Meet the Board: Christopher Martens

Our final installment in the "Meet the Board" feature is Christopher Martens (JD98B), Chairman of the Alumni Relations Committee.

Christopher Martens is a solo practitioner out of Visalia, California. As a criminal defense attorney, he has taken 18 cases to jury trial -- everything from simple misdemeanor to life in prison cases.

As chairman of the Alumni Relations Committee, Chris is focused on getting more alumni involved, recruiting class coordinator positions, gathering law firm profile information on firms where alumni are partners or sole proprietors, and promoting alumni through networking. Chris is looking forward to working with alumni on these and other issues in the coming year.

You can reach Chris at martenslaw@gmail.com or at his office number of (559) 967-7386.

From Legal Training to Business Savvy

A recent ABA Journal article entitled “CEO, Esq.: Why lawyers are being asked to lead some of the nation’s largest corporations” dug into some of the reasons that more and more lawyers are making an impact on the business world.

The article quotes Continental Airlines CEO Jeff Smisek, a former corporate lawyer in Houston as saying

"The CEO role requires the ability to constantly break down problems and analyze issues that are at the core of a decision. As leaders we need to be persuasive to many constituencies in communicating our strategic vision and describing the path where we will take our business. All of those requirements rely in no small part on skills I developed in law school and honed as a practicing lawyer."

Nine of the Fortune 50 companies now have lawyer CEO’s. A decade ago, only three of those CEO’s were lawyers. Experts contend that this trend will continue.

The skills cultivated in law school go a long way in developing a successful business career, a fact that has also been confirmed in the OBCL experience. Take OBCL graduate Tim Andre (JD02A), who started the successful Emma Parker & Company along with fellow OBCL grad Seth O'Dell. Like the business leaders interviewed in the ABA article, Andre has seen his legal education opening doors for him:

"Earning my JD has been akin to being given a key to the city. The doors of opportunity that have swung wide open once I completed my legal education have been incredibly helpful. Everything from gaining greater respect among my colleagues, to closing venture capital investment, to the ends and outs of starting my company, my legal education comes into use every single day.”

The value of a juris doctor degree in business continues to grow. Relatively unknown schools have made their dent in the business world by emphasizing business-related legal skills.

Case in point is SMU’s Dedman School of Law, which boasts 3 of the 11 CEO’s from Fortune 50 companies. Dedman has made preparing for business leadership a priority in their curriculum options. But the price is high: tuition for three years is around $115,000 plus another $14,000 a year in room and board.

Oak Brook graduates have an opportunity to learn to think like a lawyer, negotiate, understand business structuring, contract, torts, and other areas of interest to those in business for around $20,000 altogether.

To close with another thought from Tim Andre,

“The training gained in Oak Brook is extremely applicable to everyday life in the business world. As a small business owner, I would rather hire one law school graduate than ten MBA graduates."

--MJB

Meet the Board: Kaitlin Showerman

Over the last couple weeks, we've been posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

Kaitlin Showerman (JD07B) is the OBCLAA's returning Student Liaison. Here are some thoughts from Kaitlin.

I am currently a student in the 07B class and live in the Central Valley of California. I'm a "second generation" Oak Brook student as my dad (Greg Showerman) graduated OBCL this past August.

This year I am working to continue conference calls between OBCL alumni and current students. These conference calls are set up between an alumnus working in a field that corresponds with the subject material for each class. The goal of this mentorship program is to help students with their studies as well as give some real-world perspective on topics that they are studying.

If you are interested in volunteering your time and experience, please let me know! We'd be glad to have your input.

Kaitlin can be reached by e-mail at kaitlineshowerman@gmail.com.

Meet the Board: Gabe Waddell

Over the last couple weeks, we've been posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

After serving two terms as the president of the Alumni Association, Gabe Waddell (JD03A) is now serving the OBCLAA Board as Immediate Past President. Here are some thoughts from Gabe.

Gabe lives in Fresno with his wife Katie (another OBCL grad!), where he practices bankruptcy law with Peter Fear (another OBCL grad!).

Gabe's biggest goals for this year are to do everything he can to "pass the torch" and assist the work and vision of the new President, Nathan Deladurantey, and to continue the excitement being generated by the social media outreach projects of the Association. (In that vein, subscribe to the blog! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter!)"

Gabe can be reached by e-mail at gabe@gabewaddell.com.

Meet the Board: Paul Harman

Over the next couple weeks, we'll be posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

Paul Harman (JD04A) is the OBCLAA's Vice-President. Here are some thoughts from Paul.

I’m a proud member of the last “A” class offered by OBCL (04A). After passing the February 2009 bar exam, I moved from my home state of Connecticut back to Minnesota to finish revising Advising Minnesota Corporations and Other Business Organizations and to assist with an ongoing effort to amend the Minnesota Bar admission rules. I now find myself in Bakersfield, CA working with Mark Bigger’s criminal and traffic ticket defense practice and assisting fellow OBCL graduate Win Eaton in his immigration practice.

I have a very flexible role as the Vice President of the Alumni Association. My primary responsibility is to assist Nathan in managing the committees, specifically by making sure that each has the manpower and resources to accomplish this year’s goals. If you want to get involved with the OBCLAA but aren’t sure what you can do to help, contact me and we can figure that out.

You can reach me at paulharman412@gmail.com or at (860) 810-6161.

Meet the Board: Mark Bigger

Over the next couple weeks, we'll be posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

Mark Bigger (JD97B) is the longest-standing Board member of the OBCLAA, and this year's Promotion and Media Committee Chairman. Here are some thoughts from Mark.

I am a native Oregonian currently residing in the Oak Brook mecca of Bakersfield, California. Oak Brook graduate and recent hire Paul Harman and I specialize in criminal and traffic ticket defense and are in the process of expanding into estate planning. I enjoy playing basketball, tennis, hiking, reading, traveling, and rooting for my Seahawks and Blazers.

My focus for this coming year is to use social media, direct contacts, free press, and the Tell Ten Initiative to increase the stature of the College in the Christian and legal communities with the specific goal of bumping up enrollment for the 2011 class.

Reach Mark by e-mail at mjbigger@gmail.com.

Meet the Board: Jordana Ward

Over the next couple weeks, we'll be posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

I currently reside in sunny Florida. I'm a graduate of the P01B paralegal class and the 03B JD class and a member of the California Bar. I perform legal work as an independent contractor and enjoy traveling in my spare time.

The main objectives of the Student Affairs Committee are as follows:

1. Establish a mentorship program for Bar Exam takers.
2. Organize a mentorship program for first-year students.
3. Facilitate outreach through the use of regional coordinators at homeschool conferences, debate and homeschool clubs.
4. Work to establish a scholarship fund for prospective and current students.

We need individuals who are willing to volunteer as mentors for Bar Exam takers and/or first-year students. This is a meaningful opportunity for alumni to give back to the Oak Brook community. If you're interested in volunteering as a mentor or a regional coordinator, let me know. I look forward to hearing from you!

Email: jordana.ward@yahoo.com