ABA President to Address CWSL Grads

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SAN DIEGO, March 28, 2007– California Western School of Law will hold its spring commencement ceremonies Friday, April 27, 2007, 10 a.m., at the Organ Pavilion in San Diego’s Balboa Park. American Bar Association (ABA) President Karen J. Mathis will address California Western graduates.

“Karen’s dedication to improving the legal profession is a great example to all our graduates,” said California Western Dean Steven R. Smith. “She is committed to the highest values of our profession, including the importance of attorneys doing pro bono work to improve the quality of justice in our society.”

A total of 188 degrees will be awarded, with 169 candidates receiving the Juris Doctor (J.D.), 13 receiving the Master of Comparative Law/Master of Laws in Comparative Law (M.C.L./LL.M.), 1 obtaining a dual Juris Doctor and Masters in Business Administration, and 5 receiving a LL.M. in Trial Advocacy. In addition, Mathis will receive an honorary degree.

Mathis is a business, commercial, and estate planning lawyer with more than 30 years experience and has been an active member of the ABA for almost 30 years. She is the third woman to serve as an ABA president and the first president from Colorado. She has served as a member of the ABA House of Delegates since 1982.

Mathis’ extensive ABA involvement includes leadership of numerous entities. She served as chair of the 30,000-member General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm Section from 2002-03; chair of the Commission on Women in the Profession from 1997-2000; and chair of the Standing Committee on Membership from 1994-97.

As a member of the Colorado and International Women’s Forums, she has been honored as an outstanding lawyer by the Denver and Colorado Bar Associations, the University of Colorado, and the University of Albany School of Law.

Mathis received her law degree from the University of Colorado School of Law and her Bachelor’s from the University of Denver. She has honorary degrees from Siena College, the University of Denver, Michigan State University College of Law, and Southwestern Law School.###

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