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I came to law school because I wanted to help people. I always felt a strong connection with art and entertainment, and when I was finally in law school I realized that I can blend both of these passions into one. And now entering into my third year, I am finally starting to get on the path of IP and Entertainment law, still yet to know fully where that will take me.

I am interested in pursuing a career in intellectual properties and entertainment law after law school. I am a member of our entertainment and sports law society, as well as the ACS.

My main goal while working here is to see a project to fruition and feel the reward of seeing our client satisfied with their product because of what we were able to do for them.

In my spare time, I relax with my dog Louis while either watching some YouTube or gaming for a bit. I also enjoy cooking new and exotic recipes that are hard to find in restaurants.

Madison “Madi” Stern is completing her last year at California Western School of Law. Madi is passionate about working with creatives and entrepreneurs. She has familial roots in design and small businesses and learned early on to appreciate the beauty and value of those who think “outside of the box” to define and create their own success. Madi is a strong believer in empowering our youth in local, underserved communities. In 2016, she initiated a Teen Science Café Network chapter at the Elementary Institute of Science in Southeast San Diego.

Madi has held numerous positions in various industries before deciding to return to school to pursue a degree in law. After working in the nonprofits sector in New York City for a few years, Madi switched gears and partook in a 3-month immersive product management program, where she gained the skill set to lead cross-functional initiatives and bring physical and digital products to life. She moved back to San Diego in 2015 and opened an apparel brick and mortar store, which became profitable within months. Unfortunately, due to a conflict stemming from a naïve decision to use a DIY legal form website instead of hiring an attorney, she lost her business. This experience taught her about the importance of legal work and ignited her desire to become an attorney. Madi wants to use her legal knowledge and background in business to help other entrepreneurs steer clear from common mistakes that are made when starting and building a business.

Madi was born and raised in San Diego. She received her Bachelor’s degree in International Business and Chinese at Whittier College in Los Angeles. Madi is an avid tennis player. Her second favorite sport is boxing. She also enjoys surfing, skiing, snowboarding, and hiking. Madi loves to travel and absorb different cultures. When she is not studying or playing sports, she is on Duolingo learning new languages. 

Dani’s passion for helping others is what led her to law school. Dani is a third-year student at California Western School of Law. She is president of Student Intellectual Property Association as well as Entertainment and Sports Law Society. Dani is interested in pursuing a career in intellectual property, entertainment law, or data privacy.

As a music and art festival enthusiast, she values the creative vision and work that goes into putting together content for a project or event. Dani looks forward to assisting creators reach their goals by utilizing her legal skills and knowledge in copyright law.

Dani’s golden retriever and tabby cat are the apple of her eye. She enjoys cooking and watching videos on YouTube, Hulu or Netflix. She likes to hike, practice yoga, listen to music, and work on her urban garden. This semester, she is researching and writing a paper about the Law and Ethics of Big Data.

Carlos is a native of San Diego. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California San Diego, where he majored in Political Science with a concentration in Public Law and minored in Communications. Carlos currently serves as the Executive Editor of Notes and Comments for the California Western International Law Journal. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games, reading, and learning as much as he can about Esports and new technologies. In the future, Carlos hopes to grow his Esports company and work in the Esports field as a lawyer or as a business owner.

Stephanie is currently a second-year student at California Western School of Law. Before law school, she got her B.S. degree in Business-Marketing at San Diego State University in 2016. Throughout college, she held several marketing internships for small businesses. After graduation, Stephanie worked for two years at a small airplane leasing company, where she assisted with aircraft transactions and marketing. Stephanie's internships and post-graduate work experience gave her invaluable insight into working with small businesses.

During law school, Stephanie worked for the San Diego County Office of the Public Defender. There, she managed her own caseload of clients and gained experience in public service.

Stephanie will graduate law school in April 2021, and is hoping to work in public service. Some areas of law she is interested in are environmental law, public interest, and entertainment law. She hopes to spread awareness on environmental concerns and is looking to pair her passion for the environment with media and entertainment law.

Matthew D. Batista is a 3L at California Western School of Law. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honors in Environmental and Financial Economics, graduating Magna Cum Laude from California State University, Chico. He served in the United States Air Force for six years, earning the rank of Staff Sergeant and training with organizations such as the FBI. His legal experience consists of working for the Chico, CA based Community Legal Information Clinic in the Housing Department, for Chico, CA based civil litigation firm Griffith & Horn, LLP, and for the San Diego City Attorney's Office. Matthew is also a certified LEED Green Associate through the U.S. Green Building Council. He has a passion for sustainability, frequently writing for the California Western School of Law Commentary on environmental issues. Matthew has broad legal interests in environmental law, sports law, intellectual property law, real property law, international law, land use law, business law, and working with startups. When he is not studying, Matthew enjoys working out, running, watching sports, and browsing YouTube or reading at the end of the day. 

Stacey Zumo is a 2L at California Western. A Baton Rouge native, she received her Bachelor’s in International Studies, with minors in German and History, from Louisiana State University. She spent over 4 years in Germany and Austria, learning German, teaching English, taking Sociology courses, volunteering with refugees and low-income immigrants, and advising international students on study visas and work permits. In the U.S., she has 8 months of experience working at Catholic Charities’ legal immigration services department, 4 months at UCSD’s international faculty and scholar’s office, and 2 years as a business immigration legal assistant at Higgs, Fletcher & Mack. She is interested in the intersections of immigration law, international business law, and entertainment law. 

Ahmed received his Bachelors Degree from Fresno State University in Fresno, California. He majored in Political Science while working under the Mayor for the City of Fresno and maintaining his own mobile app startup business. Ahmed has released mobile apps that have been featured on Apple’s Top 100 App Charts and has collectively received over 6 million downloads for his apps worldwide. Ahmed is a third-year student at California Western School of Law. He is very excited to be working with New Media Rights, because as an entrepreneur he is determined to help artists and other creative individuals alike achieve their ambitions for their businesses. Ahmed hopes to use this excellent experience he is obtaining from New Media Rights not only to pursue his longtime dream of becoming an intellectual property attorney but to use legal knowledge to help grow his startup businesses. In his free time, Ahmed enjoys playing guitar, graphic design, and creating more apps.