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UPCOMING EVENTS

Greetings,

Today we share the story of our third and final Lifetime Achievement Awardee this year, former Arizona Supreme Court Justice Frank Gordon ('54). We will celebrate all three of our new Lifetime Achievement Award recipients on Friday, November 5, during Homecoming and Reunion weekend.

We also introduce you to one of our newest LawCats, 1L Devyn Arredondo.

Until the footnotes,

Marc

Class of 1954 alumnus Justice Frank X. Gordon, Jr., is one of the recipients of the College of Law's 2021 Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Lifetime Achievement Award recipients are selected by Arizona Law faculty for their distinguished and exemplary careers, contributions to the legal profession, support for public causes and law reform, and commitment to the pursuit of justice. Also recognized at this year's event will be Judge Raner Collins ('75) and Dee-Dee Samet ('63). (Read about all three awardees.)

Award Biography

Frank X. Gordon, Jr., an esteemed justice on the Arizona Supreme Court and consummate public servant, grew up in Kingman, Arizona, then a small rural community. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University in 1951, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Arizona College of Law in 1954. After earning his law degree, Justice Gordon returned to Kingman to practice law with his father in the law firm of Gordon & Gordon, at a time when they were two of only five practicing attorneys in Mohave County.  

At age 33, Justice Gordon was elected to the Mohave County Superior Court. Thirteen years later, Governor Raul Castro appointed him to the state’s highest court — the first appellate court appointment using the merit-selection process established in 1974. He served as Chief Justice from January 1987 to December 1992. As Chief Justice, Gordon presided over the impeachment trial of then-Governor Evan Mecham in 1988. In 1990, Gordon received an American Bar Association Pro Bono Publico Award for his efforts on behalf of the poor through his stewardship of the Volunteer Lawyers Program of Phoenix.

After retiring from the Arizona Supreme Court in 1992, Justice Gordon joined the Phoenix firm of Roush, McCracken & Guerrero, but he remained active in public life. United States District Judge Paul Rosenblatt appointed Justice Gordon to mediate a dispute between various Native American tribes and the State of Arizona about gaming. In February 1993, Justice Gordon endorsed a proposal put forth by the tribes to allow them to operate slot machine casinos in their territories. 

In 1994, Justice Gordon traveled to Belarus at the request of the U.S. State Department to meet with a committee of their Parliament to evaluate their constitution and help the country’s transition from a totalitarian socialist state to a democracy. In 2006, Justice Gordon joined People to People Ambassadors of the American Bar Association. In that role, he traveled to China to meet with lawyers, judges, and embassy officials to discuss the “rule of law.” Justice Gordon’s autobiography From A Boy with A Horse To A Man With A Gavel was published in 2016. He died on January 6, 2020 in Phoenix.

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We look forward to this opportunity to revisit and celebrate Justice Gordon's life and legacy with his family and our entire Arizona Law community on November 5.

Name: Devyn Arredondo

Hometown: Rome, New York

Undergraduate/Graduate institutions:

Boston University (BA) and Syracuse University (MS)

Named Scholarship: Robert J. Hooker ('72) Memorial Scholarship

What was your path to law school at the University of Arizona?

I am from Upstate New York and went to Boston University to study linguistics. I worked for a bit at a school that teaches English to adult immigrants from Central America and Africa. I then went back for a Master's degree in forensic science at Syracuse University near my hometown. 

I moved to Tucson about two years ago to work for the Tucson Police Department. That's when I decided to study law. In working for the police department, I realized how essential attorneys are in representing all sides and seeking rehabilitation rather than mass incarceration. I also liked that law careers are more flexible than most other jobs in that I'm not confined to one role if I find other law specialties I'm interested in.

I chose the University of Arizona for so many reasons. I was particularly drawn to the in-house Innocence Project clinic. Plus, I already was living in Tucson and had fallen in love with the city. I have also really appreciated the smaller class sizes, opportunities for growth, and flexibility of the staff to help us all curate the career of our dreams.

What are your interests and future career plans?

As of right now, my primary interests are both in criminal law and environmental law. I have a lot of ideas on what I'd like to do in the future, but things I've been considering most recently are clerking and/or being a JAG, since I'm drawn to a career that doesn't keep me in one place for too long. 

What else should we know about you?

In my free time, I like to go camping and hiking with my dog, watch Brooklyn 99 with my cats, and acrylic paint embarrassing memories of my friends.

I would like to thank the College of Law's Robert J. Hooker ('72) Memorial Scholarship for the opportunity to stay in a region I love doing work that I hope will make an impact on people in the future!

Together Again: 2021 Homecoming & Reunion Lineup

There's no place like Homecoming. Join us for both in-person and virtual events, November 4-6, 2021!

NOTE All alumni should have received an email detailing this year's events. If you did not receive our message, please make sure to update your contact information here. We want to make sure you are kept in the loop with any updates as the big weekend approaches.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Alumni of the Year Awards Ceremony

Arizona Law honoree Dev L. Stahlkopf, Class of 1999

The University of Arizona Student Union Memorial Center,

Grand Ballroom, 2-5 p.m.

RSVP Required

Register for UA Alumni of the Year Awards Ceremony

50-Year Class Reunion Dinner

Celebrating the Classes of 1970 and 1971

Arizona Sands Club, 565 N Cherry Ave, Floor 5, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

RSVP Required

Register for the 50th Reunion Dinner

Friday, November 5, 2021

Arizona Law’s Lifetime Achievement Awards

The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law

Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie Lobby & Snell & Wilmer Courtyard

Honorees: Judge Raner Collins, Class of 1975; Justice Frank Gordon (posthumously), Class of 1954; Dee-Dee Samet, Class of 1963

4:30-6:30pm

RSVP Requested

Register for the Lifetime Achievement Awards

Arizona Law’s Alumni Reunion Celebration

Celebrating the following classes:

1970, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, and 2020

Culinary Dropout, 2543 E Grant Road, 7-10 p.m.  

RSVP Required

Register for the Reunion Celebration

Saturday, November 6, 2021

Arizona Law’s Red & Blue BBQ

The Snell & Wilmer Courtyard

11 a.m.-2 p.m.

RSVP Requested

Register for the BBQ

Have questions?

Contact Kate Osterholt, Program Coordinator, Alumni Engagement & Special Events, 520-621-8430, kosterholt@arizona.edu

Class of 2020 Commencement!

Attention Class of 2020: Fall 2019, Winter 2019, Spring 2020, and Summer 2020 graduates!

By now, you should have received an invitation from the UA Commencement Office to participate in a special all-UA graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020 on Friday, November 5, at 4 p.m. at Old Main. See all the details and RSVP here.

You must RSVP for the ceremony by October 29. All guests will need non-transferable tickets, so don't wait to RSVP if you plan to attend. 

The College of Law has JD gowns, hoods and tams to loan at no cost if you want to participate. Please contact Nancy at nstanley@arizona.edu to schedule a time for fitting and pickup. We will not be doing graduation-day pickups unless you make advance arrangements. Even if you don't attend the ceremony, we are happy to lend you regalia for photo shoots through January 2022. 

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The UA-hosted graduation is not a substitute for a celebration with your College of Law classmates. Look for an email from Arizona Law soon with more details and next steps.

In the meantime, all members of the Class of 2020 are invited to attend this year's Homecoming events, including the Reunion Celebration on November 5 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Culinary Dropout. See details and RSVP here.

Happy Indigenous Peoples Day! Thank you to Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy Program and the UofA Native American Law Students Association for planning this amazing event and bringing together the Indigenous wildcat community at The University of Arizona.

@uarizonalaw, Facebook

We have often heard from readers of Wildcat Wednesday—Letter of the Law that, after looking for notes on classmates or former professors or staff, they most enjoy the short profiles of current students and alumni. This edition illustrates why—in the powerful legacy of Justice Frank Gordon and the commitment and promise of 1L Devyn Arredondo.

Warmly,