Thomas Jefferson School of Law

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Thomas Jefferson School of Law

At Thomas Jefferson School of Law, we are committed to educating the next generation of legal professionals who make a difference in their community.

Visit us at www.tjsl.edu.

05/27/2026

🎉 Congratulations to our T-Shirt Design Contest Winner — Jenimaree Hernandez! 🎉

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Jenimaree's design has been selected as the winner! Her creativity and talent truly stood out, and we are so excited to see her design come to life.

You can now purchase the winning t-shirt here:

👉 https://thomas-jefferson-school-of-law-shop.fourthwall.com/products/tjsl-design-contest-winner-tee-shirt

Thank you to everyone who participated — the talent and enthusiasm were truly inspiring. Show your support by grabbing your t-shirt today!

05/22/2026

Thomas Jefferson School of Law is proud to celebrate the graduation of our December 2025 and Spring 2026 classes. 🎓

On Sunday, May 17, 2026, we had the privilege of honoring all graduates at the historic Balboa Theater in downtown San Diego.

We extend our deepest gratitude to all our speakers Michelle Gastil (2009) and Ashley Salas (2015), for delivering truly inspiring and thought provoking address, and to our Graduate Speaker, William David Denny, whose heartfelt remarks were a beautiful reflection of the strength and character of this graduating class.

Our exceptional graduates have demonstrated remarkable commitment and perseverance throughout their legal education, and we have no doubt they will go on to make a profound impact in the legal profession and in their communities.

Congratulations to all of our graduates — your journey is just beginning. ⚖️

04/28/2026

Congratulations to Gwenyth Crow and Rita Sanchez-Garcia, recipients of the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association's 2026 Bar Stipend Award!

04/17/2026

Congratulations to all students honored today at our Celebration of Student Academic Excellence! Students honored today were 2025 recipients of Distinguished Honor Roll, Honor Roll, High Grade, and Honors Awards. Additionally, at the event, Amari Rose Hood was awarded the 2026 Kossack Social Justice Award and Patricia Dauphin was awarded the inaugural Dawn Dekle Memorial Scholarship.

The Kossack Award honors Samuel Kossack, 2015 TJSL alum. This award is given to a deserving student who exemplifies the values Sam held most dearly: compassion, leading by example, and making changes one step at a time.

The Dawn Dekle Memorial Scholarship was funded by former President and Dean Dawn Dekle's friends and family to recognize and support nontraditional student paths in legal education.

04/15/2026

What an incredible evening at the TJSL Barrister's Ball! 🎉

A huge thank you to the Student Bar Association and all attendees for making this such a memorable night. We were so fortunate to have Judge Bell join us — his words of encouragement were truly inspiring.

Congratulations to all of this year's outstanding awardees:

🏆 Professors of the Year – Steve Semeraro, Elizabeth Reilly, and Taylor Ruth Israel
🏆 Adjunct Professor of the Year – Ashley Salas
🏆 Administrator of the Year – Aparajita Bandyopadhyay
🏆 Student Organization President of the Year – Sheila Clerina (TJSL Student Bar Association) and Razelene Nicole Llorando (APALSA Thomas Jefferson School of Law)
🏆 Student Organization of the Year – TJSL SBA (Sheila Clerina, Amari Rose, Tania Zamora, Boramee Seng, Lisa Bramwell, Paul A.E. Abegya, Danny Paz, Patricia Dauphin, Kassidy Clark)

Thank you to every student, alumni, faculty, and staff member — in-person and online — who contributed to such a wonderful evening and to the TJSL community. You make it all worth it!

04/06/2026

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the appointment of John William Bernitz (2004) as the Eleventh Judicial District Attorney, Division II, serving McKinley County.

Bernitz currently serves as Chief Deputy District Attorney in the Office of the District Attorney, Eleventh Judicial District, a position he has held since October 2025. He previously operated the Law Office of John Bernitz in Gallup from 2021 to 2023, handling criminal and family law matters.

Bernitz has served in multiple roles within the Eleventh Judicial District Attorney’s Office since 2007, including as senior trial attorney, deputy district attorney, and chief deputy district attorney. He also served as an assistant district attorney in the Sixth Judicial District in Hidalgo County and the Twelfth Judicial District in Otero County, and as an assistant public defender with the Law Office of the Public Defender in Gallup from 2012 to 2019.

03/30/2026

Ismael Rodriguez (2004), of Tulare County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Kings County Superior Court. Rodriguez has been the owner of the Law Office of Ismael Rodriguez since 2013. He served as a Small Claims Advisor at the Tulare Small Claims Advisor from 2016 to 2018. He served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office from 2005 to 2013.

03/23/2026

Thomas Jefferson School of Law is pleased to announce that it presented the Adjunct of the Year Award to Ashley Salas (TJSL ’15). Professor Salas teaches Legal Writing I as well as the Intra-School Moot Court Competition. She goes above and beyond for her students. In addition to being a caring and effective teacher, Prof. Salas supports students outside the classroom. She organizes trips to the various local courts so that her students can experience the courtroom and speak with judges who are generous with their time. She also encourages students to be active in the community, even bringing students with her to the nearby Bar Center for San Diego County Bar Association events. She herself is incredibly active in the community, serving on the Board for Global Conservation Force as well as Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego. This year, she is also President of the TJSL alumni association. In her spare time, she advances the mission of her non-profit organization, Public Programs Foundation, which aims to address the unmet need for awareness of programs available to the public.

TJSL is proud to congratulate Prof. Salas for receiving the Adjunct of the Year Award!

12/16/2025

Please join us in congratulating alumnus Matt Smith, JD, MS, on his graduation from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, a distinguished achievement earned by a select group of law enforcement leaders worldwide.

Reflecting on the experience, Matt shared:

“It was an honor to be part of an extraordinary 11-week journey at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia—an experience shared by a small percentage of law enforcement professionals worldwide.

For 11 weeks, the FBI National Academy brought together U.S. and international law enforcement leaders for advanced academic instruction, leadership development, and the exchange of global best practices. The graduating class included 254 professionals, with 24 international participants representing nations across Africa, Asia, Middle East, and Europe.

Throughout the program, our cohort received world-class instruction, leadership training, and intensive physical conditioning—building the skills, perspectives, and professional networks needed to meet the evolving challenges of modern law enforcement.

Looking forward to applying and sharing these lessons to further strengthen service to San Diego County and the law enforcement profession as a whole.”

We are proud of Matt’s continued leadership and service, and we congratulate him on this remarkable accomplishment.

12/08/2025

San Diego County Bar Association hosted its Stepping Up Gala on Friday, December 5, and it was a wonderful evening honoring service, leadership, and community.

The program featured thoughtful remarks from Chief Justice of California Patricia Guerrero, 2025 SDCBA President Michelle Gastil (TJSL 2009), and 2026 President Timothy Williams. It was also a meaningful opportunity to celebrate our alumni who continue to lead and contribute throughout San Diego’s legal community.

Several of our graduates were recognized during the evening, including those sworn in as directors for 2026: Nicole D’Ambrogi, Shawn Huston, Flavio Nominati, and Khodadad “Ko” Sharif. Many more alumni were present in support of the event, highlighting the strength of our community.

The SDCBA DEI Division was also honored with the Certificate for Innovation, and we are proud that Dean Linda M. Keller serves as a Member at Large within this division.

We are appreciative of the many ways our alumni serve the profession and our region with dedication and heart.

Address

701 B Street
San Diego, CA
92101

Telephone

+16192979700

Website

https://linktr.ee/officialtjsl

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