Deegan Inn of Court

Riverside, CA

December 1, 2021 Dinner Meeting and MCLE Presentation

December 03, 2021  /  Alexandra Fong

Happy Holidays!

 

President Abram “Abe” Feuerstein began the meeting by welcoming all Inn members to the meeting, which was held indoors at the Canyon Crest Country Club in Riverside, CA.  All members are welcome to attend in person or virtually.  If the meeting cannot be held outdoors, Inn members may choose to leave the meeting.  Unfortunately, due to restrictions with the club, the Inn doesn’t find out where we will be seated until the day of the meeting.

IN MEMORIAM: ARTHUR L. LITTLEWORTH (1923-2021)

This photograph of Arthur L. Littleworth is on display at Riverside County Bar Association.

Former Leo A. Deegan Inn of Court member (Attorney Master) Jack B. Clarke, Jr., a partner at Best Best & Krieger, LLP in Riverside, California, spoke fondly of late attorney Arthur L. Littleworth, Esq. in late October 2021 and the video was shown to Inn members.

President Feuerstein announced that the Leo A. Deegan Inn of Court had achieved Platinum Status for the 2020-2021 Program Year. This accomplishment marks the third program year in which the Leo A. Deegan Inn of Court achieved this honorable distinction!

President Feuerstein introduced Attorney Master Diana Renteria, team leader of Team Ricky Fowler, the Leo A. Deegan Inn of Court’s Community Service Team for the 2021-2022 program year. Ms. Renteria encouraged all Inn members to join in the team’s community service project for December 2021, as a Shopping Elf for Riverside County Bar Foundation’s Elves Program. Shopping Elves will meet at Walmart on 6250 Valley Springs Parkway, Riverside, CA 92507, beginning at 5 p.m. Please contact Ann Gherity at agherity@bpearcylaw.com to sign up!

President Feuerstein introduced Hon. Randall Stamen, team leader of this night’s presenting team, Team Simone Biles.

Hon. Randall Stamen introduced the Team Simone Biles members with each members’ moments of fame, accomplishment and/or “missed moments.” The team’s members are Hon. Randall Stamen, Dwyane Beck, D.W. Duke, Diane Mar Wiesmann, Kamola Gray, Kelly Moran, Erik Oh, and Samantha Pruett.

Team Simone Biles’ presentation was based on “Missed Moments.”  The team discussed forces outside an Olympian’s control preventing Olympians’ from competing in the Olympics.  Specifically, the presentation focused on the United States boycott of the 1980 Olympics and its effect on Olympian wrestler, Mr. Chris Campbell, who was the guest speaker via Zoom.

Wrestler Chris Campbell wins the Olympics Bronze Medal in Freestyle Wrestling in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

Dwayne Beck introduced Chris Campbell. Mr. Campbell was the favorite to win a gold medal in wrestling for the 1980 U.S. Olympic team.  His accomplishments as a wrestler were:

  • Gold medal at the 1981 World Wrestling Championships;

  • Silver medal at the 1990 World Wrestling Championships;

  • Four-time world team member, 1977, 1981, 1990, 1991;

  • Silver medal at 1991 Pan American Games;

  • Three-time All-American and a two-time NCAA champion, winning titles in 1976 & ’77 (University of Iowa);

  • Ranked sixth on Iowa’s all-time career winning percentage list (Overall record 122-6-3)

Mr. Campbell won a Bronze medal in Freestyle wrestling at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.  He is the oldest known United States' wrestler to medal in the Olympic Games, at age 37.  However, winning at the 1980 Olympics would have meant an opportunity for Mr. Campbell to become the head coach of his alma mater wrestling team, Iowa State, a wrestling powerhouse.  Having missed his moment at the 1980 Olympics, Mr. Campbell sought out the legal profession as his next career.

Mr. Campbell attended law school at Cornell, class of 1987.  Since then, he has had an illustrious career as an attorney specializing in the areas of sports law, his accomplishments include:

  • He is currently Senior Counsel at Tyson & Mendez;

  • Successfully representing Olympic athletes in binding arbitration regarding their right to participate under Article IX of the United States Olympic Committee’s Bylaws;

  • Successfully litigating eligibility requirements for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes

  • 15 years’ experience arbitrating sport related disputes;

  • Handling several high-profile doping cases.

  • Serving as a Member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with seat in Lausanne, Switzerland.

  • Serving on first Ad Hoc Division at 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

  • Serving an Anti-Doping panel member of the American Arbitration Association.

  • Chairing an AAA Doping panel.

Mr. Campbell gained recognition for his ongoing commitment to sports by:

  • Being awarded a Gold Medal from the United States Congress (highest civilian honor in the United States);

  • Becoming a member of the United States Olympic Committee (“USOC”) Board of Directors and Executive Committee from 1992-1996;

  • Chairing and Vice Chairing the Athletes’ Advisory Counsel (“AAC”) of the USOC from 1992-1997;

  • Being the only African-American that has been a Chair of the AAC; and

  • Being an Executive Director of the Olympic Sport of Boxing from 1997-1998.

After a Q&A session with Mr. Campbell, Diane Mar Wiesmann spoke regarding the team’s namesake, Simone Biles. Ms. Biles missed her chance to repeat as Olympic Champion in the Women’s All-Around final due to the “twisties.” The “twisties” are explained in this video:

D.W. Duke presented the lawsuit which arose from the boycott of the 1980 Olympics, DeFrantz v. United States Olympic Committee, 492 F. Supp. 1181 (1980). The lawsuit provides a perfect historical depiction of the United States boycott of the 1980 Olympics and its effects on the Olympians.

At the conclusion of the presentation, Inn members were invited to score the presentation, from a ranking of 1 (worst) to 5 (best). The team and winning presentation will be announced at the September 2022 Orientation Meeting.

 A copy of the team’s PowerPoint presentation can be downloaded here.

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