Steve Boutin ’72 Receives UC Davis Soderquist Award

  • by Kevin R. Johnson
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Chancellor Gary May (left), Steve Boutin and Darryl Goss, vice chair of UC Davis Foundation

Lunch last Friday was special.  I attended the UC Davis Foundation Board’s annual lunch to honor this year’s 2019 Charles J. Soderquist Award recipient – UC Davis School of Law alum Steve Boutin `72.

The Soderquist award honors an individual who has demonstrated exceptional volunteerism and leadership by advancing the mission and vision of UC Davis.  I have worked with Steve for many years and he has been an extremely dedicated member of the King Hall community.  Steve has provided outstanding leadership in philanthropy, volunteerism and excellence through his commitment to UC Davis, fellow alumni, students of UC Davis, and his community and the legal profession.

In 1992, Steve was appointed to serve on a task force to consider moving our intercollegiate sports program from Division II to Division I.  Steve and his wife Linda served from 2002-2005 on the Mondavi Center Advisory Committee.  He served on the UC Davis Foundation from 2011-2017.  Steve has helped provide support for Sochor Field; the Mondavi Center; and the UC Davis School of Law

Steve served on the UC Davis School of Law Alumni Board from 2002-14.  Steve has provided invaluable support to me in my 10 years as dean.  As president of the Alumni Board, he mentored students and held numerous receptions for them at private law firms.  He later developed a program at the law school to teach students what life is like in private law practice.

Steve’s other contributions to the School of Law include the following:

  • Steve has been an active volunteer for the King Hall Legal Foundation, which raises money for public interest fellowships.  In that regard, he has helped support and host the Steve Boutin Invitational Golf Tournament.  The tournament brings together alumni, faculty and attorneys from the community and helps generate goodwill for the UC Davis School of Law.  The golf tournament has raised more than $80,000 for public interest fellowships during the last 10 years. 

 

  • As president of the Central Valley Foundation, Steve has helped raise funds for the School of Law.  Steve convinced the foundation to fund an annual McClatchy First Amendment Lecture at UC Davis.   He also was instrumental in securing funding from the foundation for scholarships for law students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

 

  • The Boutin Jones law firm has hosted numerous events, including admitted student receptions, student mixers, and first-year law student events offering exposure to the law forums.  The firm hires many students to provide them valuable experience in law and UC Davis School of Law alums as attorneys. 

Steve is a prominent attorney.  He was co-founder of what is the law firm now known as Boutin Jones Inc.  The firm, which employs about 50 attorneys, is one of the leading law firms in Sacramento.  In 2015, the Sacramento County Bar Association named Steve Boutin “Distinguished Attorney of the Year.”  He was honored at a luncheon with attorneys, judges, family, and friends in Sacramento.

Despite his busy law practice, Steve serves on the boards of  numerous community organizations, including, but not limited to, the Board of Pride Industries; the Board of the Crocker Art Museum;  The Mondavi Center Advisory Committee; the Central Valley Foundation; the Sacramento Region Community Foundation; and Opportunity in Athletics for UC Davis.

The luncheon at which Steve received the Soderquist Award was energizing.  Among the many in attendance were King Hall alums Tom Stallard `75 and Wayne Bartholomew `71.  Steve’s philanthropy, commitment to social justice, and dedication make him a most worthy award winner - and he makes King Hall proud.