Join us on Tuesday, July 7 for
Hyatt Regency San Francisco • 5 Embarcadero Center
11 am Reception, 12 noon Luncheon
Recipient of the 2009 Mathew O. Tobriner Public Service Award
RICHARD W. ODGERS
Tobriner Award presented by
THE HONORABLE RONALD M. GEORGE
Chief Justice, California Supreme Court
Keynote Address by
ANNETTE GORDON-REED
2009 Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for History for The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
Hyatt Regency San Francisco
5 Embarcadero Center
Reception: 11:00 am
Luncheon Program: 12:00 noon
To request more information or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, click here or contact Megan Segle or Steve Heimerle at (415) 864-8848 or msegle@las-elc.org.
Special Thanks to our Early Event Sponsors:
PACESETTERS
Latham & Watkins LLP
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP
VISIONARIES
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
CHAMPIONS
Audet & Partners, LLP
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Morrison & Foerster LLP
PARTNERS
AT&T
California Teachers Association
Cooley Godward Kronish LLP
Kazan, McClain, Abrams, Fernandez, Lyons, Greenwood, Harley & Oberman Foundation, Inc.
Keker & Van Nest LLP
Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
BENEFACTORS
DLA Piper
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
Shartsis Friese LLP
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
PATRONS
Altshuler Berzon LLP
Bingham McCutchen LLP
Calvo & Clark LLP
Carroll, Burdick & McDonough LLP
Chevron Corporation
Covington & Burling LLP
Farella Braun + Martel LLP
Fenwick & West LLP
Folger Levin & Kahn LLP
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Goldstein, Demchak, Baller, Borgen & Dardarian
Hanson Bridgett LLP
Hinton, Alfert & Sumner
Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin
Jones, Clifford, Johnson & Johnson, LLP
Kerr & Wagstaffe LLP
Levi Strauss & Co.
Lewis, Feinberg, Lee, Renaker & Jackson, P.C.
Minami Tamaki LLP
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Moscone, Emblidge & Quadra, LLP
Nixon Peabody LLP
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Reed Smith LLP
Ropes & Gray LLP
Saveri & Saveri, Inc.
Schneider Wallace Cottrell Brayton Konecky LLP
Sidley Austin LLP
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
Taylor & Company Law Offices, LLP
Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP
Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger
Watson Wyatt Worldwide
Wells Fargo & Company
Winston & Strawn LLP
Zelle Hofmann Voelbel & Mason LLP
SUPPORTERS
Berman DeValerio
Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP
Friedman Dumas & Springwater LLP
Rosen, Bien & Galvan, LLP
Rosenthal & Company LLC
Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff & Lowe, LLP
Rukin Hyland Doria & Tindall LLP
San Francisco Black Firefighters Association
Law Office of Silver & Taube
The Sturdevant Law Firm, A Professional Corporation
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation
ORGANIZATIONAL SPONSORS
van Löben Sels/RembeRock Foundation
Koret Foundation
MEDIA SPONSOR
The Recorder
IN-KIND DONOR
Bowne Financial Communications
We are grateful for the hospitality of:
Snowden Vineyards
TCHO
(As of 5/26/2009)
back to top
Please Join us for
The Elizabeth J. Cabraser
2009 SUMMER BROWN BAG LECTURES IN PUBLIC INTEREST LAW
at the Legal Aid Society - Employment Law Center
600 Harrison Street (@ 2nd Street), Suite 120, San Francisco, California 94107
For further information, please call (415) 864-8848 or email Kristen Schepker at kschepker@las-elc.org
Interpretive services can be provided with 72 hours notice.
TUESDAYS FROM NOON TO 1:30 PM
Bring your lunch and join us for the 27th season of talks on current legal and social issues.
The Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center is a California MCLE approved provider. All sessions are approved for 1.5 hours of MCLE credit and are free and open to the public.
Click here to see complete schedule.
June 9th
Beyond the Fields: The Legacy of the UFW in Today's Struggle for Justice
Randy Shaw, director of San Francisco's Tenderloin Housing Clinic, editor of the online daily newspaper BeyondChron.org, and author of Beyond the Fields (2008)
When Barack Obama adopted "Yes We Can" ("Si Se Puede") - the rallying cry of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers - as his campaign theme he reflected a renewed spirit for policies that advance social and economic justice. Randy Shaw will read from his new book and consider the impact of the lessons and legacy of Cesar Chavez and the UFW on generations of new activists.
June 16th
Reflections on the 50th Anniversary of California's Fair Employment and Housing Act
Marjorie Gelb, former general counsel, Department of Fair Employment and Housing
Steven Owyang, administrative law judge, Office of Administrative Hearings; former general counsel, Fair Employment and Housing Commission
Dale Brodsky, partner, Beeson Tayer & Bodine; former staff attorney, Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Fair Employment and Housing Commission
Moderated by Claudia Center, LAS-ELC attorney
Since its enactment in 1959, the Fair Employment and Housing Act has been at the center of civil rights enforcement in California, with repeated and innovative expansions to meet the changing needs of our society. Join three veterans of civil rights law reform and enforcement for a discussion of the history and the future of the Act.
June 23rd
Stories From Dangerous Work Sites: Using Narrative and Media to Advance Policy and Law Enforcement
Alexandra Berzon, journalist and winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
Mandy Hawes, partner with Alexander Hawes LLP and advocate for safe workplaces, including exposure standards for workers exposed to toxins
After the Las Vegas Sun published Alexandra Berzon's series on a devastating string of fatalities among construction workers assigned to unsafe job sites along the Las Vegas strip, a massive outcry over lax enforcement by state and federal regulators reached Washington, D.C. While the outcome of recent promises to strengthen compliance remains unknown, advocates agree that strong policies advancing safety in the workplace depend on making visible the human experiences of affected workers and their families. Berzon will join in conversation with OSHA expert and toxic tort litigator Mandy Hawes to tell these important stories.
June 30th
Gay Olympics on Trial: Filmmakers Capture Mary Dunlap's Epic Battle
Jonathan Joiner, producer, director, photographer, tenants' rights attorney
Robert Martin, producer, director, writer, consultant, facilitator
Beth Pielert, producer, director, cinematographer, editor
Maureen Mason, surviving spouse of Mary Dunlap
Introductions by Denise Hulett, LAS-ELC attorney, and co-counsel with Mary Dunlap in Davis v. City and County of San Francisco, the landmark employment discrimination class action against the San Francisco Fire Department
Filmmakers Jonathan Joiner and Robert Martin, with co-producer Beth Pielert and interview subject Maureen Mason, will screen and discuss their documentary Claiming the Title: Gay Olympics on Trial. The 30-minute short film tells the infamous story of the legal battles launched when the United States Olympic Committee sued in 1982 to stop a gay athletic group from holding the first "Gay Olympics" in San Francisco. Led by the late Mary Dunlap, San Francisco Arts & Athletics fought over many years for judicial losses to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.
July 14th
What Social Science Research Tells Us About Workplace Discrimination (and How Lawyers Can Help End It)
Richard F. Martell, Ph.D., Martell Consulting, LLC, industrial-organizational psychologist and expert in human resource management and organizational behavior
Denise Hulett, LAS-ELC attorney and class action litigator
Social science research is increasingly identifying the institutional factors that enhance or diminish gender and race bias in decision-making. Applying this research to real-world organizations, lawyers bringing discrimination claims are partnering with experts to articulate to judges and juries the bases of bias, the consequences for members of protected classes, and the content of remedial measures. Richard Martell and Denise Hulett will review the convergence of research and legal advocacy in class action employment litigation.
July 21st
The War at Home: Assisting Veterans with Psychiatric Disabilities
Gordon Erspamer, senior counsel, Morrison & Foerster LLP, Board member for Swords to Plowshares, attorney for plaintiffs in Veterans for Common Sense v. Peake
Amy Fairweather, policy project director, Swords to Plowshares Iraq Veterans Project
Increasing numbers of returning veterans with PTSD and other service-related psychiatric disabilities face extraordinary obstacles when seeking basic aid from the Veterans Administration. Join advocates Gordon Erspamer and Amy Fairweather for a discussion of the ongoing struggle to ensure access to VA benefits.
July 28th
Supreme Court Review: Analysis and Discussion of the 2008-09 Term
Pamela S. Karlan, Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Professor of Public Interest Law, Stanford Law School
Drawing on her experiences as a former Supreme Court clerk, constitutional law professor, and founding director of Stanford's Supreme Court Litigation Clinic, Professor Pamela Karlan provides her analysis of the 2008-09 Supreme Court term. The docket reviews matters of public importance, including the meaning and constitutionality of portions of the Voting Rights Act, the enforceability of collectively bargained arbitration clauses, the power of the FCC to punish "fleeting expletives," the role of the FDA in state law tort claims, the right of criminal defendants to "confront" the creators of forensic laboratory reports, and whether the attorney general and the FBI director can be held personally liable for the post-9/11 mistreatment of Muslims.
back to top
Settlement Reached With Oakland Unified School District Over Language Discrimination Case
Laotian refugee discriminated against over limited English skills, which had no adverse effect on her job performance as a school custodian.
San Francisco, CA, October 1, 2008: Civil rights groups today announced the settlement of a lawsuit against the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) on behalf of a refugee from Laos who had successfully performed her job as an OUSD custodian for more than two years before OUSD decided that her English reading and writing abilities did not meet a newly imposed English requirement for custodians. The Legal Aid Society – Employment Law Center (LAS–ELC) and the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project (ACLU–IRP) represented Farm Meng Saephan in the federal civil rights case. The successful settlement sends a message to all employers that arbitrary language requirements cannot stand.
While the terms of the settlement are confidential, the plaintiff in the lawsuit, Farm Meng Saephan, is thrilled with the outcome: "I knew it was unjust for OUSD to refuse to return me to work when they rehired everyone else. For me, winning this settlement is an admission that they did the wrong thing, and that they knew a judge and jury would have agreed."
Ms. Saephan came to the United States as a refugee from Laos in 1980 as an adult. Her primary language was Mien, and although she spoke English, her ability to read and write English was limited. When Ms. Saephan was hired as a school custodian by OUSD in 2001, however, that did not affect her ability to do the job in any way; Ms. Saephan performed her job flawlessly and received glowing evaluations from her supervisors. Although Ms. Saephan was laid off when OUSD "downsized" in 2003 for budgetary reasons, her union contract guaranteed that she would be reinstated to her position once funds became available again. But when she was recalled the following year, Ms. Saephan could not demonstrate that she met the newly imposed English requirement, and she was told that she would not get her old job back.
"I proved for over two years that I could carry out all of my job duties very well, and I shouldn't have had to pass an English test to keep my job," said Ms. Saephan. "My work never required me to read or write very much, and my English never got in the way. So when OUSD created this new English requirement, it was as if they didn't care how well I did my work – it only seemed to me like they were trying to exclude me for some other reason."
"Discrimination against workers because of their language is something that we see all the time. But unless the job itself actually requires that employees are able to speak, read, or write English as an important part of their work, this kind of discrimination serves no purpose except to discriminate," said Christopher Ho, the lead attorney on the case. "This was a very clear–cut situation where all OUSD accomplished by applying its English requirement was to lose a great employee, based on an arbitrary policy that had no basis in anything but negative stereotypes and unfounded assumptions about immigrant workers."
"OUSD is to be highly commended for settling this case," said Jennifer Chang Newell, a staff attorney with the ACLU–IRP who assisted on the case. "I doubt that it will use this ill–advised English requirement in the future."
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has observed an increasing trend of charge filings alleging English–only violations since the Commission began separately tracking such charges in the mid–1990s (http://www.eeoc.gov/press/4-20-01.html).
back to top
Hollywood Video Store Charged With Refusing
To Hire Muslim-American Teen Because
She Would Not Remove Headscarf
Similar Cases Reflect Growing Trend Of Post-9/11 Discrimination
Against Muslim Women In Bay Area And U.S.
San Francisco, CA, July 30, 2008: In many ways, Lamia is a typical American teenager. A Bay Area native and student at West Valley Community College in Saratoga, CA, the 19-year-old chats incessantly on her cell phone, haunts the local malls, goes bowling, and loves listening to the latest hits. She is also Muslim, and always wears a headscarf, or "hijab," as part of her faith. When she interviewed for a job at a Los Gatos, CA Hollywood Video store in March 2008, she was told that the store would hire her – but only if she removed her headscarf. Faced with that choice, Lamia (whose last name is being withheld to guard her privacy) could only refuse. "I just couldn't take off my scarf," Lamia said. "It would be against my religious beliefs, and the very core of my identity, to remove my scarf." The job offer was withdrawn, and Lamia was devastated.
Today, the Legal Aid Society – Employment Law Center (LAS-ELC) filed charges with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against Hollywood Video on Lamia's behalf, alleging that the company discriminated against Lamia in violation of fundamental U.S. and California civil rights laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. Lamia charges in her EEOC complaint that, by refusing to hire her, Hollywood Video discriminated against her on the basis of her religion, sex, and national origin.
"Every worker in the United States, irrespective of his or her religious beliefs, is subject to equal treatment under our laws," said Carole Vigne, an attorney at the LAS-ELC representing Lamia in the case. "While employers may have dress codes in place, they are generally required by law to accommodate symbols of one's faith, such as crucifixes, turbans, yarmulkes, or in Lamia's case, headscarves. Hollywood Video's refusal to hire Lamia unless she removed her hijab was a blatant infringement of her personal dignity and a violation of both federal and state anti-discrimination laws."
The discrimination that Lamia encountered convinced her that she needed to speak out on behalf of other Muslim women, especially Muslim teens like herself. "Discriminating against Muslim teens who wear a scarf is hurtful and unfair," Lamia said. "Muslim teenagers, like any other teens, should be treated equally when they apply for jobs and should be able to feel comfortable in their neighborhood stores. We just want to be treated like everybody else."
Lamia's case reflects a growing trend. In the last month alone, two other cases, both of which were brought by the Asian Law Caucus have been in the news involving Californian women who claimed they were discriminated against because they wore Islamic headscarves in the workplace. Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, there has been a significant increase in the number of charges filed with the EEOC and its California equivalent, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), alleging workplace discrimination based on religion and/or national origin against individuals who are or are perceived to be Muslim or Arab.
RESOURCES:
– Legal Fact Sheet on Religious Discrimination
– Click here to see other Legal Fact Sheets on employment discrimination
back to top
McDonald's of Berkeley Charged with Discriminating Against Workers with Developmental Disabilities
Longtime Employees Fired Without Notice or Explanation When Franchise Sold: "You're no longer part of the team."
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, July 22, 2008 – For 21 years, Lisa Craib, who has a form of autism, faithfully worked at a popular McDonald's restaurant in downtown Berkeley, CA, becoming a familiar presence to regular customers. One day, the franchise was sold – and shortly thereafter, Ms. Craib and two other workers with disabilities were fired. A prominent "Help Wanted – Equal Opportunity Employer" sign appeared right afterwards in the window.
Today, the Legal Aid Society – Employment Law Center (LAS-ELC) filed charges with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging that the McDonald's, located on Shattuck Avenue in the heart of Berkeley, unlawfully discriminated against Ms. Craib and her two co-workers because of their developmental disabilities. "Our investigation shows that at least three employees with severe disabilities were fired without notice or explanation when the franchise was sold," said Claudia Center, a Senior Staff Attorney with the LAS-ELC.
Ms. Craib worked the morning crew for 21 years, cleaning tables, preparing salads, and bussing tables. Days after the franchise was sold, she was abruptly fired along with other disabled workers. "YouÕre no longer part of the team," her supervisor said.
Ms. Craib has Asperger's Syndrome. She used a job coach provided by a local agency for people with development disabilities to master her duties at McDonald's. "I was extremely upset," said Ms. Craib about losing her job. "I felt as though my home was being taken away from me. It hit me really hard."
At McDonald's, Ms. Craib was a familiar face on the morning shift for two decades. "Everything had to be really clean," explained Ms. Craib. "You couldn't leave a mess just sitting there." Two of the regular customers referred to Ms. Craib as "Miss McDonald's."
"I enjoyed my job," said Ms. Craib. "Having a job means that I have my own money. I can be responsible. I can make my own choices. Everyone in my family works." She added, "I don't like being cooped up with nothing to do."
Prior to working at the McDonald's, Ms. Craib attended Berkeley High and community college. An award-winning horseback rider, she also was an assistant coach in the Special Olympics and helped other disabled athletes.
Although July 26th marks the 18th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), much work remains to improve employment outcomes for persons with disabilities. Only eight percent of persons with severe disabilities are employed. Individuals with less severe disabilities – while more likely to be employed than severely disabled persons – still experience a 26 percent unemployment rate, and are far less likely than persons without disabilities to have a job.
"The ADA was passed to promote the employment and integration of workers such as Lisa Craib and her coworkers," explained Ms. Center. "These actions cast serious doubt upon McDonald's much publicized commitment to such ideals."
back to top
News from the Paid Family Leave Collaborative:
Nation's First Paid Family Leave Law Celebrates
4th Anniversary of Success
California's landmark law leads national trend, with more than 500,000 claims from new parents and caregivers processed since 2004
San Francisco, CA, July 15, 2008: The concept of paid family leave is here to stay, with several states and growing bipartisan support helping the U.S. to catch up with many other industrialized nations that have long offered such programs. California just marked the fourth anniversary of its Paid Family Leave Program – the nation's first – and two more states have recently enacted laws to provide partially paid leave for employees who need to care for seriously ill family members, newborns, and adoptive or foster children.
The issue has also become a topic in the presidential election, with Senator Barack Obama proposing a "50-state strategy to adopt paid-leave systems," stating, "You shouldn't be punished for getting sick or dealing with a family crisis." While John McCain voted for the original Family and Medical Leave Act in 1993, he has remained silent on expanding family leave benefits. However, in a sign of increasing bipartisan support for family leave, last month the House of Representatives voted by a wide margin (278 to 146) to enhance parental leave benefits for federal employees, including 50 Republicans who voted in favor of the measure.
California's closely watched Paid Family Leave law, in effect since July 1, 2004, provides benefits for an estimated 13 million covered employees who need to take time off to bond with a new child or take care of a seriously ill family member, including domestic partners. The program, which replaces approximately 55% of wages up to $917 per week, costs nothing to employers or the general public since it is funded by deductions from employees' paychecks. According to the California Employment Development Department (EDD), which administers the Paid Family Leave program, $410.9 million in paid family leave benefits were paid and 183,437 claims were filed last year alone.
Washington enacted its paid family leave law in May, 2007, and last month, New Jersey became the third state to enact such a program. In a news release, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine said that the bill he signed into law was "personally significant" to him, noting that while he relied on his family's support and their flexibility after he was injured in an accident, "not everyone has that luxury." Under New Jersey's new law, employees will also fund the paid family leave program with paycheck deductions, and will receive up to 66% of their weekly pay.Ê Paid family leave bills are under consideration by legislatures in five other states (Arizona, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Pennsylvania).
California resident Lisa Yuka Mukai, of San Francisco, took advantage of the state's paid family leave program while bonding with her newborn and providing assistance to her mother, who is ill with a brain tumor. "I don't know how the working class can survive without it," Ms. Mukai observes, "because things like babies and sick parents are inevitable, just like the bills and rent." She added that with paid family leave, "you don't have to tell your baby or your mother that they're not worth a day off from work to care for them."
California's experience implementing its landmark law is a barometer for what other states will face as the paid leave trend continues. While growing numbers of Californians are taking advantage of paid family leave benefits, more work needs to be done to address the needs of underserved communities and extended families. Despite the efforts of community advocates, the public's awareness of the law has actually decreased, according to a January 2008 report from the UCLA California Family Leave Research Project. In fact, Black and Latina/o workers as well as low-income workers are the least likely to be aware of the program. Recognizing that families are not limited to parents, children, spouses, and domestic partners, in 2007 State Senator Sheila Kuehl authored SB 727, which would have expanded eligibility for paid family leave benefits to grandparents, grandchildren, parents-in-law, and siblings. Unfortunately, Governor Schwarzenegger ultimately vetoed the bill.
The LAS-ELC is a member of the Paid Family Leave Collaborative a statewide group of nonprofit organizations committed to informing Californians of their rights under Paid Family Leave through educational resources, workshops, and free legal information.
RESOURCES:
– Legal Fact Sheets:
LAS–ELC's Fact Sheet on Paid Family Leave
Other Fact Sheets on Work &s; Wellness Issues
–Additional Information: Visit the website of the Paid Family Leave Collaborative website
–EDD Helpline: nformation on how to apply for Paid Family Leave in California is available through the Employment Development Department helpline at 1-877-BE-THERE (in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Armenian, Punjabi, and Tagalog) or 1-800-445-1312 (TTY) and at www.edd.ca.gov.
–Legal Helplines: The following organizations in the Paid Family Leave Collaborative have set up legal assistance helplines for workers experiencing difficulty taking leave who need answers to employment-related questions:
Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center: 1-800-880-8047 (Español, Chinese, and English)
Equal Rights Advocates: 1-800-839-4372 (Español & English)
Labor Project for Working Families: 1-510-643-7088
back to top
LAS-ELC Attorney Received Public Service Award
from Stanford Law School
Christopher Ho (right), who received the 2007 Alumni Public Service Award from the John and Terry Levin Center for Public Service and Public Interest Law, with David Doniger (left), recipient of the Center's 2007 National Public Service Award, and Stanford Law School Dean Larry Kramer (center).
The LAS-ELC is proud to announce that Senior Staff Attorney Christopher Ho has received the 2007 Alumni Public Service Award from Stanford Law School's John and Terry Levin Center for Public Service and Public Interest Law. Mr. Ho, who also is Director of the National Origin, Immigration, and Language Rights Program at the LAS-ELC, was recognized for his path-breaking legal advocacy on behalf of workers facing immigration- and language-based discrimination in the workplace. Mr. Ho accepted the recognition at an awards dinner on November 5, 2007 held at the Stanford University campus in Palo Alto, CA. For more on the Alumni Public Service Award, click here.
While at Stanford, Mr. Ho's public interest career developed through his involvement with overseeing the work of the East Palo Alto Community Law Project, and his externship with U.S. District Judge Thelton E. Henderson. After graduating in 1987, Mr. Ho was chosen to be one of the first five beneficiaries of Stanford's innovative public service initiative, LRAP (Loan Repayment Assistance Program). After graduating, Mr. Ho, held the LAS-ELC's Félix Velarde-Muñoz Law Fellowship - one of only a handful of highly competitive post-graduate legal fellowships in the United States at the time. Mr. Ho then spent one year as a Law Fellow at Public Advocates, then returned to the LAS-ELC in 1990. In the following two decades, he has accumulated a remarkable record of litigating precedent-setting cases that have helped to recast the legal landscape for immigrant workers, and has emerged as one of the nation's foremost legal experts on issues of immigration- and language- based discrimination in the workplace.
Mr. Ho received his B.A. cum laude and with Distinction in Political Science from Yale College in 1977, and an A.M. in Government from Harvard University in 1980. He is a former board member of the East Palo Alto Community Law Project, the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area, and Asians for Job Opportunities in the Bay Area, and is a past chair of the Human Rights Committee of the State Bar of California. He is currently a member of the board of directors of California Rural Legal Assistance and the Windcall Futures Project.
|
