McGeorge School of Law Honors Four Distinguished Alumni, Including Sue Ann Van Dermyden '93
The University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law recently honored four exceptional alumni as 2025 Alumni of Honor, recognizing their leadership, professional excellence, and meaningful contributions to the legal field and their communities.
Presented annually, the Alumni of Honor Award celebrates graduates who have demonstrated remarkable achievements in their careers, a steadfast commitment to the legal profession, and a dedication to service. This year’s honorees were celebrated during a special ceremony held on May 16.
Among the distinguished recipients was Sue Ann Van Dermyden ’93, a trailblazing attorney and a pillar in the field of workplace investigations.
Van Dermyden is a founding and senior partner of Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation, where she leads the firm’s San Diego office. Since beginning her career in employment law in 1993, she has developed a national reputation for her work in workplace and Title IX investigations. In addition to her investigative work, she serves as an expert witness and regularly delivers training seminars on employment-related topics.
An alumna who continues to give back, Van Dermyden teaches at McGeorge as an adjunct professor, where she created and leads a course on Workplace Investigations. She also serves on the McGeorge Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Anthony M. Kennedy Inn of Court Executive Committee.
Her accolades speak to her lasting impact: she has been recognized by Northern California Super Lawyers since 2010 and Sacramento Business Journal’s Best of the Bar since 2015. In 2015, she was named a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, and in 2022, she received the San Diego Women Who Mean Business award.
Van Dermyden is also a founding member and former president of the Association of Workplace Investigators (AWI), where she now serves as senior faculty for its intensive five-day training institute. Her influence is felt across the profession through her leadership, teaching, and unwavering commitment to elevating the standards of workplace investigations.
