Downey Brand Welcomes 2026 Summer Associates
May 22, 2025
Downey Brand is delighted to officially welcome our 2026 Summer Associates to the firm. This year’s talented group of eight law students come from a diverse range of law schools and will be based across our Sacramento and Stockton offices. During the ten-week program, the Summer Associates will work on a variety of challenging and meaningful projects for firm clients, while also getting to know our outstanding staff and attorneys both inside and outside of the office. We look forward to a fun, rewarding, and successful summer with this exceptional group!
The 2026 Summer Associate Lineup
Owen Farley-Klacik – Owen comes to us with sterling academic credentials from UC Irvine, spent his 1L summer with the California Energy Commission. Outside of work, he has a background as an elite-level competitive kayaker – he’s looking forward to exploring all the outdoor adventures Sacramento has to offer. Owen will be based in our Sacramento office.
Jessica Friley – Jessica came to us from Cal Poly with a background in agribusiness and land use issues, and co-chaired this year’s impressive Water Law Symposium. She joins us following last summer’s work for the California Farm Bureau Federation. Jessica will be based in our Sacramento office.
Tace Higuchi – Tace joins us after a stint as a high school math teacher, where she focused on supporting special needs students. She’s sitting in the top 5% of her class at UC Davis, and spent last summer as a judicial extern with the Third Appellate District. Tace will be based in our Sacramento office.
Julia Metzger – Julia graduated with a dual degree cum laude from Holy Cross, then spent three years spent before law school consulting on disaster-recovery issues and federal contracts. She spent last summer in an appellate externship, and externed for the California Department of Justice in her 2L year. Julia will be based in our Sacramento office.
Joseph Salazar – Joe is a lifelong Sacramentan who spent time pre-law school in an analyst position for the State, and is currently excelling at UC Davis. No stranger to DB, his first job as a 1L was as an extern for DB alum and friend-of-the-firm Jeff Galvin. Joe will be based in our Sacramento office.
Haley Watson – Haley serves on both law review and in the legal clinic at MSU, and is looking forward rejoining her family in Stockton when she works out of that office. Her prior legal work includes construction and boutique real estate work, though she also did time with the Arizona Rattlers as a game-day intern. Haley will be based in our Stockton office.
John Mark Wenger – John Mark joins us after an externship with Justice Robie. In addition to great academic credentials, he is a classically trained cellist with experience in farming and construction, as well as tending bar at a Washington D.C. speakeasy. John Mark will be based in our Sacramento office.
Abriaunna Green – Abri is this year’s 1L SCBA fellow. She joins us after a 10 year career with the US Air Force, where she served in leadership as an Air Battle Manager. She is keeping those leadership and organizational skills sharp as she earns her JD at UC Davis. Abri will be based in our Sacramento office.