Alumni Stories

Merle Damico, L’24
Public Defender
The rhythm of public defense
Merle Damico, L’24, is a public defender who thrives in chaos, champions justice daily, and finds profound meaning in simply being there for clients.
Matthew Reinaker, ’02, L’05, and GB’06
Estate Planning
The law firm on wheels
Triple-grad Matthew Reinaker, ’02, L’05, and GB’06, brings estate planning services directly to clients through his mobile law firm.
Benedict Roemer, L’25
Public Defender
Service comes first
The resume of Benedict Roemer, L’25, reads like a checklist for civic-minded excellence.
A headshot of Honorable Dontaé Bugg, L’06
Criminal Justice
Outreach from the bench

Judge Dontaé Bugg, L’06, brings lived experience, community connection, and compassion to the bench — and he’s inspiring future leaders, too.

Leah Stiegler, L’15
Employment Law
Workplace trends and employment law
Leah Steigler, L’15, enjoys labor and employment law so much, it's not just her day job — she has a standing column in Today’s General Counsel magazine and her own video series.
Derrick Walker, L’00
Leadership
Law alum has ‘the gift’
Derrick Walker, L’00, held onto an email from his 2L year. A professor had reached out to make sure Walker knew he was skilled—he had “the gift.”
Headshot of Tricia Dunlap
Corporate Law
Bold steps
Former high school teacher Tricia Dunlap, L'11, entered law school at age 40 and became a corporate law expert.
Headshot of Greg Luce L'77
Stewardship
Wide open spaces
Before there was Yellowstone’s John Dutton, there was alum Greg Luce, L’77. The lawyer-turned-rancher owns a historic cattle ranch spanning 100,000 acres in Wyoming.
A collage featuring a portrait of Tina Gubb, an image of a stock ticker, and the logo for FINRA
Legal Enforcement
Fairness enforcer
Tina Gubb, L’98, is the fairness-enforcing alum protecting the integrity of financial markets as senior vice president for legal enforcement at FINRA.
Vishwa Bhargava Link, L’93
Next Generation
For the future
"Practicing law is an apprenticeship, and the most rewarding part is building a team of young folks who see that this is something they could do for a career."
Tom Garrett stands in front of greenery
Free Speech
Vocal advocate
“I’ve always had this innate belief that everyone, regardless of their opinion or perspective, should have the ability to voice that opinion without fear of reprisal.”