¾Alum Spotlight: Wendy Hensel, President of the University of Hawaii ¾What’s New with You? ¾We asked the Partners Committee: What’s Your Holiday Wish? In this issue WINTER 2025
WINTER 2025 ALUM SPOTLIGHT Wendy Hensel President of the University of Hawaiʻi
WINTER 2025 WINTER 2025 a newspaper. Through a great deal of investigation, we were able to uncover that the plaintiff herself created the letters (her fingerprints were identified in the glue) and was also engaged in Social Security fraud. When confronted with the evidence at her deposition, she admitted the fraud and dropped the case – a major win for the client. Q: How did the culture at the firm influence your professional development? The partners I worked with did an excellent job of teaching skills that I needed to learn while pushing me to take ownership of my cases as quickly as possible. It always felt extremely challenging but manageable for a young lawyer. Q: Were there any mentors at the firm who had a significant impact on your career? I worked closely with Steve Ensor, Bob Riordan, Charlie Morgan, and Lisa Cassilly. Steve and Charlie in particular spent a lot of time helping to shape my professional identity and teach me to be an exacting but ethical attorney. I really enjoyed working with them. Your Time with Alston & Bird Q: What initially attracted you to join our law firm? I came to Alston & Bird after finishing a judicial clerkship with U.S. District Judge Orinda Evans. I had already completed two summer clerkships with A&B and was initially attracted to its reputation as having top-notch clients and an emphasis on collegiality and good people. I was looking for a place that would help me develop professionally as a young lawyer, and I certainly found it. Q: Can you share a memorable experience or case you worked on during your time here? I remember a harassment case against a senior VP of a major bank that involved some extremely troubling facts. The VP was distraught and insisted it had never happened, but we knew it would be difficult to get dismissed because the plaintiff was the only witness in all the encounters. She produced threatening letters she had allegedly received from him that were made up of cut-out letters glued from Preparation for Academia Q: How did your experience at the firm prepare you for a career in academia? I began as a legal writing professor and, later, a law professor in labor and employment. The training at the firm shaped my understanding of the law and strongly influenced how I taught my students. It also impressed upon me the need to emphasize professional skills alongside the legal doctrine. Q: What skills or knowledge gained at the firm have been most valuable in your academic roles? The critical thinking skills and strategic approach that I honed at the firm continue to be relevant today. My ability to think quickly and to communicate effectively verbally and in writing certainly were enhanced at Alston & Bird. I also cannot imagine a background more helpful than labor and employment law to an academic administrator since these issues come up frequently. Q: Can you describe any specific challenges you faced transitioning from law practice to academia? The speed of business is significantly faster than the speed of the academy. The bureaucracy that governs a public institution slows the pace of innovation and change. This is at times frustrating to me but also to our outside constituents who don’t understand the limitations of how we operate. Q: How did your legal background influence your approach to academic leadership? In every respect! My ability to think strategically at multiple levels, to “play chess in 3-D,” and evaluate and mitigate risk and compliance challenges are all influenced by my legal training. My strong administrative focus on accountability, transparency, and metrics also likely comes from the business training I received at the firm.
WINTER 2025 WINTER 2025 Experience Between the Firm and University Presidency Q: How did your roles in academia evolve over time? I really enjoyed working with students as a faculty member for the first 13 years. I became increasingly interested in administration as a way to have a bigger platform for effecting change. I began as the first associate dean for research and faculty development at the law school, became dean at the law school, and then moved into university administration by becoming provost at Georgia State University and executive vice president at City University of New York. Q: How do you balance the demands of academic administration with your personal and professional goals? It’s never an easy balance, but I have come to understand that the only way I will be effective at my work is to be happy in my personal life. It is important to me to carve out time with family and friends to do things that are renewing and fun. Whenever possible, I set boundaries around my time and try to schedule blocks within the day that are strictly for planning and strategy so that I focus on what has real impact rather than just the everpresent day-to-day concerns. As University President Q: What are your primary goals and vision for the university during your tenure? It’s a critical moment for all of higher education. We are facing significant critique about relevance and value, and incoming President Trump has indicated some major changes may be on the horizon. In addition, the explosion of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies suggests that higher education will change more in the next 10 years than probably the last 100. My goal is to position the University of Hawaiʻi to lead into that future rather than simply reacting to changing conditions as they arise. In a time when it seems our society can’t agree on anything, we should be able to agree about the transformative power of higher education and the beneficial impact it has on communities and individuals. Q: What initiatives are you most excited to implement in the coming years? I am excited to develop with the UH community a comprehensive AI strategy that touches on our teaching, administrative work, research, and workforce development strategies. We will be exploring how we can implement new technology and strategies to improve graduation and retention rates across the board and improve time to graduation. In addition, we will begin to create synergies across the 10-campus system to more effectively serve as anchor institutions in our communities and meet the needs of the state. Holiday Wish Q: With the holiday season upon us, what is your wish for the university community? I hope that everyone had an opportunity to spend time with friends and family over the holidays and that the new year brings new adventures and wonderful surprises. Q: Do you have any personal holiday traditions or plans you’d like to share? My husband and I moved to Honolulu on December 20 and spent our first Christmas there. Two of our children will be joining us. It will be a special celebration in anticipation of the new adventures to come. Happy holidays to all, and for those that celebrate, mele kalikimaka!
Stephanie Clausen (2008, Litigation & Trial): Stephanie was awarded the National Asian Pacific Bar Association’s (NAPABA) In-House Counsel Diversity Leadership Rising Star Award. What is your holiday wish? Wishing everyone good health in the new year! Michelle Dowst (2021, Litigation & Trial): Michelle started working at The Coca-Cola Company on the Litigation team. It has been an amazing experience so far, and she has the privilege of working with several other A&B alumni! What is your holiday wish? I hope that my family remains healthy and that we are all able to relax together. Happy holidays to all! Kimyatta Holder (2007, Litigation & Trial): Kimyatta was recently promoted to Vice President, Senior Associate General Counsel, Head of Compliance & Privacy Officer at Modern Health. What is your holiday wish? My holiday wish is for health and happiness for my family and friends in 2025! Robert Hostetter (2003, Litigation & Trial): For a couple of years he’s been General Counsel at ASP, where they provide strategic advisory services for college athletic departments and marketing guidance to brands interested in leveraging college athletics. What is your holiday wish? Stability in college athletics. Or just as likely, peace on earth. Kamal Jafarnia (2012, Financial Services): Kamal is serving as Counsel Emeritus at Opto Investments Inc. In December 2024, he transitioned to a new opportunity as Chief Legal Officer at VISE Technologies Inc. Kristin Meister (2007, Litigation & Trial): Kristin recently joined Last Energy, a nuclear energy small modular reactor startup in Washington, DC, as Acting General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. What is your holiday wish? I wish for my puppy to pass through the chewing-everything phase as quickly as possible. Thomas Patalano (2018, Litigation & Trial): Thomas is a shareholder at Polsinelli PC. Ron Reid (1963, Litigation & Trial): Same ol’, same ol’, thank goodness. Jim Stokes (1972, Environmental & Land Use): Jim is involved with several nonprofits. He chairs the capital campaign committee for the Chattahoochee Nature Center and the governance committee for the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. He is also a trustee of the Georgia Forestry Foundation. What is your holiday wish? My hope is that persons with different views can work together to make our city and country a better place for everyone. Alison Waterson (2014, Litigation & Trial): Alison is happy to share that she recently joined Fidelity National Title Group as a relationship manager for the National Commercial Services Division based in Atlanta. She looks forward to being able to be a resource to Alston & Bird clients and alumni. What is your holiday wish? My holiday wish is for good health and happiness for all. Partners Committee – What’s Your Holiday Wish? WINTER 2025 WINTER 2025 With You? Dan Diffley – “Continued good health for my family, continued success for the firm, and less dysfunction from the New York Jets.” Sarah Ernst – “My wish this year is for time with my family, with all of us healthy.” Glenn Patton – “This holiday season, I’m wishing for the continued good health of my 81-year-old mother, the return of my two adult kids for Christmas, another year around the sun with my wife/best friend, and a happy and successful 2025 for all our current and former A&B attorneys and staff. Oh, and a victory for Duke football in the Gator Bowl on January 2!” Jason Solomon – “…and of course, my fifth wish would be for all the children of the world to join hands and sing in the spirit of peace and harmony.”
Alston & Bird Job Postings Holly Hawkins Saporito Alumni Chair holly.saporito@alston.com +1 404 881 4402 Candace Spencer Marketing Director candace.spencer@alston.com +1 202 239 3150 Update Information We want to hear from you. Share what’s new with your fellow alumni. New job or title? Relocation? Family news? Let Candace Spencer know. In-House In Memoriam This section includes notices of recent losses in our alumni community and immediate family. Ken Johnson Ken Johnson, Counsel in our Raleigh office, passed away unexpectedly in December. Ken is survived by his loving wife, Melissa Jo Joyce, and their son, Jakob. Our hearts go out to the Johnson family during this incredibly difficult time. WINTER 2025 WINTER 2025 WINTER 2023
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