Breadcrumb
Highlighting 100 McGeorge alumni for school’s 100-year anniversary: Posts 81-90
Throughout 2024, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law is celebrating members of its vast alumni network in honor of the school’s 100-year anniversary. These posts are part of a series highlighting 100 exceptional McGeorge School of Law alumni and friends of the law school.
As we continue publishing stories, we invite you to follow along and explore the stories of exceptional McGeorge alumni. This article spotlights McGeorge alumni who have emerged as formidable forces in their respective industries, making significant impacts on their communities and even extending their influence to the government level. McGeorge alumni pave the way for the next generation of law professionals, with their stellar career histories, continued dedication for justice, and status as leading experts in their fields.
Michael Bernstein, '85
Michael Bernstein, '85, is a highly regarded executive with decades of experience in the healthcare sector. Most recently, he served as an operating partner at Arsenal Capital Partners, which is a private equity firm with a focus on industrial and healthcare investments. Bernstein has held senior leadership roles in the healthcare sector, including as Regional Vice President, Executive Vice President, and CEO of several organizations.
Ruthe Catolico Ashley, '88
Ruthe Catolico Ashley, '88, is a prominent advocate for diversity in the legal profession. She chairs the California Legal Pathways Collaborative and previously chaired the State Bar's Diversity Pipeline Task Force. A former nurse and nursing professor, she became a lawyer at the age of 41. She’s held leadership roles in numerous organizations, chaired national committees, and earned several prestigious awards.
Dana Fox, '85
Dana Fox, '85, is a highly respected trial attorney and partner at Lewis Brisbois’ Los Angeles office, where he co-chairs the firm’s General Liability practice and the Civil Rights Police Litigation Defense Task Force. He has earned a national reputation as a “go-to” attorney for high-profile, high-exposure cases, including catastrophic accidents, wrongful death, police use of force, and premises liability.
Karen Jacobsen, ‘83, '86
Karen Jacobsen, ‘83, '86, has built a successful legal career over 30 years, specializing in complex cases such as personal injury and construction defects. Jacobsen is a partner at Jacobsen & McElroy, which she co-founded in 1998. Jacobsen has served as president of several legal associations as well as a settlement conference judge, arbitrator, and mediator for several California courts.
Tre Lovell, ‘92
Tre Lovell, ‘92, is a highly respected litigator who has earned national recognition for exceptional achievements in the legal field. With over 20 years of experience, his extensive practice includes business law, entertainment, intellectual property, corporate law, employment law, and general civil litigation.
Brian Schall, ‘11
Brian Schall, ‘11, founded the Schall Law Firm, which focuses on putting clients first and achieving the maximum recovery possible. Since 2016, the firm has helped secure nearly half a billion dollars for investors who have been harmed by securities fraud and corporate malfeasance.
Bruce Scheidt, ‘91
Bruce Scheidt, ‘91, is a skilled litigator who represents both private and public clients in federal and state courts, handling cases at the trial and appellate levels as well as in arbitration proceedings. Scheidt is the manager of Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard’s labor and employment practice group.
Nancy Sheehan, ‘83
The late Nancy Sheehan, ‘83, had a distinguished 34-year career as a civil rights and employment law litigator at Porter Scott, where she made history as the first female partner. After she passed away in 2019, the Sacramento County Bar Association established the “Nancy Sheehan Distinguished Attorney of the Year Award” in her honor.
Alumni in Corporate Leadership
Many McGeorge School of Law alumni who hold prominent positions in the corporate world, excelling in roles that involve managing operations, overseeing strategic initiatives, and shaping organizational identity. Notable alumni include the chief privacy officer at Roblox, the chief legal officer at GoFundMe, and general counsel at Virgin Hotels.
Trial Court Judges
There are over 400 McGeorge alumni serving as distinguished judges in various jurisdictions and more than 150 of them serve as trial judges. Trial judges play a critical role in the judicial system, presiding over trial courts where they manage legal proceedings and uphold the principles of fair justice.
Stay tuned for more blog posts as we celebrate the law school’s centennial anniversary in 2024. Check out earlier posts from the series:
