FRESNO – The president of Fresno State University has appointed an alumnus and distinguished environmental attorney to the school’s advisory board.
Jan L. Hahn, a founding partner of Kahn, Sores and Conway, has joined the Fresno State Advisory Board, the university’s president, Joseph Castro, told the Northern California Record.
Jan Kahn
“He is a very talented lawyer as passionate about Fresno State,” Castro said.
The full-service firm he helped to establish has offices in Sacramento and Hanford with 14 attorneys who practice criminal and civil litigation in various areas, including personal injury, estate planning, general corporate law, agricultural and environmental issues for a diverse clientele. Kahn’s area of specialization is agricultural law, land and water resource issues, business transactions, eminent domain, along with employment and labor law, a news release announcing the appointment said.
In 2015, Martindale Hubbell identified Kahn, Sores and Conway as one of the state’s top law firms. A year earlier, the practice participated in a workshop educating elected officials, farmers, business leaders and water managers on California's Sustainable Groundwater Act.
Martindale Hubbell, which relies on recommendations from peers, members of the bar and the judiciary, gives Kahn a five-star ranking and distinguishes him as a preeminent attorney.
“The Martindale Hubbell AV preeminent rating is the highest possible rating for an attorney for both ethical standards and legal ability. It represents the pinnacle of professional excellence,” a video on the organization’s website said.
His alma mater’s advisory board appointment is not the first time Kahn has been asked to share his insight. He also serves on the board of trustees at San Joaquin College of Law. Previously, he served on the board of directors for KVPT, a public television station in Fresno. He has held board posts for the King’s County YMCA, the Kings Art Center Foundation, the Hanford Planning Commission, and Sacred Heart Hospital in Hanford.
“For these reasons, I wanted him to be on the university’s advisory board so that I can gain from his perspective on all university matters,” Castro said.
According to the university’s president, Fresno State’s advisory board is a 15-member panel of community members who give him advice on a variety of issues pertaining to the institution’s development and improvement.
Kahn received a bachelor’s degree from Fresno State in 1969 and a Juris Doctorate from the McGeorge School of Law at University of the Pacific in 1972. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Claims and the U.S. Court of International Trade. Additionally, Kahn is a member of the California Bar, the bar for all federal district courts in the state, as well as the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
“I am very glad he agreed to join the board,” Castro said.