Faculty

John Patrick Dolan, Dean and Professor of Criminal Law, Evidence and Trial Advocacy

• President, CEO  and Dean of the California Desert Trial Academy, College of Law
• California State Bar Certified Specialist in Criminal Law, practicing criminal defense for over 40 years
• J.D., Western State University, College of Law, 1977 & B.A., California State University at Fullerton, 1971

Irene Garcia Dolan, Registrar and Director of Admissions

• Co-founder of  The California Desert Trial Academy, College of Law with John Patrick Dolan
• Manages all aspects of the law school including admissions, eligibility, State Bar compliance and certifications
• President of LawTalk, MCLE, a provider of continuing legal education for over 22 years

Sue Steding, Dean of Students and Professor of Criminal Law

• Served the Office of the District Attorney of Riverside County for over 34 years and tried over 100 cases
• Licensed to practice in California since 1975
• J.D., The University of San Diego, 1975 & B.A., cum laude, The University of Washington, 1972

Philip Drucker, Dean of Academic Excellence and Professor of Constitutional Law, Legal Memorandum & Brief Writing, Real Property Law and Remedies

• Practiced law since 1999 with an emphasis on the protection of Intellectual Property rights
• Former Dean of Abraham Lincoln University School of Law
• J.D., The University of La Verne College of Law, 1999 &  B.A., UCLA 1980

Andrea Dolan Bouchard, Professor of Real Property Law

• Criminal Defense Attorney with Dolan Law Offices in Indio since 2012
• Obtained her Level III P.O.S.T. (Peace Officer Standards & Training) Certification from the College of the Desert Public Safety Academy, graduating first in her class academically
• B.A., California State University San Bernardino, Palm Desert Campus, 2008 & J.D., Trinity Law School, 2011

Julia Burt, Professor of Wills & Trusts

Graham Davies, Barrister at Law

Jenny L. Doling, Professor of Bankruptcy Law

• Partner, Doling, Shaw & Hanover, Palm Desert since 2001, specializing in Bankruptcy Law
• Certified Bankruptcy Specialist. Professional speaker nationwide on Bankruptcy Matters
• J.D. from California Western School of Law in 1999 and B.A, California State University, San Bernardino, 1996

Hon. John G. Evans, Judge of the Superior Court, Professor of Tort Law

• Judge of the Riverside County Superior Court from his appointment in 2008 to present
• Practiced Civil Litigation in Private Practice 1979 to 2008
• J.D., Citrus Belt Law School, 1979 & B.S., University of California, Riverside

Hon. Harold Hopp, Judge of the Superior Court, Professor of Business Associations

• Judge of the Superior Court of Riverside County from his appointment in 2005 to present
• Practiced civil litigation for nearly 20 years before becoming a judge, the bulk of that with Quinn Emanuel, the nation’s largest business litigation firm
• J.D., The University of Southern California Gould School of Law, 1986 & B.A., Pacific Union College, 1983

Natalie Keller, Professor of Community Property Law

• Family Law Facilitator, Superior Court of Riverside County, 2015 to Present
• Officer of the Desert Bar Association
• J.D., University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, 2002 and B.A., University of California San Diego, 1997

Steve Moyer, Professor of Civil Procedure

• Practices as a mediator and arbitrator in litigated case
• Previously a trial attorney with Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP in Santa Monica and the LA County Public Defender’s Office.
• J.D., UCLA in 1969 &  B.A., cum laude, UCLA, 1966.

Peter Nolan, Professor of Evidence Law and Trial Advocacy

• Of Counsel with Slovak, Baron, Empey, Murphy & Pinkney in the areas of civil litigation, public agency and municipal law.
• Former Riverside County District Attorney’s Office Prosecutor 1999 to 2018. 2013 Statewide Prosecutor of the Year.
• J.D., Loyola Law School in 1999 & B.A., Fresno State in 1992

Charles Roby, Professor of Criminal Procedure

Alex Reed, Professor of Contract Law

• Principal, The Reed Firm, Indio, with a focus on employment law and criminal defense, 2018 to present
• Practiced Civil Litigation relating to employment law, including employment and service agreements & harassment and discrimination disputes
• B.A., Loyola Marymount University, 2006 & J.D., David A. Clarke School of Law, the University of the District of Columbia, magna cum laude, 2015

Charles Roby, Professor of Criminal Procedure

Rosa Elena Sahagun, Professor of Immigration Law

• Managing Partner, Sahagun Law, Specializing in Immigration Law, since 2006
• Dedicated Community Volunteer Helping Residents Combat Immigration Fraud & Scams
• J.D., Chapman University School of Law, 2002 and B.A., Chapman University, 1999

C.J. Sherman, Professor of Legal Research and Writing & Professional Responsibility

• Director of Outreach & Communications, California Desert Trial Academy, College of Law since 2017
• Former Deputy Managing Attorney and Pro Bono Director at Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania. Clinical Coordinator & Adjunct Professor, Villanova Law School Clinical Program
• J.D., Temple University School of Law, Philadelphia, PA 1990 & B.A., Binghamton University, State University of New York 1986

Samuel Trussell, Professor of Tort Law

• Practicing Personal Injury Law since 1986
• Sole Practitioner at The Law Offices of Samuel F. Trussell
• J.D., Southwestern University School of Law, 1985 and B.A. and M.A., San Francisco State University

Andrew Verblow, Professor of Legal Research & Writing

• Associate attorney, Kawel PLLC; Attorney for special projects, The Aleph Institute
• Clerked at the Staff Attorney’s Office, US Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit 2016-2017; Judicial Intern, Hon. Barry S. Seltzer, Chief Magistrate Judge, United States District Court, Southern District of Florida
• J.D., magna cum laude, University of Miami School of Law, 2013; B.A., Columbia University, University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences, 2010

Francine Ward, Professor of Intellectual Property Law

• Of Counsel, Monty White, LLP, Palm Desert, with a focus on copyrights, trademarks, publishing, and business law contracts
• Active Member of the American Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Law Section
• J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1989 and B.A., City University of New York, Hunter College, 1986