SAN DIEGO, Oct. 3, 2005 – On Friday, Sept. 30, Scott C. Black was promoted to Judge Advocate General for the U.S. Army.  Black, who graduated from California Western School of Law in 1980, was nominated to this position of the Army’s top attorney by President Bush in July, and was recently confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

“We are proud to have a graduate appointed to such an important position,” said California Western Dean Steven R. Smith. "General Black is an example of a California Western graduate who has risen to the very top of his profession.   He brings to his service outstanding legal ability and a strong sense of professionalism.  He is what a lawyer ought to be."

Black will serve as the adviser for the chief of staff and secretary of the Army and provide leadership and supervision to the Corps’ 5,000-plus judge advocates and staff, including more than 250 Army legal personnel based in Iraq. 

Previously a brigadier general, Black has been commander and commandant of the Judge Advocate General Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, Va., since 2003. The legal Center conducts a graduate legal education program, culminating in the award of a master of laws degree for all Army judge advocates.

Black’s first assignment as a judge advocate was at Fort Bliss, Texas, where he served as trial counsel and chief of the Criminal Law Branch.  He later served in Washington, D.C., as a general law attorney at the Office of The Judge Advocate General of the Army and as an assistant counsel to the President at the White House.

In addition to Black, California Western also has graduates who are high-ranking judge advocates in the Navy and Marines. Kevin M. Sandkuhler is serving as the staff judge advocate to the commandant of the Marine Corps, and Bruce MacDonald is the Navy’s deputy Judge Advocate General in Washington, D.C., and is now a rear admiral.

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California Western School of Law is the independent, ABA/AALS-accredited San Diego law school that educates lawyers as creative problem solvers and principled advocates who frame the practice of law as a helping, collaborative profession.  California Western is home to the California Innocence Project, the Center for Creative Problem Solving, the Institute of Health Law Studies, and the Institute for Criminal Defense Advocacy.  In addition to a J.D. program, the law school offers J.D./MBA, J.D./M.S.W., and J.D./Ph.D. dual degree programs in conjunction with local universities; an LL.M. in Federal Criminal Law; and an M.C.L./LL.M. for foreign law graduates. 

CONTACT:  Franki Fitterer
                (619) 515-1545