Business Journal Honors Five General Counsel
The Orange County Business Journal recognized five legal professionals and teams at its 16th annual General Counsel Awards in Irvine.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Law
The Orange County Business Journal honored five legal professionals and teams at its 16th annual General Counsel Awards on October 29 at the Irvine Marriott. Nearly 300 business executives attended the event, where winners were selected from 39 nominees.
Why it matters
The awards spotlight in-house and corporate legal leaders across Orange County's business community. The event also marks the Business Journal's final gathering of the year.
Five winners were chosen from 39 nominees across private and public companies. Nearly 300 business executives attended the ceremony at the Irvine Marriott.
The players
Orange County Business Journal
A regional business publication serving Orange County that hosts annual industry awards and events.
Erwin Chemerinsky
A prominent legal scholar and academic who served as master of ceremonies for the awards for his 12th consecutive year.
Augusto Aragone
Executive vice president, secretary and general counsel of Ingram Micro Inc., one of the honorees.
The details
Winners included Augusto Aragone of Ingram Micro Inc., Eric Cheung of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Neha Jaiswal of Domino's Pizza, Ahmad Qazi of Masimo, and the in-house legal team at Monster Energy. Erwin Chemerinsky served as master of ceremonies for his 12th year.
Timeline
October 29: 16th annual General Counsel Awards held at the Irvine Marriott.
November 9: Print edition featuring write-ups on the winners is published.
Legal Context
The Business Journal's General Counsel Awards, now in their 16th year, reflect a sustained regional focus on recognizing in-house counsel as corporate leaders. The program spotlights legal teams across both private companies and public institutions in Orange County.
For Irvine-area businesses, the awards highlight local corporate legal departments that handle compliance and contracts affecting regional employers. Residents working in in-house legal roles may find the honorees' practices a useful benchmark.
The takeaway
Recognition programs like the General Counsel Awards show how in-house legal leaders increasingly shape business strategy across industries. Professionals in similar roles can track such honorees to understand emerging standards in corporate law practice.
Further reading
Explore more Law coverage for context on legal developments affecting the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Orange County Business Journal.
