Alumni Profiles

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When you become an alumnus of Pacific McGeorge, you join an impressive group of people. Below, you'll find profiles of many of our distinguished graduates who have gone on to great success as attorneys, judges, legislators, elected officials, authors and educators.

Take a moment to look through the profiles of these amazing alumni. We think you'll be impressed with, and inspired by, what they've accomplished.

Joan Miles

Joan Miles, '92, is the director of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, the state's largest agency 3,000 employees, 2500 contracts, 150 major programs and a biennial budget of nearly $2 billion. She previously served as the director of county health in Helena, Montana. A frequent speaker on legal issues pertaining to public health, Miles has a bachelor's degree in medical technology and a master's degree in environmental studies in addition to her J.D. She began her career as a law clerk for the Montana Supreme Court and served two terms in the Montana Legislature as a representative of central Helena.

James Lopes

Jim Lopes, '74, is a director with Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin and chair of its bankruptcy & reorganization group. From 1990 to 1992, he served as managing director of that San Francisco law firm. Lopes has represented a diverse array of clients, including Pacific Gas & Electric Company in its Chapter 11 case. Legal observers credit his work with saving the giant utility billions of dollars and allowing it to resurface as a robust energy giant. Prior to joining Howard Rice in 1982, Mr. Lopes was a partner in the San Francisco bankruptcy boutique, Gordon, Peitzman & Lopes, from 1978-81 and was with Gendel, Raskoff, Shapiro & Quittner, Los Angeles, from 1975-78.

Andrea Hoch

Andrea Hoch, '84, has served as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's secretary of legal affairs since October 2005. She has an impressive record in the public sector. Hoch served in a variety of posts with the California Department of Justice from 1992 to 2004, including chief assistant attorney general for its civil law division. She was appointed administrative director of the California Division of WorkersÕ Compensation by Governor Schwarzenegger in April 2004 and played a major role in implementing workers' comp reform regulations the following year. Hoch began her legal career in private practice from 1985 to 1987. She was legal advisor to the Public Employment Relations Board from 1988 to 1992 and staff counsel to the Agricultural Relations Board from 1987 to 1988.

Birgit Fladager

Birgit Fladager, '86, became the first elected female district attorney of Stanislaus County when she took office in January 2007 . She began working at the district attorneyÕs office in 1990 after serving as a Judge Advocate General officer in the Navy. She was promoted to chief deputy in 1999. Fladager was a key member of the winning prosecution team in the high-profile 2004 murder trial of Scott Peterson. The sensational case made front-page national headlines for more than a year. The Modesto man is now on death row for killing his wife, Laci, and unborn son, Connor, whose remains were found in San Francisco Bay.

Clay Calvert

Clay Calvert, '91, the John and Ann Curley Professor of First Amendment Studies, serves as co-director of the Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment, housed in the College of Communications at Penn State University. His research and teaching focus on issues involving the freedoms of speech and press. Calvert is the author of the book Voyeur Nation: Media, Privacy, and Peering in Modern Culture (Westview Press, 2000), the first scholarly book to examine the 21 st century phenomena of reality TV shows. He is co-author of the nation's top-selling undergraduate communications law textbook, Mass Media Law (McGraw-Hill). Calvert has published more than 60 law journal articles in the past 10 years.

Craig Barbarosh

Craig Barbarosh, '92, is the youngest member of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman's managing board. A former managing partner of the firm's Orange County office, he has built one of the California's most successful practices in the areas of financial restructuring and insolvency. In addition, Barbarosh has extensive experience representing corporate entities in business acquisitions in bankruptcy and receivership proceedings throughout the United States. He has won numerous awards, most recently being selected to OC Metro's 40 Under 40 "Business Stars." Prior to joining the firm, he served as an extern law clerk to the Honorable James N. Barr, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California.

Sharon Lueras

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Sharon Lueras, '88, to the Sacramento Superior Court on October 3. She has served as lead corporations counsel with the California Department of Corporations since 2005. Previously, she served as a deputy attorney general for the California Attorney General's Office from 2002-2005. Lueras was a deputy district attorney for the Yolo County District Attorney's Office from 2001-2002 and held the same position with the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office from 1992-2001.

Scott Boras

Scott Boras, '82, is the premier agent in professional baseball. A former minor league outfielder, he has been described as the person who has had the most profound impact on the $6 billion-a-year business in the past quarter-century. After a brief legal career in medical litigation, Boras represented a former minor league teammate, launching his career as a super agent. Operating out of Newport Beach, California, the Scott Boras Corporation represents more than 60 major leaguers, including many of the game's highest-paid players. He negotiated a 10-year, $252 million contract for current Yankees' infielder Alex Rodriguez, the most expensive contract per year in American professional sports. Most recently, he negotiated a seven-year, $126 million deal with the San Francisco Giants for client Barry Zito, making the lefthander the highest-paid pitcher ever.

Connie Callahan

Judge Connie Callahan, '73, is a member of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, having been appointed by President George W. Bush in February 2003 and unanimously approved by the U.S. Senate three months later. Callahan began her law career in Stockton as a deputy city attorney. She served 10 years with the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office, specializing in child abuse and sexual assault cases. Callahan was appointed a commissioner of the Stockton Municipal Court in 1986 and was elevated to the Superior Court bench six years later. In 1996, Governor Pete Wilson appointed her to serve on California's Third District Court of Appeal. A former president of the Pacific McGeorge Alumni Association, she is a member of the University of the Pacific's Board of Regents.

Ellen Corbett

Ellen Corbett, '85, represents the 10th Senate District in the California Legislature. The San Leandro Democrat is the chair of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee. A former member of the state Assembly (1998-2004), Senator Corbett has a long history of public service in the district. She served as a city councilmember and mayor of San Leandro and worked as an attorney, community college professor and civic activist. During her Assembly tenure, she chaired the Judiciary Committee and the Revenue & Taxation Committee. Her legislative record includes legislation to reduce prescription drug costs, restore wetlands along the Bay, protect consumer rights and increase penalties for discrimination against the disabled.

Morrison England, Jr.

Judge Morrison England, Jr., '83, sits on the bench of the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California. He was nominated for the federal court in March 2002 by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate five months later. A football player at the University of the Pacific, England had a tryout with a National Football League team and was an assistant college football coach as a law student. He was a partner in a general practice law firm for 13 years before being appointed by Governor Pete Wilson to the Sacramento Municipal Court. In 1997, he was elevated to the Sacramento Superior Court where he served until his nomination to the federal bench.

Noreen Evans

Noreen Evans, '81, is serving her second term in the California Legislature where she represents the 7th Assembly District. As chair of the Assembly Democratic Caucus, Evans works directly with the Assembly Speaker to identify and implement her party's legislative agenda. She has lived in Sonoma County since 1982 where she worked as an attorney focusing on civil litigation and appeals. Prior to her election to the Assembly, she worked for the Santa Rosa law firm of Lanahan & Reilley, LLP and was formerly a litigation partner in the Santa Rosa firm, OÕBrien, Watters, & Davis. Evans also served in local government for 11 years. After earning her J.D. from Pacific McGeorge, School of Law in 1981, Evans studied international business law at the University of Salzburg and worked in Ireland at a Dublin firm of solicitors under sponsorship of the law school's LL.M. in Transnational Business Practice program.

John Gerrard

John Gerrard, '81, is a justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court. The youngest person ever to be appointed to that state's high bench, he has had an impact both on the cases that have come before that seven-member body and that state's legal policies and practices. Prior to his appointment to the high court in 1995 by then Governor Ben Nelson, Gerrard was in private practice for 14 years in Norfolk. The small-city practice gave him a chance to litigate all types of cases, from criminal to personal injury and product liability. During those years he also served as legal counsel to several school districts and the city of Battle Creek.

Bill Lockyer

Bill Lockyer, '86, is California's 32nd State Treasurer following his election to that important constitutional office in November 2006. From 1999-2006, Lockyer served as California Attorney General and left a lasting legacy at the Department of Justice. In his eight years, he helped revolutionize crime fighting in California by creating and maintaining the nation's most sophisticated DNA forensic crime laboratory. He also cracked down on Medi-Cal fraud, securing hundreds of millions of dollars in court-ordered restitution and penalties, established the Megan's Law website to locate and identify registered sex offenders, and recovered billions of dollars for defrauded energy ratepayers, consumers and taxpayers. Prior to his election as Attorney General in 1998, Lockyer served for 25 years in the California Legislature, culminating his Capitol career with a stint as Senate President pro Tempore.

Craig Manson

Craig Manson, '81, is a distinguished visitor and lecturer in law at Pacific McGeorge who returned to the faculty full-time after a notable career in public service. A United States Air Force Academy graduate, he served on active duty from 1976 to 1989. After four years in private practice in Sacramento, Manson became general counsel of the California Department of Fish and Game. In 1998, he was appointed to the Sacramento County Superior Court where he served four years before his appointment to the Department of the Interior in 2002 by President George W. Bush. Manson served four years as Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks before returning to Sacramento in 2006 to teach again at the law school where he had taught as a member of the adjunct faculty from 1993 to 2001.

Steve Martini

Steve Martini, '74, is one of America's favorite contemporary novelists. He worked as a newspaper reporter in Los Angeles and as a correspondent at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, specializing in legal issues, before earning his law degree. In 1974, he entered private law practice in California where he appeared in both state and federal courts. During his law career he worked as a legislative representative for the State Bar of California, served as special counsel to the California Victims of Violent Crimes Program, and was an administrative law judge and supervising hearing officer. In 1984, Martini turned his talents to fiction. Compelling Evidence, the novel that introduced his protagonist attorney Paul Madriani, was published by Putnam in 1992. A national bestseller, that novel earned Martini a critical and popular following. The now-Washington state resident continues to crank out bestsellers.

Judge Johnnie Rawlinson

Judge Johnnie Rawlinson, '79, became the first Pacific McGeorge graduate to sit on a federal appellate bench when she was appointed to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2000. She is also the first African-American woman to serve on that court. Rawlinson served as a U.S. District Judge, District of Nevada, for only two years before being nominated to the nation's second-highest court by President Bill Clinton. Prior to her judicial service, she spent 18 years with the Office of District Attorney, Clark County, Nevada. She rose from deputy district attorney to chief deputy district attorney to assistant district attorney, where she supervised civil, family support and administrative divisions from 1995 to 1998. A North Carolina native Rawlinson maintains her chambers in Las Vegas where she has spent her entire legal career.