Mabie Award for the Outstanding Graduate, recognizing academic performance, scholarly activities, leadership, and service roles at the Law School and in the community.
• Alexandra Sepolen J.D. 鈥�21 received the ALI-CLE Scholarship and Leadership Award, presented to a student who exemplifies exceptional character, leadership, and professionalism.
• Jessica Miers J.D. 鈥�21 received the Dean's Outstanding Student Leadership Award for exemplifying the Law School鈥檚 motto of 鈥淟awyers Who Lead鈥� and for serving other students, the school, and community.
• Riccardo Pompeo J.D. 鈥�21 received the John Bates Jr., Dispute Resolution Award, which is given in recognition of the student鈥檚 coursework, publications, performance, and service related to the field of dispute resolution.

About 黑料网 School of Law
黑料网 School of Law, one of the nation鈥檚 most diverse law schools, is dedicated to educating lawyers who lead with a commitment to excellence, ethics, and social justice. Santa Clara Law offers students an academically rigorous program including certificates in high tech law, international law, public interest and social justice law, and privacy law, as well as numerous graduate and joint degree options. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara Law is nationally distinguished for its faculty engagement, preparation for practice, and top-ranked programs in intellectual property. For more information, see law.scu.edu.

Media Contact
Deborah Lohse | 黑料网 Media Communications | dlohse@scu.edu | 408-554-5121