Alumni Highlights – February 2014

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• Paula Schaefer (JD ’01) has been a solo practitioner for three years, doing business law, estate planning and administration. Last year she helped form the Orange County chapter of Girls on the Run and served as its legal counsel.

• Scott Levitt (JD ’03) started teaching Real Estate Law at the Chapman University Argyros School of Business and Economics this year. He previously taught Business Law at Cerritos College, Construction Law at Cal Poly Pomona, and Real Estate Finance at Chapman University. Scott is currently Alumni Board Chair of the Chapman University Fowler School of Law Alumni Advisory Board.

• The International Tax Review recently recognized Tara Ferris (JD ’07) as part of the 2013 Global Tax 50 Most Influential People in tax policy, acknowledging her role in the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). She has been the Senior Counsel in the office of the Chief Counsel (International) of the Internal Revenue Service since August 2011. Read more about Tara Ferris.
  

  Alicia Jessop

• Alicia Jessop (JD ’09) became a sports law professor at the University of Miami in the fall of 2013. She has an active blog, RulingSports.com and has been a contributing sports writer for Forbes and The Huffington Post. Read more on Alicia.

• Bobbie Ross (JD ’09) is now Deputy County Counsel for Yuba County. While she worked for the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA), she handled the recent request to deny the issuance of bonds for the 2008 passed Prop. 1A, a high-speed rail project between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
  

  Diana Lopez

• Diana Lopez (JD ’09) is the third Wally Davis Scholar to become the Hispanic Bar Association President.

• Atticus N. Wegman (JD ’10) was named one of the Top 5 Associates to Watch in the special “Top 20 Under 40” issue of the Daily Journal on January 29, 2014.

• Matt Feron (JD ’10) opened his own criminal defense firm in the City of Orange after two years of working for the District Attorney.

• Brett Murdock (JD ‘11) is in his first term as Mayor of the City of Brea. He was elected to the Brea City Council in November 2010 to serve a four-year term.

• Jessica Abramson (JD ’11) became Deputy District Attorney in the Mendocino County DA’s office. She was assigned to the office’s misdemeanor trial team.

• Morgan Windbiel (JD ’12) received his LL.M., with Distinction, in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center in May 2013. In January 2014, he became an associate at KPMG in the Mergers & Acquisitions Tax Services pratice.

• Nedda Safi (JD ’12) is the General Counsel for Praise International North America, Inc.

• Nickolas Lewis (JD ’13) was recently elected as City Clerk in the City of West Covina.

Submit a class note to share your exciting news in the Alumni Highlights!