By Jules Copon

On the corner of First and Laurel St. sits the law office of Casey Gerry, one of the most prominent plaintiff’s firms in San Diego. The ornate Mediterranean exterior eases you to the marble and mahogany of the reception area where awards nearly wallpaper the room. Multiple standing plaques displaying “The Best Lawyers in America,” emblazoned in gold, affirms the standard of this powerhouse firm.

Casey Gerry partner Gayle Blatt, our very own CWSL 1985 alumna and member of the CWSL Board of Trustees, gleefully briefs The Commentary on her legal career and various law school memories. Continue reading “Attorney Q&A: Gayle Blatt, Board of Trustees member”

By Oliver Fredrickson

After a historically chaotic confirmation process, Brett Kavanaugh was finally sworn onto the Supreme Court on Saturday, Oct. 6.  Kavanaugh’s confirmation hung in the balance for 89 days amid concerns about his strongly conservative beliefs and later allegations of sexual assault. Nevertheless, the Senate confirmed his nomination by a vote of 50-48.

President Trump nominated Kavanaugh to fill the seat left by the retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy. Since 2006, Justice Kennedy had been the decisive “swing vote” on a number of important issues. Replacing this seat with the unapologetically conservative Kavanaugh entirely reconfigures the composition of the Court. With a loyal five-man conservative bloc, future decisions on women’s rights, gay marriage, voting rights, the environment, and affordable health care will lie in the balance. Continue reading “Opinion: What’s the deal with Brett Kavanaugh?”

By Edgar Lopez, Student Bar Association President

Welcome to the 2018-19 school year! I hope you had a great summer.

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Edgar Lopez, and I am currently a 3L student at CWSL. I grew up in Beaumont, CA and attended undergrad at Cal State San Bernardino. I ran for SBA President because I enjoy being part of something that benefits the greater good. As President, I want to continue hosting and supporting great events, both on and off-campus. I am also excited to bring new ideas to the CWSL community.

Now let me tell you a little about who we are and what you can expect this upcoming year. Continue reading “SBA President: Welcome to 2018-19!”

California Western welcomes Kiyana Kiel as its new Assistant Dean of Academic Achievement. Kiel’s prior law school administration experience includes working as Director of Academic Success and Bar Programs at University of San Diego School of Law. Before that, she served as director of the McGeorge Education Pipeline Initiative, which coordinated academic enrichment activities, community service, and service-learning programs for K-12 and college students in the Sacramento region.

Kiel, a first-generation college student, earned her undergraduate degree in American Literature & Culture from UCLA and her law degree from UC Berkeley. In addition to working in legal education, she also has worked as an attorney, focusing on real estate, land use, and environmental transactions. Her passion for environmental law stems from her upbringing on her family farm in Compton, California, where she grew up riding horses, climbing avocado trees, and collecting eggs from the chicken coop. She and her husband have lived in San Diego since 2012, and they have a two-year-old daughter.

The Commentary interviewed Dean Kiel to ask about her professional background, her goals and ambitions in her new role, and her personal interests. Continue reading “Q&A with Kiyana Kiel, New Assistant Dean of Academic Achievement”