TAMARA ABRAMS: "My partner and I have fraternal twin boys who just turned 2 in August so we're really busy and running around a lot but having lots of fun. I'm now working three days per week which I love. I'm still happy at my job - domestic violence policy work for the California Administrative Office of the Courts."
DIANE ALLEN is still at Genentech in South San Francisco, leading an attorney group practicing primarily FDA law, where she says, "It's an exciting place to work." Diane and her partner Kathleen and are now empty nesters, with their son having completed his first year at the University of Oregon and their daughter pursuing an MFA. "Life still seems very busy even with the kids gone most of the year. Hope my classmates are happy and doing well!"
JOE DE ANGELIS reports: "I cannot call it an accomplishment, but I am enjoying a 3 month sabbatical with the family. My firm, Downey Brand, allows partners this luxury every 7 years. I am now on a mountain top in a wilderness in Nevada. On the professional side, I finished 3 years on my firm's executive committee, as chair of its business department. I hope my other classmates enjoy practicing law as much as I do. It was the correct professional choice!"
ADAURE EGU is the Staff Attorney for the California Parole Advocacy Program, Santa Clarita. Our program represents parolees during their revocation process. She is currently married to her college sweetheart (Iyke Aimufua) with 3 children
JEFF FIRESTONE and his wife Cheryl recently celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary; they are proud parents of three growing boys Cordell (age 9), Colton (age 7), and Dustin (age 4); Jeff is a deputy attorney general in the California Attorney General's office, where he handles appeals, writs and trials in the Sacramento Criminal Law Division; Jeff (aka "JD the DJ") also entertains as a disc jockey/emcee for his company JD Productions, Quality DJ Entertainment.
STEVE MATTAS, a Principal at Meyers Nave in Oakland, has just published CEB book California Land Use Practice, which navigates the complex world of California land use law. Mattas served as Co-Managing Editor and one of the lead authors. The book contains the input and expertise of 20 authors across the stat e, many of whom are alums of UC Davis Law School.
Phyllis Pavao
At the beginning of 2004, STEVEN S. OWEN his family moved to Evansville, Indiana. Steve left McKenna, Long & Aldridge, LLP in San Diego and became general counsel for Traylor Bros., Inc., a large heavy civil construction contractor specializing in building bridges, dams, tunnels, wharfs and related projects. A few months later Steve and his wife, Jane, welcomed their third child, Laurel, to their family. Her sister, Bryn (9), and brother, Blake (7), were very excited about the new addition to the family. The whole family recently flew back to San Diego to attend the wedding of ROBERT ALLENBY (also class of '91) to Dawn Erickson. A great time was had by all.
In July 2005, THOMAS R. PHINNEY left Weintraub Genshlea Chediak and formed Parkinson Phinney with Donna Parkinson (class of '86). "We focus on bankruptcy and business litigation. It has been a great change."
DAVE RENAS is still in San Diego, kept busy by his wife (Laurie) and their daughters Annie (7) and Caroline (2). Time away from home is spent working as CFO and General Counsel of Sangart, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that is developing a blood substitute product.
ERIC J. SMITH formed a new partnership--"Dean & Smith, LLP"--to specialize in estate planning, business succession, charitable tax planning. Is busy renovating 110 year old Victorian building in San Francisco and got engaged in May on a trip to Italy.
PETER TUANN is doing insurance defense and subrogation in S.F. for Cholakian & Associates, handling mostly State Farm, but also CSAA and various other carriers. Peter also reports that he recently became a father to Mackenzie Lucy Duan, born July 24, 2006 and is living in Dublin, CA.
ELIZABETH TWOMEY'S daughter just turned 3, and is working as an inhouse trademark/copyright attorney at a company about 45 minutes from Asheville, North Carolina - "my guess is I might be the only King Hall grad in this particular geographic area, but I could be wrong!"