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Rebecca Delfino

Clinical Law Professor Rebecca Delfino
Law Professor and Director of Moot Court Programs

Professor of Law
Director of Moot Court Programs

Courses Taught

  • Advanced Writing & Revision
  • Appellate Advocacy
  • Appellate Practice of the Judicial Clerk
  • Civil Procedure
  • Ethical Lawyering
  • Judicial Process
  • Negotiations
  • Scott Moot Court

Links

Education

  • BA, magna cum laude, University of California, Los Angeles, Phi Beta Kappa
  • JD, University of California Davis School of Law, Order of the Coif, Order of the Barristers

Background

As Associate Dean for Clinical Programs and Experiential Learning, Professor Delfino oversees the administration of experiential learning programs, legal skills courses, and the law school’s 21 live-client clinics. She closely collaborates with the administration, staff, and faculty of LLS and LMU on academic programs, budget management, and co-curricular matters relating to clinics, skills classes, and experiential learning, including trial and appellate advocacy, the public interest department, entertainment law program, field placement department, institutes, and practicum.  She also works on course curriculum design and development of programs that support the professional development of faculty colleagues' teaching skills and clinical courses.

Professor Delfino teaches skills and doctrinal courses in appellate law, legal ethics and civil procedure, the judicial branch, advanced legal writing, and alternative dispute resolution. She also teaches in Loyola’s part-time evening hybrid program and developed the ethical lawyering, appellate advocacy, and moot court courses designed to fit the unique hybrid course schedule.

Her research and scholarship interests center on the intersection of the law and current events and emergencies, such as the opioid epidemic, the proliferation of deepfakes and AI technologies, and immigration crises. Her work investigates the historical roots of events and crises while also projecting forward, exploring how the law can and should be used to provide solutions to emerging problems and potential catastrophes. 

Professor Delfino believes that the answers to the societal challenges appear only through active intellectual engagement that crosses the disciplines within the law and beyond. Accordingly, her scholarship reflects the need for greater connections between fields of law and the academic disciplines of business, humanities, natural and applied sciences, and social science.            

In addition to teaching and scholarship, Professor Delfino also serves as the Faculty Director of Loyola’s nationally recognized and award-winning Moot Court Program. As Director of the Loyola Moot Court Program, Professor Delfino has developed a unique and intensive summer advocacy “boot camp” at Loyola for advanced legal writing and oral advocacy students.

Prior to joining the full time faculty of the law school Professor Delfino served as Lead Senior Appellate Attorney at the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Seven for 17 years.  During her tenure at the court of appeal she researched and prepared more than 800 bench memoranda and draft legal opinions in numerous areas of law from felony criminal cases, to complex civil litigation, to family law and probate, to juvenile dependency and delinquency matters. In addition to her full time position at the Court of Appeal, in 1999 Professor Delfino joined the adjunct faculty of Loyola Law School. 

Professor Delfino is a member of the adjunct faculty of the Glendale Community College where she teaches a political science course focused on California State and Local Government and a course focused on the United States Federal government and politics at the national level. 

Professor Delfino served as a “neutral” for the Los Angeles County Superior Court from 1999 until 2014.  Since 1999 she has been mediator, arbitrator and judge pro tem. As a volunteer bench officer, Rebecca has presided over more than 100 limited civil arbitrations and small claims trials.   

Professor Delfino began her legal career as litigator at Kirkland & Ellis and was later an associate at Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart & Sullivan in Los Angeles.  She handled all phases of civil litigation in a variety of cases from complex multi-party product defect and construction cases to white-collar criminal defense, to protection of intellectual property rights, to defense of employment discrimination and harassment claims.

During law school Professor Delfino had an externship with the Honorable William Shubb of the Federal District Court of the Eastern District of California in Sacramento. After graduation from law school she served on a clerkship with the Honorable Cliff Young, Associate Justice of the Nevada State Supreme Court.

Professor Delfino also worked as an elementary school teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District in South Central Los Angeles before attending law school.

Selected Scholarship

OTHER PUBLICATIONS:

Deepfake Defense Emergence Needs Ethical Oversight, Los Angeles Daily Journal, Guest Column (February 10, 2023).

The Dangers of Deepfakes, Los Angeles Daily Journal, Guest Column, (May 1, 2019).

“Frequent Failings and Fatal Flaws in Briefs Filed in The California Court of Appeal,”

Journal of Consumer Attorneys Associations of Southern California, December 2008

“Your First Appeal in a California Court of Appeal,” article written for LACBA’s website as part of “Your First Series” – www.lacba.org/barristers/yourfirst, May 2008

“Going Beyond Traditional Pro Bono,” Los Angeles Lawyer, Vol. 27, No.4, June 2004

“Practice Tips from My Grandmother,” Los Angeles Lawyer, Vol. 26, No.3, May 2003

“Making the Most Out of Court-Ordered Arbitration,” Los Angeles Lawyer, Vol. 25., No.5,  July/August 2002

SELECTED MEDIA APPEARANCES AND CITATIONS: 

Viral Deepfakes Of Taylor Swift Highlight Need For Regulation, Nicole Brenner and Susie Ruiz-Lichter, LAW360.com,  (Cited) (May 6, 2024)

Fast Rise In AI Nudes Of Teens Has Unprepared Schools, Legal System Scrambling For Solutions, Josh Cain, Los Angeles Daily News, (Interviewed and Cited) (April 11, 2024).

As Deepfakes Rise, Prof Says Expert Fee Rules Must Change, Sarah Martinson, LAW360.com (Featured Interview), (March 8, 2024).

We Need A “Swift” Resolution: Taylor Swift Controversy Sparks Federal Debate About Pornographic Deepfakes, Taylor Gilbertson, Loyola Entertainment Law Review, News and Insights, (Interviewed and Cited)  (March 1, 2024).

The Taylor Swift Deepfakes Were Awful. How Do We Stop the Next One? Bill Donahue, Billboard Magazine,  (Interviewed and Cited) (January 31, 2024).

Could Taylor Swift Use Her Immeasurable Power To Squash Pornographic Deepfakes?, Airtalk with Larry Mantel, LAist, NPR affiliate, Los Angeles, (Featured Interview) (January 30, 2024).

Law Scholars Propose Court Rule Tweak Aimed At Deepfakes, Sarah Martinson, LAW360.Com, (Cited) (October 13, 2023).

Courts Need To Brace Themselves For Deepfake Evidence, Sarah Martinson, LAW360.com (Featured Interview), (September 19, 2023).

Is Deepfake Pornography Illegal? It Depends., The Endless Thread, WBUR NPR, (Featured Interview) (June 23, 2023).

States Are Rushing to Regulate Deepfakes as AI Goes Mainstream, Isaiah Portiz, Bloomberg.com (Interviewed and Cited) (June 20, 2023).

People Are Trying To Claim Real Videos Are Deepfakes. The Courts Are Not Amused, All Tings Considered, NPR (May 8, 2023).

How Celebrities Can Use IP Law To Go After Deepfake Ads, Tiffany Hu, LAW360.com (Interview and Cited), (October 27, 2022).

The Portia Project, Episode 27, Pod Cast, Featured Guest (June 23, 2022).

Rebecca Delfino on the Opioid Crisis, LMU Magazine Podcast, Episode 44, (July 18, 2022). 

What Deepfake Technology Means For Women, The Takeaway, NPR/WNYC STUDIOS (Featured Interview) (September 16, 2021). 

Tackling deepfakes in European policy, STUDY Panel for the Future of Science and Technology EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service Scientific Foresight Unit (STOA) PE 690.039, (cited by) – July 2021.

Inside the News with Alex Cohen, Spectrum News 1, Discussing the Katie Hill Civil Case (April 15, 2021).

Identity Manipulation: Responding to Advances in Artificial Identity Manipulation: Responding to Advances in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Suzie Dunn, Schulich Law Scholars,  Dalhousie University Schulich School of Law (Cited in) (2020).

Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence: An Overview, Supporting a Safer Internet Paper No. 1, Suzie Dunn, Center for International Governance Innovation, (Cited in) (2020)

Lies, fakes and deep fakes, Deceptions and scams in the age of Trump, Sidney Tarrow, Eurozine, (Interviewed and Cited) (October 24, 2019).

Inside the News with Alex Cohen, Spectrum News 1, On legislation in California seeking to regulate Deepfakes (Featured Interview) (September 4, 2019).

A-1 with A Martinez, LAist, NPR affiliate, Los Angeles, On new proposed law regulating deepfakes (Featured Interview) (September 10, 2019).

 

TESTIMONY AND REGULATORY COMMENT:

United States Federal Courts, Advisory Committee on Evidence Rules, Report on Proposed Changes to the Federal Rules of Evidence to Address AI Evidence, (April 19, 2024).

Maryland General Assembly:  Testimony on the Impact of Deepfakes (February 16, 2024).

United States Federal Courts, Advisory Committee on Evidence Rules, Report on Proposed Changes to the Federal Rules of Evidence to Address AI Evidence, (October 23, 2023).

Maryland General Assembly: Testimony on the need for creating a task force on Deepfakes,  (February 13, 2023).

 

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS:

Panelist, How Litigation and Legislation is Shaping the AI Future, ABA Spring Forum on Entertainment and Sports Spring Meeting, presentation, Southwestern Law School (April 12, 2024).

Panelist, Privacy Risks for Vulnerable Populations, AALS, Section on Defamation and Privacy  AALS Annual Meeting (January 5, 2024).

Presenter, Pay-To-Play: Access To Justice In The Era Of Ai And Deepfakes,  Clinical Law Review Conference, NYU Law School,  (October 2023.)

Presenter, The Deepfake Defense—Exploring The Limits Of The Law And Ethical Norms In Protecting Legal Proceedings From Lying Lawyers, Clinical Law Review Conference, NYU Law School,  (October 2022.)

Keynote Speaker, LMU, Faculty PUB(lication) Night, On the Opioid Crisis (April 12, 2022).

Presenter, Deepfakes On Trial: A Call To Expand The Trial Judge’s Gatekeeping Role To Protect Legal Proceedings From Technological Fakery, Clinical Law Review Conference, NYU Law School (Virtual) (September 2021.)

Presenter, (Virtual) Deepfake Evidence and Data Privacy, Global Advanced eDiscovery Institute, (November 12, 2020).

Presenter, A New Prescription for The Opioid Epidemic: 360-Degree Accountability for Pharmaceutical Companies And Their Executives, Clinical Law Review Conference, NYU Law School, Virtual, (September 2020.)

Presenter, The Prescription Abuse Prevention Act: A New Federal Statute to Criminalize Overprescribing Opioids, Clinical Law Review Conference, NYU Law School,  (October 2019.)

 

BOOKS:

Rebecca A. Delfino and Dan Selmi, Principles of Appellate Advocacy, 2nd Ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2021. ISBN: 9781543808896

 

Professional Associations             

Los Angeles County Bar Association Board of Trustees:

  • Board of Trustees Member 2013-2015  

Los Angeles County Bar Association Bar Foundation:

  • Board of Directors: 2002-2005      

Los Angeles County Bar Association Committees:

  • Access to Justice; Appellate Courts; Sexual Orientation Bias; Diversity; Professional Responsibility and Ethics; Juvenile Courts Task Force; State Appellate Judicial Evaluation

Los Angeles County Bar Association Barristers:

  • Vice President: 2003-2004; Barristers Committees: Barristers Executive Board Committee Member: 1999-2004; Chairperson, Equity in the Legal Profession: 2001-2004

Italian American Lawyers Association: 

  • President: 2013; President-Elect: 2012; First Vice President: 2011; Second Vice President: 2010; Recording Secretary: 2009; Board of Governors: 2006-2009

Public Service

Appointments

California State Bar Legal Services Trust Fund Commission:

  • Appointed by the Chief Justice of the California State Supreme Court
  • Member: 2017-2021

Judicial Council of California Access and Fairness Advisory Committee:

  • Appointed by the Chief Justice of the California State Supreme Court
  • Member: 2011-2014

California State Bar Committee on the Administration of Justice:

  • Member: 2007-2010

City of Glendale Audit Committee: 

  • Appointed by Glendale City Council in February appointed in 2005, Commissioner: 2005-2013; Chair of Committee: 2007-2011

Glendale Unified School District: 

  • Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee to oversee the expenditure of bond proceeds generated from the 270 million dollar general obligation bond for school construction passed in April 2011 by the residents of the Glendale Unified School District: Vice Chair of Committee 2011-2013

Glendale Education Foundation: 

  • Board of Directors: 2011-2014

Glendale Education Foundation, Summer School Inc.: 

  • Board of Directors: 2012-2014

Glendale Community College Career Education Advisory Committee for the Child Development Department:

  • Member: 2008 to 2010    

Fremont Elementary School:

  • School Site Council, Vice Chair 2011-2013, Chair 2013-2014; Parents & Community for Fremont Foundation Board Member: 2009-2011, President 2012-2014

Volunteer Service:

Los Angeles County Superior Court, Judge Pro Tem Panel

  • Judge Pro Tem, 2006 to 2015
  • Presiding as bench officer in small claims and traffic court matters.

Los Angeles County Superior Court ADR Program

  • Arbitrator (Pro Bono), 1999 to 2014
  • Presiding in court-ordered arbitrations in 100 limited jurisdiction civil cases.

“Yes on Measure S” --- School Facilities Bond Committee, Glendale Unified School District:

  • Vice Chair of Campaign Committee
  • (Measure S: a $270 million dollar school bond measure passed in April 2011 Glendale municipal elections with 69.9% of the vote)

“Save Our Schools” Glendale: (K-12 Educational Advocacy Group)

  • Founding Member 2010

Awards and Recognitions

  • California Congress of the PTA “Honorary Service Award” in “recognition of outstanding service to children and youth” 2013
  • Burtis E. Taylor Community Education Award, presented by the Glendale Unified School Board to members of the Measure S Committee, June 2011
  • Certificate of Appreciation from the Judges of the Los Angeles County Superior Court for service as a Temporary Judge and Arbitrator: 2006-2011
  • Special Recognition Award from the Los Angeles County Bar Association Barristers for “many years of contribution, dedication and leadership to the Barristers, the public, and the legal community at large:” 2004