Santa Clara University

Reunion 2005

BY LARRY SOKOLOFF ’92

Class reunion weekend 2005 for the School of Law kicked off in September in a place that holds many happy law school memories—the Hut.

But there was much more to the weekend, as former classmates and their families met together and with law school faculty to recall old times and hear about new programs at their alma mater.

All names listed from left to right: Alexander Barna ’75, Dean Polden, John Schlosser ’80, Mary Schlosser.	Denise Justin-Reed ’85, Laura Liccardo ’85, Rochelle Townsend, and her mother, Sharonrose Cannistraci ’85.
Diane Dubois and Chris Morales ’90.	Nancy Battel ’85, Hon. Steve Vartabedian ’75, and Marilyn Vartabedian.
Scotty Storey ’01 and Angela Storey.	Susan (Parent) Edwards ’00, Erik Edwards ’00, Alex Mayer, ’00, and Sannie Wiryo.
Hon. Zoe Lofgren ’75, Prof. Richard Berg, Jud Scott ’75, and Hon. Jerry Smith ’65.	Angele Borello, Silvio Borello ’55, Edward Farrell ’55, and Mary Ann Farrell.
Dean Polden, Silvio Borello ’55, Hon. Edward Panelli ’55, Ed Farrell ’55, and Alumni Board President John Conway ’93. Photos by Stacey Rishel and Greg Pio.

Friday, September 9

The dollar bills and business cards were still on the ceiling, the pool table was still there, and the beer flowed all night long at the Hut, the popular off-campus watering hole. The law school provided catered appetizers at the event. It was the perfect casual gathering spot for approximately 50 alumni from the classes of 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995 and 2000 who returned to SCU for a weekend of memories, learning, and inspiration.

“Friday night was like old times at the Hut,” said Don Marlais ’95, who flew in from Washington, D.C. for the reunion.

Saturday, September 10

Saturday featured a full array of activities for returning alums, including smaller reunions and large all-alumni events.

The morning’s events included an MCLE event on contemporary legal scholarship, which featured SCU law professors Stephanie M. Wildman, Tyler Ochoa, Bradley Joondeph, and Michelle Oberman.

At lunchtime, members of the 2005 (Volume 45) Santa Clara Law Review board of editors held a lunch for alumni of the law review, which included an address on the early days of the Review by Professor and Dean Emeritus George Alexander. In the late afternoon, a summer study abroad program reception was held on the St. Ignatius lawn behind the Heafey Law Library.

That night, approximately 200 alumni and their guests gathered at an all-class cocktail reception on the patio of Benson Memorial Center, where they greeted long-lost classmates and friends while a steel drum band played. Three members of the class of 1955 were present, and were inducted into the Al Ruffo Golden Gavel Society: Silvio Borello, Edward Farrell and former California Supreme Court Justice Edward Panelli. Class reunion dinners followed.

“It was a nice event,” said Deborah Mall ’90, who caught up with a number of former classmates, including David Hoffman, Nels Nelson, Judge Adrienne Grover, Chris Morales, Barry Parker, and Kelly Carter.

Mall said she was especially glad to see Professor Bob Peterson. “I told him that I finally understood evidence,” she said, “and he asked me what the trick was because he still didn’t understand.”

Attendees gathered at dinner tables set up for each reunion class, sharing stories of life since law school.

“We had a small but hearty band of fourth year classmates,” said Mary Hood ’75, who is associate director of the law library. “It was great to catch up with everyone.” Class of ’75 attendees also included two classmates who became politicians: the Hon. Benjamin Cruz, currently the Chief Justice of Guam’s Supreme Court, and Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, who represents part of Santa Clara County in the U.S. Congress.

Several classmates from the class of ’95 flew in from Washington D.C.

“Perhaps the fact that we are all so far away made us want to come back to reunite with our classmates,” said Don Marlais who was joined by classmates Shawn (Monique) Boyd and Charito (Mancha) Mittelman.

“It was really good to see some old friends and see where they are now,” said Mittelman, who moved from California six years ago.