2026

The Datta Center for High Tech Law welcomed High Tech Law Certificate, TechEdge JD, and Privacy Law alumni back to campus for the High Tech Law Alumni Happy Hour, an evening dedicated to reconnecting graduates with faculty, strengthening professional relationships, and celebrating the community surrounding Santa Clara Law’s High Tech Law programs.

The event brought together alumni for an opportunity to catch up with former professors, reconnect with fellow graduates, and celebrate the relationships that continue beyond law school.

Celebrating the High Tech Law Community

One of the highlights of the evening was seeing alumni reconnect with professors who helped shape their law school experiences. Professors Brian Love, Tyler Ochoa, Eric Goldman, Dean Laura Lee Norris and Managing Director Professor Joanna Justus joined the gathering, giving graduates the opportunity to revisit familiar conversations, share professional updates, and reflect on their time at Santa Clara Law.

These connections are an important part of the Santa Clara Law experience. As graduates move forward in their careers, the relationships they build with faculty, classmates, and the broader legal community remain an important resource for professional growth and continued learning.

The happy hour also provided an opportunity to bring together alumni from different graduating classes and program backgrounds, reinforcing the community that connects those working at the intersection of technology and law.

Student Leadership Makes the Event Possible

The success of the evening would not have been possible without the support of our High Tech Law 1L Class Representatives and High Tech Law Ambassadors. These students helped with event setup and played an important role in creating a welcoming environment for alumni and guests.

A special thank you also goes to Senior Program Manager Dorice McDonnell for helping bring the event together. We appreciate the time, enthusiasm, and hard work that our students and staff contributed to making the evening a success.

Events like this offer students an opportunity to participate in the broader High Tech Law community while helping strengthen the connections between current students and graduates. Their involvement reflects the collaborative spirit that makes the program special.

A Little High Tech Law Humor

Of course, no successful gathering is complete without a few memorable moments. One of the evening’s biggest hits was It Burns When IP, our intellectual property-themed card game!

The cards brought a playful twist to the event and offered a fun way to celebrate the creativity, humor, and shared interests that connect the High Tech Law community. We hope everyone who took a set home enjoys playing and sharing a few laughs.

Looking Ahead

At Santa Clara Law, building a strong High Tech Law community means more than providing an excellent legal education. It also means creating opportunities for alumni, faculty, students, and professionals to stay connected, exchange ideas, and continue learning from one another.

The High Tech Law Alumni Happy Hour was a wonderful reminder of the value of these relationships and the lasting connections formed at Santa Clara Law.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening such a success. We are grateful to our alumni for staying connected, to our faculty for continuing to engage with graduates, and to our students and staff for helping bring the community together.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back next year!