Professor Haasty Sara Bassiri

(J.D. Pacific West College of Law)

Professor Bassiri is an associate attorney at Hudson & Associates located in Irvine, where she practices Civil and Family law. She received her Juris Doctor degree from Pacific West College of Law in 2012 and was in the honor roll during her attendance. She earned her Bachelors of Science in Political Science degree from University of Irvine – California.

She taught Appellate Advocacy and Property.

Professor James A. Coulter, III

(J.D. Pepperdine University School of Law, Malibu)

Professor Coulter is a former Orange County District Attorney and had been the supervising District Attorney for various Courts as well as the head of the “Hate Crimes Unit” for Orange County. He is currently practicing in the private sector as a Defense attorney. Professor Coulter classes include Evidence, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Professional Responsibility, Trial Practice and Criminal Procedure.

Professor William B. Dixon

(J.D. Western State University)

Professor Dixon has been a license attorney since 1976. Dean Dixon made his career in legal education. He was associate dean and professor of torts and trusts at Western State University College of Law, Fullerton, where he worked for 20 years. Currently, he is the Director of Paralegal Studies and an instructor at South Coast College, Orange, California.

Dr. Dixon is currently the Faculty President of Pacific West College of Law.

Professor Heather Helene Duro

(J.D. Pacific West College of Law)

Professor Duro is a practicing attorney. She was admitted to the Bar in 2009. She earned her Bachelor's degree at the University of Redlands and received her Juris Doctor from Pacific West College of Law in which she graduated with distinguished honor.

She taught Torts and American Jurisprudence.

Professor Vinh The Do

(J.D. Pacific West College of Law)

Professor Do is a practicing attorney. He was admitted to the Bar in 2013. He earned his Bachelor's Degree at Cal State Fullerton and received his Juris Doctor from Pacific West College of Law in which he graduated with distinguished honor.

He taught Contracts and Appellate Advocacy.

Professor Christopher Holm

(J.D. Pacific West College of Law)

Professor Holm is a practicing attorney. He was recently admitted to the bar (2016). He graduated from Pacific West College of Law. He earned his Bachelor's degree at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, Arkansas.

He teaches Torts.

Professor Daniel L. Jacobson

(J.D. Western State University College of Law)

Although Daniel Lee Jacobson has been a full-time attorney since 1988, for most his legal career Professor Jacobson has also taught law school. He is one of California’s most respected and prolific authors of legal scholarly articles. With 23 of Professor Jacobson’s articles published in California’s leading legal journals, Professor Jacobson has and continues to not only educate Pacific West’s students, but to also has and continues to educate the California legal profession as a whole.

Professor Thomas Lo

(J.D. Western State University College of Law)

Professor Lo is a Senior Deputy Public Defender for the County of Orange. He is assigned to the felony panel division in Santa Ana, and handles complex felony cases. Professor Lo brings much practical experience to our school in the areas of Criminal Law, Evidence, Trial Practice and Constitutional Law. He is also a mentor for elementary school children in the Santa Ana School District, and a strong advocate of the homeless.

Dean Kevin O'Connell

(J.D. Western State University College of Law)

PROFILE

Licensed Attorney in Private Practice since 1982 to present with 32 years of experience.

Licensed by the Supreme Court of California since 1982 to present.

Licensed by the Ninth Circuit court of Appeals since 1983 to present.

Licensed by the Central District of California since 1983 to present.

Licensed Talent Agent by the State of California for the year 1990.

Licensed by the United State Tax Court since 1994 to present.

Licensed by the State of Michoacán Mexico for year 1996.

Professor Socorro O'Connell

(J.D. Pacific West College of Law)

Professor O’Connell hails from Philippines. She graduated Valedictorian in High School, she was a recipient of 12 Academic medals and a recipient of Philippine Senate Medal of Academic Excellence Award. She was active in both academic and extra curricular activities. She served as the Editor-in-Chief of her High School Publication called “The Seagull” and was a band majorette. She was also a recipient of a leadership award upon her high school graduation. She competed as delegate for the Provincial Damath (an educational board game which is a fusion of checkers and mathematics) competition in the Philippines.

At the age of 21, she graduated Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from Saint Vincent College (Philippines). She was a recipient of Academic Medals for Taxation and Accounting. She was also recipient of a Leadership Award in College for serving as the Vice President of the Supreme Student Government.

During her High School and College years, she won numerous essay writing contests, declamation contests, oratorical and extemporaneous speaking contests and was a recipient of the “Declaimer of the Year” award in high school. She directed a student play called the “Crucifixion” during the College talent exposition and bagged the first place in that category. She participated in several beauty pageants like Mutya ng Baliguian and Ms. JPIA Ambassadress of Goodwill.

During College she participated in the Taxation Quiz Bowl Competition sponsored jointly by the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue and Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) Zamboanga Del Norte Chapter. She also participated and attended numerous Seminars and Symposiums such as: Seminar on Cooperativism, Business Principles and Success Factors and Employment Facilitation sponsored jointly by Saint Vincent College and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE Philippines), she attended numerous JPIA Regional Conventions and attended Symposium on Business Documentation and Procedures sponsored by Dipolog Chamber of Commerce (Philippines).

She was a recipient of pesfa scholarship for her entire College years (1999 to 2003) sponsored by the Philippine Commission on Higher Education.

She holds a Philippine Certificate of Eligibility issued by the Philippine Civil Service Commission by passing the Career Service Professional Exam garnering an average of 86.22%.

While in the Philippines, she worked for a Local Municipal Government Unit and later worked for a large Manufacturing and Oleochemical Company in Cebu City Philippines in its Administrative Services Department reporting directly to the Company’s Vice-President for Administration and Finance and later added her workload by also working in the Accounting Department.

In 2010, she obtained her Master of Arts in Law Degree. In 2014, she obtained Bachelor of Science in Law Degree and in 2015 she obtained her Jurisprudence Doctorate in Law Degree from Pacific West College of Law graduating Summa Cum Laude.

Prior to her graduation from law School, she was a certified law student by the State Bar of California, during her third year in Law School, she sat in numerous depositions, participated in several mediations, sat in numerous court hearings, wrote several motions and oppositions and conducted a default prove up trial in the Superior Court of San Bernardino.

Prior to graduation from Law school, she also sat as second chair to her supervising attorney on a Bench trial in the Superior Court of Orange County, she delivered the opening statement, conducted cross examination of a witness and delivered the closing arguments at the conclusion of the trial.

She loves to travel and have travelled 14 different States in the United States multiple times.

She volunteered her time, initiated and launched the MOCK BABY Bar program at Pacific West.

She teaches Legal Analysis I, Property, Complex Theories of Law I and II Community Property and Torts I and II. She currently serves as the Dean of Academics for Pacific West College of Law.

Professor Paul Taylor Smith

(J.D. Western State University College of Law)

B.A., California State University, San Bernardino with Honors. MBA Claremont Graduate University, with Distinction. J.D., Western State University, Cum Laude. Further post-graduate education at University of California School of Law, University of Southern California School of Law, and Loyola Law School.

Professor Christopher M. Strobel

(J.D. American College of Law)

Professor Strobel has been a license attorney since 1989. He is currently in private practice. He has been employed by the Orange County Deputy Public Defenders Office for over eight years. He was responsible for the representation of indigent defendants in criminal matters.

Professor Sasan (Sean) Vahdat

(J.D. Pacific West College of Law)

Professor Vahdat has been a licensed attorney since 2005. He graduated with Summa Cum Laude, and Am Jured 22 classes. Professor Vahdat is currently, sole practitioner and focusing in Business litigation, and Personal Injury. He teaches Contracts, Criminal Law, Torts, and Remedies.