DONALD MCCONNELL
donald.r.mcconnell@gmail.com •(562)343-0271 .
Teaching • Lectures • Speeches • Question And Answer Sessions • Socratic Dialogue • Analysis Of Intelligence And Data For Probable Choices And Arguments Of Decision Makers Or Situational Actors • Legal And Academic Argument • Intellectual Trouble • Shooting • Research • Writing• Debating • Problem Solving • Word-Smithing • Providing Historical Perspective • Integration Of Faith And Practice • Interdisciplinary Education • Application Of Natural Law To Practical Questions • Investigation • Interviewing • Debriefing • Fact Finding • Examination • Dialoguing• Meeting Management • Conference Planning • General Knowledge On Many Subjects • Understanding Of New Ideas • Wise Choices • Legislative Analysis • Creating And Evaluating Advertising Slogans And Concepts • Renaissance Man
EDUCATION
JURIS DOCTOR University of Southern California ,1985 Hale Moot Court Honors program semifinalist. International Moot Court team for Jessup competition. Assisted in update of Bioethics case book.
BACHELOR OF ARTS in Political Science Westmont College,1982 Magna Cum Laude. Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
FACULTY MEMBER, June 2011 to July 2016 Rivendell Sanctuary and San Diego Christian College’s Rivendell Program. Team teaching cohorts of students through a holistic community based 16 month Christian semi-great books Associate of Arts degree program with a modular sequenced curriculum. Subject modules include Critical Thinking, Theology, Philosophy, Math, Physics, Biology, Psychology, Sociology, Art (mostly taking place in Italy), Government, Economics and Literature (Each of these subjects is primarily an introduction to the history and philosophy of the particular subject). Old Testament, New Testament, World Civilization, Speech, and Composition are integrated into the other modules. Presented special lectures for multiple cohorts on the history of government and law.
PROFESSOR OF LAW, July 2010 to May 2011 Trinity Law School of Trinity International University. Teaching Legal Institutions and Values (legal history), and Jurisprudence I. Law Faculty Senate.
ACADEMIC (sole) DEAN OF TRINITY LAW SCHOOL, Summer 2005 to June 30, 2010 Trinity Law School of Trinity International University. Administration of law school. Assessment, reporting, planning, fundraising, and speaking. Recruiting, interviewing, and evaluating faculty, staff and students. Setting the overall tone, mission, strategy, and tactics of the law school. Working with staff to develop promotional literature and videos, and class schedules. Teaching legal history course (“Legal Institutions and Values”) three times each calendar year. Successful five-year renewal of accreditation of the law school by the state bar. Successful ten-year renewal of accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW, 2001 to 2005 Trinity Law School of Trinity International University. Classes taught include Torts I & II, Legal Institutions and Values. Jurisprudence, Jurisprudence Seminar and the Law and Theory of War (team taught with Professor Stephen Kennedy). Interim Dean, Spring 2003. Faculty Senate Member. Library Committee Chair. Exam Committee. Admissions Committee. Presentations to faculty meetings on exam writing and integration. Presentations on integration of law and Christianity at student orientations. donald.r.mcconnell@gmail.com•(562)343-0271
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF LAW, Fall 1988 to 2001 Trinity Law School of Trinity International University, formerly known as Simon Greenleaf University. Courses taught include Torts I & II, Remedies I & II, Intellectual Property, Jurisprudence, and Legal Institutions and Values. Substitute teaching for Property and Contracts. Teacher of the Year for 1989-1990. Member of University Strategic Planning Committee and Chairman of its Integration of Faith Subcommittee, 1993.
LAW PRACTICE EXPERIENCE
HARBIN & MILLER, Associate Attorney, February 1991 to July 2001 Real estate litigation. Trials and arbitrations. Extensive law and motion practice. Summary Judgments. Appellate Writing. Drafting and interpreting contracts. Writing course materials for the Harbin Real Estate School.
BAKER & HOSTETLER, McCUTCHEN, BLACK, Contract Associate for Maritime Division in Long Beach, September 1989 to January 1991 Tort defense litigation, largely for the insured of Lloyds of London, oil companies, and organizations involved with cargo handling. Advised corporate clients. Cargo damage litigation. Extensive law and motion work. Summary Judgments. Depositions.
BUCK, AMMIRATO, RUTTER & MOORE, Associate Attorney September 1987 to September 1989 Insurance defense tort litigation. Government tort defense. Products liability defense. Construction defects and construction site torts. Defamation and common law trademark defense. Complex landslide, asbestos and medical product litigation. Extensive deposition and law and motion work. Appellate writing.
DONALD R. McCONNELL, ATTORNEY AT LAW, private practice, December 1985 to September 1987 Employment discrimination litigation in Federal Court, including trials. Civil litigation. Criminal defense. Appellate writing. Administrative law.
PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION, law clerk/researcher, June to August 1984 Research on legislative intent of statutes and constitutional provisions. Legal research on issues affecting business and property rights. Administrative law. Appellate writing.
LAW CLERK to Adams County Public Defender, Quincy, Illinois, Summer 1983 Appeared in pretrial matters. Motions. Voir Dire. Plea bargaining. Trial support in police brutality/assault case.
RESEARCH ASSISTANT, Spring 1985 To Dr. Michael H. Shapiro, University of Southern California School of Law. Compilation and organization of materials for update to text/casebook Bioethics and Law.
BAR ADMISSIONS
Admitted to the California Bar in December of 1985, currently inactive status.
U.S. Central District for California December of 1985.
U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal in December of 1985.
U.S. Southern District for California in 1989.
BOOKS
Contributed Chapter Seven “Practical Ways Forward” to God and Governing; Reflections on Ethics, Virtue, and Statesmanship, Roger Overton editor, forward by Charles Colson, (Eugene OR: Pickwick Publications, 2009).
SCHOLARLY ARTICLES
“Is Modern Legal Liberalism Still Compatible with Free Exercise of Religion?” Campbell Law Review, volume 33, No. 3, pp. 641 – 660.
“Why Natural Law is Called Natural” Liberty Law Review, volume 2, number 3, pp. 797-846, Natural Law Symposium issue, Spring 2008 (actual publication November 2009) (Article also presented as a lecture at the symposium on February 22, 2008).
POPULAR ARTICLES
“Christians and the Government: Ten Suggestions” Trinity Magazine Fall 2008.
PAPERS
Presentation of a Paper on C.S. Lewis and Natural Law “Law as Eternal Pilgrimage” at the academic conference held in conjunction with the C.S. Lewis Summer Institute Oxbridge ’02 in Oxford, England. July 15, 2002.
BOOK REVIEWS
“Redeeming the Law: Christian Calling and the Legal Profession – by Michael P. Shutt” Religious Studies Review, volume 34, number 2, p. 88, June 2008.
“Contracts and Common Decency: Robert Mather’s Contract Law and Morality” Trinity Law Review, volume 10, number 1, pp. 201 – 209, Fall 2000.
CONFERENCE
Planned and executed the conference “God and Governing; a conference on Ethics, Virtue, and Statesmanship” put on by Trinity Law School. Speakers included Dr. David Wells, Dr. Os Guinness, Paul Marshall, Patrick Nolan, Vishal Mangalwadi, Dr. Dallas Willard, and myself. Topics ranged from Natural Law, Human Rights, and Epistemology to Religious Liberty and the Persecution of Christians. February 7, 2008, Santa Ana, CA.
WORK IN PROGRESS
“The Way of the Law”, a textbook that provides an overview of the events, theology and philosophy that shaped legal history from creation to the early 1800’s.
LECTURES
Series of expositional lectures on the book of Ecclesiastes, Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church, Sunday evenings October – November, 2015, Minnetonka, MN
“The Way of the Law”, 9 to 15 hours of lectures on the history and development of law and government, for Rivendell Sanctuary and San Diego Christian College’s Rivendell Program, six sets between 2011 and May 2015, Bloomington, MN.
“The Legal Cases Surrounding Proposition 8”, part of a panel discussion for the Long Beach Ministerial Alliance on Perspectives on Same-Sex Marriage, September 15, 2010, Long Beach, CA.
“Being a Pupil of the Master While Serving in the Courtroom and the Classroom” for the Orange County Christian Legal Society Attorney Chapter, August 12, 2010, Tustin, CA.
“Property, Torts, and Parables,” Trinity Law School Open House, April 22, 2010, Santa Ana, CA. “Faith and the Law” Men’s Breakfast, Ontario Church of the Nazarene, March 27, 2010, Ontario, CA.
“The Authority and Uses of Scripture,” sermon at Communion Presbyterian Church, March 14, 2010, Irvine, CA.
“The Cloning Issue” Breakout Session at the Cypress Regional Conference of the Evangelical Free Church of America – Southwest. January 30, 2010, Cypress, CA.
“The Importance of Christian Legal Education” for San Diego Christian Legal Society, Attorney Chapter, January 19, 2010, San Diego, CA.
“Freedom of Conscience, Morality, and Ethics” for Federalist Society Student Chapter of Thomas Jefferson Law School, Oct. 28, 2009, San Diego, CA.
“Crimes, Contracts, and the Bible” Trinity Law School Open House Oct. 27, 2009, Santa Ana, CA.
“Attorneys as Defenders of God-given Rights” Trinity Law School Open House Sept. 24, 2009, Santa Ana, CA.
“Following Christ as Advocate” Trinity Law School Open House June 24, 2009, Santa Ana, CA.
“Justice, Human Rights, and the Great Commission” and “Following Christ as an Advocate: Attorneys as Missionaries,” breakout sessions at the Biola Missions Conference, Biola University, March 18 and 19, 2009, La Mirada, CA.
“A Christian Response to Work during the Economic Downturn” Keynote address at the Calvary Chapel Golden Springs’
“Faith in the Midst of the Storm” Conference February 7, 2009, Diamond Bar, CA.
“In re Marriage Cases and the Proposition 8 Litigation; the Implications of the Recent California Supreme Court Decision and the Debate over Prop 8” Breakout Sessions at the Fullerton Regional Conference of the Evangelical Free Church of America – Southwest, February 1, 2009, Fullerton, CA; the Fremont Regional Conference March 28, 2009, Fremont, CA; Reseda Regional Conference October 4, 2009, Reseda, CA; Clovis Regional Conference October 24, 2009, Clovis, CA and Cypress Regional Conference 2010, Cypress, CA.
“In re Marriage Cases; the Implications of the Recent California Supreme Court Decision” delivered at Grace Community Church of Seal Beach, Men’s Breakfast, Sept. 6, 2008, and for the Connections adult Sunday School class, September 28, 2008, Seal Beach, CA; at a Sociology of Marriage and the Family course at Vanguard University, Oct. 22, 2008, Costa Mesa, CA; and at the Revival Christian Fellowship of Menifee, CA, Annual Marriage Conference, Oct. 24, 2008.
“The Sanctity of Life and the Need for Christian Political Involvement” at the Critical Issues Conference co-sponsored by Trinity Law School, Apologetics.com and the First Baptist Church of Downey, July 19, 2008, Downey, CA.
“A Christian View of Human Law” Trinity Law School Open House Feb. 12, 2008, November 12, 2007, Santa Ana, CA.
“Suggestions for the Christian about Politics and Government” presented at “God and Governing; a Conference on Virtue, Ethics, and Statesmanship”, sponsored by Trinity Law School, at the Westin South Coast Plaza, February 1, 2008, Santa Ana, CA.
“Christian Just War Theory” one part of a four-part mini-class at Grace Community Church Seal Beach, March 11, 2007, Seal Beach, CA.
“C.S. Lewis and the Law” part of Trinity Law School Speaker Series, November 16 – 17, 2007, Santa Ana, CA. “Stem Cells and the Laws of God and Man” Taft Avenue Evangelical Free Church Sunday morning sermon, May 21, 2006 Orange, CA.
“The Right to Life and the Law” Rolling Hills Covenant Church Citizenship Ministry, February 4, 2006, Rolling Hills, CA.
“Constitutional Law and the Supreme Court” Life Bible Fellowship adult Sunday School class, January 8, 2006, Upland, CA.
“The Christian World View on Law and Justice” Yorba Linda Evangelical Free Church Adult Sunday School, August 28, 2005, Yorba Linda, CA.
“Just War Theory: A Survey of Views” Grace Community Church of Seal Beach Men’s Breakfast February 26, 2005, Seal Beach, CA.
“Christian Views of Law”, “Classic Natural Law”, and “Law: Present and Future”, Grace Community Church of Seal Beach Connections Adult Sunday School Class series, July 12, 20 and 27, 2003, Seal Beach, CA. “Careers in Law” for Hope University class, May 14, 2003, Fullerton, CA .
“Capital Punishment” Grace Community Church of Seal Beach Connections Adult Sunday School Class, May 25, 2002, Seal Beach, CA.
“Reproductive Technology” Grace Community Church of Seal Beach Connections Adult Sunday School Class, April 21, 2002, Seal Beach, CA.
“Abortion and Free Speech; Recent Abortion Related Supreme Court Cases” Huntington Beach Evangelical Free Church, August 13, 2000, Huntington Beach, CA.
“The Influence of the Old Testament on our Legal System” Senior Citizens’ Class at Yorba Linda Evangelical Free Church, November 14, 2000, Yorba Linda, CA.
“Damages for Lawsuits Involving Torts Arising from Fertility Clinic Operations”, workshop session, Trinity Law School sponsored Bioethics Seminar, 1996, Tustin, CA.
Multiple presentations on Apologetics, Law, Public Policy and Christianity at Bethany Baptist Church adult Sunday School classes, 1990 – 1995, Long Beach, CA.
TELEVISION / RADIO / PODCAST APPEARANCES
Shows on Apologetics.com radio program on KKLA Saturday mornings from 12:00 midnight to 2:00 AM, Glendale, CA:
“Movie Review of Inception” August 28, 2010 (served as Guest Host)
“Proposition 8” August 7, 2010
“Sacrifice and the Christian Life” May 29, 2010 (served as Guest Host)
“Separation of Church and State?” May 7, 2010
“Christ and Human Law and Government” September 5, 2009 (served as Guest Host)
“Eschatology” February 7, 2009
“Always Winter and Never Christmas: C.S. Lewis on Christmas and More” December 20, 2008
“A Christian Look at the Law in Relation to Gay Marriage” September 21, 2008
“The Christian Response to Same Sex Marriage,” Aug. 29, 2008
“The Extraordinary C.S. Lewis; an Analysis of the Life and Work of C.S. Lewis with Special Emphasis on the Film and the Book Prince Caspian” May 23, 2008
“Expelled: No Movie Reviews Allowed” May 2, 2008
“Globalism” (served as Guest Host) March 1, 2008 “All Things Political; What Christians Do, Do not Do, Do Well or Do Badly” Jan. 12, 2008
“God and Governing” Dec. 8, 2007 “Christians and Human Law” June 24, 2006
“Christians and War” July 16, 2005
“C.S. Lewis” January 28, 2005
“Natural Law” June 26, 2004
“C.S. Lewis” November 22, 2003
“The Need for Christian Legal Education” an interview by Brian Nixon, HIS Channel television, recorded April 22, 2008 for rebroadcast, Santa Ana, CA.
“Natural Law”, “Capital Punishment” and “Evolution and the Law” SciPhi Show, podcasts from Australia, hosted by Jason Rennie, Sydney Australia.
Donald R McConnell 