Students Fall 2011
Malia Bennett, ’12
Malia Bennett was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. She attended the University of Oregon where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism with a public relations emphasis and Spanish. After graduation, Malia worked for Edelman Public Relations coordinating media outreach and events for Microsoft.
Since coming to law school, Malia has been involved with several student groups including the Oregon Law Student Public Interest Fund and Sports & Entertainment Law Forum. In 2011, she competed in the American Bar Association’s Regional Client Counseling Competition. Additionally, she was a fellow in the Technology and Entrepreneurship program, in which students evaluate and develop hi-tech start-up businesses.
Currently, Malia works at the University of Oregon Office of Student Advocacy advising and defending students charged with violating the student conduct code. She has also worked as a law clerk at Shlesinger & deVilleneuve Attorneys, P.C.
Blake Brewster, ’12
Blake Brewster is a Eugene native. After graduating from Marist High School, he moved to Indiana to attend the University of Notre Dame, and earned a BBA in Finance. He started his professional career as an adjuster for a national insurance company. In the fall of 2005, Blake was offered an opportunity to develop a small car dealership on the Oregon Coast. He was responsible for about 25 employees across five departments. The business grew steadily into 2008, until the economy slowed and several factors cast doubt on its long-term sustainability.
In law school, Blake is focusing primarily on business and international law. He has recently researched the interaction of Japan’s nuclear disaster and WTO law, as well as new strategies for the IMF and global financial community in resolving potential sovereign defaults. He is currently a board member of the Law and Entrepreneurship Student Association. During the past summer, he worked as a research assistant for a local attorney. His work focused on the role of MERS and successor trustees in non-judicial foreclosure proceedings, an increasingly important and unresolved area of Oregon law.
Taylor Funk, ’12
Taylor Funk, ’12 grew up in Idaho Falls Idaho, spending his youth exploring the many natural wonders of the Rocky Mountains, and he is still often found with two planks on his feet. He received degrees in Accounting and Economics from Utah State University, where he was awarded the Malcolm S. Forbes Assistantship. Following graduation, Taylor worked as an Accountant for LeGrand Johnson Construction Co. in Logan Utah.
Taylor’s entrepreneurial spirit helped found the small business Advanced Granite Systems, in Driggs Idaho. The firm had two very successful years of operation, but as the housing market declined, the company dissolved. Taylor learned many valuable lessons in contingency planning.
While in law school, Taylor has focused on Finance and Business Law. He worked as a law clerk for the Honorable Frank R. Alley III in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Oregon, a place he hopes his clients will avoid. Most recently Taylor has been working with the European Affiliates of Levi Strauss & Co. assisting with a consolidation of financial operations.
Kevin Hetherington, ’12
Kevin is almost an Oregon native— he was born in Arizona but was raised in Corvallis. He left the state for undergrad at Stanford (Biological Sciences, ’05) and two years in Florida working as an astrobiologist in a University of Florida lab at NASA. Kevin returned to Oregon in 2007 to get a masters in environmental sciences at OSU, and did a summer stint in environmental chemistry at Hewlett-Packard’s corporate headquarters in Palo Alto, CA in 2008.
After coming to law school at UO Kevin has focused on environmental law but he also has an interest in international law, IP, and legislation. He is a board member of the Land, Air, Water student group, and co-director of the student chapter of the American Constitution Society. This year Kevin is a member of the Wayne Morse Center, and the technical operations and marketing editor for the Oregon Review of International Law. Kevin has returned to HP each summer as an intern, working in environmental compliance-related projects regarding materials restrictions and replacements; summer of 2011 his team was in the legal department.
Kevin says, “Eugene has been a great place for me to live for the past couple of years, and I am looking forward to giving some of that back by supporting our local small businesses through the clinic.”
Laura Horton, ’12
Laura Horton was raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Old Dominion University, double majoring in accounting and finance. After school, Laura worked at Merrill Lynch as a Client Associate and then as a Client Relationship Manager for Domini Social Investments, a socially responsible mutual fund company in New York City.
Laura has been involved with several student groups including serving as treasurer of the Green Business Initiative Student Association; conference coordinator for the Women’s Law Forum; and managing editor of the University’s online law journal, the Legality. Laura was also named as a Global Environmental Democracy Fellow for the 2011-2012 school year which will allow her to study the impact of sustainable government lending programs. Laura spent her first summer as a judicial clerk with the Honorable Mustafa Kasubhai. For her second summer she worked as a student-prosecutor at the Alaska District Attorney’s office in Anchorage. Laura is passionate about entrepreneurship and microfinance and she is looking forward to working with Eugene’s small business community.
Colin Hutchinson-Flaming, ’12
Colin was born in Tucson, AZ but moved to the Pacific Northwest at the age of 5. He attended high school in Vancouver, WA before pursuing two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Washington. After receiving his degrees in Economics and Psychology, Colin worked as a bartender in Seattle while also marketing and promoting nightlife events.
During law school, Colin has focused primarily on business and bankruptcy law. Beyond coursework, Colin has worked for Judge Mustafa Kasubhai and Judge Karsten Rasmussen at Lane County Circuit Court, and most recently, Colin worked as an extern for the United States Trustee in Lane County and for the Lane County District Attorney. Colin is also a Senior Editor on Oregon’s Review of International Law, an Executive Member of the Green Business Initiative Student Association, and a member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity.
Outside of school and work, Colin is an avid sports fan. He has played ice hockey since the age of 8 and has more recently come to love soccer and softball. He also enjoys photography, discovering new music, and learning about real estate. Colin is looking forward to becoming more involved with the Eugene community by aiding entrepreneurs and small businesses achieve their goals.
David Jacobson, ’12
David Jacobson was born and raised in Chicago before moving out to Oregon in high school. He earned bachelors’ degrees in both accountancy and business administration. During this time he had a diverse range of experiences including studying international business in Hong Kong, working for a marketing research firm, and working the docks of an Alaskan Cannery.
Since law school, he has focused primarily on a business curriculum while leading the Pro Bono Executive Board and participating on the Moot Court Board and the Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation. Additionally, David picked up experience working for a business law firm in Eugene this past summer
Andrea Peterson, ’12
Andrea Peterson was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. She attended the University of Washington where she earned a dual degree in Political Science and Economics. In addition to her academic commitments, Andrea was a pole vaulter on the Women’s Track and Field Team earning NCAA academic and athletic honors and leaving a personal best ranking 2nd all-time at UW.
During law school, Andrea has taken an interest in business and sports law, focusing her studies primarily on business law courses. Currently, Andrea is the Notes and Comments Editor of the Oregon Review of International Law journal, the Chief Sports Officer of the Sports and Entertainment Law Forum, and the BarBri head representative. Throughout law school, Andrea has also held a Graduate Teaching Fellowship position in the Oregon Athletic Department, where she manages the tutoring program.
During her first summer, Andrea worked as a summer associate at the Law Office of Catherine C. Clark, a small firm located in downtown Seattle specializing in appellate commercial and real estate law. As a summer associate, Andrea assisted in all aspects of litigation preparation from discovery to motion preparation. Andrea’s 2L summer was spent externing for Judge Rasmussen at the Lane County Circuit Court. As a judicial extern, Andrea gained a thorough understanding of civil and criminal procedures and performed extensive legal research and writing.
In her limited free time, Andrea enjoys working out, spending time with her family, and exploring beautiful Eugene, Oregon. Andrea looks forward to using her legal knowledge to assist Eugene’s small business community.
