Thinkers & Doers Roundup: February 2019 - UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings)

THE FACULTY BUZZ:

“This is the most complicated and difficult decision environment I’ve ever seen for a bankruptcy case,” said Professor Jared Ellias (@jared_ellias) in a New York Times article on Pacific Gas & Electric’s bankruptcy filing. https://nyti.ms/2S4Dd52

Professor Ellias was quoted again in an Associated Press article on PG&E’s bankruptcy. The article was published in multiple outlets, including the Petaluma Argus Courier (http://bit.ly/2EvyULl), the Kokomo Tribune (http://bit.ly/2Tsygbe) and Electric Light and Power (http://bit.ly/2TAjlMg). Another Associated Press story focusing on a class action complaint filed by Butte County wildfire victims against PG&E featured commentary from Ellias (https://bayareane.ws/2HjY8zD).

A San Francisco Chronicle article also focusing on PG&E featured expert commentary from Ellias (http://bit.ly/2IUrEhB), as did a story on SB 549 from Reorg (http://bit.ly/2IQhDCg).

Professor Ellias’ paper “Bankruptcy Hardball” was written about in an article for the Loan Syndications and Trading Association. http://bit.ly/2Ts3YoW

A tweet from Professor Ellias’ Twitter account was also spotlighted in a Bloomberg Opinion piece titled, “Aurelius Wins Against Windstream” (https://bloom.bg/2GWwOry). Ellias spoke with Bloomberg about Windstream in a separate article (http://bit.ly/2SKAZbw).

“Republicans and Democrats have been in the trenches and lobbing grenades at each other on this issue, and this is the first one in quite a long time where there’s been any sort of bipartisan steps forward,” Professor Emeritus John Leshy said in an article from U.S. News titled, “Land Bill’s Passage Signals GOP Shift on Conservation” http://bit.ly/2TvvJwK.

Professor Frank H. Wu (@frankhwu) appeared on CNBC to discuss the cost of higher education in America (https://cnb.cx/2VCKHyA). He was also featured in a piece from the Detroit News on the city’s vanishing Asian American community (http://bit.ly/2SMQsrK).

In February, Professor Wu published two articles in the Daily Journal. The first was titled, “Analyze rather than assert.” The second was titled “Why I teach procedure.”

Professor Wu was the keynote speaker at the Asian American & Asian Diaspora Studies Program, the Asia American Law Journal, and the Asian American Bar Association’s panel about Asian Americans and affirmative action at UC Berkeley.

Professor Joan C. Williams (@JoanCWilliams) sat down with IndiaSpend to discuss a 2018 Center for WorkLife Law study on workplace bias in India’s engineering field. http://bit.ly/2GWoubi

“Never in the field of mass tort litigation has there been such a yawning gap between success in the courtroom and failure at the settlement table,” said Professor Shanin Spector in a New York Times article on pelvic mesh lawsuit settlements. https://nyti.ms/2Ul2nhU

Professor Veena Dubal (@veenadubal) lent her expertise to a San Francisco Chronicle article titled “California to thrash out gig worker status in upcoming bills” http://bit.ly/2TdWdnm

“The only way [this] would be legal is if these workers are independent contractors and not employees under the prevailing wage laws of the state,” Professor Dubal said in a Buzzfeed article http://bit.ly/2BYACVh

Professor Dubal also revealed her 30-minute documentary, “When Rules Don’t Apply,” will be screened March 1. http://bit.ly/2SHZFBm

Professors Rory Little (@RoryLittle) and Zach Price appeared on SCOTUSblog’s “First Monday” podcast, discussing Justice Anthony M. Kennedy’s legacy. http://bit.ly/2TBhA1n

Professor Little was quoted in a San Francisco Chronicle article titled, “Trump plan to declare national emergency to build wall may survive challenges” http://bit.ly/2HfNqtG

The Center for WorkLife Law’s study on nursing mothers was referenced in an article published on Scary Mommy (http://bit.ly/2XCHLnn). The study was also mentioned in an article on Fatherly (http://bit.ly/2Ul5VRg).

Professor Robin Feldman (@ProfRobnFeldman) published an Op-Ed on Stat News titled, “‘One-and-done’ for new drugs could cut patent thickets and boost generic competition” (http://bit.ly/2UljiRp). Feldman also had multiple media appearances, including an interview on the radio show All Sides with Ann Fisher, an interview with Frontline on PBS, and CNBC where she discussed drug pricing (http://bit.ly/2UlO2lc). She also was quoted in articles from California Healthline (http://bit.ly/2GZcN3G) and the New Zealand Herald on drug pricing (http://bit.ly/2UlPmEG).

Professor Feldman spoke to Washington Post National Security Correspondent Jeff Stein about Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who is running for president on a policy agenda of lowering prescription drug costs (https://wapo.st/2SHrA4r). The story was published in additional outlets including the San Jose Mercury (https://bayareane.ws/2EIC8vp), the East Bay Times (https://bayareane.ws/2XE2BTp) and the New Zealand Herald (http://bit.ly/2UlPmEG)

Professor Feldman also delivered a closed-door briefing to bipartisan staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee, regarding her research on pharmaceutical pricing.

Professor Marsha Cohen spoke with NBC Bay Area for a piece on marijuana legalization.

Professor Dorit Reiss spoke with the Pacific Standard for a piece on the children of anti-vaccination parents (http://bit.ly/2Tc06ZM). She appeared on the Vax Talk podcast (http://bit.ly/2IUwVWr). And, she published a piece on Science, titled “The law and vaccine resistance” (http://bit.ly/2HfiNEK).

A follow-up story on the son of an anti-vaccination parent also featured a quote from Professor Reiss. https://ietv.co/2TnHeqf

Professor Reiss and Professor David Levine co-authored an opinion piece for the Seattle Times called “Let minors choose themselves to vaccinate against measles.” http://bit.ly/2TvmxIT

Professor Levine spoke with the Associated Press about the Monsanto weed killer cancer trial. The article appeared in several publications and news station websites, including the Boston Herald (http://bit.ly/2HhjPzZ) and KPNX News 12 in Phoenix, Ariz. (http://bit.ly/2IRZtA0).

Professor Levine also appeared on KQED Forum to discuss the Michael Cohen hearing.

Professor Joel Paul had several media appearances this month ranging from Cheddar to Telemundo.

Chancellor and Dean David Faigman was quoted in a Wall Street Journal article titled, “In Roundup Case, the Science Will Go on Trial First.” https://on.wsj.com/2VzINib

“It is the paradigm case of what happens when you allow concentration to go forward little by little and some day you wake up to two competitors,” said Professor Tim Greaney in an article from Healthcare Dive. http://bit.ly/2C7lbu2.

Kate Jastram, senior staff attorney for the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, was quoted in an article from BBC News on Donald Trump’s planned border wall with Mexico. https://bbc.in/2HFICj1

IT’S MARCH:

— Got a tip? Feedback? News to share? Let us know. By email: ER@UCHastings.edu

LET’S SOCIALIZE:

TWEET OF THE MONTH:

Are you a UC Law SF alum on Twitter? Comment on this tweet along with your name (if different from your handle) and class year and we’ll follow back and add you to the UC Law SF Alumni on Twitter list! HT Prof @KeitnerLaw for the idea!

— UC Law SF School (@UCHastingsLaw) February 13, 2019

IG POST OF THE MONTH:

View this post on Instagram

#Tower cameo! #Repost @guskenworthy ・・・ You like my phone? Gee, thanks, just got it.

A post shared by UC Law SF (@uchastingslaw) on Feb 21, 2019 at 11:25am PST

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

UC Law SF held its “topping out” ceremony, celebrating the placement of the highest steel beam in the under construction 333 Golden Gate building.

La Bande cafe opened at the Mid-Market district’s Proper Hotel. The café takes its name from the French word for “stripe.” http://bit.ly/2EVKZv2

ON CAMPUS:

UC Law SF was the site of the 15th Annual California Water Law Symposium on Saturday, Feb. 2. This year’s theme was California groundwater, with a focus on implementation of the state’s landmark 2014 legislation, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. http://bit.ly/2DVg2X9

UC Law SF hosted UC Law SF Journal Symposium: The Jurisprudence of Justice Anthony M. Kennedy – Four Decades of Influence. (http://bit.ly/2SIqHZA)

Current student Ian Murphy’s engagement to Van Huynh was announced in the Red Bluff Daily News. The two are set to wed in Iceland. http://bit.ly/2IQwUTj

The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies announced it was filing a federal lawsuit – along with the American Civil Liberties Union and Southern Poverty Law Center — challenging the Trump administration’s new policy forcing asylum seekers to return to Mexico and remain there while their cases are considered.

The Center on Tax Law held its inaugural reception for the UC Law SF tax law community.

ALUMNI-LAND:

Matthew Davis ‘89 was quoted in a Washington Post article titled “‘I am who I am’: Kamala Harris, daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants, defines herself simply as ‘American.’” https://wapo.st/2EuzGbA

Brandon Baum ‘85 was quoted in an in-depth piece from Berkeleyside on the racial integration of Berkeley Unified School District. http://bit.ly/2tQ6mHO

Ilya Kaminsky ‘04 read from his new book of poetry, Deaf Republic, for the podcast Ampersand. http://bit.ly/2NGYJwc

“It’s about making sure that we can help support people who lived or grew up in communities like mine. And this partnership with Apple will help unlock the untapped genius and talent within those communities, which will allow a new generation to achieve their dreams,” Vien Truong ‘06 said in a Tech Crunch article on the partnership between Apple and Oakland-based Dream Corps.

Matt Turetsky

Marilyn Klinger ‘78 was selected as Top Attorney of the Year by the International Association of Top Professionals. http://bit.ly/2VB5PFm

Matt Turetsky ‘93 launched his own mediation and arbitration practice, Matt Turetsky Mediation/Arbitration PLLC, after 25 years of working at one of the Pacific North West’s largest law firms.

CONDOLENCES

The UC Law SF community extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of Jeff Adachi ‘85 and George Dickerson.

Adachi, a renowned advocate for the voiceless, was serving his fifth term as San Francisco Public Defender. He was 59. http://bit.ly/2VB9iDS

Dickerson was a retired lawyer who served as a district attorney in Nevada’s Clark County. He was 96. http://bit.ly/2EvRwuN

TOP REFERRING SITES:

Entrepreneur
SCOUTUS blog
The Fader

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