Western State College of Law Welcomes Five Distinguished Faculty and Staff Members
2024年7月17日 - 3:00AM
ビジネスワイヤ(英語)
Newest Appointments Set to Strengthen
Operations, Admissions and Legal Education Programs
Westcliff University’s Western State College of Law, the oldest
law school in Orange County, Calif., is pleased to announce the
addition of three new professors–each bringing unique expertise and
qualifications to their roles–as well as two new assistant deans.
These hires are poised to further Western’s commitment to advancing
legal education excellence and enhancing student support
services.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240716392498/en/
(Photo: Business Wire)
Strengthening its already impressive academic team, Western
State introduces three esteemed new faculty members: Professor
Samuel F. Ernst teaching Contracts I and II, Sales and Intellectual
Property Law; Professor Sandra L. Rierson leading Civil Procedure I
and II and Constitutional Law I and II; and Professor Katharine Van
Tassel, who will teach Evidence and Health Law-related courses.
- Professor Samuel F. Ernst | Professor Ernst is an
extensively published intellectual property and contract law
expert. Before entering academia, he was a partner at the
international law firm Covington & Burling, where he practiced
intellectual property and appellate litigation. Ernst holds a Juris
Doctor magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center, a
bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz and
a master’s degree from the University of California, Los
Angeles.
- Professor Sandra L. Rierson | Professor Rierson
specializes in civil litigation, government contracts and
intellectual property law. She has previously taught at the Thomas
Jefferson School of Law, California Western School of Law and the
University of San Diego School of Law. With a Juris Doctor from
Yale Law School and a bachelor’s degree from the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Rierson’s key areas of interest are
trademark and constitutional law.
- Professor Katharine Van Tassel | Professor Van Tassel
joins Western State from Case Western Reserve School of Law, where
she was a Professor of Practice. She has held numerous significant
positions, including dean and professor of law at San Francisco Law
School. Van Tassel’s research has been influential in several
Supreme Court cases– underscoring her in-depth legal expertise–
which she further demonstrated by testifying as an expert witness
at U.S. Commission on Civil Rights hearings. She holds a master of
public health from the Harvard School of Public Health and is
completing a master of science from Johns Hopkins University.
To bolster its administrative capabilities and student services,
Western proudly welcomes Kelly Farano and Beth Kransberger as new
assistant deans.
- Kelly Farano – Assistant Dean of Administration |
Dean Farano brings extensive financial and operational expertise to
her role at Western State College of Law. She previously served at
Chapman University, Fowler School of Law and Laguna Woods
Village—where she effectively managed a $100 million budget. Farano
holds a bachelor’s degree in international business, real estate
and finance from California State University, Long Beach and a
master’s degree in business administration from Chapman
University.
- Beth Kransberger – Assistant Dean of Admissions |
With previous roles at prestigious institutions such as Penn State
Law, University of Wisconsin Law School and Michigan State
University College of Law, Dean Kransberger’s impressive career is
marked by her strong dedication to improving educational
accessibility and inclusivity. With degrees from Joliet Junior
College, Lawrence University and the University of Wisconsin Law
School, Kransberger actively supports anti-bias and equity
initiatives within her local community of San Diego and is eager to
bring her extensive admissions experience to Western State College
of Law.
"We are thrilled to welcome Samuel, Sandra, Katharine, Kelly and
Beth to our incredible team at Western State," said Marisa
Cianciarulo, Dean of Western State College of Law at Westcliff
University. "Their collective expertise, dedication to educational
excellence and passion for the law will undoubtedly enrich the
academic experience for our students and contribute to the
continued success of our institution."
To learn more about Western State College of Law, visit
www.wsulaw.edu.
About Western State College of Law: Western State College
of Law at Westcliff University is an established institution with a
more than 50-year track record of success and a reputation for
producing successful trial lawyers and more than 150 graduates who
have been elevated to the bench. It offers subspecialties within
the J.D. program, allowing every student to find their niche and
develop a unique skill set. Western State was acquired in 2019 by
Westcliff University, a private university in Irvine, Calif.
offering bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees. Since the
acquisition, Western State has benefited from Westcliff’s ability
to swiftly adapt to market needs by developing innovative specialty
programs. Together, the schools are now fully integrated and
committed to providing advanced higher education opportunities to
students both globally and nationally. Visit www.wsulaw.edu to
learn more or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly
Twitter) and LinkedIn.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240716392498/en/
MEDIA CONTACT: Leslie Licano, Beyond Fifteen
Communications, Inc. leslie@beyondfifteen.com | (949) 733-8679 ext.
101