CBL Scholar Class of 2028

Tavia Pappaly is a Bay Area native, first generation American, and proud LEOP scholar. She earned her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Communication from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and spent five years working in the wine industry before law school. She will be working at Gibson Dunn –
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CBL Scholar Class of 2028

Deniz Masjedi is originally from Iran and raised in Orange County. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a double major in Political Science and Sociology. Prior to law school, Deniz worked as a corporate paralegal at Cooley LLP, supporting venture capital transactions in the Palo Alto office.
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CBL Scholar Class of 2028

Alvaro Flores is originally from San Antonio, Texas, and graduated from the University of Southern California in 2023. His career has spanned political campaigns, local government, venture capital, and teaching entrepreneurship with City Year in East Palo Alto. As a CBL Scholar, Alvaro is focused on the intersection of law,
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February 5, 2026 12:30-1:30 at the Alumni Reception Center

What does it really mean for a startup to “exit”? From strategic M&A to IPOs and secondary transactions, exits are defining moments for founders, investors, and counsel alike. This lunch-time panel brings together company counsel, investor counsel, and buyer counsel to unpack how exits actually work in practice, with a particular focus on M&A transactions.
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January 22, 2026 12:30-1:30pm

Join us for a conversation with Joe Hurd, JD (Harvard Law ’95), whose career shows how legal training can open doors far beyond traditional law practice. Joe began his career practicing corporate and securities law at Linklaters in London, qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales. He then moved into the technology and startup world,
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