California Western School of Law Alumni Association

We celebrated recent graduates at a Bar Passers Celebration Breakfast before the San Diego County Bar Association's New Attorney Swearing-In Ceremony at the Westin. Hon. Judith McConnell and Hon. Maureen Hallahan delivered powerful remarks, urging the new State Bar of California inductees to remember that their duty to uphold justice and the rule of law is more important than defeating one’s opponent. Congratulations to our graduates!

This , your gift can help us make a difference. Your gift will:
- Extend vital scholarship support and make law school affordable and accessible to students in need
- Hire outstanding faculty who
inspire the next generation

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Join us on at California Western School of Law. Your generosity supports student programs, faculty excellence, scholarships, and campus transformation. Together, we make law accessible and impactful—for everyone.

Give today: https://giving.classy.org/campaign/723171/donate

Join us on at California Western School of Law. Your generosity powers student programs, faculty excellence, scholarships, and campus transformation. Together, we make law accessible and impactful—for everyone.

Give today: https://giving.classy.org/campaign/723171/donate

It's hard to believe it's been a week since the California Western School of Law Alumni Reunion!

Thank you all for joining us at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. The evening was full of reconnecting and celebrating our Distinguished Alumni Award recipients. We hope you left as inspired as we did.

Congratulations again to our honorees:

Distinguished Judicial Alumni Award
Justice Judith Haller '75
Judge Michael Washington '94

Distinguished Practitioner Award
Anne Bautista '97
Monica Lopez Reinmiller '98
Janice Walshok '08

Rising Star Award
Claudia Ignacio '18
Chris Lee '16

California Western Legacy Award
Deborah Dixon '07
Agustín Peña '12

Dean's Courage Award
Michael Lasso '23

California Western School of Law Alumni Reunion and Celebration was Friday, and it was a wonderful evening. Congratulations to the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award winners! Thank you to all our alumni and community partners who came to the event at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.

California Western School of Law is proud to announce that California Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed Sally Ackerknecht ‘09 to serve as Judge in the Kern County Superior Court, Amy K. Nett ‘01 to serve as Judge in the Riverside County Superior Court, and Mandy Tovar ‘03 to serve as Judge in the Santa Cruz County Superior Court.

Read more: https://www.cwsl.edu/news/alumni/

Read Governor Newsom's full press release: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/09/18/governor-newsom-announces-judicial-appointments-9-18-25/

California Western School of Law is proud to announce the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award winners!

Please join us in congratulating:

Distinguished Judicial Alumni Award

Judge Judith Haller '75, Associate Justice, Fourth District California Court of Appeal (Ret.)

Judge Michael Washington '94, Judge at San Diego Superior Court, County of San Diego

Distinguished Practitioner Award

Anne Bautista '97, Director of Legal Support and Strategy, Casa Cornelia

Monica Lopez Reinmiller '98, Chief Compliance Officer and VP of Legal, Panasonic North America

Janice Walshok '08, Shareholder, Pettit Kohn Ingrassia Lutz & Dolin

Rising Star Award

Claudia Ignacio '18, CEO, CI Tax Law, Inc.

Chris Lee '16, Founding Partner, Golshani Lee LLP

California Western Legacy Award

Deborah Dixon '07, Founding Partner, The Dixon Firm

Agustín Peña '12, Deputy District Attorney, San Diego County

Dean's Courage Award

Michael Lasso '23, Judicial Law Clerk, Eighth Judicial District Court of Nevada

Read it in Alumni News: https://www.cwsl.edu/news/alumni/2025_distinguished_alumni_awards.html

Celebrate this year's Distinguished Alumni Award honorees with us at the 2025 Alumni Reunion and Celebration.

Join us October 17th, 2025, 5:00 - 8:00 PM at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.

Buy Tickets: https://www.classy.org/event/2025-california-western-school-of-law-alumni-reunion-and-celebration/e694362

2025 California Western School of Law Alumni Reunion and Celebration This special event will bring together alumni, faculty and distinguished members of the legal community for an elegant evening, featuring a seated dinner and the presentation of California Western’s Distinguished Alumni Awards Ceremony.

⏰ Last chance! Giving Week ends tonight. Help us reach our goal and continue 20 years of service. Every gift matters: https://giving.classy.org/campaign/668287/donate

“CLP gave me the confidence to step into a room, engage with real issues, and trust that I belonged there.” – Mariza Lockhart, J.D. ’15
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“At CLP, I learned what justice really means—listening, advocating, and serving.” In 2024, we served over 1,100 people through 141 clinics. Your support changes lives. Donate today: https://giving.classy.org/campaign/668287/donate