New Board of Councilors Members Welcomed

By Lori Craig

USC Gould has added two new alumni members to its Board of Councilors.

Richard Chernick '70

Richard Chernick ’70 and John Iino ’87 are the newest members to join the board, which provides advice and guidance to the law school leadership.

Chernick is the vice president and managing director of JAMS’ Arbitration Practice. He has frequently been recognized as a top alternative dispute practitioner: He has been named a Southern California Super Lawyer in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution for the past five years and was named Los Angeles Mediation Lawyer of the Year for 2013 by Best Lawyers. Chernick joined the BOC last fall.

"I have always been grateful to USC, and particularly to former Dean Dorothy Nelson, for affording me the opportunity to get a first-rate legal education. I owe much in my career to that education and to the contacts I made in school and later among the USC alumni community," said Chernick, who was a litigation partner with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher prior to entering mediation and arbitration in 1994. "It was easy for me to say 'yes' when board Chair Ken Doran and board member Rob Skinner asked me to join. It gives me an opportunity to give back to USC and the law school community.

John Iino '87

Iino, who joined the board this spring, is the managing partner of Reed Smith’s Los Angeles office and global co-chair of the firm’s Japan Business Team. He recently was named one of the Nation’s Most Influential Minority Attorneys for 2014 by Lawyers of Color.

“We are witnessing dramatic change in legal industry, as the traditional law firm business model is experiencing significant challenges,” Iino said. “I look forward to working with the board to help develop strategies to meet these challenges and to help USC be an innovator among law schools and the industry.”

Iino also serves on the USC Alumni Association Board of Governors and on the board of directors for the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association. He has also contributed pro bono support to a project originating with the USC Rossier School of Education: USC Hybrid High. The recently chartered school combines classroom and online instruction for students who hold jobs or are caring for loved ones.