Michelle Wong, ‘03, is a partner in Porter Wright’s Tax, Estate Planning & Personal Wealth and Sports Law practice groups. 
 
Wong focuses her practice on estate planning, wealth preservation, and estate administration. She routinely advises ultra-high net worth clients and family businesses on practical strategies to protect and provide for future generations, succession planning for closely held and multigenerational businesses, and charitable planning. In her estate administration practice, Wong provides counsel to clients on the implementation of tax-advantaged estate and trust strategies and the execution of their fiduciary obligations.  
 
A significant portion of Wong’s practice is tailored to addressing the complex needs and issues unique to athletes and coaches as they progress through various stages of their careers and beyond. She works with athletes and coaches at the collegiate and professional levels, including the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League. Whether an athlete is just entering the league or planning a career beyond sports, athletes and coaches rely on Wong’s counsel on a diverse range of legal matters including estate planning, asset protection, privacy protection, fiduciary services, endorsement contract review and analysis, non-disclosure agreements, real estate contracts, employment contracts, dispute resolution, trademark and licensing issues, and establishment of business and charitable entities.  
 
Wong received her Master of Laws degree from the University of San Diego School of Law, her Juris Doctorate from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, and her undergraduate degree from California State University. She is a member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Central Ohio, the Sports Lawyers Association, the California Bar Association, the Columbus Bar Association, and the Ohio State Bar Association. Additionally, she was the chair of the Governance Committee for the Women Lawyers of Franklin County.  
 
In the community, Wong teaches Wills, Trusts, and Estates as an adjunct professor at The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law. She was also an inaugural member of the Young Professional Leaders Roundtable and was on the Board of Directors for the Greater Columbus Sports Commission and Susan G. Komen for the Cure Columbus. She serves on the McGeorge Alumni Association Board of Directors. She was named to the Best Lawyers in America, the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, and was the Women WELDing the Way Honoree from the Women for Economic and Leadership Development. 

Throughout 2024, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law will celebrate members of its vast alumni network in honor of the school’s 100-year anniversary. This post is part of a series highlighting 100 exceptional McGeorge School of Law alumni.  

Stay tuned for more blog posts as we celebrate the law school’s centennial anniversary. 

Michael Belote, ’87, has over 43 years of experience as a lobbyist in California. After serving as President of California Advocates, Inc. for 10 years, he is currently Immediate Past President of the firm. Before joining California Advocates in 1990, Mike worked in lobbying as an employee of several trade and professional associations.  

Mike’s activities in the legislative process have spanned a broad array of issues, including financial services, real estate, health care, the judiciary, and transportation. Capitol Weekly has named him one of the Top 100 in California politics for many years, and he twice was named the recipient of the annual President’s Award by the California Judges Association. Mike also was named as Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year by an association of philanthropic fundraisers in the Sacramento Capital Region. 

After receiving an undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley, Mike earned his JD from the McGeorge School of Law in 1987, where he was admitted to the Order of the Coif. He has many times publicly acknowledged his education and training at McGeorge as an essential element in his lobbying career.  

Belote has actively supported students in McGeorge’s Public Legal Services Society by volunteering to emcee the program’s yearly fundraising auction, as well as offering financial donations himself. Belote often encourages others to match his gifts and support the program. Belote’s assistance is felt, not only by the student grant recipients, but also by the clients that they serve. Thanks to the support he provides and helps generate, McGeorge School of Law students are able to provide legal assistance to vulnerable people in underserved communities, through an impressive variety of public sector and nonprofit organizations. 

Belote has also funded two generous endowments. The Michael Belote Endowed Capital Center Lecture, part of McGeorge’s Capital Center for Law and Policy Lecture Series, has brought discussions on cutting-edge legal issues to the campus, such as “Journalism in the Era of Fake News” and “Brews and Bureaucracy – Emerging Craft Beer Law.” The Michael Belote Public Interest Endowed Scholarship ensures that students wishing to better themselves and their community can afford a legal education without financial barriers. 

Belote’s generosity extends to his time as well. He is both a member of the law school’s Dean’s Cabinet and Capital Center’s Board of Advisors. Belote has hired McGeorge students to ensure that they are gainfully employed and mentored students with an interest in lobbying and practicing in the capital.

Throughout 2024, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law will celebrate members of its vast alumni network in honor of the school’s 100-year anniversary. This post is part of a series highlighting 100 exceptional McGeorge School of Law alumni.  

Stay tuned for more blog posts as we celebrate the law school’s centennial anniversary. 

Jason Miller, ’15, works for the Office of Legislative Counsel for the State of California. Miller chose to pursue his law degree at McGeorge School of Law because of the faculty and their passion to teach as well as the school’s collaborative learning environment.

Before law school, Miller was a teacher and school administrator. Miller decided to go to law school because he wanted to grow his influence and have a greater positive influence on more people.

In this video, Miller discusses the passion that Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz has brought to the law school including the programs he has instituted and positive changes going on that influenced Miller to get involved with the McGeorge Alumni Association Board of Directors.

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The Hon. Margaret Kuroda Masunaga, ’87, served as a Hawaii State District Court Judge from 2014 to 2020 on the Big Island of Hawaii in Kona. 

Judge Masunaga grew up in Sacramento, California, and graduated from C. K. McClatchy High School in the Land Park Area near McGeorge School of Law. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley, and McGeorge School of Law. She served on the McGeorge Alumni Association Board since 2023. When she was a student at McGeorge, she was President of the Asian American Law Students Association, as well as Minority Representative on the admissions committee. After graduating from McGeorge in 1987, she passed the bar exam and was an Associate at the law firm of Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel. 

Judge Masunaga had a lengthy career of public service in Hawaii in various capacities before serving on the bench for six years. She was a Deputy Corporation Counsel and Deputy Planning Director for the County of Hawaii, and Deputy Attorney General for the State of Hawaii. 

Judge Masunaga has been active in the American Bar Association (ABA) since she was on the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Executive Council. She has served as Co-Chair of the Judges’ Journal Editorial Board and Secretary of the Executive Committee of the National Conference of State Trial Judges, ABA Judicial Division, Chair of the Judges Advisory Committee of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics & Professional Responsibility, ABA State Delegate for Hawaii, member of the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession, ABA Commission on Racial & Ethnic Diversity in the Profession, ABA Standing Committee on the American Judicial System, and Judicial Council member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). She is the former Hawaii State Trial Judges Association Vice President, Treasurer of the Hawaii State Bar Association, President of the West Hawaii Bar Association, NAPABA Board of Governor and Hawaii Community Foundation Board of Governor. 

Judge Masunaga is the recipient of U.S. President George W. Bush’s Gold Volunteer Service Award, ABA Nelson Award for outstanding contribution, Hawaii Women’s Legal Foundation Award, Soropitmist International of Kona Award, Hawaii Lawyers Care Award, and Hawaii State Bar Association YLD Justice Award. She has been an ABA contributor in two “Dear Sisters, Dear Daughters” publications. 

Judge Masunaga and her husband Gail both retired in December 2020, and own Masunaga Farms, Kona coffee.  

Throughout 2024, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law will celebrate members of its vast alumni network in honor of the school’s 100-year anniversary. This post is part of a series highlighting 100 exceptional McGeorge School of Law alumni. 

Stay tuned for more blog posts as we celebrate the law school’s centennial anniversary. 

Katharine Martin, ’87, is the chair of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s board of directors and a partner in the firm’s Palo Alto office, where she practices corporate and securities law. Martin previously served as a member of the Policy Committee and as the leader of its business law department. 

Martin has extensive experience in representing public companies. Her practice includes all aspects of company representation, including corporate governance, SEC compliance, 1934 Act issues, public offerings, private placements, and mergers and acquisitions. She also has represented underwriters in public offerings and issuers and investors in private equity financing. 

Recognized in various editions of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and Chambers Global, Martin described as “especially gifted at handling significant equity offerings, including IPOs, and private investments, on behalf of issuers, sponsors, and investment banks.” In 2021, she was honored as a “Top Lawyer of the Decade” by the Daily Journal, and in 2017, 2018, and 2019 Daily Journal’s “Top Women Lawyers” in California. 

Martin joined Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in 1999, after 12 years at Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP where she was a partner. She is a frequent speaker on corporate and securities law, corporate governance, and mergers and acquisition topics, presenting at such venues as PLI, Corporate Board Member, and the SEC Institute. 

Martin led the team at her firm that advised Twitter, Inc. on a $44 billion acquisition in 2022 by Elon Musk.

Throughout 2024, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law will celebrate members of its vast alumni network in honor of the school’s 100-year anniversary. This post is part of a series highlighting 100 exceptional McGeorge School of Law alumni.  

Stay tuned for more blog posts as we celebrate the law school’s centennial anniversary. 

Tiffany Johnson, ‘11, is the Director of Policy and Legislative Initiatives Division at the Office of Policy Legislative Initiatives and Outreach within the Office of Fair Housing Equal Opportunity in Washington, D.C.

Johnson said that that McGeorge School of Law is a wonderful place to learn the skills that are necessary to become a good advocate and policymaker. In this video, Johnson explains that the faculty at McGeorge did a wonderful job showcasing what practical application of law looks like.

Johnson decided to get involved with the school’s Alumni Association Board of Directors because she wanted to give back to the law school and be a part of decision-making processes.

Learn more about McGeorge School of Law.

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The Hon. Dana Makoto Sabraw, ‘85, was appointed to the United States District Court in 2003, where he currently serves as Chief Judge. He received his undergraduate degree from San Diego State University, and thereafter attended McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific, where he graduated in 1985 in the top 10% of his class and served on the Law Review. Sabraw is the fourth judge in his family, so he was exposed to the bench at a very early age, but it was his experience with litigation and being in court that led him to seek a judgeship. 

Before his appointment, Judge Sabraw practiced law as a commercial litigator with Baker & McKenzie in San Diego, becoming a partner in 1992. In 1995, he was appointed to San Diego’s North County Municipal Court. He served as Presiding Judge of the Municipal Court until his elevation to the Superior Court in 1998, where he served as Criminal Supervising Judge and as a criminal and civil trial judge until his appointment to the federal bench.  As a trial lawyer and judge, Judge Sabraw has tried more than 300 cases to verdict. 

Judge Sabraw is a member of the U.S. Judicial Conference Committee on the Judicial Branch, and has been active in a number of professional organizations. Among these, he is a founding member and past president of two American Inns of Court (Lopardo and Wallace Inn Chapters), and current member, and past board member, of the Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego. He also serves on the founding committee of “Just the Beginning—A Pipeline Organization.” The “Just the Beginning” organization’s mission is to encourage students of color and from other underrepresented groups to pursue career and leadership opportunities in the law. He is a frequent speaker at law and community related events on judicial independence, the rule of law, and the importance of diversity and inclusion.   

He has received numerous awards from the community and bar associations, including the Bernard E. Witkin, Esq. award for Excellence in the Adjudication of the Law, Outstanding Jurist by the San Diego County Bar Association, Judge of the Year by La Raza Lawyers Association of San Diego, Humanitarian of the Year by Casa Cornelia Law Center, Person of the Year by the San Diego Union Tribune editorial board, and Judge of the Year by Consumer Trial Attorneys of San Diego.  He also received the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Asian Business Association of San Diego, the Trailblazer Award from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Sunshine Award by the Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego, and the Civil Rights Civil Leadership Award by the Japanese American Citizens League, San Diego, among others.

Throughout 2024, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law will celebrate members of its vast alumni network in honor of the school’s 100-year anniversary. This post is part of a series highlighting 100 exceptional McGeorge School of Law alumni.  

Stay tuned for more blog posts as we celebrate the law school’s centennial anniversary. 

When I graduated from UC San Diego, I had no plans of attending law school, let alone becoming a practicing attorney; instead, I was intent on working in politics and public policy. However, after several professional experiences, I felt called to enter the law and applied to the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law’s evening program, largely because of McGeorge’s Capital Center for Law & Policy. The Capital Center blended my passion for politics and public policy with what I realized I had been missing in my career: a legal education.

After graduation, I devoted myself entirely to my first job in politics, working on one of the country’s most well-funded and hotly contested congressional races. The race ended in a narrow loss for my candidate following a recount. During the recount, I observed in awe as lawyers for both campaigns and the government engaged in the recount and adjudicated ballots to ensure the voter’s intent was fulfilled in accordance with the law. At times, this process seemed to be a different language. Despite my confusion, I recall the comfort of having a capable attorney present to advocate on our behalf to ensure the county election office counted every legal ballot.

Following the campaign’s narrow loss, a federal prosecution found that one of the most devastating attacks used by our opponent and outside groups during the campaign was materially false. As the Federal Judge in the case said, “There is no way of knowing how much [the criminal’s conduct] affected voters’ minds … The victim is the [candidate], [candidate’s] campaign, or the democratic process.” While disillusioned that a bad actor had subverted the voters, I was thankful that the legal process and U.S. Attorneys sought justice and provided a small amount of vindication to the campaign and democratic process.

After the campaign, I moved to Washington, D.C., to pursue my dreams of working in public policy, and I found a job working for a member of Congress who served on the Judiciary Committee. I was able to serve as a legislative assistant under a lawyer who led the Congresswoman’s Judiciary Committee portfolio. Whenever someone sought his advice on the policy issue of the day, they could always count on him to provide a critical yet objective analysis, and you also knew that he had thoroughly considered the legal and constitutional principles underlying the policy issue. Moreover, his counsel was straightforward. He could deconstruct complex issues for non-lawyers like me. I realized that if I ever wanted to be half as effective as he was, I would need to be trained by similarly talented lawyers and become an attorney.

Given my specific interests in political law and public policy, the question became, where could I go to be trained as an attorney who could both counsel and comfort while seeking justice? After researching different political and policy law school programs, I discovered McGeorge and its Capital Center. The school’s Capital Lawyering Concentration offered every class I could dream of taking to hone my skills and become a political lawyer, such as Election Law, Statutes and Regulations, and the Initiative Seminar.

Additionally, the Capital Center’s stellar job placement numbers demonstrated that McGeorge provided their students with practical legal skills that were valued by the market. I found other comparable programs to lack such post-graduation employment success, or the school’s curriculum was more theoretical than practical. Further, these job placement numbers showed that there was a tight-knit and supportive community that would foster my development and assist me during my law school and throughout my legal career.

I am privileged to have graduated from McGeorge School of Law with a Capital Lawyering Concentration in 2022. The exceptional training and tangible legal skills that McGeorge and the Capital Center provided me allowed me to start practicing law with confidence. As I continue to hone the skills I learned at McGeorge, I will try to emulate the attorneys who inspired me to become an attorney by providing cogent and just counsel to my clients. Hopefully, somewhere along the way, I will come across another young politico and encourage them to go to McGeorge so they can grow as much as I did during my four years at McGeorge.