The Legal Aid Society - Employment Law Center
87th Anniversary Luncheon


"Charting Diversity: Pathways to the Future"

Wednesday June 11, 2003

Photo Gallery - More Photos

The Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center annual benefit luncheon on June 11, 2003 brought together members of the Bay Area's legal, corporate, philanthropic, and public interest communities to mark the Society's 87th year of providing essential services to low-income communities. Over 825 supporters gathered at the Westin St. Francis Hotel to hear a succession of inspirational speakers and honorees address the present challenges and future directions of racial and cultural diversity.

Keynote speaker Dennis Archer, President-Elect of the American Bar Association, discussed the importance of augmenting diversity in all professional sectors of business, law and social services to reflect the diversity of society. He remarked on the success of the corporate community in working toward diversity and he urged the legal profession to step up its efforts to ensure full integration. "We should be taking the lead - not following - the rest of society on the issue of increased diversity in the workplace," he said during his speech. He also called upon our society as a whole to make a commitment to eliminate discrimination and promote equality with an emphasis on creating greater economic, educational, political, and cultural opportunities for people of color, women, and other underrepresented communities.

The 2003 Mathew O. Tobriner Public Service Award was given to seven distinguished Bay Area law professors in honor of their commitment to promoting diversity in the classroom and mentoring new generations of lawyers. The recipients of this award were: Margalynne Armstrong, Santa Clara University School of Law; Markita D. Cooper, Golden Gate University School of Law; Constance de la Vega, University of San Francisco School of Law; Angela P. Harris, Boalt Hall School of Law; Bill Ong Hing, U.C. Davis School of Law; Shauna I. Marshall, Hastings College of the Law; and Miguel Mendez, Stanford Law School. The professors each offered their opinions on pressing issues and opportunities that face the legal and academic communities as our society grows increasingly more heterogeneous. Several awardees offered commentary on the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in the University of Michigan affirmative action cases, which were pending at the time of the luncheon.

A special highlight of the event was a surprise award to the Society's own Managing Attorney, William C. McNeill, III, recognizing his more than 30 years of dedicated work and leadership in civil rights law.

The board and staff of the Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center extend their deep appreciation to all the firms, individuals, guests, and sponsors who helped to raise critical funding for the Society's programs and made the luncheon a moving and meaningful event.

Event Co-Chairs
Fred W. Alvarez, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Jeffrey L. Bleich, President, San Francisco Bar Association
William Coblentz, Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass, LLP
Hon. Harry Low (Ret.)
Raymond Marshall, Bingham McCutchen LLP
Hon. Charles Renfrew (Ret.)

2003 Mathew O. Tobriner Public Service Award
Margalynne Armstrong, Santa Clara University School of Law
Markita D. Cooper, Golden Gate University School of Law
Constance De La Vega, University of San Francisco School of Law
Angela P. Harris, Boalt Hall School of Law
Bill Ong Hing, U.C. Davis School of Law
Shauna I. Marshall, Hastings College of the Law
Miguel A. Mendez, Stanford Law School

Keynote Speaker
Dennis Archer, President-Elect of the American Bar Association

Presenters
Jose Allen, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Elizabeth Cabraser, Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein LLP
The Honorable Thelton Henderson
Richard W. Odgers, Pillsbury Winthrop LLP

Lead Sponsor:

Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP www.lieffcabraser.com

Major Sponsor:



Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP www.hewm.com

Event Sponsor:



Pillsbury Winthrop LLP www.pillsburywinthrop.com

Sponsors
Cooley Godward LLP www.cooley.com
Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin www.howardrice.com
Morrison & Foerster www.mofo.com
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP www.skadden.com
Wells Fargo www.wellsfargo.com
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati www.wsgr.com

Benefactors
SBC California
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Watson Wyatt Worldwide

Patrons
Baker & McKenzie
Bingham McCutchen LLP
Buchalter, Nemer, Fields & Younger
Carroll, Burdick & McDonough LLP
ChevronTexaco Corporation
Clifford Chance
Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass, LLP
Cooper, White & Cooper LLP
Covington & Burling
Day Casebeer Madrid & Batchelder LLP
Farella Braun + Martel LLP
Fenwick & West LLP
Folger Levin & Kahn, LLP
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Goldstein, Demchak, Baller, Borgen & Dardarian
Gordon & Rees, LLP
Hancock, Rothert & Bunshoft, LLP
Hanson, Bridgett, Marcus, Vlahos & Rudy
Hildebrandt International, Inc.
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.
Kazan, McClain, Edises, Abrams, Fernandez, Lyons & Farrise
Keker & Van Nest LLP
Latham & Watkins
Levi Strauss & Co.
Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps LLP
McKesson Corporation
Milberg, Weiss, Bershad, Hynes & Lerach LLP
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
Nixon Peabody LLP
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
San Francisco Office of Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP
Shartsis, Friese & Ginsburg LLP
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP
Steefel, Levitt & Weiss
Thelen Reid & Priest LLP
Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP
Union Bank of California
Visa International
Winston & Strawn

Supporters
Altshuler, Berzon, Nussbaum, Rubin & Demain
Association of Legal Administrators
Coudert Brothers LLP
Friedman Dumas & Springwater
Greene Radovsky Maloney & Share LLP
The Impact Fund
JAMS
Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP
Law Offices of Michael G.W. Lee
Law Offices of Steve Phillips
McQuaid, Bedford & Van Zandt LLP
Minami, Lew & Tamaki LLP
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Preston Gates & Ellis LLP
Rogers Joseph O'Donnell & Phillips
The Sturdevant Law Firm
VanLobenSels/RembeRock Foundation

and thanks to our many other event donors and guests