Welcome 2024 Post-Bar Law Clerks

A&W is thrilled to introduce our 2024 Post-Bar Law Clerks! This year, we're excited to welcome five outstanding law students: Alyssa Daskas, Cody Parker, David Irby-Ebert, Derek Matthews, and Emily Hernandez. Read more about them below. 

Alyssa Daskas

Alyssa Daskas has always been passionate about public interest legal work and contributing to the community. During law school, she gained valuable legal experience as a law clerk with the San Diego County Office of the Public Defender, working in both adult and juvenile courts, as well as at a plaintiff-side employment law firm.

Alyssa also worked closely with the California Legislative Agenda at the Children’s Advocacy Institute, where she served as a clinical student in the policy sector advocating for gun violence prevention. Additionally, she participated in the Representatives for Youth in Academic Affairs through the Advocates for Children and Education club, working pro bono to ensure compliance with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities.

Cody Parker

Cody was born and raised in New Jersey before moving to Southern California in 2015.  He graduated from Fairfield University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science.  At Fairfield, he was a member of the Division I Swimming and Diving team.   

Prior to beginning law school, he worked as a high school teacher.  He taught AP Government and Politics and was the head boys and girls varsity swimming coach.  After completing his first year at UC Law San Francisco, he worked as a judicial extern at the California Court of Appeal.  Cody began his work at Aleshire & Wynder as a Summer law clerk after his second year of law school. Cody has always been passionate about public service and looks forward to serving clients and communities.

David Irby-Ebert

David is a graduate of UC College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly known as UC Hastings) where he received his J.D. and served as vice president of alumni associations for the Black Law Students’ Association and as an editor for the UC Law Journal of Racial and Economic Justice. While in law school, David was also a transactional intern at Marvell Semiconductors and a law clerk at OneTeam Partners, working on various contracts in both the tech and sports industries.

Derek Matthews

Derek Matthews is a law clerk in the Los Angeles office. Derek assists the firm on a broad range of legal matters.

He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations at UC Davis. During that time, he also studied abroad at the London School of Economics. After that, he spent four years working for the California State Assembly as a District Representative. He attended McGeorge School of Law and later, transferred to Loyola Law School. 

During his time at Loyola, he interned for the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, the Western Center on Law and Poverty, and served as a fellow at the University of Parma, assisting a law professor with research and hosting an international law conference. Additionally, he was a founding member of the editorial board for the Loyola Interdisciplinary Journal of Public Interest Law and won Best Advocate for his efforts in Loyola’s annual Scoot Moot Court competition. He obtained his Juris Doctorate in May 2024.

Emily Hernandez

Emily Hernandez is a recent graduate from Loyola Law School with a passion for criminal defense and litigation. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from California State University, Northridge, in 2020, where she developed a strong interest in law and advocacy. During law school, she gained valuable experience working on civil rights and wrongful conviction cases, which solidified her commitment to justice. She also worked at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, focusing on immigration and naturalization cases, and spent time in the District Attorney's office. These roles have strengthened her desire to give back to the community and advocate for those who need a voice. Outside of work, she enjoys reading and spending time outdoors. Emily is also a huge sports fan and loves watching tennis and soccer matches. She is eager to bring her dedication, skills, and passion for justice to the legal profession.