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USC Law Award Winners

USC Gould School of Law • April 13, 2007
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Students, staff and faculty honored at annual award ceremony

Some worked tirelessly on behalf of indigent clients; others became leaders of law school publications and student organizations. However they earned it, the students, faculty and staff who were recognized at the Annual Awards Ceremony April 11 have all made outstanding commitments to USC Law.

Dean Edward J. McCaffery presented awards to 11 students and handed out the first-ever William A. Rutter Distinguished Teaching Award to a faculty member. Student Bar Association President Yem Mai presented the SBA Outstanding Faculty and Staff awards. The winners are:

-The Edward and Eleanor Shattuck Awards are given to students who have demonstrated the greatest potential for becoming outstanding members of the Bar and whose actions have improved the general quality of life at USC Law.

Marc Bauer
Bauer co-founded and directed the USC Law Democrats and has been a member of several other student groups and an SBA leader. He is also a founder of the Legal Aid Alternative Breaks Project and traveled to the Gulf Coast to provide legal aid.Christopher Cowan

Christopher Cowan (left)
Cowan has worked with the Post-Conviction Justice Project since his first summer at USC Law, representing clients in parole board hearings and authoring two habeas petitions and a request for re-sentencing. He was also a member of the Southern California Law Review.Miguel Espinoza

Miguel Espinoza (right)
A member and co-chair of La Raza Law Students Association, Espinoza created a Teen Court mentoring program, made Judges and Lawyers Night a high-profile event, and led a fundraising drive to create a new Latino Law Student Scholarship.

Jeffrey Makin
As editor of the Southern California Law Review, Makin helped launch workshops for students to present their notes and a website where students, faculty and people around the world can comment on articles.

Tien NguyenTien Nguyen (left)
“No job is too big for her to do,” one nominator said. Nguyen has defended prisoners through the Post-Conviction Justice Project, was a Public Interest Law Foundation leader, helped launch the Public Interest Career Fair and volunteered in the Gulf Coast.

Sarah Rackoff
A founder of the USC Law Democrats and Law Students for Choice, Rackoff was also president of PILF, a member of the Women’s Law Association and editor of the Southern California Law Review. She has served as an advisor to the Career Services Office and is a 3L Class Gift Committee member.

-The Miller-Johnson Equal Justice Prize recognizes the student who shows the greatest commitment to the causes of civil and social justice.Marisaa Gonda

Marissa Gonda (right)
Gonda has been active in the Post-Conviction Justice Project and worked for the L.A. County Public Defender’s Office. She also supported other students’ public service as an organizer of last year’s PILF auction.

Greg Pleasants
Pleasants – referred to in one nomination as “the personification of public interest” at USC Law – has served the Immigration Clinic, PILF, the National Lawyers Guild and Public Counsel.

Johari Townes-The Mason C. Brown Award recognizes a student who demonstrates a commitment to public interest endeavors and a particular talent for trial work.

Johari Townes (left)
Townes is active in PILF, volunteered in the Gulf Coast, and was a finalist in the Hale Moot Court Honors Program last year before serving as chair of this year’s competition.



-The Graduate and International Programs Award recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding dedication, involvement and significant contribution to the law school community.

Kuo-Jen Chung
Chung was the social chair for the G&IP class this year and worked to strengthen ties among students from all regions of the globe.Masahisa Mitsunaga

Masahisa Mitsunaga (right)
Mitsunaga is one of the G&IP representatives to the SBA. He has proven himself as a leader in that role and helped organize social events for the LL.M. class.



-The William A. Rutter Distinguished Teaching Award honors a faculty member who is dedicated to great classroom teaching.

Scott Bice
Bice, the Robert C. Packard Professor of Law, is the first-ever recipient of the Rutter award. He first taught at USC Law while as a third-year student. Bice has been a faculty member for 40 years and served as dean from 1980-2000. He teaches federal jurisdiction and torts.

-The SBA Outstanding Faculty and Staff Awards honor a faculty member, adjunct professor and staff member for their service to students.

Tom Griffith
Tom Griffith (left)
Griffith is the John B. Milliken Professor of Taxation. He teaches contracts, corporate taxation, criminal law, topics in criminology and federal income taxation. Griffith joined the USC Law faculty in 1984.

Brian Hoffstadt
An assistant U.S. Attorney in the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes section, Hoffstadt teaches criminal procedure as an adjunct professor at USC Law.Willy Tai

Willy Tai (right)
Tai is the director of budget and accounting for USC Law. He joined the USC Law staff in 1983.

 

  

William Rutter and Scott Bice Dean Edward J. McCaffery
 William A. Rutter and Scott Bice SBA Pres. Yem Mai, Dean Edward J. McCaffery and William A. Rutter

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USC Law Awards winners
(Bottom row:) Dean McCaffery, Hoffstadt, Makin, Rackoff, Gonda, Espinoza, Griffith (Top row:) Chung, Mitsunaga, Bauer, Pleasants, Nguyen, Townes, Tai

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