Awards Given to Students, Faculty, Staff
Scores of USC Law students, faculty and staff assembled outside the law school in Crocker Plaza on April 5 to celebrate their own at the law school’s annual awards ceremony. To enthusiastic cheers, Dean Robert K. Rasmussen and Student Bar Association President Alberto Muñoz '11 recognized individuals who have made significant contributions to the law school community.
Muñoz presented the SBA Outstanding Staff Member of the Year Award to someone who is “full of energy” and always available to help: Liam Gillen, associate director of Financial Aid & Student Affairs.
He then bestowed the Outstanding Professor of the Year Award on a faculty member whose commitment to justice – and to students working with her in the Post-Conviction Justice Project – is “inspiring:” Heidi Rummel, who was unable to accept the award in person because she was in Sacramento testifying on a proposed juvenile parole bill.
Donald Scotten, who serves as Of Counsel for Akerman Senterfitt LLP and teaches business law, received the Adjunct Professor of the Year Award.
Dean Rasmussen then took the podium. Before presenting the William A. Rutter Distinguished Teaching Award, given to a faculty member who is an “exceptional classroom teacher,” he spoke about the significance of the award and listed its previous winners. Bill Rutter ’55, who established the award, is founder of the leading legal publishing company The Rutter Group.
Dean Rasmussen presented this year’s Rutter Award to “one of the true giants in legal education:” Prof. Christopher Stone.
 |
| Alberto Muñoz, Prof. Donald Scotten and Prof. Christopher Stone |
Dean Rasmussen then presented a series of Shattuck Awards, whose recipients “demonstrate the greatest potential for becoming outstanding members of the bar.” Those third-year students were: Philip Castro, Maisha Jamerson, Yves Nguyen, Alberto Muñoz, Lucas Quass and Rebekah Wise. Each student was praised by his or her peers for performing significant public service, mentoring fellow law students and demonstrating leadership and initiative in some of the law school’s most prominent student organizations.
Special recognition was also given to two international students who have led LL.M. student participation in the USC Law community: Gary Reichman of the United Kingdom and Ane Saraiva of Brazil.
The dean next presented the Miller-Johnson Equal Justice Prize. Named for former USC Law faculty member Earl Johnson and distinguished civil rights attorney Loren Miller, the prize recognizes the student who “shows the greatest commitment to the cause of civil and social justice.”
 |
| Dean Rasmussen; Laurie Brown, widow of Mason C. Brown '70; and William Rutter '55 |
The prize went to Cristina Peña '11, in recognition of her advocacy and public service work with the Mexican American Bar Association, Latino Law Students Association and Legal Ambassadors program. She has also volunteered with the Wage Justice Center and externed for Associate Justice Carlos Moreno of the California Supreme Court and with the Office of the Federal Defender and the Los Angeles Public Defender’s Office.
The final award of the day, the Mason C. Brown Award, honors the late Mason C. Brown, a 1970 graduate of USC Law and an accomplished trial attorney who believed that lawyers should “give back” to the law school. The award went to Jennifer Farrell '11, who, among other achievements, worked with the Post-Conviction Justice Project to win parole for a client who maintained her innocence throughout her imprisonment. Farrell also led the General Relief Advocacy Project and tied for first place in last year's Hale Moot Court competition.
Dean Rasmussen closed the ceremony by recognizing graduating students who have secured judicial clerkships: Alex Boone, Christine Harding Hart, Jonder Ho, Jamie Hoffman, Maisha Jamerson, Lee Linderman, Chelsea Norell, Seepan Parseghian, Shannon Raj, Brian Rifkin, Samuel Shnider, John Snow, Matthew Watts and Lauren Wright.
 |
| The award winners |
Previous Article
