Michael Bidart (JD '74), Steve Sax endow Stephen Sax Legacies for Justice Endowed Scholarship
June 7, 2016 — What do former Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Steve Sax, Southern California "Super Lawyer" Michael Bidart, and Pepperdine Law students have in common? The Stephen L. Sax Legacies for Justice Endowed Scholarship, established in May 2016 with proceeds from a court settlement secured by Bidart, a 1974 Pepperdine Law alumnus. The scholarship could begin benefitting students as early as 2016.
"One of the best times to remember causes or loved ones is after a settlement comes in," says Bidart. "It's an opportunity to make the victory count for more. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Pepperdine, a place that did so much for me, and I felt that Steve Sax would be receptive as well."
Senior Vice Chancellor and School of Law Dean Emeritus Ronald F. Phillips helped facilitate the new scholarship.
"It is wonderful to see one of Pepperdine Law School's elite trial lawyers, Michael Bidart — who has received countless professional honors and recognitions, including the Law School's Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award 2006 — and one of baseball's all-time elite second basemen, Steve Sax, a multi-time All-Star and World Series champion, team up to benefit Pepperdine Law students," he says.
Steve Sax
Steve Sax enjoyed 18 years in the MLB and was named "National League Rookie of the Year" in 1982. He later went on to provide commentary on ESPN, has appeared on several television shows as a guest including Good Morning America, and has been published in the Wall Street Journal. Sax also served as Vice President of Investments for the Royal Bank of Canada. He returned to baseball in 2013 as Coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks and is a member of the National Speakers Association. He has a regular broadcast on satellite radio and serves as an executive coach/consultant through International Coach Foundation.
Michael Bidart
Michael Bidart (JD '74), is routinely named one of Southern California's "Super Lawyers" as well as "Top Attorney" and "Most Influential Lawyer." His success in healthcare litigation earned comments from the Wall Street Journal and profiles in The National Law Journal , The American Lawyer, and California Lawyer Magazine. He is a frequent lecturer on HMO litigation and bad faith insurance practices, as well as a featured speaker for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Consumer Attorneys of California, American Conference Institute, The Rutter Group, the California Judges Association, and more. He set a national record for the largest verdict ever against a managed health care organization.