In November, USC Gould announced that John Iino JD 1987 will serve as the new Chair of its Board of Councilors beginning July 2018. John succeeds Richard Chernick JD 1970, who will continue to serve as a member of the Board of Councilors.
John Iino is Reed Smith's Global Chair of Diversity and Inclusion, serving as their Chief Diversity Officer based in the Los Angeles office and global co-chair of the firm's Japan Business Team. In addition, he is a member of Reed Smith's Global Leadership Team and an ex-officio member of the Talent Committee of their Executive Committee.
John previously served as Global Chair of the firm's Business & Finance Department, Chair of the U.S. Corporate & Securities Group and Managing Partner of the Los Angeles office. In 2010, John became the first Asian American to serve on Reed Smith's Executive Committee and Senior Management Team. He also served as the Chair of Reed Smith's Asian American Affinity Group. John has been named "One of the Nation's Most Influential Minority Attorneys" for two consecutive years (2014-2015). He received a "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the Los Angeles Business Journal's Asian Business Awards (2016), the prestigious Leadership Award from the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association (2017), and the President's Award from the USC Alumni Association (2017).
Prior to Reed Smith, John practiced law at Crosby Heafey Roach & May, Brand Farrar & Buxbaum, and at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher. Early in his career, he was a law clerk to Hon. J. Spencer Letts, U.S. District Court - Central District of California. In addition to serving on Gould's Board of Councilors, John is also a member of USC Alumni Association Board of Governors and a former board member of the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association.
Prior to attending Gould, John received a BA in economics from Pomona College in 1984.
