On March 21, 2025, Santa Clara Law will host its prestigious Celebration of Achievement and Inclusive Excellence Gala, an annual event recognizing individuals and organizations that have made a lasting impact in the legal profession and beyond. The gala brings together alumni, faculty, students, and community leaders to celebrate excellence, leadership, and a commitment to justice and inclusion.
This year’s honorees will be recognized across five distinguished awards: the Alumni Special Achievement Award, Amicus Award, Owens Lawyer of the Year, Rising Star Award, and Inclusive Excellence Award. Each award reflects the values of Santa Clara Law—excellence, ethics, social justice, and inclusion—by highlighting those who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication to their profession and community.
Below, we introduce this year’s award recipients, sharing their inspiring stories and contributions.
Steven Skikos
Steven S. Skikos is the managing partner at the San Francisco-based law firm of Skikos, Crawford, Skikos & Joseph. This past fall he also taught trial advocacy at Santa Clara University School of Law. Since 1990, Steve has served as a court-appointed lead and/or liaison counsel for plaintiffs in California Judicial Council Coordinated Proceedings (JCCP) and federal Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) in over a dozen national cases. These litigations have benefited hundreds of thousands of plaintiffs. Steve was previously lead counsel in the largest medical device settlement in U.S. history (Depuy Orthopaedics, Inc., ASR Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2197). Over the last seven years, Steve has shifted his legal focus to address the opioid crisis and the wildfires that ravaged California and Hawaii.
In 2018, Steve was appointed to the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee in the National Prescription Opiate Litigation (MDL No. 2804). Steve continues to serve the court in this capacity, having overseen multiple key settlements across various opioid pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers, and distributors. Steve was instrumental in securing a $7B settlement against Teva, a generic manufacturer of opioid drugs.
Steve also currently serves as lead counsel for the Native American Tribes in the National Prescription Opioid Litigation. Native American tribes have suffered disproportionately from the opioid crisis, with widespread addiction and loss of life. Historically excluded from major settlements like the Tobacco Litigation, tribes were previously denied sovereign rights to pursue direct legal action. In 2018, 448 federally recognized tribes united to assert their right to sue opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies independently. The federal MDL Court upheld their claims, leading to $1.5 billion in settlements. These settlements mark a historic legal victory, recognizing tribes as sovereign plaintiffs in national mass tort cases alongside the states. Steve and his firm chair the MDL’s Tribal Leadership Committee, coordinating tribal litigation and settlements.
Steve is also a member of the Trust Oversight Committee and the Official Tort Claimants Committee in the PG&E Bankruptcy. As Co-Liaison Counsel, the firm played a key role in securing a $14.2 billion bankruptcy settlement, ensuring fair compensation for fire victims of the 2017–2018 PG&E wildfires that devastated 70,000 people and killed 150+ people in Sonoma, Napa, Lake, and Butte Counties.
Steve is a graduate of UC Law San Francisco (formerly Hastings College of Law) and the University of Notre Dame. Steve’s wife, Ida, graduated from SCU Law School in 1991 as well as his brother, Greg, and daughter, Ilana. Steve’s children, Ilana and Alexander, also received their bachelor’s degrees from Santa Clara University.
Molly McDonald
Molly A. McDonald Chief of Staff at Santa Clara University, serves as a strategic and trusted advisor to the President. Leveraging both a strategic and tactical approach to organizational matters Molly advances the President’s vision and goals while ensuring alignment with the University’s Jesuit values. She guides the development, prioritization, and execution of strategic priorities, advances key initiatives, and builds capacity within the executive leadership team. Molly also leads crisis management efforts, oversees executive communications, serves as Assistant Secretary to the Board of Trustees managing Board relations, engages with internal and external constituencies on behalf of the President, and manages the operations of the Office of the President.
Prior to her current role, Molly served as Assistant Vice President for Human Resources at Santa Clara University, where she focused on strategic planning, employee engagement, and cultivating a collaborative workplace culture. Before joining Santa Clara University, she held leadership roles in the Diocese of Monterey as General Counsel, Chancellor, and Director of Human Resources, where she managed complex legal, personnel, and operational matters.
Molly began her career as a secondary school educator at Archbishop Mitty High School, cultivating her dedication to values-based education and leadership. A passionate advocate for service and community engagement, she has served on the boards of St. Francis High School in Mountain View, Sacred Heart Community Service in San Jose, and St. Christopher School in San Jose.
Molly holds a Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law, a teaching credential from San Jose State University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola Marymount University.
David Tsai
David Tsai is a 2006 graduate of Santa Clara Law. He is Co-Managing Partner of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP’s Taipei Office and also resident in its San Francisco office. David is a first-chair trial lawyer and focuses his practice on patent, trade secret, complex breach of contract, and product defect litigation for companies innovating pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, software, and hardware. He works with clients of all sizes from startups to Fortune 500 corporations.
David is Past Co-Chair of Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF—San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association) and Past President of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area (AABA) and the Silicon Valley Intellectual Property Law Association (SVIPLA). He has served on the Boards of Equality California, Lambda Legal, The Bar Association of San Francisco, Santa Clara County Bar Association, and the University of California at Riverside. He is an Ethics Commissioner for the City and Couty of San Francisco.
David has been recognized as a top 50 California Lawyer on the Fast Track by The Recorder, “Super Lawyer” in IP Litigation, “The Best Lawyers in America” for IP Litigation, Lawyers of Color’s “Nation’s Best” List, and Best Lawyer Under 40 by the National LGBT Bar Association and National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. He has successfully represented a number of minority and LGBTQ+ clients in pro bono matters. He is an advisor to The LGBT Asylum Project and previously led the drafting of amicus briefs filed in the California same-sex marriage/Prop 8 cases for which more than 100 organizations signed. He is responsible for setting up a number of diversity / first generation college and law student scholarships.
In 2016, David was honored by the California State Legislature for his work in civil rights. In 2017 − 2019, he served as one of the 18 Lawyer Representatives to the United States District Court, Northern District of California. In 2005, David led the establishment of the Santa Clara Law Diversity & Inclusion Gala when he was president of the law school’s LGBTQ+ organization, BGlad. David is also the inaugural recipient of Santa Clara Law’s Rising Star Award (2013).
Omar Habbas
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Omar Habbas pursued his passion for justice by earning a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of the Pacific in 1982, followed by a Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law in 1985. Shortly after, he launched a distinguished legal career, founding the Habbas Law Firm in 1988. Specializing in personal injury law, the firm has helped tens of thousands of clients recover and rebuild their lives after devastating accidents. Over the years, it has become a cornerstone of legal excellence in the Bay Area.
Beyond his legal practice, philanthropy is a central part of Mr. Habbas’s life. He is a generous supporter of numerous causes, including family shelters, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions such as Santa Clara University, Santa Clara Law School, San Jose State University, San Jose State Athletics, Santa Clara Athletics, Sobrato High School, St. Mary’s College, UC Berkeley, and Oakland Genesis. His contributions also extend to Santa Teresa Little League, the San Jose Police Foundation (which provides scholarships to college-bound children of police officers), St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the San Jose Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and Feed the Bay/Second Harvest Food Bank, among many others. His long-standing commitment to philanthropy reflects his deep desire to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
A passionate advocate for education, Mr. Habbas serves on the Board of Visitors at Santa Clara University Law School. In 2016, he was invited to join the Dean’s Advisory Group, where he provides strategic insight to support the law school’s continued success. He credits much of his professional success to the invaluable education he received at Santa Clara Law.
Mr. Habbas’s unwavering support of athletics has left a lasting impact on both student-athletes and professional sports organizations. He has established scholarships for student-athletes, helping them pursue their academic and athletic dreams. He is a dedicated supporter of San Jose State University Athletics, where the newly constructed Habbas Law Athletics Center now bears his name. His support extends to professional teams such as the San Jose Sharks, San Francisco Giants, and San Jose Earthquakes. Through initiatives like partnering with the Earthquakes to create soccer-themed murals in local neighborhoods, he has contributed to the cultural enrichment of the community.
Despite his many accomplishments, Omar Habbas is most proud of his family. He is deeply grateful for the unwavering love and support of his wife, Rio Habbas, and takes immense pride in being a father to three incredible children—Tarik, Alexandria, and Nicholas Habbas—as well as a grandfather to his two beloved grandsons, William Oliver Bluth and Rafferty Ryen Habbas. For Omar, family remains the driving force behind his dedication to both his professional and philanthropic endeavors.
Mitta Datta
Madhumita “Mita” Datta is a seasoned intellectual property lawyer dedicated to providing sophisticated patent counsel to clients ranging from startups to established corporations. Her expertise spans U.S. and international patent prosecution, patent portfolio management, patent landscape analysis, and IP transactional and litigation support. Mita manages both emerging startup portfolios and large-scale domestic and international patent portfolios for institutional clients. She is highly regarded for her ability to expedite patent prosecution by leveraging the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) fast-tracking provisions and pilot programs. She also advises on intellectual property matters in the context of corporate mergers, acquisitions, litigation, and other disputes.
With a strong technical background in electrical and computer engineering, Mita drafts and prosecutes original patent applications across a broad spectrum of technologies, including:
- Microelectronic and optoelectronic devices
- Semiconductor equipment and manufacturing processes
- AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning) applications in semiconductors
- Work automation and autonomous vehicles
- Thin film batteries and renewable energy solutions
- High-speed networks, simulation tools, and software platforms
- Biosensors, tracking, and navigation devices
- Blockchain technology, social networking platforms, and e-commerce
A recipient of a National Science Foundation research grant, Mita holds a patent in optoelectronic device integration and packaging technology, which was later transferred to the NSA’s Microelectronics Research Laboratory. She has authored numerous legal and scientific publications and frequently presents at academic and industry conferences. Additionally, she serves on the High-Tech Law Advisory Board at Santa Clara University.
Mita is deeply committed to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. She is a founding member of Lowenstein’s Employee Resource Group focused on Chronic Conditions and Support (CCS) and actively mentors law students and junior professionals through organizations such as the Leadership Council for Legal Diversity (LCLD) and Advancing Diversity Across Patent Teams (ADAPT).
Her dedication to pro bono work includes active participation in patent-focused pro bono initiatives across California, New York, and Utah. She has also taught intellectual property fundamentals to underprivileged high school students through the All Stars Project.
Mita is fluent in Bengali, English, and Hindi
Don Polden
Professor Emeritus and Former Dean, Santa Clara University School of Law
April 10, 1949 – October 15, 2024
Don’s career in legal education spanned more than 30 years, marked by his transformative leadership and his enduring impact on students, faculty, and the legal community. He joined Santa Clara Law in 2003 as its Dean and Professor of Law. During his tenure as Dean (2003-2013), Don oversaw the School’s centennial celebration and was instrumental in expanding experiential learning opportunities, launching clinics in Low Income Taxpayer Law, International Human Rights, and Entrepreneurs’ Law, and increasing externship placements. Under his guidance, the law school was admitted to the prestigious Order of the Coif in 2004, a reflection of its faculty’s scholarly excellence. He also championed the construction of the Howard S. and Alida S. Charney Hall of Law, which remains a testament to his vision for the future of legal education.
As a teacher, Don was known for his expertise in corporate law, sports law, antitrust and trade regulations, employment and labor law, and leadership development for lawyers. He was recognized as a national expert in these fields, but perhaps his greatest legacy lies in his pioneering work in leadership education for law students. Over two decades ago, Don launched one of the first leadership development programs in American law schools. He was affectionately called “the grandfather of leadership education for lawyers” and co-authored two influential books, Leading in Law: Leadership Development for Law Students and Lawyers and Leaders: Why It Matters and What It Takes, with Barry Posner.
Don’s commitment to leadership education continued through his service as the inaugural chair of the Section on Leadership of the American Association of Law Schools in 2021, and his creation of Santa Clara’s Institute for Lawyer Leadership Education. His motto, Lawyers Who Lead, embodied the type of leadership development he championed and which has become a hallmark of the Santa Clara Law experience.
Don’s contributions to the law and to Santa Clara University were recognized with numerous awards, including the Owens Lawyer of the Year Award in 2017. He will be remembered as a devoted family man, an inspiring mentor, a friend to many, and a leader who shaped the lives of countless law students and colleagues.
Don’s legacy will continue to live on through his many contributions to the legal profession, the Santa Clara University community, and the countless lives he touched. He will be deeply missed, but his impact will never be forgotten. In honor of his enduring influence, the Inclusive Excellence Award will be presented at the Celebration of Achievement & Inclusive Excellence. This award recognizes individuals or organizations that have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, fostering a more inclusive environment, advocating for social justice, and empowering underrepresented groups—values that Don championed throughout his life and work.