Emeritus Trustees
The Emeritus Trustee designation, created in 2018, pays tribute to outstanding former trustees and recognizes their institutional memory of the NJC and its development, community reach, economic well-being and importance to the legal community. Emeritus trustees are invited to board meetings (as non-voting members) and to events at the direction of the current chair or president.
Sacramento, CA
Marybel Batjer has joined California Strategies, a lobbying firm. She previously served as the first secretary of the California Government Operations Agency (CalGovOps). She held senior leadership posts as chief policy adviser to Schwarzenegger and as chief of staff to Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn of Nevada. Additionally, she served as special assistant to the secretary of the Navy during the George H.W. Bush administration and as President Reagan’s special assistant for national security affairs. She has served on various boards and commissions and has been nationally recognized for her leadership in public service. She received her bachelor’s from Mills College in California and studied international public policy at the graduate level at Johns Hopkins University. She also studied national and international security at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
San Fransisco, CA
Lydia I. Beebe is a corporate governance expert, serving on three corporate boards of directors and advising companies, boards and directors on governance issues. She provides advice on governance matters through LIBB Advisors, LLC, the firm she founded. Lydia is a director of Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU), EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT), and Aemetis Inc. (Nasdaq: AMTX). She is on Kansas City Southern’s Nominating and Corporate Governance and its Compensation Committees, she chairs the EQT Corporate Governance Committee and serves on its Management Development and Compensation Committee, and she serves on Aemetis’ Audit Committee and its Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee, which she chairs. She was also a director of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HCC), serving as chair of its Nominating and Governance Committee and a member of the Compensation Committee, until its acquisition by Tokio Marine in late 2015.
In April 2015, Lydia retired as corporate secretary and chief governance officer of Chevron Corporation, where since 1995 she had served as chief governance officer and secretary to the board of directors, the Executive Committee, and the Board Nominating and Governance Committee. Lydia, Chevron’s first woman officer, provided advice and counsel to the Chevron board of directors and senior management on corporate governance matters and managed the company’s corporate governance function. She was Senior of Counsel at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati from June 2015 until July 2017. Lydia is was the Co-Director of the Stanford Institutional Investors’ Forum from 2015 until 2018. She was Chair of the board of directors of the Northern California Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors in 2016 and 2017, having served on its board since 2009.
Throughout her career, Lydia has been active on many public and non-profit governing boards. In 2003, President George W. Bush appointed her to the board of directors of the Presidio Trust, where she served until 2008. Governor Pete Wilson appointed Lydia to the California Fair Employment and Housing Commission in 1991, where she served until 1999 and chaired the Commission for the final five years. In recognition of the accomplishments made during her tenure leading the Commission, she was honored in 2009 as Civil Rights Hero by the State of California.
From 2008 until 2014, Lydia served on the governing board of the National Judicial College and was awarded the College’s Advancement of Justice Award in 2015. She has also served on the governing boards of the Professional Business Women of California, the Society for Corporate Governance, and the Council of Institutional Investors, and she currently serves on the governing boards of Kansas University Endowment Association, the San Francisco Symphony, and the International Women’s Forum of Northern California.
Lydia is a frequent speaker and panelist on corporate governance topics. She has been named Corporate Secretary of the Year by Corporate Secretary magazine, a distinguished alumna by both the University of Kansas School of Law and Golden Gate University, and a member of the Kansas University Women’s Hall of Fame. She received lifetime achievement awards in from the Professional Business Women of California in 2015 and Corporate Secretary magazine in 2014. In 2010, she received the Founder’s Award for exceptional business leadership from the Women’s Initiative. She received the Breakthrough Award from the Professional Business Women of California in 1996 and has been recognized by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the most influential businesswomen in the Bay Area for more than a decade.
Reno, NV
Hon. Janet Berry (Ret.), the first Nevadan to serve as chair of the NJC Board of Trustees, has taught in more than two-dozen courses at the College and in 2000 received the Nevada District Judges Association Distinguished Jurist Education Award for her outstanding commitment to judicial education. Judge Berry co-hosted a weekly television show from 1994 to 1999, “The Language of Law,” which educated the public about the justice system. Judge Berry received her bachelor’s in criminal justice from California State University at Sacramento and a J.D. from Tulane University. She received a Master of Judicial Studies from the NJC in 1997.
Bay Area, CA
With over forty years of experience, Al Brayton is recognized as one of the West’s leading attorneys representing injured individuals and their families in all types of personal injury, products liability and mass tort litigation. He enjoys a national reputation as one of the foremost attorneys representing victims of asbestos-related disease and has represented clients from virtually every state.
He has been recognized by the Consumer Attorneys of California for his particular experience as a Trial Lawyer in the areas of Products Liability and Professional Negligence. He has successfully tried and settled numerous cases involving victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, products liability, medical malpractice and personal injury, and has handled and argued cases involving a wide range of issues before the California Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal and various Federal Courts. Under his leadership, Brayton Purcell has become one of the premier trial firms in the United States.
Born and raised in Northern California, Mr. Brayton graduated from Shasta High School in Redding, California, before attending the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation, and spent the next twelve years on active duty in the USAF, serving in a variety of jobs both in the United States and overseas, including seven years as a Judge Advocate and two years as Staff Judge Advocate for Air Forces Iceland. Upon leaving the Air Force he entered private practice in Novato, California, concentrating initially on asbestos litigation and aviation cases.
Early in his career, Mr. Brayton won one of the first asbestos cases ever tried in San Francisco Superior Court, and he successfully tried the first asbestos case in Solano County. He has been instrumental in the development of case management orders that govern the conduct of asbestos litigation in various counties throughout the State of California.
Although most of his time is currently dedicated to asbestos litigation, he also has extensive experience in defective medical device litigation and other toxic tort litigation. He has served as Plaintiffs’ Statewide Coordinating Counsel in California cases involving defective Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) implants, served as plaintiffs’ co-counsel in Hawaii TMJ litigation, and has served on the TMJ Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the nationwide Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) “In Re TMJ Implants Products Liability Litigation.” He has negotiated key settlements in cases involving beryllium exposure and beryllium lung disease in plant worker and end-user cases across the United States. He has also served as lead counsel and settled various consumer class actions involving a wide range of problems ranging from altered medical vaccines to rent control abuses.
He has extensive experience working with asbestos Bankruptcy Trusts, and currently serves as Chair of the Trust Advisory Committee on a number of Trusts involved in providing compensation for current and future asbestos victims. He served as Co-Chair of the Unsecured Creditor’s Committee in the Chrysler Bankruptcy, and was appointed by the Bankruptcy Court to serve as Litigation Manager for litigation stemming from this bankruptcy.
In addition to supervising the firm and working as a trial lawyer, Mr. Brayton has served on the Board of Governors of the Consumer Attorneys of California and reviews and comments on proposed legislation that affects consumer rights and access to the justice system. He has testified before Congress on behalf of asbestos victims to oppose industry efforts to relax stringent asbestos control standards and has been an invited speaker at a symposium on asbestos-related disease sponsored by the University of California at San Francisco Medical School. He also has been an invited speaker at numerous legal conferences on topics involving asbestos litigation, bankruptcy and trial advocacy. Mr. Brayton is an active member of and Past President of the Public Justice Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports Public Justice, a national public interest law firm dedicated to protecting people, the environment and access to the courts. Mr. Brayton continues his involvement by serving on the organization’s Board of Directors and Case Evaluation Committee.
An active member of the American Bar Association, Mr. Brayton has held various leadership positions in the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section. He has served as the Chair of the Plaintiffs’ Involvement Task Force and on the Task Force on Strategic Alliances as well as various committees, and has served on the Section’s Leadership Council. He has also served as Co-Chair of the ABA Asbestos Task Force and as a mentor and Course Director/Dean of the Section’s National Trial Academy. He is a member of the American Association for Justice, Consumer Attorneys of California, the Marin County Trial Lawyers Association, the San Francisco County Trial Lawyers Association, and the Marin County Bar Association. He is a Master in the American Inns of Court. Since August of 2014, Mr. Brayton has served on the Board of Directors for the Bay Area Legal Aid (BayLegal). In 2012 he was appointed to the National Judicial College’s Board of Trustees and currently serves as Treasurer of the organization. In support of the local community, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Lifehouse Agency and on the Advisory Board of the North Bay Children’s Center.
Mr. Brayton is admitted to the California Bar (1977), the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth and Third Circuits, U.S. District Courts, Northern and Eastern Districts of California and Hawaii and the Court of Military Appeals. He is rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell, a rating that indicates that he has practiced law for many years and has achieved the highest level of skill and integrity, and has consistently been selected as a Northern California Super Lawyer.
Chicago, IL
In 1992 Hon. Sophia H. Hall became the first woman to serve as the Presiding Judge of any Division or District of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. She also became the first woman in 20 years to serve in the Criminal Division and then in the Chancery Division. She now serves as the Administrative Presiding Judge of the Resource Section of the Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Department of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Judge Hall received her J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and her bachelor’s from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Wisconsin.
Washington Township, NJ
Kim D. Hogrefe has formed a LLC to pursue opportunities as a mediator, arbitrator and consultant. He is certified as a mediator by the Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution/Pepperdine School of Law and has mediated over 125 cases for a volunteer Court program in New Jersey. Mr. Hogrefe is certified by ARIAS-U.S. as a reinsurance arbitrator and mediator (www.arias-us.org). He has served as a party appointed arbitrator in several insurance coverage disputes and has served as the Umpire in reinsurance arbitrations.
He recently completed a term as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the National Judicial College and currently serves on the Board’s Finance and Nominations and Governance Committees. He was a Senior Vice President of Chubb & Son and had responsibility for the dispute resolution process and management of claims under insurance and reinsurance policies in lines of business including Cyberliability, Directors and Officers (D&O), Errors and Omissions, Fidelity and Surety, Fiduciary Liability, Financial Lines and Employment Practices Liability.
He previously served as a trial attorney, supervisor and administrator in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. He investigated and prosecuted homicide and serious felony cases (including the murder of John Lennon) and tried over thirty cases to juries.
A graduate of Yale University (summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa) and the University of Pennsylvania Law School (Benjamin R. Jones and Wiley B. Rutledge Awards), he is an active member of the American Bar Association and ARIAS-U.S. He was elected as a member of the governing Council and Financial Officer of the ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS). A recipient of the TIPS Andrew Hecker Award, he currently serves on its Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Committee and on TIPS Corporate Counsel and In-House Professionals Committee. He also serves on the Arbitrators’ Committee of ARIAS-U.S. Mr. Hogrefe is a frequent speaker on the topics of cyberliability risks, mediation and arbitration strategies and D&O liability claim resolution strategies.
San Francisco, CA
William H. Neukom founded the World Justice Project in 2006 and went on to own the San Francisco Giants major league baseball team from 2008-2011. A past president of the American Bar Association, he worked as executive vice president of law and corporate affairs at Microsoft. In that role he became the company’s first general counsel and managed the company’s legal, government affairs and philanthropic activities. He is known for being instrumental in securing the landmark legal victory in the Apple Computer v. Microsoft Corporation case (1988-1995), which concerned the graphical user interface used in Microsoft’s Windows operating system. He received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College in 1964 followed by a J.D. from Stanford Law School in 1967.
Reno, NV
Philip G. Satre has served in leadership roles in the gaming industry for more than 25 years, including as chairman and CEO of Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., Wynn Resorts Ltd. and International Game Technology (IGT). He also chaired Nordstrom Inc., the National World War II Museum and the Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities, and he was director of the Nevada Cancer Institute. He received his J.D. from the University of California, Davis in 1975 and a Bachelor of Psychology from Stanford University. He attended the Senior Executive Development program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management.
Las Vegas, NV
Born and raised in southern Nevada, Tony joined NV Energy (NVE), in 2007 as Senior Vice President for Government and Community Relations. Since then, Tony has overseen several departments within the NVE structure including regulatory, government and community relations, communications, economic development and major accounts, environment, and the philanthropic departments.
Before joining NVE, Tony practiced law representing a diverse portfolio of energy and other clients. Prior to the private practice of law, Tony served in state and federal government positions including as a legislative counsel for then U.S. Senator Richard Bryan, in Washington D.C., as an attorney for the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, and as Executive Assistant for the then Governor of Nevada, Bob Miller.
Tony earned his juris doctorate degree from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Nashville, TN
Matt Sweeney is a former Tennessee Circuit Court Judge and was Presiding Judge of the district’s Trial Courts. He was the state’s youngest trial judge when appointed to the bench. He is a professor at the Nashville School of Law. Mr. Sweeney is a recently retired business trial and appellate lawyer, mediator and arbitrator. He is a graduate of the NJC General Jurisdiction Program. He received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of law and his A.B. from Seton Hall University.
Las Vegas, NV
Mark G. Tratos is the founding shareholder of Greenburg Traurig LLP’s Las Vegas law office, home of the largest group of entertainment attorneys in Nevada. He has represented world-famous artists such as Ozzy Osbourne and David Copperfield and boxing world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. He received his bachelor’s in political science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1974 followed by a J.D. from Lewis and Clark Law School in 1979.