Bashar Ahmad is a litigation partner at the Sacramento-based first Boutin Jones Inc., where he specializes in business litigation, real estate litigation, and healthcare litigation. He is also a member of the firm's insolvency and creditors' rights group. Bashar graduated from McGeorge in 2008, with Great Distinction. Bashar joined the McGeorge Diversity Board to make McGeorge a better institution for its students, faculty, and staff by advising and helping the Dean navigate through difficult diversity and race relations issues, especially given the most recent events surrounding those issues.
Kirsten Brown, ’08, became the first Black woman to serve as president of McGeorge’s Alumni Association Board of Directors in 2021. She is a deputy district attorney in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. When she was a law student, she was McGeorge’s first Black president of the Student Bar Association. Passionate about giving back, Brown focuses on engaging students and alumni while supporting bar exam scholarships for first-generation students and Students of Color. She is a strong advocate for McGeorge’s anti-racism initiative, and is dedicated to fostering equity and ensuring the school remains a leader in modern legal education.
Eric Barnum, '94, is a partner at Baker Hostetler, LLP in Atlanta, GA. He practices in all areas of employment law and litigation. He has extensive experience in multiparty complex civil litigation, as well as non-compete and trade secrets litigation. Mr. Barnum regularly litigated federal cases and advises clients on issues of employee classification and wage payments under the Fair Labor Standards Act, providing sophisticated and creative advice to help clients achieve business objectives. Mr. Barnum is co-leader of the firm's Litigation Associate Training Program, and frequently conducts training and educational seminars for lawyers and human resource professionals on a variety of issues. In addition to his professional work, he is very proud of his role as a youth mentor and motivator.
Andrew Blan, ‘19, founder of A.W. Blan’s Workplace Legal Services, is a seasoned workplace investigator and employment attorney dedicated to uncovering the truth in complex employment matters. He has conducted thorough, legally compliant investigations into discrimination, harassment, retaliation, misconduct, and other workplace disputes. Previously, he represented public agencies and private entities, gaining insight into workplace dynamics and organizational challenges. Now, he provides impartial investigations that help organizations assess risk, ensure compliance, and foster a healthier workplace culture.
While at McGeorge School of Law, Andrew served as student body president and was active in the Diversity Affairs Committee. He now serves on the Alumni Diversity Board and engages with the Sacramento legal community through the Wiley Manuel Bar Association.
Tia Boatman Patterson ’94 is Executive Director of the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) and has served in that capacity since 2014. She is Board Chair of the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) and a member of the National Housing Conference’s National Advisory Council and the Freddie Mac Housing for Tomorrow Council. Prior to her appointment at CalHFA, Mrs. Boatman Patterson served as General Counsel for the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency. She expects that as part of the Diversity Board, collaboration with alumni, administration, faculty, staff and students will empower McGeorge to make a stronger stance in the fight against injustice.
Daphne Copenhaver, '15, is Area Compliance Officer for Kaiser Permanente. Her responsibilities include the oversight and execution of the Ethics & Compliance (E&C) Program, including advising and directing all employees, contractors, and vendors on E&C Program matters. Ms. Copenhaver began her career in healthcare administration in 2005 as a consultant with a management consultancy firm. She then moved in-house and worked as an internal consultant and corporate manager within the health care industry before transitioning into a consultant role with the California State Assembly.
The Hon. Jack Duran, Jr., ’02, is the chief justice of the Oglala Sioux Tribe Supreme Court. He is a distinguished attorney and tribal court judge. A first-generation college graduate, he earned his law degree from McGeorge School of Law, where he was named Most Outstanding Graduate. After serving as a deputy attorney general, he founded Duran Law Office, P.C., representing Indian tribes, tribal entities and non-tribal businesses. Duran has held leadership roles as a county supervisor in Placer County and a member of the California Office of the State Controller’s Audit Review Committee. A dedicated mentor, he serves on McGeorge’s Diversity Alumni Board and supports students through internships and advocacy competitions.
Ernesto Falcon, '15, has spent his adult life connected to technology. Even before law school, he became Vice President of Government Affairs at Public Knowledge (PK), where he was successful in leading the organization's efforts to defeat in 2014. The following year, PK and Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) scored a major victory for consumers by rallying the Internet community to defeat the . After eight years in Washington DC, he returned to his home state of California to attend law school at McGeorge School of Law and continue his work for digital rights advocacy. Ernesto has rejoined the fight for consumers and Internet freedom at EFF as a Senior Legislative Counsel with a primary focus on intellectual property, open Internet issues, broadband access, and competition policy.
Lexi Purich Howard (she/her) is an attorney at the California Department of Water Resources in the Office of the General Counsel. Lexi was previously an attorney in the Legal Affairs Office of the California Secretary of State, and before that, was in private practice as a real estate and business attorney. Prior to that (before, during, and after law school), Lexi was a public policy advocate and lobbyist, representing businesses and trade associations, with a focus on real estate, business, and the judiciary. From 1985 through 2010, Lexi worked for a national title insurance and financial services firm.
Lexi identifies as queer and as a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. Lexi is the 2025 Chair of the McGeorge Diversity Alumni Board and is a founding and sustaining contributor to the McGeorge Virtual Food Pantry. She also serves on the McGeorge Capital Center Advisory Board, the Board of SacLegal, Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association, as a founding member and advisor to the Disability Inclusivity Bar Association of Sacramento (DIBAS), and on the Board of the Sacramento LGBT Community Center. Lexi is also a mentor to law students as well as for high school students in the Law and Public Policy Academy at C. K. McClatchy High School.
Lexi was an evening/part-time student at McGeorge and earned her J.D. in 2015 with a Certificate in Capital Lawyering. While at McGeorge, Lexi was a student in the inaugural Legislative & Public Policy Clinic, served on the Student Bar Association as Vice President for the Evening Class and as Evening Class Representative; for the Capital Lawyering Association for Students (then known as the Government Affairs Student Association) as President and Vice President; and as Chair of the Lambda Law Students Association. At graduation, Lexi received McGeorge’s Outstanding Student Service Award and was selected by classmates as the Evening Class Commencement Speaker. Lexi earned a B.S. in Business Management in 2010 from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.
Cornelle Jenkins, '15, is currently an associate attorney with Yempuku & McNamara in Sacramento, CA. He joined the Diversity Board to use his experiences as a law student and attorney of color to help fellow McGeorge students of diverse backgrounds thrive in the legal field. Outside of his position at Yempuku & McNamara, Cornelle has helped establish numerous nonprofit startups and is currently working to establish a nonprofit that provides at-risk and foster youth with mentorship and professional development opportunities. Cornelle aspires to help other overcome their circumstances and find true happiness in their careers and lives.
Susan Kuo is a professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law, where she serves as Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion as well as the Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. She serves as a Commissioner for the City of Columbia Municipal Election Commission. In past years, she has served as a board member for East Point Academy of South Carolina (South Carolina's First Chinese Immersion School), the ACLU of South Carolina, and the South Carolina HIV/AIDS Council.
Kristine Kwong, '92, is a partner at the Los Angeles office of Musick, Peeler & Garrett in its Transactions group. She represents both public and private sector agencies in international business operations with an emphasis in employment and labor matters. Ms. Kwong believes that lawyers are in a unique place to effectuate change, so when she was asked to serve on the Diversity Board sho whole-heartedly accepted. She hopes to ensure that McGeorge and other organizations with influence continue to reflect the diversity of the population, which is vital to ensuring social progress.
Gerry Latasa, '13, is an associate attorney with Black and Rose practicing workers compensation defense. He currently sits on the McGeorge Alumni Association Board of Directors and is an active member and Secretary of SacLEGAL, Sacramento's LGBTQ+ Bar Association. As a member of the Diversity Board, Mr. Latasa seeks to ensure that McGeorge continues to be a welcoming and accommodating environment for all students - especially BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and students with disabilities. He hopes to continue working with faculty, staff, and community members to improve the quality legal education offered by McGeorge School of Law and to maintain its inclusive nature.
Darrin Lim,'04, is the Co-Founder and Partner of Politicom Law LLP, a U.S. political compliance law firm located in Sausalito, California that supports various organizations with campaign finance, lobby disclosure, and ethics laws. The firm is a minority and woman-owned firm with diversity as part of its DNA. Mr. Lim formerly served on the Steering Committee for the Council on Government Ethics Laws and was a Communications Director for a California state legislator. As a first-generation law school graduate, he knows first-hand the struggles of being a diverse lawyer and therefore seeks to amplify the concerns of diverse lawyers to empower them to become better lawyers.
Douglas E. Love, ’95, joined Annexon Biosciences as president and chief executive officer in 2014 with extensive business and legal leadership experience in biotech. He previously served as the 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, as well as Elan’s global Commercial, Medical Affairs and Alliance Management groups. Love is a corporate attorney by training. Prior to joining Elan, he served as an associate at the law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, Corporate Counsel at Amgen, Inc. and section corporate counsel at Genentech Inc., where he led the BioOncology Healthcare Law Group and launched several blockbuster programs. Love holds a JD with great distinction from the sky casino genting McGeorge School of Law and a BS in business administration from the University of Southern California.
Russell McClain is a Professor of Law, Associate Dean of Institutional Engagement and Experience, and Director of the Academic Achievement Program at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
From 1995 until 2005, Professor McClain was a civil litigator in Los Angeles, California. He began teaching in the fall of 2005 as a legal writing instructor at Howard University School of Law. Professor McClain began teaching at the University of Maryland School of Law in 2006, and he received a full-time appointment to the faculty in 2007. Since then, he has worked as the director of the law school’s Academic Achievement Program, which focuses on assisting with the academic development of law students. In 2016, he was promoted to law school associate professor and appointed to the position of associate dean. Professor McClain’s scholarly interest is in the environmental and psychological factors that affect academic performance, including stereotype threat and implicit bias.
Mishael Pine, '03, is part-time staff attorney with Pacific Justice Institute in its New York Office. Prior to attending law school, she worked as an ICU nurse for several years before returning to school to obtain her law degree. Throughout her years as an attorney, she has volunteered for several nonprofit organizations including Access to Justice where she provided pro bono services to indigent litigants and the Queens County Bar Association Foreclosure Program representing clients in foreclosure settlements. Her passion to assist communities lacking resources has driven her desire to join McGeorge's Diversity Board where she hopes to parlay that passion into creating positive change for McGeorge's diverse students.
Mark. K. Slaughter, '02, is the Supervising Attorney of the Juvenile Division of the Sacramento County Public Defender's Office. He has worked in the Sacramento County Public Defender's Office for 15 years and has handled cases ranging from traffic infractions to homicides. Mr. Slaughter was instrumental in developing and starting a collaborative Driving Under the Influence Treatment Court in Sacramento County. He is currently working with Juvenile Justice partners to develop a Juvenile Trauma Response Court to support youth who have experienced significant trauma and find themselves in our juvenile justice system. Mr. Slaughter is a member of the Sacramento County Bar Association, Wiley Manuel Bar Association, SacLEGAL bar association, and he previously served as a Board of Directors member in each organization. He is also a member of the NAACP and the Black Public Defender's Association. He collaborates with Sacramento ACT on immigration justice issues and is active in the Racial Justice Taskforce with St. Mark's Church.
Vida Thomas, '93, is an AV-rated attorney who has practiced law for over 25 years. In that time, she has conducted well over 200 workplace investigations and is experienced in complying with Title IX, Title Five, the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights, and the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights. She has considerable experience investigating matters within a union setting and is particularly adept at investigating complex involving high-profile employers and individuals. A founding member of the Association of Workplace Investigations (AWI), Vida co-chaired the AWI Best Practices committee and helped establish the AWI guidelines for conducting workplace investigations. Clients have complimented Vida's knack for making the law accessible, explaining complex legal concepts in a way that is both thorough and easy to understand. She believes training is most effective when it provides concrete, useful tips for navigating today's complicated and highly regulated workplace.
Bindhu Vargese, '10, is a legal consultant and corporate attorney for small and large start-ups, most recently consulting for a women-focused start-up, The Jane Club, as it transitions from a co-working space to a global brand and digital community. She is part of the Diversity Board to help guide McGeorge towards its goals of becoming an anti-racist institution so that students are equipped to become impactful leaders and agents of change in dismantling systems of oppression in our society. It is her hope that students be provided a supportive and inclusive environment for learning throughout their time at McGeorge. Outside of work, Bindhu is married and raising two toddlers in Los Angeles, manages a real estate investment portfolio, and uses her spare time teaching others to cook, and participates in both national and local political engagement.
Joshua White, ’21, is a trial attorney at New York County Defender Services, representing indigent clients in misdemeanor and felony cases. A standout in McGeorge’s Trial Advocacy Program and Federal Defender Clinic, he honed courtroom skills through mock trial and real client representation. White credits McGeorge’s rigorous training and mentorship for preparing him to excel in court from day one. As a former president of BLSA, he built connections with alumni and legislators. Passionate about public defense, White encourages aspiring attorneys to stay committed to their goals, knowing there is a place for them.
- Dustin D. Johnson, '04
- Maricar Pascual, '16
