Jesse J. Avila

B.A., 1974, University of California, Berkeley
J.D., 1977, University of California, Los Angeles

Professor Avila currently serves as Chancellor and Legal Advisor to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno. He served for many years as an Assistant City Attorney in Fresno, handling eminent domain, land use, environmental and special projects cases. He was previously in solo practice handling criminal defense and immigration matters, civil litigation, and election and political rights litigation. Professor Avila also has served as a Deputy Public Defender for Tulare County.

Art Baggett

B.S., 1973, University of Cincinnati
M.S., 1979, Antioch College
J.D., 1993, San Joaquin College of Law

Professor Baggett has been the attorney member of the California State Water Resources Control Board since 1999. The Board is charged with protecting, preserving and restoring all California waters while providing for the equitable use of the state’s surface waters. Prior to his appointment by Governor Davis, he practiced law in Mariposa, California. He served two terms as a county supervisor, and as adjunct faculty for the University of California’s Sierra Institute, the Yosemite Institute, and California State University, Fresno.

Barry J. Bennett

A.B., 1965, University of Rochester (Cum Laude)
J.D., 1968, New York University Law School

Professor Bennett is a partner in the law firm of Bennett & Sharpe. In 1975-76 he was Regional Director of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board in Fresno. Prior to entering private practice, he was staff attorney for the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (1974-75), a member of the New York Office of Labor Relations (1973-74), and staff member and attorney for the International Garment Worker’s Union (1968-73). Professor Bennett has been a contributing editor for A Dictionary of Arbitration (1970) and California Administrative Mandamus for Continuing Education of the California State Bar.

Hristo K. Bijev

M.A., 1991, St. Kliment Ohridski University, Sofia, Bulgaria
M.A., 2001, University of California, Davis
MICL, 2001, University of California, Davis

A native of Bulgaria, Professor Bijev is a solo practitioner with an emphasis in international business law, international transactions, E-commerce, and private international law. He is the author of Practical Guidance in Private International Law, a bilingual book (Bulgarian and English).

Hal Bolen

B.S., 1971, California State University Fresno
M.B.A., 1973, California State University, Fresno
J.D., 1976, University of California, Davis

Professor Bolen is a founding partner of Bolen, Fransen & Russell, LLP, a regional firm that limits its practice to business, transactional and estate planning matters. Professor Bolen began private practice in 1976 with Baker, Manock & Jensen, then worked with The Prudential Realty Group for one year before opening his firm in 1987.

Stanley A. Boone

B.A., 1988, University of California, Berkeley
J.D., 1995, McGeorge School of Law (With Great Distinction, Order of the Coif)

Professor Boone is an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office in Fresno. In 1995-96 he served as law clerk to the Hon. Peter A Nowinski, U.S. Magistrate Judge. At McGeorge, Professor Boone served on the Moot Court Honors Board as well as being Valedictorian of his class.

Andreas Borgeas

David M. Camenson

B.A., 1980, University of California, Los Angeles
J.D., 1985, Indiana University, Bloomington
M.B.A., 1985, Indiana University, Bloomington

Professor Camenson is a solo practitioner, emphasizing retirement plans, tax-free exchanges, employee benefits, and general business practices.

Lisa B. Coffman

A.B., 1997, Harvard/Radcliffe College (Magna Cum Laude)
J.D., 2003, Georgetown University Law Center (Magna Cum Laude)

Professor Coffman specializes in environmental and water supply issues. She has experience in the non-profit public policy arena and has served as a law clerk to two federal district court judges: Oliver W. Wanger, in Fresno, and James Robertson, in Washington DC.  Prior to pursuing her legal education, Professor Coffman spent several years working for the United States Attorney¹s Office for the Southern District of New York within the Securities Fraud Task Force. 

Hon. Jonathan B. Conklin

B.A., 1982, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
J.D., 1985, McGeorge School of Law

Professor Conklin was appointed to the Fresno County Superior Court in October of 2005. Prior thereto, he was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office in Fresno. From 1985 – 1990, he served as a Deputy District Attorney in the Kern County District Attorney’s Office.

Phillip S. Cronin

B.A., 1962, Seattle University
J.D., 1972, Hastings College of Law

Professor Cronin served as Deputy Attorney General from 1972 to 1973 in criminal appeals. He then served as Deputy District Attorney for San Mateo County from 1973 until 1978, specializing in cases involving psychiatric defenses. He served as Supervising District Attorney for Tulare County from 1978 to 1979. Professor Cronin then served as Assistant United States Attorney in the Fresno Office from 1979 to 1983 doing criminal prosecutions and appeals. He entered private practice in 1983 in the Visalia firm of Isham, Macias, Lynch, Cronin and Rodriguez. From 1985 to 1992 he was a senior litigator with the Bakersfield firm of Young, Woodridge, Paulden, Self, Farr and Griffin. He served as Fresno County Counsel from 1992 until his retirement in 2004.

Mark E. Cullers

J.D., 1984, George Washington University Law School
B.A., 1981, University of California, Los Angeles

Professor Cullers is Assistant United States Attorney Chief, Fresno Branch Office. Prior to this he was Assistant United States Attorney Deputy Chief, Fresno Branch Office (1988-2002), an attorney for Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard (1984-88), and Koonz, McKenney and Johnson (1982-84).

Matthew Farmer

B.A., 1993 California State University, Sacramento
J.D., 1997 Univiersity of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (With Great Distinction, Order of the Coif)

Professor Farmer is an attorney with Littler Mendelson. His practice consists solely of representation of employers in various civil and agency matters, including suits for wrongful termination, sexual harassment, and discrimination.

Hon. Donald R. Franson, Jr

A.B., 1974, University of California, Berkeley
J.D., 1978, University of California, Hastings College of Law

Professor Franson was appointed to the Fresno County Superior Court in 2005 and currently presides over civil jury trials. He earlier served as a Deputy District Attorney in the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office from 1978 to 1980, as an attorney with Miles, Sears & Eanni from 1981 to 1987, General Counsel to Producers Cotton Oil Company from 1988 to 1991, and was in private civil practice until 2005, the last 10 years with Sagaser, Franson & Jones, specializing in business litigation and trials.

Christine Goodrich

B.A., 1980, University of California, Berkeley
J.D., 1983, University of California, Los Angeles

Professor Goodrich is a shareholder with Lozano Smith, specializing in education law and business litigation. Prior to this, she was an associate with the firm of Jory, Peterson & Sagaser (1983-1988) where she specialized in business litigation and bankruptcy law. She was a staff member of the UCLA Law Review, and a comment editor for the Pacific Basin Law Journal.

Jason P. Hamm

B.A., 1997, University of California, Los Angeles
J.D., 2000, University of Southern California

Professor Hamm is the General Counsel of Valley Yellow Pages. Prior to this he was an associate with Lang, Richert & Patch (2000-2005) where he specialized in employment and business litigation. He was a staff member of the Southern California Law Review.

Kathi Kesselman

B.A., 1972, City University of New York
J.D., 1978, San Joaquin College of Law

Professor Kesselman has maintained a solo practice, emphasizing family law, wills, and probate since 1980. She was a partner in the firm of Lusk and Kesselman and also worked for Bennett and Ostroff. Professor Kesselman has taught in the Department of Education at California State University, Fresno.

Jeremy K. Lusk

B.A., 2000, University of Phoenix (With Honors)
J.D., 2003, San Joaquin College of Law (With Distinction)

Professor Lusk is the owner of The Law Office of Jeremy Lusk, a Fresno firm with an emphasis on workers’ compensation defense, subrogation, and related litigation.

Michael P. Mallery

B.A., 1981, University of California, Davis
J.D., 1984, McGeorge School of Law

Professor Mallery is a partner with the firm of Stammer, McKnight, Barnum & Bailey, specializing in civil litigation. He is a member of the Litigation section of the State Bar of California and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Northern California Association of Defense Counsel.

William T. McLaughlin II

B.S., 1981, California Baptist College, Riverside (Honors)
J.D., 1984, U.C. Hastings College of Law

Professor McLaughlin’s principal area of expertise is insurance law and litigation, with particular emphasis in coverage and bad faith litigation. His practice also extends to the defense of casualty and property claims, as well as professional liability claims involving insurance agents and brokers.

Kathy McKenna

B.A., 1978, College of Notre Dame of Maryland (Magna Cum Laude)
J.D., 1999, San Joaquin College of Law (With Distinction)

Professor McKenna is a Deputy Attorney General with the California Department of Justice in the Criminal Law Division. Her practice involves prosecuting state criminal appeals, opposing state and federal petitions for writs of habeas corpus, and conducting state and federal death penalty litigation. Before becoming an attorney, she served in the U.S. Army as a Military Police Corps officer and worked as a legal assistant for estate planning practitioners.

Jeff Manning-Cartwright

B.A., 1989, Oberlin College
M.A., 1996, San Francisco State University
J.D., 1999, University of California, Berkeley

Professor Manning-Cartwright is a research attorney for Justice Rebecca Wiseman at the Fifth District Court of Appeal. Previously, he was with the firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson in Los Angeles, practicing business litigation (2001-2003). He also clerked for a year each for Judge Irma Raker of the Court of Appeals of Maryland (Maryland’s highest court)(1999-2000) and Judge Christina Snyder of the United States District Court for the Central District of California (2000-2001).

Deanna L. Martinez

B.A., 1989, University of Pacific, Davis
J.D., 1992, U.C. Hastings College of Law

While at University of Pacific, Deanna was a member of the Debate team with state level recognition. She practiced civil litigation for several years before going to work for the United States District Court, where she is currently a staff attorney.

Lewis Martinez

B.A., 1994, California State University Fresno
M.A., 1999, California State University Fresno
J.D., 2004, San Joaquin College of Law

Since 2005, Lewis Martinez has worked as a Deputy Attorney General in the Appeals, Writs, and Trials Division of the California Department of Justice. The bulk of his work is prosecuting appeals and opposing petitions for writs of habeas corpus in criminal felony cases.

Mark D. Miller

B.S., 1979, Louisiana State University
J.D., 1984, Santa Clara University

Professor Miller is a member of the law firm of Kimble, MacMichael & Upton. He is a patent attorney and specializes in patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, unfair competition, and related matters. He is a member of the Patent, Trademark & Copyright sections of the American Bar Association and State Bar of California.

David Mugridge

B.A., 1970, Spanish, University of the Americas, Puebla, Mexico
M.A., 1973, Education & Spanish, University of Santa Clara
J.D., 1985, San Joaquin College of Law    

Attorney Mugridge is a solo practitioner certified by the California State Bar as a Criminal Law Specialist. He worked for 2 years as a personal research attorney for the Presiding Justice of the California State Fifth District Court of Appeal, Honorable George A. Brown. He served as a Pro Tem Judge for the Fresno County Courts from 1988-2005, and also as an Attorney/Client Fee Arbitrator for the Fresno County Bar Association during the same period. He taught Civil Litigation from 1988-1996 at Fresno City College and he has also been an instructor at Fresno Pacific University for "Law in American Society" since 1997. Being fluent in Spanish, he has worked as a pro bono translator in the Fresno, Madera and Kings County Courts since 1987. He is a contributing author to a book titled "Practical Real Estate Law, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Editions. He has been on the panel of Fresno County Attorneys who are qualified to accept special circumstance cases when a conflict arises in the Public Defender's Office since 1996. Throughout his career Mr. Mugridge has tried hundreds of cases (including numerous death penalty cases) in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Monterey, Tulare, San Bernardino, and Santa Clara Counties. His practice has included criminal writs and appeals in various State Appellate Courts, Federal District Court and the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal.

Douglas E. Noll

B.A., 1973 Dartmouth College (With Distinction)
J.D., 1977, University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law
M.A., 2001, Fresno Pacific University, Peacemaking & Conflict Studies

Professor Noll is a full-time peacemaker, mediator, arbitrator and consultant. He was a principal shareholder in the law firm of Lang, Richert & Patch, P.C. for 22 years, where he specialized in complex civil litigation in federal and state courts. He was law clerk to the Honorable George A. Hopper of the Fifth District Court of Appeal from 1977 to 1978. Professor Noll has published numerous articles. He recently published a textbook entitled Peacemaking: Practicing at the Intersection of Law and Human Conflict.

Hon. Kimberly Nystrom-Geist

B.A., 1982, California State University, Fresno (Magna Cum Laude)
J.D., 1992, San Joaquin College of Law (With High Honors)

Professor Nystrom-Geist is a Judge of the Fresno Superior Court. From 1992 through early 2005, she was an associate, then a shareholder, in the law firm of Leslie-Soley & Nystrom-Geist. Professor Nystrom-Geist was a Certified Family Law Specialist before assuming the bench. She served as chair of the Fresno County Bar Association Family Law Section in 2000. She has served on the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar, the Executive Committee of the Conference of Delegates of the State Bar and the Resolutions Committee of the Conference of Delegates.

Rose Safarian

B.A., 1980, University of California, Los Angeles
J.D., 1984, McGeorge School of Law

Professor Safarian previously was in private practice with the firm of Rowley & Safarian. She specialized in the areas of civil appeals and business litigation. She served as a research attorney for Justice Pauline Davis Hanson at the Fifth District Court of Appeal from 1985-1988.

Gary W. Sawyers

B.A., 1977, University of California, San Diego (Summa Cum Laude)
J.D., 1980, University of California, Los Angeles

Since October of 1994, Professor Sawyers has been a sole practitioner specializing in water law, public agency representation, and issues involving farm programs, business, and real estate matters. From 1989 to 1994 he was a partner with Bolen, Fransen, Boostrom & Sawyers, practicing in those same areas. Prior thereto he worked with the Law Offices of A.B. Ewell, Jr. in Fresno and Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps in San Diego.

Michael Sheltzer

B.A., 1978, Tulane University
J.D., 1984, Golden Gate University School of Law

Professor Sheltzer has worked as a public defender for nearly 20 years both in San Francisco and Tulare counties. He was appointed Public Defender for Tulare County in 2002, managing an office of 34 attorneys. He has tried countless criminal cases including many murder and capital murder cases. Professor Sheltzer has taught at the annual California Public Defenders Association Trial Skills Institute and has taught a variety of law related courses at the undergraduate level. Prior to attending law school he was a probation officer in New Orleans.

Michael P. Slater

B.A., 1986, University of California, Davis
J.D., 1990, University of San Diego

Professor Slater is the Director of Forward Planning for Lennar Corporation in Fresno. He previously served as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Fresno, specializing in land use and environmental issues. From 1992 to 1997 he worked with Blumberg, Seng, Ikeda & Green, emphasizing professional malpractice and business litigation. From 1990 to 1992 he worked with Jory, Peterson & Sagaser.

Robert Whitlock

B.S., 1971, California State University Fresno
M.S., 1975, California State University Long Beach
J.D., 1985, Western State University College of Law, San Diego

Professor Whitlock first worked as a Deputy District Attorney for San Diego County. In 1988 he joined the California Attorney General’s Office, Appeals, Writs and Trials, in San Diego. In 1991, he transferred to the same office in Fresno. Throughout his career, he conducted trials and hearings in the superior courts and handled criminal appeals and writs in the California appellate courts, California Supreme Court, federal district courts, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal. He retired from the Attorney General’s Office in January 2005.

M. Jacqueline Yates

B.A., 1987, California State University, Fresno
J.D., 1992, San Joaquin College of Law

Professor Yates is a partner with Stammer, McKnight, Barnum & Bailey in Fresno. Her practice areas include personal injury litigation, family law, medical malpractice, employment law, and conservatorship and trust matters for the developmentally disabled. She also serves as a family law mediator.