Alumni Class Notes
We invite members of our USC Gould Trojan Family to share their milestones and accomplishments with our community.
Tell us about your new job, awards/honors, wedding and birth announcements — and other news! Class Notes are shared in the USC Law magazine and here online. Email us at alumni@law.usc.edu or fill out the form linked below.
Summer 2026
Nicole Barba (LLM 2024) joined Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP as an associate.
Jason Barnwell (JD 2007) was appointed as chief product officer at Agiloft.
Nadia Danilovich (JD 2015) joined the National Immigrant Justice Center as a senior attorney for pro bono on the Protection Project.
Amber Finch (JD 2002) named one of California’s Top Women Lawyers for 2026 by the Daily Journal.
For the third year, the Hon. Jay C. Gandhi (JD 1997) is a Chambers Top Ranked Mediator.
Michael Garabed (JD 2002) has been appointed to serve as a judge in the San Diego County Superior Court.
Candice Henry (JD 2003) has been appointed to serve in an interim appointment as a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
John Y. Kelly (JD 2010) recognized as a 2026 Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys by the Los Angeles Business Journal.
Josh Love (JD 2014) was recognized by Variety as one of music’s legal elite.
Nese Mitchell (MSL 2022) joined Stepping Stone of San Diego as the Director of Development and External Affairs.
Gabriel A. Morgan (JD 2008) was named The Best Lawyers in America 2027 in the bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganization law category.
Michele Mulrooney (JD 1995) was recognized posthumously as a winner of The Recorder's Lifetime Achievement award.
Adam Raichilson (JD 2015) was promoted to of counsel at Paul Hastings LLP.
Justin A. Sanders (JD 2000) was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2027.
John Snow’s (JD 2011) first book, Rules to Speak By: Present and Persuade Like the Country's Best Lawyers, was published by Carolina Academic Press.
Matt Strabone (JD 2007) joined NATO as a legal advisor after serving as city treasurer of La Mesa, CA.
Tina Tan (JD 2016) was promoted to of counsel at Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP.
Courtney Tully (JD 2019) was promoted to of counsel at Paul Hastings LLP.
Nicole You (JD 2024) joined Blank Rome as an associate in the matrimonial & family law group.
IN MEMORIAM
Judith Rochelle Nelson (LLB 1965) passed away on June 21, 2026, following a battle with ovarian cancer. She was 85 years old. Shortly after graduating from USC Gould School of Law, she was selected as a research assistant to the McCone Commission, convened to investigate the 1965 Watts Riots. The experience brought her into close professional contact with Warren Christopher, who would later serve as U.S. Secretary of State. In 1968, Nelson joined Teledyne Corporation, beginning a 28-year career with the company. She was appointed Corporate Secretary in 1987 and General Counsel in 1990, while also serving on Teledyne's Board of Directors, before retiring in 1996. Nelson became a philanthropist, supporting several nonprofit groups, including the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles; and the American Indian College Fund. She served on a for-profit board and several nonprofit boards. Her devoted housemate and companion, Eileen Ogle, died in December 2025. The two met at Teledyne, where they began a relationship lasting the rest of their lives. Nelson is survived by her brother, John B. Zuckerman, and sister-in-law, Dr. Susan C. Zuckerman; her godson, Adam Moss; and her cousin, Jacqueline C. Smith and Jacqueline's spouse, Jim Avery.
Niles A. Pierson (JD 2015) passed away on May 29, 2026, at age 39. At Gould, Niles was elected to the Order of the Coif and served as Executive Notes Editor of the Southern California Law Review. He was also active in the Black Law Students Association, the Public Interest Law Foundation, and the Saks Institute for Mental Health Law, Policy, and Ethics. Niles began his legal career as an associate at Morrison & Foerster and later joined Seyfarth in September 2024. Niles was passionate about pro bono work. He represented a descendant of Sidney and Irene Dearing, who in 1924 became the first Black homeowners in Piedmont, California, before being driven from their home through a campaign of violence and the city’s pretextual use of eminent domain. In February 2026, Seyfarth and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund filed suit in Alameda County seeking justice more than a century later. He also devoted significant pro bono time to supporting the LGBTQ+ community, assisting clients with name and gender marker change petitions through Inland Counties Legal Services and contributing to Lawyers for Good Government’s Policy Resource Hub for Transgender Rights.
Spring 2026
Armand Akbari (MSL 2026) joined GreenbergTraurig, LLP as a senior marketing and business development coordinator in their New York City office.
Maribeth Annaguey (JD 2003) was named a 2026 Women of Influence: Attorney by The Los Angeles Business Journal.
Nicole Baxby (MSL 2021) was promoted to senior vice president at Quantifind.
Sandra Benjamin (JD 2008) was promoted to partner at Latham & Watkins LLP.
Michael Bowlus (JD 2015) was promoted to special counsel at Covington & Burling LLP.
Sean Bozarth (JD 2004) was promoted to partner at Novian & Novian LLP.
Jeffrey Brand (JD 2018) was promoted to counsel at Venable LLP.
Jill Bronfman (JD/MA 1992) debut novel, Thanks for Meeting Me Here, will be published August 5th by Raven Chronicles Press.
Nathan F. Brown (JD 2017) was promoted to counsel at Bass Berry & Sims.
Andrés Cantero (JD 2016) was selected as a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) 2026 Fellow.
Jeffrey Chien (JD 2019) was promoted to partner at Chung & Reynolds PC.
Kimberley Church (JD 2012) was promoted to counsel at Dechert LLP.
Mark Cikowski (JD 2016) was promoted to partner at Cooley LLP.
Alyson Decker (JD 2007) joined O’Hagan Meyer as a partner in their Orange County office.
Ryan Estes (JD/MBA 2013) joined Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo as a partner.
Justice Richard T. Fields (LLM 2019) successfully mediated an appellate case at the Court of Appeals with a $9 million settlement.
Ana T.L. Foster (LLM 2017) joined Universidad Autonoma de Baja California as the academic director of the Centro de Estudios Rosarito.
Ashley Fraccalossi (MSL 2024) joined Greenberg Traurig, LLP as a proposal writer.
Apoorva Gangapatnam (LLM 2014) was promoted to counsel at Lyft.
Kayvan Ghaffari (JD 2014) was promoted to partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.
Tamerlin Godley (JD 1996) joined Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP as a partner and was named to Variety's Legal Impact Report 2026, an annual series recognizing the entertainment industry's top attorneys.
Karen Grant-Selma (JD 1994) was named to the board of directors for the WACO Theater Center.
Jessica Grazul (LLM 2019) was promoted to partner at MBK Chapman, Inc.
Brett B. Greenberg (JD 2013) was promoted to senior counsel at Pettit Kohn.
Nathaniel Haas (JD 2018) joined Watstein Terepka LLP to lead its new Los Angeles office.
Lisa Harrington (JD 1993) joined Resysta North America, Inc. as CEO. She will also continue her role as general counsel for Resysta International as well.
Kelsey A. Hill (JD 2019) was promoted to counsel at Crowell & Moring LLP.
Charles Hyun (JD 2015) was promoted to counsel at Reed Smith LLP.
Christopher W. Johnstone (JD 2004) was promoted to partner at WilmerHale.
Hakjoon Joo (LLM 2019) joined EPGGB as senior counsel.
Jonathan Koh (JD 2014) was promoted to counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.
Chase Leavitt (JD 2007) joined Mobia Medical, Inc. as general counsel and corporate secretary and led the company through a successful initial public offering.
Jaime Lee (JD 2009) was named a “Leader of Influence” in their 40s by the Los Angeles Business Journal.
Rebecca Lee (JD 2013) was promoted to partner at Venable LLP.
Jeff Maloney (JD 2003) is currently serving his third term as mayor of the City of Alhambra. He was originally elected to the Alhambra City Council in 2016 and reelected in 2020 and 2024.
Casey Mangan (JD 2020) has been named a clinical teaching fellow at Georgetown Law’s Immigration Clinic.
Anthony T. Mansfield (MDR 2024) was named a planning commissioner by the City of Irvine.
Susan McCarthy (JD 1986) is the incoming vice president of the Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association and has been on the association’s board of directors since 2008.
Nicole Meier (JD 2020) was promoted to counsel at O’Melveny & Myers LLP.
Tayanah C. Miller (JD 2014) was promoted to shareholder at Greenberg Traurig LLP.
Paul Moura (JD 2012) was promoted to partner at Latham & Watkins LLP.
Kimberly Mueller (JD 1995) joined Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead, LLP as a partner.
Jose Nuño (JD 2016) was promoted to partner at Waymaker.
Scott Oranburg (JD 2014) was promoted to of counsel at Paul Hastings LLP.
Emily O’Sullivan (JD 2025) joined Athlaw LLP as an associate attorney.
Ece Ozelgin (LLM 2015) joined Apple as the senior legal counsel for Turkey and Central Asia.
Aysha Pamukcu (JD 2011) published her first book Advancing Equity and Justice.
Alex Radisich (JD 2016) was promoted to partner at Orrick, Herrington, & Sutcliffe LLP.
Anoush Sarkissian (JD 2016) was promoted to partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
Kei Sato (LLM 2011) was appointed Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan in October 2025 under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration. At the age of 46, he is the youngest person ever appointed to this position from the House of Councillors of Japan.
Kari Schattinger (MSL 2025) joined Laurel Employment Law as a special project coordinator.
Deepak Singh (JD 2011) was promoted to vice president and deputy general counsel at Tekion Corporation.
Juthamas Judy Suwatanapongched (JD 2009) was named to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2026 Women of Influence: Health Care.
Scott R. Szkolnik (JD 2014) was promoted to shareholder at Greenberg Traurig LLP.
Meeghan Tirtasaputra (JD 2018) was promoted to partner at Fox Rothschild.
Anne E. Waddell (JD 2016) was promoted to partner at Dentons.
Justin Ward (JD 2000) was named the Wiley W. Manuel Bar Association’s 2026 Attorney of the Year.
Josh Williams (JD 2017) was promoted to partner at Raines Feldman LLP.
Susan Zuckerman Williams (JD 1986) was named to Variety's Legal Impact Report 2026, an annual series recognizing the entertainment industry's top attorneys.
Philip Woo (JD 1994) was appointed as the new managing partner of Duane Morris LLP’s Silicon Valley office.
Frank Xu (JD 2024) joined Park Lawless & Tremonti as an associate.
Christina Yang (JD 2017) was promoted to partner at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP.
Melissa Zonne (JD 2014) was promoted to partner at Boies Schiller Flexner.
USC Gould School of Law
699 Exposition Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90089-0071
Copyright © 2026 USC Gould. All Rights Reserved.