1. law, govt and politics
2. government
3. courts and judiciary

June 2013
Professional Advancement and Lawyers Without Courtrooms Committees’ Upcoming Luncheon Program
Diversity and Rainmaking: How to Win Clients and Influence Your Book of Business
By Shalini K. Kedia and Jennifer Chang
Lawyers Club of San Diego’s Professional Advancement and Lawyers Without
Courtrooms committees present an interactive luncheon program on June 20 to
discuss the importance of staffing legal matters with teams of diverse attorneys
and to provide practical advice on how to enhance the in-house/outside counsel relationship. Kicking off the event will be keynote speaker, Phillip Rudolph, Executive
Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary at Jack in the Box Inc.
Rudolph will discuss his thoughts
about how important it is for people in
management roles at law firms and inhouse legal departments to not just manage, but to lead. In particular, he will offer
some discussion starters about how true
Phil Rudolph
leaders can provide meaningful growth
and development opportunities to the broad and diverse array of
talented legal professionals with whom they work on a day-to-day
basis, and help reduce or eliminate the obstacles to success that
many may face.
Rudolph’s thoughtful remarks will be followed by breakout
sessions at each table, with local prominent in-house counsel
discussing candidly how diversity may be utilized to win their
business, enhance client relationships, and deliver superior workproduct. During these breakout sessions, in-house counsel will
also share what they look for when selecting outside counsel,
how to make a successful pitch for business, and what pitfalls
to avoid in managing clients. It is anticipated that these breakout
sessions will also benefit the junior in-house counsel attendees
as well, who will learn firsthand from general counsels regarding
important considerations when running a legal department and
from the exchange between in-house and outside counsel regarding the expectations and criteria shared. All attendees will have
ample opportunity to ask discussion leaders questions regarding
other related topics.
After earning his law degree from the University of Chicago
Law School in 1983, Rudolph began his career in the Los Angeles
office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He later moved to the firm’s
Washington, D.C. office, was elected to the partnership in 1991,
and remained with the firm as an antitrust and litigation partner
until he went in-house at McDonald’s Corporation in 1998 as
Vice President of the legal department. During his 5 years at
McDonald’s, among other roles, he served as Deputy General
Counsel, U.S. General Counsel and International General Counsel.
For McDonald’s, Rudolph developed and oversaw the company’s
global ethical sourcing program. After leaving McDonald’s in 2003,
Rudolph joined the Washington, D.C. office of Foley Hoag LLP,
where he specialized in advising clients in the area of corporate
responsibility. In 2006, he joined Ethical Leadership Group, a
Chicago-based ethics consultancy as Vice President and General
Counsel, in addition to maintaining a full complement of consulting clients. Since 2007, Rudolph has been at the helm of the legal
department at Jack in the Box Inc.
Numerous prominent in-house counsels will lead small breakout sessions at each table. As of the date of this publication, the
following had been confirmed: Heather Anderson, Senior Corporate Counsel at Best Buy; Darragh Davis, General Counsel of
Petco; Jim Edwards, General Counsel of Cubic Corporation; Kari
Prevost, General Counsel of HG Fenton; Janine Sarti, Chief Legal
Officer of Palomar Health; Steven Spector, General Counsel of
Arena Pharmaceuticals; Ky Lewis, III, General Counsel of Sharp
HealthCare; and Randy Berholtz, General Counsel of ApricusBio.
Continued on page 4
What? When? Where?
What: Interactive luncheon program
When: 12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Where: The Bristol Hotel, 1055 First Avenue, San Diego,
92101
Cost: Members, $25; Non-members, $40; Students, $20;
At the door if space is available, $40
RSVP: www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
What’s Inside
Upcoming Events:
Need a mentor? See page 4 for details.
Lawyers Club 2013 annual Golf Tournament at Riverwalk
Golf Club, See page 5
Of Note
Lawyers Club welcomes four new members to its board
of directors, Eric Ganci, Bhashini Weerasinghe, Shalini
Kedia and Jamie Quient, See page 8.
Past Events
Dine around with Lawyers Club proves to be a win-win,
See pages 6-7
Take your child to work luncheon a huge success, See
pages 10-11
Equal Pay Day Leadership Luncheon raises awareness,
See pages 14-15
2
Lawyers Club News
june 2013
President Sarah Boot’s Farewell Message to Members
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve Lawyers Club.
Leading this organization has been an inspiring and humbling experience for me.
When Lawyers Club was founded in 1972 by a handful of courageous men and
women, it had just 24 members, and what they did was groundbreaking. Forty-one
years later, we have grown to approximately 1,200 members – more than at any
time in the organization’s history. Lawyers Club remains a powerful force in this
legal community and in the greater San Diego community because we are strong
in number, many of our members have attained positions of power, and we are
dedicated to our mission to advance the status of women in law and in society. I
Sarah Boot
am inspired by the fact that the founding of this organization, its impressive growth
over the years, and this incredibly successful year have all been due to the tireless efforts of dedicated
volunteers. I am humbled by the fact that these volunteers are men and women with incredibly demanding and time-consuming jobs in the legal profession. Due to their dedication to our mission, they
carve out time away from their careers, their families, and their personal lives. I am grateful to all of
our members for joining Lawyers Club and supporting the cause, but I would like to extend a special
thank you to our volunteers for all of their hard work this year.
Due to your efforts, this has been a banner year for Lawyers Club.
We’ve put on numerous groundbreaking programs and launched new
initiatives to advance the status of women in the law. With our Balance Symposium and our Dine Arounds, we engaged our members in
the national dialogue of women in the workplace, fueled by AnneMarie
Slaughter, Sheryl Sandberg, and others. We created the Networking
Events Committee to provide our members with informal opportunities to network with one another during social happy hours. We clearly
tapped into something with this initiative, because we had approximately 100 members at each of these events, and they served as a
great recruiting tool. Our Fall Wine and Cheese with the Judiciary and
our inaugural Spring Women of Color Day Reception also provided our
members with opportunities to network with judges and leaders of
the legal community. We held interview seminars, speed mentorship
events, a seminar instructing our members on how to secure positions
on boards or commissions, and numerous other seminars instructing
our members on professional advancement.
We’ve also done a great deal to provide assistance to and advocate
for women in the community. We revamped our big fundraising event,
formerly Champagne and Chocolate, to create the successful Red,
White, and Brew event, which enabled us to raise even more money
for our Fund for Justice. (As most of you know, the Fund for Justice is
Lawyers Club’s charitable arm, which grants money raised by Lawyers
Club to local charities working to help women in our community). We
also raised money for and executed a renovation project for the San
Diego Youth Center’s Teen Options Center, which supports pregnant and
parenting adolescent teens. We were proud to partner with numerous
women’s organizations on a variety of events to combat gender inequality and to raise awareness of issues affecting women, including an
event with the CEO of the Girl Scouts, the screening of the documentary MissRepresentation, a luncheon featuring Sandra Fluke, an event
with Gloria Steinem, a luncheon educating our members regarding the
prevalence of the horrific crime of sex trafficking in our community, and
an event on Equal Pay Day highlighting the pay inequity that still exists
between men and women.
Yet, despite all of our efforts, which were immense, and despite our
successes, which should be celebrated, we still have so much work to
do. We need to continue to train and mentor our members and provide
them with networking opportunities in order to aid them in their professional advancement. Even though women and men have been graduating from law school at roughly equal rates for decades, the number of
women law firm partners has hovered at around 20% for approximately
10 years, even here in San Diego. Moreover, women continue to remain underrepresented in powerful leadership roles across many fields,
including business, science and technology, politics, the media, and
the military. We need to continue to advocate for policies that ensure
more women advance to positions of power and to push for equal pay
for women. We also need to fight against the harmful, one-dimensional
depiction of women as merely sex objects in much of our mass media,
which has a stifling effect on the ambitions of young girls.
Additionally, the proponents of the War on Women have not disappeared; they are still making ignorant comments about women’s bodies
and chipping away at women’s right to choose. We need to continue
to do what we can to protect that right. As attorneys, we also need to
continue to advocate for the disadvantaged women in our community.
San Diego remains one of the worst places in the country for the sex
trafficking of minors. This is modern day slavery that terrorizes mostly
young women – Lawyers Club should be on the front lines of this fight.
And there is so much more.
This is why the work of Lawyers Club is critical. We cannot afford to
lose any ground; rather, we must continue with the momentum of this
year and push forward with our mission. Fortunately, we have a leadership team in place prepared to do just that. Our incoming President,
Johanna Schiavoni, has a stellar track record as a leader within Lawyers
Club and many other community organizations. We will benefit greatly
from Johanna’s leadership experience, her intense work ethic, her creativity, and her passion for our mission. Similarly, our incoming Board of
Directors is a diverse group of people, both by way of background and
legal practice, who have already contributed greatly to Lawyers Club’s
success. You would be hard pressed to find a more dedicated group.
Finally, I thank you for giving me the honor of leading this organization. Serving as the Lawyers Club President has been a labor of love.
I remain passionate about our mission. I intend to stay involved with
Lawyers Club, and I also look forward to advancing gender equality
within the San Diego community going forward.
Lawyers Club News
www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
Lawyers Club
of San Diego
701 B Street, Suite 224,
San Diego, CA 92101
About Us
Lawyers Club members making news
By Jodi Cleesattle
(619) 595-0650 phone
Elected
(619) 595-0657 fax
[email protected]
Ruthleen Uy, a partner with the San Diego office intellectual property law firm,
Sughrue Mion, PLLC, was elected co-vice president of the Pan Asian Lawyers of San
Diego board of directors. She also serves on the Pan Asian Lawyers Events Committee.
President
Sarah Boot
Vice Presidents
Lana Plumb, Johanna Schiavoni,
Natalie Prescott,
and Rupa Singh
Promoted
Ruthleen Uy
Secretary
Anna Romanskaya
Treasurer
Renee Galente
Mara Elliott
North County Chapter
President: Danielle Moore
Editor
Michelle Ialeggio
Executive Director
Elaine Lawrence
Jackie Slotkin
Vicky Frank
Incoming Lawyers Club president Johanna Schiavoni founded her own practice in
May. The Law Office of Johanna S. Schiavoni, a boutique firm specializing in appeals
and writs, can be found online at www.schiavoni-law.com. Schiavoni previously was an
appellate litigation partner with Jacobs & Schlesinger LLP.
Marnie Smith and Rachel Scatizzi have started a family law practice, Smith &
Scatizzi, LLP. Smith previously was a partner and Scatizzi was an associate at Seltzer
Caplan McMahon Vitek. Their new firm, located downtown, can be found online at
www.smithscatizzi.com.
Jodi Cleesattle is a deputy attorney general with the California Department of Justice and Lawyers Club’s Press Liaison.
Lawyers Club News is published
monthly 11 times a year, with a
combined July/August issue.
Lawyers Club welcomes contributions
to the newsletter, as well as your
comments and suggestions regarding
Lawyers Club News. Contact Michelle
Ialeggio at [email protected]
with your ideas for articles.
Jackie Slotkin, professor at California Western School of Law, has published her
latest book with her daughter and co-author, Samantha Slotkin Goodman, “Mother in
Law: Work-Life Balance from the Children’s Perspective.” The book, the third in a series
looking at the effect of legal careers on families, includes essays and drawings from the
children of lawyers ranging in age from three to 40, sharing stories of their mothers’
and fathers’ work-life balance and the effect a career in law can have on a family.
On the Move
East County Chapter
President: Carolyn Brock
Administrative
Coordinator
Mara Elliott has been promoted to Chief Deputy City Attorney for the City of San Diego. She joined the office in 2009 and served as the attorney to the Audit Committee,
the City Treasurer and the City Clerk. In her new position, Elliott will oversee advisory
services to the Purchasing and Contracting, Environmental Services, Stormwater,
Information Techonology, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Public Utilities (excluding
Water and Wastewater) departments.
Published
Directors
Deborah Dixon, Erika Hiramatsu,
Patricia Hollenbeck,
Michelle Ialeggio, Jessica Jagir,
and Tamera Weisser
3
Johanna Schiavoni
The deadline for articles is the first
day of the month prior to the month of
publication. The advertising deadline is
the eighth day of the month prior to the
month of publication. Articles should
be submitted in Microsoft Word. For
advertising information, contact Elaine
Lawrence at (619) 595-0650.
Have you...
...changed jobs? ...spoken at a conference?
...won any recent awards?
Marnie Smith
Don’t be shy about sharing your good news.
Submit information regarding your or your colleagues’
career accomplishments for our “About Us” column (p.3)
– awards, promotions, job changes, board appointments,
published articles, presentations, etc. –
to Jodi Cleesattle at [email protected].
The deadline for each issue of Lawyers Club News
is the first of the month prior to that issue.
Rachel Scatizzi
4
Lawyers Club News
june 2013
Need or Be a Mentor on June 12
Diversity and Rainmaking
Lawyers Club Mentor Committee will host
a Mentor Roundtable to assist not only law
students but attorneys of all practice levels in
finding mentors, sharing experiences, and seeking
guidance. The event will be on Wednesday, June
12, at Spike Africa’s Grill and Bar, 411 Broadway,
Downtown (at 4th Avenue) with the formal program
from 5:15 pm to 6:45 pm, followed by informal
networking from 6:45 to 7:15 pm.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to network with prominent inhouse counsel and obtain invaluable information that will directly
impact your ability to build business. Join us for this cutting-edge program on Thursday, June 20 from 12:00 noon to 1:15 p.m. (doors open
at 11:45 a.m.), at the Bristol Hotel, 1055 First Avenue, San Diego, CA
92101. Attendance fee for LC members is $25 and for non-members,
$40. Attendees will earn .75 MCLE for elimination of bias. To register,
go to www.lawyersclubsandiego.com. For additional information,
please contact Shalini K. Kedia ([email protected]), Chair
of the Professional Advancement Committee, or Jennifer Chang
([email protected]) or Kristin Witteveen ([email protected]), co-chairs of Lawyers Without Courtroom Committee.
Tables will be grouped by practice area or type, with attorneys of
varying levels of experience at each table. Mentors should have at
least six years of experience. Participants will have an opportunity
to visit up to two different tables during the formal program, and are
encouraged to establish an ongoing mentorship if they make a connection with an attorney.
Shalini K. Kedia is an experienced civil litigator with her own mediation practice, KEDIA MEDIATION, an incoming Lawyers Club Board
of Director (2013-2014), and Chair of the Professional Advancement
Committee.
The event is free, but registration is limited and is open to Lawyers
Club members only. To register or for more information, visit lawyersclubsandiego.com.
Contnued from page 1
Jennifer Chang is a business and real estate transactions associate at Sullivan Hill Lewin Rez & Engel, member of the Professional
Advancement Committee, and co-Chair of the Lawyers Without
Courtrooms Committee.
Extreme Makeover: Lawyers Club Edition – Makeover Completed!
By Stephanie McKnight
The San Diego Lawyer’s Club Community Outreach Committee (COC) completed its annual project
benefitting San Diego Youth Services Teen Options (Teen Options) with tremendous success! The
Teen Options program is designed to support pregnant/parenting teens and young adults; with a focus
on recovery from addictions, living independently, and developing healthy lives and relationships.
After completing its fundraising, the COC broke ground in September 2012 on Teen Options’ nursery and living room area. Renovations
included new lighting, painting, removing carpet, laying down hardwood floors, trim work, new sofas and tables, as well as artwork and
additional decorative touches to complete a beautiful new space for
both the staff and the young woman participants of the program.
The COC completed the project a week ahead of schedule as a
result of dedicated volunteers and committee members led by the
tireless efforts of project leaders Nicole Heeder and Amanda Thompson of Heeder|Thompson. Heeder and Thompson devoted countless
hours to organizing, getting supplies, and working many weekends
with volunteers, successfully balancing these many volunteer hours
with their employment law practice. Longtime COC member Merrianne Dean was also instrumental to the project’s success, once again
bringing her expertise, tools, industry contacts and many hours of
labor to the project.
After the project was completed, the COC members gathered to
make bags of treats and supplies to distribute to the girls and young
women of Teen Options at Halloween, many of the goodies donated
by COC member Dana Grimes of Grimes and Warwick. The COC also
provided an end of the year holiday meal with all the trimmings at Teen
Options for the girls, young women and their children. In addition,
COC was able to use surplus funds raised to purchase an assortment of baby supplies, toys, and clothing for donation to the program.
Some volunteers have provided additional support by gifting gently
used baby and children’s clothes and other items to the program.
The COC invited donors, volunteers, project supporters, and members of the Teen Options program to a “project unveiling” on February
22, 2013, where attendees were able to see the result of the project’s
completion and partake in light refreshments as well as interact with
some of the program members. Everyone at SDYS and Teen Options
has been quite pleased with what we were able to accomplish.
Major fundraising for this project took place at a COC fundraiser at
98 Bottles in downtown San Diego. We salute and thank Brown Law
Group for providing generous support to this project both at the 98
Bottles fundraiser in and in a later generous donation. The COC also
extends its appreciation to COC member Tara Jacobson for obtaining
furniture donations from Jerome’s furniture. The box accompanying
this article lists the many additional supporters whose generosity
made this project possible.
The COC’s projects are only as successful as the time and effort
given by those that volunteer to help. The COC could not be happier
with how this year’s project turned out! For more information on
how to get involved with the Community Outreach Committee and its
future projects, please email COC Secretary, Stephanie McKnight @
[email protected], or COC co-chairs, Michele Macosky @
[email protected], or Dana Grimes @ [email protected].
Stephanie McKnight is a member of Lawyers Club’s community
outreach committee.
www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
Lawyers Club News
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Lawyers Club News
6
june 2013
“Dine Around with Lawyers Club of San Diego”
Proves to be a Win-Win All the Way Around
By Shalini K. Kedia
Open only to Lawyers Club (LC) members, the Balance and
Professional Advancement Committees’ inaugural “Dine Around
with the Lawyers Club of San Diego” sold out within hours after
registration opened. The innovative event consisted of 8 catered
dinners taking place during the week of April 14, each hosted by a
prominent female member of the San Diego legal community.
The brainchild of United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth
Circuit Judge M. Margaret McKeown, the Dine Around offered LC
members an opportunity to attend a dinner hosted by judges and
accomplished attorneys to discuss the professional advancement and
balance issues raised by Anne-Marie Slaughter’s article entitled, “Why
Women Still Can’t Have It All,” published in The Atlantic last summer.
Mara Elliot, Deputy City Attorney at the Office of the San Diego City
Attorney, hailed Judge McKeown’s idea as “brilliant.” The hosts and
attendees found the topic to be timely, relevant, and interesting.
Michelle Landis Gearhart, an Associate at Liedle, Lounsbery, Larson
& Lidl, commented that Ms. Slaughter’s article, was “a great catalyst
for discussions about the legal profession as a whole and the issues
facing our generation of women lawyers.”
Hosts included Wendy Behan, Partner, Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield LLP; Juanita Brooks, Principal, Fish & Richardson; Hon. Karen S. Crawford, Federal Magistrate Judge, United
States District Court for the Southern District of California; Hon.
Marilyn L. Huff, Federal District Judge, United States District Court
for the Southern District of California; Hon. Sharon B. Majors-Lewis,
San Diego County Superior Court; Judge McKeown; Janine A. Sarti,
Chief Legal Officer of Palomar Health instead of General Counsel of
Palomar Health. , Palomar Health; and Vickie E. Turner, Partner, Wilson
Turner and Kosmo LLP.
All of the hosts expressed their enthusiasm and excitement about
hosting a dinner. Each graciously opened their chambers, offices, and/
or homes to equally enthusiastic and excited LC members. Jennifer
McCollough, a student at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law, felt
that “[d]iscussing the issues involved in ‘having it all’ takes on a whole
new context when you are discussing them in the home” of a highly
regarded and accomplished female attorney. The dinners provided a
unique stress-free and inviting environment to have a frank discussion
and develop meaningful connections. Ashley Peterson, an Associate
Attorney at Peterson & Price APC said that she “was thrilled to be
able to meet and converse with Judge McKeown and fellow Lawyer’s
Club members in such an intimate and relaxed setting.”
Each Dine Around conversation was enriched by members with varied professional and personal experiences, ranging from law students
to attorneys with decades of experience and from working mothers
to women who had chosen to not have children. President Sarah Boot
said “[t]he Dine Around presented our members a unique opportunity
to discuss the issues facing working women with women attorneys
of all different experience levels, from pillars of the legal community like Judge McKeown and Teresa Beck to women just starting
out in their legal careers.” Korben Konrad of Truce ADR, one of two
men who attended, found it to be a “great experience to spend the
evening with a group of influential women in the community and be
www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
Lawyers Club News
able to provide a male prospective on shaping the future for women’s
equality.”
Each dinner group explored what it means to “have it all.” Contributing to and expanding the conversation, attendees provided unique
perspectives regarding work-life balance and discussed complex issues
they face and/or expect to face as women in the legal industry. The
hosts and attendees also shared their thoughts on the progression of a
woman’s career and the various choices and sacrifices a woman must
make to achieve the same results as her male counterpart. They candidly discussed their individual experiences, concerns, and challenges
in balancing a demanding career with a variety of competing demands.
Kellene J. McMillan, a Shareholder of Hirsch, Closson, McMillan &
Schroeder, APLC, said everyone was “very open and honest with each
other.”
Hosts listened and provided insightful comments and helpful responses to questions posed by attendees. They discussed how finding
balance requires making compromises and shared thoughts about how
female attorneys can navigate their careers to achieve their professional
and personal goals. Judge Crawford wisely noted that the definition of
“all” is not the same for everyone and that how one defines “all” may
change over the course of a career. Many hosts and experienced attendees stressed that they found it easier to create a work-life balance
as they gained more experience and rose in the profession. Attendee
Cassandra Hearn, a criminal defense attorney, said Judge Majors-Lewis
“encouraged each woman to voraciously follow her dreams, saying,
‘You can do it!’.”
Following the dinners, the hosts commented that the attendees
were “delightful,” “extraordinary,” and “impressive,” and found the
conversations to be “intelligent” and “engaging.” Appreciating the
opportunity to meet the next generation of female attorneys, the hosts
agreed that the event was a terrific success and warmly expressed
their true pleasure for hosting LC members.
Lawyers Club thanks the hosts for sharing their valuable time and
graciously hosting the dinners. LC also thanks Milena Gavala, a graphic
design artist, for designing the event logo gratis. To help plan the next
Dine Around please contact Professional Advancement Committee
Chair, Shalini K. Kedia ([email protected]) or Balance Committee co-Chairs Tamera Weisser ([email protected]) and Holly
Amaya ([email protected]).
Shalini K. Kedia is an experienced civil litigator with her own mediation practice, KEDIA MEDIATION, an incoming Lawyers Club Board
of Director (2013-2014), and Chair of the Professional Advancement
Committee.
7
Lawyers Club News
8
june 2013
Lawyers Club welcomes four new members to the board of directors
By Michelle Ialeggio
Incoming president Johanna Schiavoni and Lawyers Club will welcome four new board members:
Eric Ganci, Shalini K. Kedia, Bhashini Weerasinghe and Jamie D. Quinet, to be installed at its July
luncheon. The new board members will join current board members Marianne Barth, Carolyn Brock,
Deborah Dixon, Renee Galente, Erika Hiramatsu, Patricia Hollenbeck, Michelle Ialeggio, Jessica Jagir,
Danielle Moore, Anna Romanskaya and Tamera Weisser.
The four new board members will serve a three year term. They
were elected from a slate of nine very strong candidates, each of
whom has been active within Lawyers Club and demonstrated the
founding principles of Lawyers Club as practicing attorneys. The new
board members are comprised of newer and seasoned attorneys.
Each will bring their own unique and diverse backgrounds to their work
on the board, which oversees the activities of the organization and
whom also serve as liaisons to Lawyers Club committees. Lawyers
Club welcomes our newest additions as we farewell outgoing board
members and Lawyers Club Vice Presidents Lana Plumb, Natalie
Prescott and Rupa Singh.
Eric Ganci
Eric Ganci is an award-winning DUI Trial
Lawyer with Galente Ganci, APC. Recent
awards include SD Metro Magazine’s Best
Lawyers in San Diego, DUI/DWI, 2012;
San Diego’s Top 40 Under 40 by San Diego
Metro, 2011; San Diego County Bar Association Outstanding Service by a New
Lawyer, 2011. Eric has hands-on training
for both DUI blood and breath testing for
both alcohol and drug DUIs, and he wrote
for the 2011 and 2013 updates for “California Drunk Driving Defense.”
Eric is an active musician and has opened for Anthrax and had Ving
Rhames say “I like your band’s cd.”
Shalini Kedia
Shalini Kedia of KEDIA MEDIATION
mediates general liability and employment
disputes. Kedia was recently selected by
the American Arbitration Association (AAA)
as one of 23 individuals to participate in
its prestigious AAA Higginbotham Fellows
Program, a yearlong fellowship designed
to develop emerging diverse alternative
dispute resolution (ADR) professionals
who have demonstrated the promise of
becoming future ADR leaders.
“It is a privilege and honor to have been elected to serve on the
Lawyers Club Board. I am committed to working with the Board to
develop a multi-faceted organizational approach to help female attorneys to achieve professional advancement. Beyond programing and
networking events, I envision the Lawyers Club proactively facilitating
a productive discussion within the legal industry regarding the challenges female attorneys face. The goal of such a dialogue would be to
foster an appreciation for our mission beyond our membership, and to
inspire innovative ideas and generate creative solutions to overcome
the challenges. I also look forward to building on the success of our
past programs and events to continue to raise awareness regarding
issues that are important to, and impact, all women. Finally, I hope to
work with the Board to grow Lawyers Club’s charitable arm to expand
our philanthropic reach in the community.”
Bhashini Weerasinghe
Bhashini Weerasinghe is a staff attorney at the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer
Program, a local nonprofit organization.
Weerasinghe joined Lawyers Club because
she feels passionately about the mission of
this organization. “Lawyers Club has given
me invaluable opportunities to take leadership roles and to meet many remarkable
members of this community who are inspirational.” Weerasinghe plans on continuing
to take on leadership roles and dedicating her time to deepening the
efforts to be more inclusive and diverse, while focusing on assisting
members with professional advancement.
Jamie D. Quient
Jamie is a healthcare litigation associate at Procopio Cory Hargreaves & Savitch
LLP, where she serves as medical staff
counsel for numerous hospitals and health
systems. She serves as litigation counsel
on behalf of health systems, hospitals,
physician groups, and individual providers
in business, professional liability, fraud and
abuse, and administrative matters in both
federal and state court. Jamie came to Procopio after serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Michael M. Anello
in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
Jamie joined Lawyers Club as a law student and has remained
involved as a member of the Professional Advancement Committee
and as the Chair of the brand new Networking Events Committee. In
reflecting upon her recent election to the Board, Jamie commented
“Lawyers Club has provided me with a network of friends and mentors throughout the San Diego legal community. I am honored to
serve alongside so many incredible leaders on the Board of Directors.”
Michelle Ialeggio is a deputy district attorney, editor of Lawyers Club
News and a Lawyers Club board member.
www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
Lawyers Club News
9
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor Visits San Diego
to Share Her Book “My Beloved World”
By Rashida Khan
Justice Sotomayor
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor recently visited San Diego to share her
best-selling memoir, “My Beloved World.” The University of San Diego and La Jolla
bookstore Warwick’s hosted a book signing and discussion at USD’s Shiley Theatre.
The event sold out quickly, with many Lawyers Club members in the
audience, all eager to hear from Justice Sotomayor: the first Latina, the
first woman of color and third woman ever appointed to the U.S. Supreme
Court. The event was hugely successful, and many attendees were
deeply touched by the personal nature of Justice Sotomayor’s talk.
Lawyers Club member Nadia Bermudez comments, “Justice Sotomayor embraces her heritage and addressed affirmative action as a policy that
helped her advance, even though she has – at every turn of her career –
outpaced and outperformed her peers. Her humanity is remarkably visible
given her elevated position as a Supreme Court Justice.”
Justice McConnell’s thoughts echoed the sentiments of many: “I thoroughly enjoyed her presentation—[it was] very warm and personal.”
Justice Sotomayor reflected during the question and answer session
that her membership in Latino/a student organizations in college and law
school provided her an important “anchor,” but also a necessary “springboard” to go outside the comfort zone of affinity groups. That comment
resonated with Lawyers Club President-Elect Johanna Schiavoni; “I hope
Lawyers Club provides a similar anchor for our members, that we provide
a support network for our members to springboard into other organizations and leadership positions, and to advance in their careers.”
Unfortunately, Lawyers Club member Michelle Ialeggio wasn’t able to
attend the discussion portion of the event because it sold out so quickly.
But Michelle wasn’t about to miss a chance to meet Justice Sotomayor in
person nonetheless. “I was struck at how genuine and warm Justice Sotomayor was. There was a young woman in a wheelchair directly in front of
me and I watched as Justice Sotomayor stood up and walked around the
table to come personally shake this young woman’s hand. She held the
woman’s hands in her own for quite some time as she talked to her. Not
only is this a brilliant woman, but also a fine human being.”
Bhashini Weerasinghe noted that “Justice Sotomayor overcame economic, racial, and gender disparities in her life and in her career, which she
so openly discusses in her book. I think her message resonated with so
many, regardless of which stage of our career we are (student, attorney,
or judge) and regardless of our racial or (even gender) backgrounds. The
audience was awestruck. To me that is something we strive for when we
discuss diversity issues - the goal is to transcend these boundaries and
have the message resonate with everyone.
Justice Sotomayor spoke openly and candidly about the personal hardships of her life. Near the beginning of her speech, Sotomayor mentioned
Rosie, a law student whose mother delivered newspapers to get her
through college. “I wrote this book for you.”
When it came to questions, the audience wanted to know what it was
like to be a woman in a field dominated by men. She recounted being told
by one of the men in the room to “Please go get the coffee.” “Those are
hard moments,” she reflected. She also told of the senior partner at her
firm who responded, “Sonia is the lawyer. We have assistants who get
coffee.”
In response to a question about whether justices, in their rulings, were
influenced by public opinion, Sotomayor noted that “In the end, if we’re
basing our opinions on public opinion, our work won’t last. No judge and
no justice aspires to write opinions that won’t last the ages.”
Sotomayor was asked if she rules on cases wondering how they might
affect the Latino community. She said no. “But I do think about the
people who are going to lose the case.”
Her advice to the audience? “You have to make people think that you’re
confident about yourself.”
Justice Sotomayor’s memoir is powerfully written, engaging, and difficult to put down. In “My Beloved World,” Sotomayor speaks in a surprisingly open and personable manner about her private life, and her dream of
becoming a lawyer. Her dreams led her to being valedictorian of her high
school class to the highest honors at Princeton, Yale Law School, the New
York County District Attorney’s office, private practice, and an appointment
to the Federal District Court before the age of forty.
She grew up in a Bronx housing project to Puerto Rican emigrants. She
was raised by her mother, a nurse who worked long hours, and her father,
an alcoholic who died when she was nine. The mood at home was often
tense. She took refuge from the turmoil at home by excelling in school.
When she was seven years old and diagnosed with juvenile diabetes,
she learned to give herself daily insulin shots by practicing on an orange.
The daily shots became her way of fending off conflict between her parents. “The last thing I wanted was for them to fight about me,” recounts
Sotomayor in her memoir. “It then dawned on me: If I needed to have
these shots every day for the rest of my life, the only way I’d survive was
to do it myself.”
This childhood memory remained with her. When asked later in life
whether she thought becoming a judge would be difficult for her, Sotomayor responded, “I’ve spent my whole life learning how to do things that
were hard for me.”
Sotomayor speaks candidly about how she benefitted from affirmative
action programs, including her admission to Princeton. She acknowledges
that “I had been admitted to the Ivy League through a special door,” but
concludes that the measures served “to create the conditions whereby
students from disadvantaged backgrounds could be brought to the starting line of a race many were unaware was even being run.” She remembers letters to The Daily Princetonian complaining that students like her
were displacing worthier applicants. She writes: “[The] tide of insecurity
would come in and out over the years . . .” She struggled with a C on her
first midterm paper at Princeton because she did not know how to write
an essay. She was the rare Yale law grad who was not offered an associate position after her second year of law school. Yet she persisted, and
with much effort, ultimately prevailed.
At the law firm she ultimately joined, a colleague called her “one tough
bitch.” She made sure after that to ask her secretary to “hold a mirror up
when she notices me getting intimidating or too abrupt ...”
The book ends as Sotomayor reaches the bench as a federal district
judge in New York. She tells her mother that she is about to become a
federal judge. Her mother said that she must be getting a big pay raise.
Sotomayor explained that she would be making less than she made as a
lawyer. But you’ll be traveling more and meeting interesting people, her
mother insisted. Sotomayor said that wasn’t the case either. At that point
Sotomayor’s stepfather came to her defense, saying, “It must be very
important work.”
The last few words in her book sum up Justice Sotomayor’s attitude in
work and in life, the theme of which is repeated throughout her book: “I
am blessed. In this life I am truly blessed.”
Rashida Khan is a member of Lawyers Club’s Diverse Women’s Committee.
10
Lawyers Club News
june 2013
Near Sell-out Crowd of Parents and Kids Attend Balance Committee’s Annual
“Take your Child to Work” Luncheon
By Michelle Mance
Organized by the Balance Committee, under the leadership of co-chairs Tamera Weisser and Holly
Amaya, the Lawyers Club annual “Take Your Child to Work” luncheon on April 25 was a huge success
by all accounts. The nearly sell-out luncheon allowed members to meet each other’s kids in a familyfriendly and fun environment, complete with arts and crafts.
Presiding Judge Robert Trentacosta and children attendees
The program consisted of two panels of incredible children of attorneys and judges. The adult children sat on the first panel which
included Anthony McConnell-Collins, son of the Honorable Judith McConnell, Administrative Presiding Justice of the 4th District Court of
Appeals, Lauren Asher, daughter of Denise Asher, mediator at Asher
Mediation, Kristen Barton, daughter of the Honorable Jeff Barton, San
Diego Superior Court Judge, Austin Copeland, son of Judy Copeland,
partner at Copeland & Tierman LLP, and Sterling Ramsey, son of Regina Petty, Partner at Fisher & Phillips LLP.
The second panel of children, ages 10-16, consisted of Madison
Beck, daughter of Teresa Beck, partner at Lincoln, Gustafson & Ceros
LLP, Tristan Burton, son of Michelle Burton, partner at Shoecraft
Burton, LLP, Tejas Gupta, son of Shalini Kedia, mediator at Kedia
Mediation, and Nicole Prescott, daughter of Natalie Prescott & Oleg
Cross, shareholders at Cross Prescott APC. Both panels were expertly
moderated by Junichi Semitsu, professor at University of San Diego
School of Law.
These incredible children (and adults) gave a very honest and
insightful view of what it is like to grow up as the child of an attorney
or judge. The adult children shared stories of the upsides of being an
attorney’s child. Sterling Ramsey shared that he and his sister would
debate his mom’s arguments with her before trial and that in one
instance his four-year old little sister came up with his mom’s closing
argument that won her the trial. Anthony McConnell-Collins reminisced about how he was able to play the judge in his second grade
play because he was able to borrow his mom’s robes.
Photographs by Eric Gancy and Jane Engelman
The panel was also asked if Hollywood was to make a movie out of
their parent’s life what would it be called and who would portray their
parent? This proved a hard question as most of their parents were
sitting right in front of them, however several panelists came up with
some interesting answers. Austin Copeland said the movie made
about his mom would be Murphy Brown-esque and his mom would
be played by Meryl Streep. Lauren Asher said her mother would be
played by Meg Ryan in the movie “Mediator Mommy” which would
be about two parents that divorced when their daughter was eight
but found their way back together and remarried each other when the
daughter was 16, all while juggling career and family.
All of the panelists also spoke to the immense juggling act that their
parents did every day to keep balance in their family’s lives. At one
point, Anthony very skillfully juggled three balls as a visual aid to show
how well his mom juggled career, family and personal life. While only
about half of these panelists are interested in following their mom or
dad’s footsteps in a legal career, they all are so proud to be children of
attorneys. These children appreciate that although their parents have
had to make sacrifices, what they have also given them in life through
constant support and love is irreplaceable.
We then transitioned to the second panel after a brief musical
interlude by the amazing Sterling Ramsey. The 10-16 year old group
was extremely honest about their mother attorneys. When asked what
their mothers do at work Tristan Burton replied, “I guess she works,
but she must not work very hard because she always brings home a
lot of stuff.” When she brings home her binders of work Tristan replies
with, “How did you not get that done?” It was a general consensus
that Tristan would be a hard guy to work for one day.
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Lawyers Club News
Tejas Gupta
and San Diego
Superior Court
Bailiff Steve
Aguilar
11
Seats packed in
the courtroom
Jackson Weisser
bravely gets
handcuffed
by San Diego
Superior Court
Bailiff Steve
Aguilar.
Mock trial cast poses
after their brilliant
performance with Hon.
Laura Birkmeyer
When asked the same question about what his mother does all day,
Tejas Gupta compared his mother‘s job as a mediator to a referee at a
wrestling match.
When asked the question regarding the potential Hollywood movie
about their parent, the younger group had some pretty entertaining
ideas. Tejas said his mom would be played by Jane Lynch and that it
would naturally be about her career as a wrestling referee. Madison
Beck said her mother would be played by Sandra Bullock because she’s
as cool as her mom. Tristan, who is liable to be grounded when he gets
home, said the actor that would play his mom is the shark from Jaws
because the Jaws theme song is what he hears when his mom’s heels
starting clicking across the floor when she gets home at night.
Lastly, the younger panel was asked if they had any advice for those
who are even younger than them and will deal with the same sacrifices they do. Nicole Prescott advised that when her mom is gone that
she just tries to hang in there and that they Skype a lot which helps.
Both Madison and Tejas agree that they remain thankful for what their
parents do for them and they enjoy the time that they do get to spend
with their parents.
Both panels were very insightful and gave the room an inside look at
what successful parenting looks like in such a busy career.
After the luncheon was over a group of attorney parents and their
children ventured over to the courthouse, and it was standing room
only in the Presiding Courtroom. The group first participated in a
“Toy Story” mock trial, written by Hon. Joan Weber, with the Hon.
Laura Birkmeyer officiating, in which Woody (Nicholas Burchitt, age
9, son of Marjorie Burchett) was charged with assault after pushing
Buzz Lightyear (Justin Macosky, age 9, son of Michelle Macosky)
out Andy’s bedroom window. In addition, the bailiff was played by
Mallory Humphries (age 7, daughter of Danielle Humphries), the clerk
by Sydney Winn (age 9, daughter of Aaron Winn), the DA by Eliana
Phillips (age 9, daughter of Justine Phillips), defense counsel by
Natalie Burchett (age 9, daughter of Marjorie Burchett), soldier by John
McCoy (age 10, son of Lilys McCoy), Mr. Potatohead by Tejas Gupta
(age 10, son of Shalini Kedia), and Bo Peep played by Alexis Friedman
(age 11, granddaughter of Lynn Schenk and Hugh Friedman). After
careful thought and much deliberation, the older kid jury found Woody
guilty, while the younger kid jury found him innocent. Following the
mock trial, the group heard from, and had many questions for, Judges
Birkmeyer and Trentacosta, as well as the bailiff.
Overall, the event was a huge success and much fun was had by
all. A special thank you to all the co-sponsors including Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association, Filipino American
Lawyers of San Diego, Korean American Bar Association of San Diego,
Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association of San Diego, North County
Bar Association, Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego, San Diego Defense
Lawyers, and San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association all without
whom this event would not have been the success it was. Also a big
thank you to Elizabeth French of Green, Bryant and French for providing the arts and crafts at the luncheon, as well as Shelburne & Sherr
Court Reporting for providing each child with a goodie bag to take
home.
Michelle Mance is a 1L at Thomas Jefferson School of Law and is a
member of the Lawyer’s Club Balance Committee.
Lawyers Club News
12
june 2013
In his shoes: One term San Diego District Attorney Chester Kempley
once sat at defendant’s table on trial
By George W. Brewster Jr.
A 1925 photo depicts 5 legal pillars of the era, all decked out in three piece suits, standing firm on
the courthouse’s checkered floor. Four are looking at the camera (Judge C.N. Andrews, Judge William
Cary, Judge Lacy Jennings and Judge Spencer Marsh). The one man looking elsewhere is the District
Attorney at the time, Chester C. Kempley.
Kempley was then in his third of four years as the DA, and he
served one term. That is the most you will learn about him in the text
history on the DA’s website. More on that later.
Kempley’s name comes up in the book “Tall Tales, Legends &
Hoaxes” by Nat Segaloft, in a section discussing the death of then
well-known movie producer Thomas Ince (“Father of the Western”) following his 42nd birthday celebration aboard William Randolph Hearst’s
280-foot yacht, Oneida. The book addresses an old Hollywood myth:
did Hearst murder Ince? Since the events which lead up to Ince’s
death occurred in San Diego waters on November 15, 1924, Kempley
had jurisdiction to investigate whether a crime had been committed.
One version of the story has Ince departing the ship with a gunshot
to his head. That version includes different explanations: Ince was
with Hearst’s mistress (actress Marion Davies), and Hearst shot him
thinking Ince was Charlie Chaplin (who Hearst suspected of secretly
seeing Davies). Another has Hearst catching Davies with Chaplin, and
Ince is shot by a stray bullet fired by Hearst and intended for Chaplin.
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Ince was cremated on November 21. No official inquest into his
death was conducted. Rumors swirled in Hollywood. Chaplin’s secretary claimed to have seen Ince when he first came ashore, his head
bleeding from a bullet wound. The first stories in the Hearst newspapers about Ince’s death claimed he fell ill while visiting the Hearst
ranch in San Simeon. Hearst’s New York movie columnist Louella Parsons was on the ship; soon after Ince’s death, she held a lifetime contract with Hearst, and was syndicated. Hearst provided a trust fund
for Ince’s widow just before she left for Europe (she had refused an
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It is known that Ince left the ship—either with a bullet in the head or
complaining of an acute bout of indigestion, taking a train back to Los
Angeles. He was accompanied by Hearst’s film production manager,
Dr. Daniel Goodman (still a licensed but no longer practicing physician).
If you go with the indigestion version, it is said Ince got worse and
was taken from the train in Del Mar, treated and taken to his home
in Hollywood, where he died on November 19. The official cause of
death was heart failure.
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autopsy and ordered the immediate creation of her husband). Chaplin
initially denied being on the ship, and claimed he visited the ailing Ince
later that week. (Fact check: Ince died 48 hours after leaving the ship,
and Chaplin attended the funeral that Friday). One month after Ince’s
death, these stories and rumors forced DA Kempley to take action.
Kempley only interviewed Dr. Goodman, who stayed with the indigestion story. Kempley closed the investigation, stating to the New
York Times (December 4, 1924) that he was satisfied that Ince’s death
was due to “heart failure due to an attack of acute indigestion.” He
told the LA Times that he had uncovered nothing to justify him in proceeding further with the matter. “I began this investigation because of
the many rumours brought to my office regarding the case and have
continued it until today in order to definitely dispose of them.”
On October 7, 1926, the San Diego County Grand Jury returned an
indictment charging DA Kempley and the Assistant DA Guy Selleck,
with soliciting and accepting a bribe in the sum of $40,000 from William R. Johnson to withhold true evidence from the jury in the case of
People v. Thomas A. Johnson, et al. Some of the evidence claimed to
have been withheld or tampered with in this murder trial (for the death
of George McMahon in March 1925) included alteration of clothing
belonging to two of the defendants so that they would not fit them
should they try them on during the trial, the omission of an admission
by Johnson to the police that he was the owner of the gun that was
used to crack in the skull of McMahon, and the withholding of a knife
found stuck in the chest of McMahon. It was claimed that Kempley
and Selleck asked for $40,000 from Johnson or all four defendants
would certainly be hanged for McMahon’s murder. Kempley and Selleck were found guilty on December 16, 1926.
The California Supreme Court took issue with witness corroboration and the lack of evidence supporting actual receipt by Kempley of
$40,000, and overturned the conviction. (See People v. Kempley et al,
205 Cal. 441 (1928)). Kempley, whose first term as DA was up in 1926,
did not serve again.
Kempley was a rising star in the local legal community. He was
born in Wisconsin in 1886, attended University of Wisconsin law
school and was admitted to that state’s bar in 1911, immediately
moved to Los Angeles and became a member of the California bar,
also in 1911. Kempley married Mary Marie Holcomb in 1912, a native
of San Diego—likely causing his move here in 1913. They had one son,
Holcomb Kempley, in 1915 (Holcomb was a 1936 USC graduate, a lawyer in LA, married and was then drafted. He predeceased his parents
while stationed, as a Lieutenant, at the Naval Diesel training school in
Beloit, Wisconsin).
During World War I, Chester Kempley was training in Heavy Artillery at Fort Rosecrans at the time of the signing of the armistice. He
ran (unsuccessfully) as the Republican candidate for State Assembly
in the 79th District in 1918, and served as a County Justice of the
Peace (Court No. 2). According to the NAACP “History News” dated
January 2012, Kempley was one of the “important white allies” in that
organization’s early years, along with Judge Spencer Marsh (seen in
the courthouse photo with Kempley, mentioned at the beginning of
this tale).
Kempley’s one term as DA (starting January 1923) took off with
a flash with the January 15, 1923 murder of a woman whose body,
clothed only in silk undergarments, was found by a family picnicking
on the beach at Torrey Pines. A small suitcase, filled with odd clothes,
was found nearby. The woman, 20-year-old Frieda Mann, was a “butterfly dancer” who performed in LA and San Diego, and was under
13
contract with the motion picture company Famous Players. The story
unfolded nationally in the press. A 30-year-old physician (Dr. Louis
Jacobs), an Army Captain at Camp Kearny, was arrested and stood trial
for murder. The defense insisted her death was an accidental drowning or suicide. The jury deadlocked, and Judge Marsh dismissed the
jury. Jacobs’ smile faded away when Kempley immediately requested
a new trial. On the second go-around, the jury deliberated for a day
and found Dr. Jacobs not guilty. No one was ever convicted, IF it was
murder.
In 1925, Kempley was elected President of the California District
Attorney’s Association. Through educated guessing and a trail of
published opinions, it appears that once Kempley left the DA’s office,
he and his wife went back to LA. There, he joined up with his sister
(Margaret E. Kempley Holcomb) and her husband (William H. Holcomb) to form the law firm of Holcomb, Holcomb and Kempley. (One
could surmise that Chester’s wife, Mary Marie Holcomb, was related
to Chester’s brother-in-law. This is one story full of Holcomb!). Margaret, one of the early women lawyers in LA (1915 bar) died in 1937,
and thereafter the firm name changed to Holcomb and Kempley. This
firm lasted until at least 1950. Chester C. Kempley died on February
20, 1960 (at the age of 73), and is buried among the stars at the Forest
Lawn cemetery in Glendale, next to his wife Marie, who died two
years later.
There was a lot happening during the one term of DA Chester Kempley. Surprisingly, in “The District Attorney’s Office: A Brief History”,
the photo selected to top the article is of Kempley and Selleck, sitting
at the defendants’ table in 1926, facing bribery charges. It is unfortunate that Kempley’s many better days are outshined by, and maybe
forever hidden behind, a few rumors and suspicions.
George W. Brewster Jr. is Chief Deputy County Counsel, Office of
County Counsel and a former Lawyers Club board of director.
Join Lawyers Club of San Diego and
Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association of
San Diego at a fun in the sun family picnic
Saturday, June 11 from 12:00-3:00 p.m.
All ages are welcome and games and activities will keep everyone
busy. Network with colleagues while enjoying the beautiful San Diego
summer with your families. Free for all Lawyers Club members and
non-members. For more information register at www.lawyersclubsandiego.com Location information to follow.
14
Lawyers Club News
june 2013
Lorena Gonzalez Speaks Candidly at Lawyers Club’s Inaugural Equal Pay Day
Leadership Luncheon; KPBS Interviews President-Elect Johanna Schiavoni
By Susan Swan
To raise awareness regarding gender pay inequity, on April
9, the day on which Equal Pay Day (EPD) fell in 2013, Lawyers
Club’s (LC) Professional Advancement and Equality
& Action committees co-presented a luncheon featuring
Lorena Gonzalez, Secretary-Treasurer and CEO for the San
Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
Gonzalez passionately and openly discussed the significant and crimpling impact of unequal pay upon women. A tremendous success, the
inaugural EPD Leadership Luncheon was co-hosted and publicized by
22 local organizations and drew 140 attendees, including Superior Court
Judge Dwayne Moring, Commissioner Cindy D. Davis, and Marvin
Mizell, the immediate past President of the SDCBA.
Significantly, the event caught local media attention from KPBS,
resulting in LC President-Elect Johanna Schiavoni’s radio interview and
television appearance on the evening news the day before. Beyond
San Diego, California Women Lawyers and the National Conference of
Women’s Bar Associations took special note of LC’s event and leadership in raising awareness about pay inequity. Both organizations asked
for follow up information to assist their member bar associations in planning similar events in the future.
Shalini K. Kedia, Chair of the Professional Advancement Committee,
kicked off the luncheon noting that in recognition of EPD, twitter chats,
rallies, and “unhappy hours” were taking place across the nation. A majority of the event attendees wore red, as Kedia explained, “in support
of pay equity and to signify that we are in the red.” Kedia also provided
historical background regarding the inception of EPD and current pay
inequity statistics.
Schiavoni then discussed the root causes of pay inequity and findings
of LC’s Equality Survey. Following Gonzalez’s insightful speech and honest responses to attendees’ questions, Maggie Schroedter, Chair of the
Equality & Action Committee, identified specific calls to action.
Historical Background and Current Statistics
Originated by the National Committee on Pay Equity in 1996 as a
public awareness event, EPD represents the date in the current year
through which women must work to make the same amount their male
counterpart earned the prior year. As Kedia explained, women worked
on average 99 days into 2013 to earn the same amount of money their
male counterpart earned in 2012. According to the most recent U.S.
Census Bureau data, on average, full-time workingwomen are paid 77
cents to every dollar paid to their male counterpart. While this earning
ratio is a slight improvement from 2000 when women were paid only
66 cents to every dollar and the 1990 figure of 63 cents per dollar, this
disparity continues and appears to be relatively stagnate. Astonishingly,
Kedia relayed, the gap is even starker for women of color with African
American women earning 64 cents and Latina women earning 56 cents
for every dollar earned by a Caucasian man.
Kedia highlighted shocking facts about how pay inequity results in
significant monetary loss over the course of a work life. According to
the WAGE Project, in comparison to her male counterpart, a woman
with a high school education earns $700,000 less, a college graduate
earns $1.2 million dollars less, and a woman with a degree in business,
medicine, or law earns $2 million less in the course of her career.
Quantifying the inequity on the quality of life of women and their
families on a day-to-day basis Kedia noted this translates into tangible
losses. The ability to pay for basic needs, such as, groceries, gasoline,
rent, daycare, health care, is adversely impacted. On a long-term basis
it severely undermines a woman’s ability to adequately plan for retirement. Kedia posed the question to the attendees – “How would equal
pay and earnings of an additional 2 Million Dollars throughout the course
of your career impact your quality of life and retirement plans?”
Given that 2013 marks the 50th year anniversary of the passage of
the Equal Pay Act, the pay inequity is particularly disconcerting, Kedia
noted. Our progress in a half of a century? A mere 18 cents. The Act
was enacted to remedy rampant wage discrimination in private industry
requiring that men and women in the same work place be given equal
pay for equal work.
“I was struck by how far we have yet to go,” said Frann Setzer, a family law attorney and [LC] member. “Certainly, progress has been made,
but I think it is incumbent on the more educated and fortunate among
us to continue to push for equality in what women earn when they
perform equal work and are equally qualified. On the surface this seems
like such an obvious proposition that does not even merit any discussion
– we are a nation founded on equality – but after hearing the statistics it
is apparent that we need to do more to receive what we deserve,” she
observed.
Root Causes and Findings of Equality Survey
During her KPBS interviews and at the luncheon, Schiavoni addressed
the various root causes underlying the sizable pay gap, including both
www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
Lawyers Club News
15
direct and indirect discrimination.
Schiavoni noted that fifty-seven percent of college graduates today
are women and that on average, women earn better grades than their
male counterparts. Yet just one year after college graduation, women
earn only 82% of what their male counterparts earn. This highlights the
wage discrimination women face immediately upon entering the workforce. Moreover, the US has no comprehensive paid family or medical
leave, which puts well behind other developed countries and adversely
impacts women’s wages and advancement in the workforce.
With regard to the findings of LC’s Equality Survey, Schiavoni highlighted that women make up only 25% of law firm partners in San Diego, despite that 48% of associates are women and 47% of law school
graduates for the past ten years have been women. She noted that
discrimination can take many forms, including when women attorneys
Gonzalez Reflects on Gender Discrimination
and Pay Inequity
are not promoted equally, when their employers fail to sponsor them for
promotions, fail to make critical introductions to existing and perspective
clients, and/or fail to provide adequate support as the female attorneys
attempt to build business.
Schiavoni explained that the Paycheck Fairness Act, which was
previously filibustered twice in the Senate, was recently reintroduced.
She encouraged attendees to contact members of Congress and urge
passage of the Act. Unfortunately, a week after the luncheon, the
House of Representatives blocked a vote on the Act. Congresswoman
Rosa DeLauro put forward a “discharge petition” which means that if
218 Representatives sign it – that will release the bill for a vote. Thus
women’s organizations around the country, including LC, are encouraging everyone to contact their Representative to stand up for fair pay and
execute the discharge petition.
If passed, the Paycheck Fairness Act would bolster the 1963 Equal
Pay Act, and generally require employers to prove that any pay disparity
between its male and female employees performing the same work is
due to a bona fide factor other than sex, such as education, training or
experience, which is related to the job in question and required by business necessity. Significantly, it would also allow employees to share
salary information with co-workers despite workplace rules prohibiting
disclosure. Employers would be unable to retaliate against employees
sharing such information. Schiavoni pointed out that women need access to salary data to negotiate – “information is power,” she observed.
The Paycheck Fairness Act, if passed, would follow in the wake of the
Lilly Ledbetter Act, signed into law by President Obama in 2009. The
Lilly Ledbetter Act expanded the statute of limitations to file a claim for
pay inequity for specific acts of wage discrimination based upon gender.
“It’s unfathomable to me to pay a woman less, or to provide a female
employee with lesser benefits,” said Josh Gruenberg, a plaintiff’s employment attorney and LC patron member. “Yet as a longtime employment lawyer, I’m not shocked by the gender pay gap. I hope that an effect of the [luncheon] will be to end salary secrecy. Like Lilly Ledbetter,
women attorneys can’t fight to solve the pay gap problem until they’re
aware of how their salaries compare to those of male attorneys.”
Another real world example of discrimination – Gonzalez noted that
when staying at a hotel, we tend to remember to tip the valet and
bellhops, positions dominated by men, but hardly ever tip the maids,
almost always consisting of women.
Gonzalez head-on challenged the excuse that the pay gap is a result
of women’s choices. She remarked that her family did not have a choice
of whether she or her former husband would bear their child. Gonzalez
also noted that the gender pay gap causes women to suffer not only
throughout their careers, but also in retirement, as their pensions and
retirement benefits, which are based on their salaries, are discriminatorily reduced.
Gonzalez challenged attendees: “Why do we still question if women
deserve to make money?” She provided concrete examples of gender
discrimination in the public discourse about salaries. She noted that her
salary in her current position received significant negative publicity, even
though it is less than the salary of her predecessor, a male who had
less education. She also observed that when the pensions of highly
compensated local government retirees received media attention, the
pension of the retired head librarian – a traditionally female occupation
– was subject to the most criticism, even though it was not the highest,
or even second-highest pension.
Gonzalez even noted that President Obama, who issued a public
proclamation recognizing EPD and is an ardent supporter of the Lilly
Ledbetter Act, pays his female staffers less than male staffers. This, she
attributes, is in part, due to the fact that women on the President’s staff
are not employed in the plum positions, such as “chief of staff” and
“press secretary.”
Not only do women earn less, they pay more for health insurance,
Gonzalez explained. It costs more for a healthy, non-smoking woman
past her child bearing years (who will therefore not require prenatal/
delivery medical services) to obtain health insurance than older men
who smoke or are otherwise not in the best of health. This is based on
some pretext about how women live longer than men – in other words,
women are penalized for maintaining good health.
Discussing the myriad issues that directly and adversely impacting
women’s ability to earn the same amount as a her male counterpart,
Gonzalez identified (1) the importance of increasing minimum wage;
Gonzalez became the first woman and first person of color to serve
as head of the Labor Council since the organization’s inception in 1891.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Stanford University, a Master’s
Degree from Georgetown University, and a Juris Doctor from UCLA
School of Law.
Gonzalez observed that there are two key issues at stake: (1) women
get paid less for equal work; and (2) jobs/careers traditionally dominated
by women are historically low-paying despite requiring more education
than higher-paying jobs traditionally occupied by men. An example of
this is teachers versus construction workers.
16
Lawyers Club News
(2) the paucity of states, including California, that protect employees,
primarily women, who earn their wages largely via tips; (3) the lack of
sick days for most low-paying jobs (predominantly occupied by women)
juxtaposed against the fact that such women lose their jobs not when
they miss work due to sickness (because they work despite illness)
but due to their failure to appear for work because they must care of
their sick child(ren); and (4) the important role that labor unions play in
safeguarding equal pay.
Gonzalez stressed that women running for and being elected to
public office is extremely important to achieve gender pay equity. When
elected, women are in position to advance policies regarding the minimum wage, protecting workers, safeguarding unions, and other policies
addressing the root causes of inequality.
“Creating awareness about [EPD] is precisely the type of inequality
I believe [LC] was created to address,” said Puja Sachdev, a family law
attorney and [LC] member. “After listening to Ms. Gonzalez speak about
labor unions, I understand the importance they play in decreasing discrepancies in the gender pay gap – I didn’t realize before how important
their role was. I hope the [EPD] Leadership Luncheon becomes an
annual event.”
“It is absolutely courageous how vulnerable Lorena Gonzalez was
willing to be in sharing her salary because we feel silenced and shamed
about that topic and it is keeping us all down,” said Dr. Jennifer Gunsaullas, another attendee and member of co-host Women Give San Diego.
Call to Action!
Schroedter wrapped up the event with a call to action to eliminate the
gender pay gap. She discussed ways that everyone can help to close
the gap, including calling on elected representatives, sponsoring seminars on how to conduct salary negotiations, and of course, spreading
the word about gender pay inequality.



june 2013
Following the event, the LC Board of Directors voted to support
continue educating and mobilizing members with a call for action to ask
congressional representatives to support passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act. The luncheon inspired the Employment and Labor Section of
the SDCBA to plan a seminar regarding the Equal Pay Act to take place
sometime this summer.
“The … Luncheon was eye-opening and made me motivated to realize that I need to do more,” remarked Felena Hanson, founder of Hera
Hub. “As an entrepreneur I have control over my own salary, but that
doesn’t mean I have less obligation to help other women who haven’t
chosen the same path,” Hanson said.
Attendee Monica Pool Knox, Chair of the California Diversity Council
said “I wasn’t aware there were so many women’s groups, and [this
luncheon] provided a great opportunity to network and to develop partnerships. I believe half the people in this room should have been men;
it’s empowering to get women here, but we need to ensure that male
decision makers are here, too.”
On behalf of LC, co-chairs, Kedia and Schroedter, especially recognize
and thank their subcommittee members and Milena Gavala, a graphic
design artist, for designing the event logo and coining the tag line –
“Raise Your Voice. Close the Gap!”
For further information and/or to join the Subcommittee to plan the
2014 EPD Leadership Luncheon, please contact co-chairs Shalini K.
Kedia, Chair of the Professional Advancement Committee, at shalini@
kediamediation.com or Maggie E. Schroedter, Chair of the Equality and
Action Committee at [email protected]
Susan M. Swan, an attorney at Gruenberg Law, is a member of the
Professional Advancement Committee and EPD Subcommittee.
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Lawyers Club News
17
Lawyers often overachieve, but can we multi-task too?
On April 6, the Lawyers Club Balance Committee held a First Tuesday Balance Lunch Meeting at the downtown Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton offices to discuss “The Art of Multi-Tasking: Developing Business
While Maintaining a Balanced Life.” The subject and presenters were exceptional as evidenced by attendance:
there wasn’t an empty seat in the conference room. Balance Committee member Aaron Beard, Owner and
Chief Possibility Officer at Synergy Coaching Group and father of two, served as moderator. Shalini Kedia,
owner of Kedia Mediation, Chair of the Professional Development Committee, and mother of two, co-moderated. The panel was comprised of Justine Phillips, Rebecca Roberts, Kimberly Ahrens, and Natalie Prescott.
Justine Phillips, an associate at McKenna Long & Aldridge, specializes in employment and cyber security law. She is a mother of three
children ages 4 through 9. Rebecca Roberts, an associate with the
Del Mar office of Sheppard Mullin, handles complex civil and criminal
litigation in state and federal court, and is the mother of a one year
old. Kim Ahrens is the owner of the Law Offices of Kimberly A. Ahrens
and specializes in employment law and sexual harassment. Kim has
a 16 year old. Lawyers Club Board Member Natalie Prescott and her
husband, Oleg Cross, own Cross Prescott, APC. Their firm represents
plaintiffs and defendants in business litigation matters, insurance
disputes, class actions, and all types of commercial disputes. They
have two children, ages 3 and 10. All of the panelists are very active in
Lawyers Club and in local community organizations.
Rebecca suggests playing to your own strengths, which is often
what we really love doing, and to use those strengths to develop a
book of business. To best use your valuable time, Rebecca suggests
identifying connections and business development down the road.
Each panelist began by explaining how they balance work and family. Justine and her husband decided he would stay home full-time
with their children because it made financial sense to them: his salary
and the costs of daycare would be a wash. She emphasizes that his
work as a stay-at home dad is a job he takes seriously. He is responsible for all of the cooking and cleaning and attending to the kids during
working hours.
Justine stressed the importance of setting limits on business development. She doesn’t give up her weekends and rarely is away from
the family on weeknights. She focuses on business activities during
business hours and on family after hours. She schedules “me” time,
such as yoga classes or lunch with friends, to stay grounded.
Rebecca and her husband work full time and evenly split childcare
responsibilities. Both try to leave work by 5:00 p.m. with the goal of
being home for dinner with their child by 5:30 or 6. Natalie and Oleg
also split childcare responsibilities. She notes that emergencies can be
problematic, especially when in trial as co-counsel. They do not have
family in town, but do have good friends and neighbors they can count
on in emergency situations. Kim agreed that a resource network is important for working families: it’s imperative that working families have
emergency care available for unanticipated events and emergencies.
The panel then discussed their tips for developing business in light
of work and family obligations. Natalie and Oleg make it a priority
to have dinner as a family and to do homework with the kids. When
the children go to bed, Natalie works on business development. She
ensures she’s motivated even when tired by scheduling the tasks she
most enjoys in the evening. She also checks her LinkedIn account,
sends e-mail to friends, makes lunch dates, and focuses on things that
are easier to do given the late hour. She stays involved by publishing
her work and volunteering for speaking presentations. She encourages women to break out of their comfort zones, even if shy, and to
get out and get known.
Justine says attorneys should focus on what makes them happy. Attorneys who like yoga, being with family, or community involvement,
should schedule time to do those things. Justine is a people person,
and enjoys making new connections, so she seeks out those types of
opportunities.
Shalini agrees that the focus should be on happiness, and that
requires us to ask ourselves what makes us happy and what feels
comfortable.
Kim emphasized that it can take years to build relationships, and
that this requires a lot of patience. Some of the most valuable relationships are built upon interactions with non-attorneys. These folks, more
so than attorney peers, are potential sources of business.
Rebecca warned of spreading oneself too thin. She suggested
picking one activity and really focusing on it. This necessarily involves
forming more meaningful relationships that may lead to referrals and
potential business. This could be personal relationships developed on
the soccer field.
Kim schedules one day a week to focus on business development
and social networking. This works for her because scheduled time
helps her avoid procrastination. She suggests using Outlook calendaring to schedule everything. Justine agrees; she uses Outlook calendaring to schedule everything from “me” time to lunch dates.
Justine added a couple additional observations. Everyone is interesting and worth reaching out to, whether it’s the receptionist or the
CEO, and all can be sources of business. She also suggested finding a
niche and building your reputation. She found hers when she worked
on a case involving cyber security. She ended up doing a radio show
on data security, published work on data breaches in the Daily Journal,
and did a Podcast. This earned her a reputation in this area of the law,
and now she is a sought-after resource in the legal community.
Shalini recommended that attorneys seeking recognition for their
work contact the public law library, which invites presentations from
local lawyers on a wide range of legal issues. Attorneys can also volunteer to write articles for newsletters; Lawyers Club committees are
always looking for writers for their events. And, she added, Toastmasters is an excellent way to work on public speaking skills like breathing, tone, and the pace of one’s speech.
In closing, Kim emphasized how difficult it is to say “no” when
you’re asked to do things, but that it’s important to acknowledge that
you can’t do everything. She said you must select the activities that
are most important to you and focus on them. She can’t, for instance,
attend every soccer practice, but she never misses a game. Justine
noted that we can have it all, but we must make choices. Aaron
agreed that we need to choose what’s important to us. Managing relationships with family is similar to managing relationships with clients,
he said. Figure out what’s important to you and focus on that.
18
Lawyers Club News
june 2013
Legislative Updates
from the Reproductive Rights and Women’s Advocacy Committee
By: Rebecca Zipp
• April 10, 2013 – California State Assembly Appropriations Committee held a hearing to
consider AB-16, which would expand the protection of California Penal Code §273.5 (which
makes it a domestic violence crime to ”inflict[] corporal injury resulting in a traumatic condition” (injure) his or her spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant, or the mother
or father of his or her child) to also cover fiancé or fiancée of that person or on someone
with whom the person has, or previously had, a dating or engagement relationship. By
expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program, usually a 52-week Domestic Violence Recovery Program. AB-16 was introduced in December, 2012, by Assemblyman John Perez.
• April 23, 2013 – California State Assembly Health Committee voted to pass AB-154 as amended and re-refer the bill to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. This bill allows nurses, physician’s assistants, and nurse-midwives to perform aspiration abortions after receiving
proper training. Currently, over half of California’s counties have no abortion provider. AB-154 will help alleviate that shortage and is supported by the California Medical Association and the California Women’s Health Alliance. The bill was introduced by San Diego’s own Assemblywoman Toni Atkins, Majority Floor Leader and representative of the 78th District.
• April 30, 2013 – California State Assembly Appropriations Committee held a hearing to consider AB-460, which would require that the coverage for treatment of infertility be offered and provided without discrimination on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, marital status,
gender, gender expression, gender identity, domestic partner status, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. AB-460 was
introduced in February, 2013, by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano.
Rebecca Zipp is a deputy district attorney and a member of Lawyers Clubs Reproductive Rigths and Women’s Advocacy Committee.
Renew your membership today
by mailing payment or by logging on to www.lawyersclubsandiego.org
Forgot your password? Click on “Reset Password Request” to reset your login password.
Lawyers Club presents monthly speaker luncheons and frequent MCLE credit programs, with
many opportunities for networking and socializing with members of the San Diego legal community. In addition, committee involvement allows you to explore issues of common interest such as
work/life balance, equality, leadership and professional development, legislation and reproductive
rights, and much more!
Lawyers Club of San Diego, Inc., is a tax-exempt 501(c)(6) organization. For federal income tax purposes, membership dues are not
deductible as a charitable contribution but may be tax deductible as a business expense under other sections of the IRS Code. Consult
your tax advisor if you have questions.
Please consider furthering the mission and activities of Lawyers Club
by joining or renewing at the Sustainer, Patron, or President’s Circle Level:
• Sustainer - $175 plus FFJ $25 = $200
• Patron - $575 plus FFJ $25 = $600
• President’s Circle - $1,225 plus FFJ $25 = $1,250
Quarterly payment option is available for President’s Circle and Patron
members.
The Lawyers Club Fund for Justice (“FFJ”) is our charitable arm that
serves to reach out to the San Diego Community, in particular to serve “atrisk” women and children. For information: www.lawyersclubsandiego.com/
displaycommon.cfm?an=6
Lawyers Club of San Diego, Inc., Federal Tax ID #95-3438317
renew
today
further the LC mission
Lawyers Club News
www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
The Student Committee
of the Lawyers Club of San Diego
and Women of Color in Law, Inc.
jointly present
The California Bar: Round Two
If you did not pass the February 2013 California
Bar, you are not alone. Not only are there others
who did not pass this exam, but many others who
previously took the California Bar more than once
before passing.
19
MEMBERS
who passed the bar
Ms. Brooke Didier
Ms. Stacy Dooley
Mr. Gil Garra
Ms. Marianne Laleuf
Ms. Michelle Maisto
Ms. Vanessa Pena
Ms. Carinne Senske
Ms. Jenna Shaffer
Ms. Jaclyn Simi
We join together to support you as you process your results, take
stock, and prepare to retake the exam. Join us for an informal event
to discuss next steps with others who are in the same position and
attorneys who were once in the same position. On hand to provide
advice and consultation will be, among others, the Honorable Vallera
Johnson, Administrative Law Judge and Founder of Women of Color
in Law, Inc.; Marcella McLaughlin, Esq., Deputy District Attorney and
President of the San Diego County Bar Association; and Rupa Singh,
Esq., Ninth Circuit Staff Attorney and Vice President of Programming
at Lawyers Club.
EVENT INFORMATION
WHEN:
WHERE:
COST:
INCLUDES:
RSVP:
QUESTIONS:
Thursday, June 13, 2013, 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
San Diego County Bar Association
401 West A Street, 11th Floor, Downtown San Diego
Free for members of Lawyers Club and Women of Color
in Law, Inc. Non-members: $15
Refreshments and a light dinner will be provided but
space is limited.
Please RSVP online at www.lawyersclubsandiego.com.
Contact Student Committee Co-Chair Carla Sanderson
with any questions at [email protected].
Welcome New Lawyers Club Members
Ms. Alana Marwan AlAbbasi
Ms. Darcy M. Cohen
Ms. Annie Macaleer
Mr. William Sailer
Ms. Aimee Elizabeth Axelrod
Ms. December Enriquez
Ms. Melissa Mandel
Ms. Shirin Shokrollahi
Mr. Jeffrey Bao
Ms. Kelly D Gemelli
Dr. Bridget McDonald
Ms. Vicki Lynne Thompson
Ms. Sheila Baran
Mr. Philip Joseph Giacinti
Miss Jylan M. Megahed
Ms. Maya Uffenheimer
Ms. Laurenn Prater Barker
Mr. John H. Gomez
Ms. Misty Moore
Ms. Stefanie Warren
Mr. Richard Donald Barton
Ms. Elaine F Harwell
Ms. Shauna M. Oakley
Ms. Karin Hedda Wick
Ms. Emily Sacks Berman
Ms. Karen K. Haubrich
Ms. Lisa N Rambo
Ms. Bridget Jeanne Wilson
Ms. Livia Borak
Mr. James Steven Iagmin
Ms. Rino Jen Red
Pat Wilson
Yunhui Chae-Banks
Ms. Jacqueline Anne Kallberg
Ms. Tina Safi
Lawyers Club News
20
Balance Brainstorm
Forty-One Years of Making a Difference
By Ashley Wedding
Lawyers Club has helped advance the status of women in the legal field for over forty
years. Through networking events, CLE programs, volunteer work and social events, Lawyers Club is helping to make a difference in the lives of female and male attorneys. Two
Lawyers club members share: How has Lawyers Club helped you advance your career?
Invaluable Opportunities
and Connections
I have been a Lawyer’s Club member for the
last two years and doing so has already afforded
me varied opportunities including connecting
with someone at a LCSD networking event last
fall who recently helped lead me to a part-time
contract law clerk employment opportunity while I
await my bar results.
Prior to law school, I was a newspaper reporter
for eight years, and I have been able to use my
journalism background as a writer for the Lawyers
Club newsletter committee. I was recently asked
by the incoming Lawyers Club President, Johanna
Schiavoni, to serve as the Lawyers Club Web Site
Liaison. In this position, I will be working with
officers and staff to fine tune the organization’s
public relations vision including helping to revamp
its Web site messaging.
The Lawyers Club has proved to be an invaluable tool for connecting with peers and colleagues. I have no doubt that as I progress my
career, I will continue my involvement and that
Lawyers Club will continue to be a facilitator of
information and opportunity.
- Katie Weeks, J.D.
Learn to Be a Leader
Although leadership skills come naturally to
some, most of us need help developing those
skills. Lawyers Club, and its inspiring members,
has been instrumental in helping me to stop
looking for leaders and to start being one myself.
The expansive committee structure Lawyers Club
has in place has enabled me to seek out leadership positions in areas I am especially passionate
about, like Equal Pay Day, and giving members
the tools to advance their careers. Having the
confidence to raise my voice outside the office
has translated into more work-life balance too
because I am using my developing voice to take
more control over my work and personal commitments.
june 2013
Balance
Brainstorm
Question of the
Month
An important part
of work-life balance is taking
time away from work.
This month Balance Brainstorm
wants to know:
If you could travel
anywhere in the world, on
an unlimited budget,
where would you go
and why?
Responses will be included in
an upcoming issue of Lawyers
Club News. Please send your
response, along with your full
name, job title and employer
name, to Ashley Wedding at
[email protected].
Answers may be edited for
space. Members are also invited
to submit questions relating to
balance issues that they would
like answered by other Lawyers
Club members.
- Abbey Gurney, Blanchard, Krasner & French
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Lawyers Club News
21
Leadership Opportunities
Boards and Commissions
By Holly Amaya
The Lawyers Club Leadership Development Committee encourages Lawyers Club members to apply for positions on the many city, county and non-profit boards and commissions serving San Diego
County. The committee advises members to contact the individuals listed to confirm any openings
prior to applying, as some openings may have been filled. If you have information about committee
openings or leadership positions that may be of interest to Lawyers Club members, please contact
Holly Amaya at [email protected]
The San Diego Commission on the Status of Women has open
seats for electors of each District in the County. The Commission’s mission is to take action to identify needs and problems of women in the
County that are affected by public policy decisions and to eliminate the
practice of discrimination and prejudice on the basis of sex within the
County. The Commission studies and evaluates County Charter provisions, ordinances, policies and proposed policies, and their implementation to determine if there are instances of discrimination against any
person because of sex; cooperates with Federal, State, County, City and
other public agencies; and studies and advises the San Diego County
Board of Supervisors on areas of concern to women’s lives and needs in
San Diego County, including domestic violence, sexual harassment, legislative issues, elder care and fraud, welfare and social services, criminal
justice, employment and business opportunities, and the Sexual Assault
and Response Team (SART) program. Members are nominated by their
District’s representative on the Board of Supervisors and confirmed by
Board of Supervisors. The Commission meets monthly, and members
serve a term concurrent with their nominating Supervisor. For more
information contact Lisa McAvoy at 858-505-6548 or visit the website at
www.statusofwomensd.org.
The Child Abuse Prevention Coordinating Council of San Diego
County still has an open seat for an electors of District Three. Applicants must be former recipient of services for children and families,
representative of a nonprofit, community, or voluntary agency, or
an expert in children and family issues. Among its many duties, the
Council serves as an informational resource to the Board of Supervisors, provides a forum for interagency cooperation and coordination in
the prevention, detection treatment and legal processing of child abuse
cases, promotes public awareness of the abuse and neglect of children
and the resources available for intervention and treatment, encourages
and facilitates training of professionals in the detection, treatment and
prevention of child abuse and neglect, and recommends improvements
in services to families and victims who are in the public charge, as well
as children, youth and families whose safety and welfare may be at risk.
Members are nominated by their District Supervisor to a term of up
to four years, concurrent with that of their nominating Supervisor. For
more information contact Stephanie Lawson, Health & Human Services, at 858-616-5979.
The County’s Mental Health Board continues to have open seats
for electors of Districts One, Two, and Three. Among other duties, the
Board reviews and evaluates the community’s mental health needs,
services, facilities, and special problems; advises the Board of Supervisors and the County’s mental health director as to any aspect of the
local mental health program; and submits an annual report to the Board
of Supervisors on the needs and performance of the county’s mental
health system. Members are appointed by the Board of Supervisors and
serve three-year terms. For more information contact Marianne Wedemeyer, Mental Health Services, at 619-563-2737
The Committee for Persons with Disabilities currently has openings for residents of each County District. This Committee studies and
evaluates County Charter provisions, Ordinances, policies and proposed
policies, to determine their implication for persons with disabilities,
studies areas of concern as they pertain to the lives and needs of persons with disabilities, including coordination of client support systems,
health, education, employment, housing, and legal matters, prepares
and disseminates information of matters related to discrimination and
prejudice, formulate programs and legislation to promote and insure
independence, equal rights and opportunities for all persons with disabilities, and acts as liaison to County or citizen groups interested in
the problems facing persons with disabilities. Members are appointed
by their respective District Supervisor to a term concurrent with that
Supervisor. For more information contact Susan Eldridge, DHR- Risk
Management at 619-578-5787.
The County of San Diego’s Community Action Partnership
Administering Board has seats available to electors of Districts Two,
Three, and Four. The Board establishes processes for planning, allocation, and public hearings relating to the use of community action funds;
reviews policies relating to the programs of the Community Action
Partnership, and recommends policies to the Board of Supervisors; supervises the administration of all funding source policies and standards;
participates in the development and implementation of all programs and
projects designed to serve economically disadvantage or low-income areas to assure maximum participation of residents; and provides a forum
for the economically disadvantaged and concerned residents to secure
broad community involvement in the programs. For more information
contact Maria Sanders, Health & Human Services, at 619-338-2865.
The County continues to need attorneys to serve as Hearing Officers. An applicant for this compensated position must be an attorney at
law admitted to practice before the courts of the State of California for
at least five years prior to the appointment. A hearing officer conducts
hearings, issues subpoenas, receives evidence, administers oaths, and
rules on the admissibility of evidence and upon questions of law. Officers issue written decisions for submission to the Clerk of the Board
of Supervisors. Officers are nominated by their Supervisor and become
part of a pool of Hearing Officers, serving terms concurrent to that of
their nominating Supervisor. For more information contact Marvice
Mazyck, Clerk of the Board of Supervisor, at (619) 531-4870.
Holly Amaya is legal counsel for WIS International and is co-chair of
the Lawyers Club Balance Committee.
Lawyers Club News
22
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june 2013
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President’s Circle
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Hon. Christine Pate
Ms. Darragh Davis
Hon. Joan Irion
Ms. Anne Perry
Mr. Ken Dillingham
Ms. Angela Jae
Ms. Heather Riley
Ms. Bonnie Dumanis
Ms. Jessica Jagir
Hon. Charles Rogers
Ms. K. Elizabeth Dunn
Mr. Jay Jeffcoat
Ms. Tracy Rogers
Ms. Ann Durham
Hon. Anthony Joseph
Hon. Paula Rosenstein
Ms. Christina Dyer
Ms. Kathleen Juniper
Hon. Janis Sammartino
Ms. Amber Eck
Ms. Sharon Kalemkiarian
Ms. Judi Sanzo
Ms. Elizabeth Schulman
Ms. Elizabeth Eldridge
Hon. Julia Kelety
Hon. Cynthia Aaron
Ms. Jessica Fawver
Ms. Jessica Klarer Pride
Mr. Edward Silverman
Mr. Marc Adelman
Ms. Hildy Fentin
Mr. Gregory Knoll
Prof. Jacquelyn Slotkin
Mr. Steve Allen
Ms. Heather Forward
Mr. Jim Koerber
Ms. Beatrice Snider
Ms. Kimberly Arouh
Hon. Lisa Foster
Ms. Catherine Kowalewski
Hon. Stephanie Sontag
Ms. N. Denise Asher
Hon. Carol Frausto
Ms. Catharine Kroger-Diamond
Ms. Kimberly Stewart
Ms. Janice Atkinson
Mr. Brian Funk
Ms. Vanessa Luna
Hon. Ronald Styn
Hon. Katherine Bacal
Hon. Patricia Garcia
Mr. Peter Lynch
Mr. Victor Manuel Torres
Hon. Jeffrey Barton
Ms. Julia Garwood
Ms. Michele Macosky
Ms. Vickie Turner
Hon. Cynthia Bashant
Hon. William Gentry
Hon. Barbara Major
Hon. Theodore Weathers
Ms. Wendy Behan
Ms. Jenny Goodman
Hon. Margaret Mann
Hon. Joan Weber
Mr. Harvey Berger
Ms. P. Camille Guerra
Ms. Denise McGuire
Ms. Tamera Weisser
Hon. Laura Birkmeyer
Hon. Judith Haller
Mr. Monty McIntyre
Ms. Claudette Wilson
Ms. Sharon Blanchet
Ms. Cassandra Hearn
Hon. M. Margaret McKeown
Hon. Joel Wohlfeil
Ms. Gayle Blatt
Ms. Maria Heredia
Hon. Pennie McLaughlin
Hon. Margie G. Woods
Ms. Barbara Brown
Ms. Karen Hewitt
Ms. Julie Mebane
Ms. Patricia Zlaket
Ms. Meredith Brown
Ms. Erika Hiramatsu
Ms. Lori Mendez
Ms. Jill Burkhardt
Hon. Marshall Hockett
Ms. Michelle Mierzwa
Mr. Guillermo Cabrera
www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
Lawyers
Club Calendar
of Events
Lawyers
Club News
23
Information for your calendar. All dates subject to change. For latest information, contact Lawyers Club
at (619) 595-0650 or visit our website at www.lawyersclubsandiego.com.
June 2013
July 2013
Tuesday, 6/4/13
Thursday, 7/18/13
Lawyers Club Balance Committee’s
First Tuesday Balance Lunch Meeting - Carmel Valley
Jones Day, 12265 El Camino Real, Third Floor Conference Room, San
Diego, 92130.
12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
How to Ask For What You Want: Approaches to Striking Better Work-Life
Balance Join us to learn about strategies to help confront supervisors
and employers, challenge firm and organizational culture, introduce and
sell new policies, and explore alternatives to the 40-hour in-office week.
1.0 hr. MCLE credit offered. Brown bag lunch meeting; beverages
provided. Lawyers Club members FREE; non-members, $15 (credit card
pre-payment online or exact cash or check at the door). Pre-registration
is essential. Register online at www.lawyersclubsandiego.com.
Tuesday, 6/4/13
Lawyers Club Balance Committee’s
First Tuesday Balance Lunch Meeting - Downtown
Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd, LLP, 655 W. Broadway, 19th Floor Conference Room, San Diego, 92101.
12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Balance Under Crisis Join us to discuss strategies for finding balance
while undergoing stressful situations, such as divorce, death or illness
of a loved one, assisting aging parents, raising special needs children,
and the like. 1.0 hr. MCLE credit offered. Brown bag lunch meeting;
beverages provided. Lawyers Club members FREE; non-members,
$15 (credit card pre-payment online or exact cash or check at the door).
Pre-registration is essential. Register online at
www.lawyersclubsandiego.com.
Thursday, 6/6/13
Lawyers Club’s Networking Events and Golf Tournament Committee’s Get Into the Swing of Things Golf Lessons and Happy Hour
Riverwalk Golf Club, 1150 Fashion Valley Road, San Diego, 92110
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., lesson; 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., happy hour
The Lawyers Club Networking Events and Golf Tournament Committees
lessons are sold out but all are welcome to attend the happy hour from
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. for free appetizers hosted by Libra Financial
and DTI.
Lawyers Club Monthly Luncheon
The Bristol Hotel, 1055 First Avenue, San Diego, 92101
12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Program to be announced. Members, $25; Non-members, $40; Students, $20; At the door if space is available, $40.
August 2013
Thursday, 8/8/13
Lawyers Club’s Reproductive Rights and Women’s Advocacy Committee is hosting a book event with Carissa Phelps, attorney and
author of Runaway Girl: Escaping Life on the Streets One Helping Hand
at a Time. The book, Carissa’s auto-biography, details her experience as
a runaway and victim of domestic minor sex trafficking, and her escape
from life on the streets and eventual road to law school.
6:00-8:00 pm at Latham & Watkins, 600 West Broadway, Suite 1800.
September 2013
Thursday, 9/19/13
7th Annual Balance Symposium – Is the Grass Greener? Balancing
Across the Legal Profession
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Our symposium will feature a short panel discussion and then transition to small group break-out sessions at each of the luncheon tables
led by attorneys whose practices span the entire spectrum of the legal
profession, including solo practitioners, attorneys as small, mid-size and
BIGLAW firms, government prosecutors and defense attorneys, judges,
mediators, in-house counsel, law school professors and administrators,
legal consultants, political officials, and everything in between. Bristol
Hotel, 1055 First Avenue, Downtown San Diego.
December 2013
Thursday, 12/12/13
Thursday, 6/20/13
Lawyers Club Monthly Luncheon
The Bristol Hotel, 1055 First Avenue, San Diego, 92101
12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
General Counsel Roundtable co-sponsored by Lawyers Without Courtrooms Committee and Professional Advancement Committee. Details
to be announced. Members, $25; Non-members, $40; Students, $20;
At the door if space is available, $40.
Friday, 6/28/13
Lawyers Club Annual Golf Tournament
Riverwalk Golf Club, 1150 Fashion Valley Road, San Diego, 92110
Check-in starts 11:30 a.m., Tee off 1:00 p.m. Individual ticket by 6/12/13
- $140; Individual ticket after 6/12/13 - $160; Foursomes, $560. No
reservations after June 20, 2013. Register online at www.lawyersclubsandiego.com.
Lawyers Club Annual Holiday Luncheon
The Westin San Diego, 400 West Broadway, Downtown San Diego
12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
More details to be announced.
MARK
YOUR
CALENDAR
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