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October 2018

LAWYERS CLUB NEWS

INSIDE DIVERSE WOMEN’S COMMITTEE OCTOBER 18 LUNCHEON Demanding Equality for all Human Rights as Lawyers – See page 11

Demanding EqualityDemanding Equality for all Human Rights as LawyersBy Yahairah Aristy

Mona Pasquil, Appointments Secretary for the Office of California Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. is no stranger to demanding equality by breaking barriers. Pasquil is thefirst Filipino-American in California history to serve as Appointments Secretary. Priorto her appointment, Pasquil served as Chief of Staff to California Lieutenant GovernorJohn Garamendi, and as Acting Lieutenant Governor, after Garamendi was electedto Congress. This marked the first time a woman, Asian Pacific Islander or Filipino-American had served as Lieutenant Governor of California. For this achievement,Pasquil was awarded a Presidential Citation by Philippine President Gloria MacapagalArroyo. Pasquil is a veteran political advisor and strategist, serving as President ofPasquil Associates & Strategic Communications for more than three decades anddirecting presidential, gubernatorial, and local campaigns across the nation.

Mentorship & SponsorshipPresident's Messsage - MENTORSHIP & SPONSORSHIP

There are two things I wish I had done when I was younger: 1. Spent a semester abroad; 2. Had a mentor early in my career.

Continued on page 3

Continued on page 11

Danna Cotman is founder of the female-owned intellectual property boutique law firm ARC IP LAW, PC and president of Lawyers Club.

A semester abroad, the life experience of immersing oneself in a different culture, learning language and customs, is expensive and is difficult to accomplish later in one’s life. I personally would have benefited greatly from different perspectives and exposure to a different culture.

I would have progressed faster and been able to accomplish more earlier in my career had I sought out a mentor rather than followed the “do-it-yourself” approach. I don’t beat myself up over these things, but I do reflect on them and consider how to encourage others to reach out. I challenge each of you to be a mentor, to be mentored, to find a sponsor, to be a sponsor. Now, I mentor whenever possible and make an honest effort to reach out regularly to my mentors and trusted advisors to keep me on track!

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.”

— Oprah Winfrey

Here are some considerations regarding what a mentor is or can give:

Mentoring is most often defined as a professional relationship in which an experienced person assists another in developing specific skills and knowledge that will enhance the less-experienced person’s professional and personal growth.

2 october 2018Lawyers Club News

501 West Broadway Suite A174

Lawyers Club News 3www.lawyersclubsandiego.com

President's Messsage - MENTORSHIP & SPONSORSHIPContinued from cover

Danna Cotman is founder of the female-owned intellectual property boutique law firm ARC IP LAW, PC and president of Lawyers Club.

A mentor: · Teaches about a specific issue

· Coaches on a particular skill · Facilitates growth by sharing resources and networks · Challenges their mentee to move beyond their comfort

zone · Creates a safe learning environment for taking risks · Focuses on the mentee’s total development

See https://www.management-mentors.com/resources/corporate-mentoring-programs-resources-faqs#Q1

Maya Angelou, an American poet, singer, memoirist, and civil rights activist said, “In order to be a mentor, and an effective one, one must care…about the person, care about what you know and care about the person you’re sharing with.”

Since its inception, the mission of Lawyers Club has included a strong component of mentoring and supporting women to help them advance both in their careers and in society. Over the years the Lawyers Club Mentorship Committee has taken on various forms, and this year it is in full force with Melissa Johnson and Kelly Gimelli at the helm. If you care, reach out, join our Mentorship Committee and be a mentor. We all have much to offer and much to gain.

Here are some considerations regarding what a mentee is or can gain:

John Rampton, author of 10 Reasons Why a Mentor is a Must said, “Having a mentor is not a sign of weakness; it shows you are smart enough and are driven enough to succeed.” See https://www.inc.com/john-rampton/10-reasons-why-a-mentor-is-a-must.html

His 10 reasons for having a mentor are summarized as follows:1. Mentors provide information and knowledge.

2. Mentors see where we need to improve where we often cannot.

3. Mentors find ways to stimulate our personal and professional growth.

4. Mentors offer encouragement and help keep us going.

5. Mentors are disciplinarians that create necessary boundaries that we cannot set for ourselves.

6. Mentors are sounding boards so we can bounce ideas off them for an unfiltered opinion.

7. Mentors are trusted advisers.

8. Mentors can be connectors.

9. Mentors have the experiences you can learn from to prevent making the same mistakes beginners make.

10. Mentors are free, which makes them priceless in more ways than one.

I encourage you to reach out to our mentorship committee and ask for a mentor, or volunteer as a mentor yourself!

SponsorshipEileen Hoenigman Meyer, a freelance writer focusing

on topics such as job searching, work, family life, writing, and raising children, wrote that, “Having a sponsor, a career champion, is a game-changing asset that is especially important for minority and female professionals.” I agree! A sponsor can open doors and provide access that you might not otherwise have, and this access will advance you in your career path.

Sponsorship involves concrete actions by the sponsor and the protégé, that furthers both sides’ aspirations. “Sponsors actively seek out and facilitate career-expanding opportunities for their protégé, and, in turn, the protégé commits to stepping up and demonstrating value to the organization, even if this requires them to shift their way of thinking and their leadership behaviors, in order to be successful.” See https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/sponsors-vs-mentors/ that quotes Holly Brittingham, Senior Vice President of Global Talent and Organizational Development with Foote, Cone & Belding, FBC Global.

Brittingham also wisely stated, “The barriers to advancement for women and minorities in organizations tend to be structural and rooted in unconscious bias. To put it simply, human beings are innately drawn to and trust people with whom they have things in common, and are thus more likely to extend themselves as advocates for those people. As you would imagine, this unintentionally creates a rather insular way of cultivating talent.”

Intentional inclusion and purposeful sponsorship can remedy this. Be willing to acknowledge unconscious bias, take concrete steps to mitigate its effects and this will create meaningful and sustainable change. To further quote Brittingham, “when a well-connected senior leader commits to advocating for someone from an underrepresented group – even when this requires more investment in building relationship capital required for success – this individual-level action translates, at an organizational level, to disrupting the patterns that prevent career advancement for women and minorities.”

Cultivate diversity and inclusivity, retain talent, train leaders, be a sponsor! If you don’t have a sponsor and /or don’t know how to go about identifying one, Lawyers Club’s Leadership Development and Professional Advancement Committees are great places to start.

I hope you will consider how you can engage as a mentor or sponsor to a younger Lawyers Club member and if you need a mentor, do what I didn’t. Instead, reach out to us so we can help connect you.

https://www.inc.com/john-rampton/10-reasons-why-a-mentor-is-a-must.html

https://www.inc.com/john-rampton/10-reasons-why-a-mentor-is-a-must.html

https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/sponsors-vs-mentors/

https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/sponsors-vs-mentors/

http://www.lawyersclubsandiego.com

https://www.management-mentors.com/


Lawyers Club of San Diego

402 West Broadway, Suite 1260,

San Diego, CA 92101

(619) 595-0650 phone(619) 595-0657 fax

[email protected]

President Danna Cotman

Vice Presidents Roxy CarterElvira Cortez

Renie Leakakos Carla Sanderson

Rebecca Zipp

Directors Kimberly AhrensYahairah Aristy Brigid Campo

Amanda LoCurtoTracy SchimelfenigMaggie Schroedter

Amanda SingerMegan Walker

Arlene Yang

Editor Suzanne Pollack

Associate EditorLauren Bushman

Staff Articles CoordinatorDana Nassiri Park

Executive Director Elaine Lawrence

Director of ProgrammingIvy Nagler

Administrative Coordinator Allison Troini

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 Suzanne Pollack at

[email protected]. The deadline for articles is the 1st of the month

prior to the month of publication. Articles should be submitted in Microsoft Word.

The advertising deadline is the 1st of the month prior to the month of publication. For

advertising information, contact Allison Troini at [email protected].

HonoredCalifornia Western School of Law gave Lisa Weinreb its Distinguished

Alumni Award in September. Weinreb is the chief of the Juvenile Branch of the San Diego District Attorney’s Office. She has worked in the areas of child abuse, domestic violence, prosecution, insurance fraud and juvenile law. Weinreb is also an adjunct professor at California Western, where she teaches Trial Practice, Advanced Criminal Prosecution, White Collar Crimes, Forensic Evidence, and Culture & the Criminal Justice System. She is a past president of Lawyers Club (2006-2007).

ElectedParisa Weiss was elected to serve a three-year term on the La Jolla

YMCA’s Board of Advisors. The La Jolla YMCA serves more than 18,000 people throughout La Jolla, University City, north Clairemont, Sorrento Valley, Carmel Valley, and north Pacific Beach through a variety of programs, services, and outreach that foster youth development, promote healthy living, and advance social responsibility. Weiss, a shareholder at Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek, is also a task force member for the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program’s annual Women and Families Resource Fair, and a member of the Lawyers Club of San Diego’s Human Trafficking Collaborative.

On the MoveBrigid Campo is now of counsel at Ashworth Blanchet Christenson, LLP.

Campo is a certified family law specialist and serves on the board for Lawyers Club of San Diego. She has represented clients in child custody, divorce, legal separation, premarital agreements, step-parent adoptions, guardianships, property division and move-away cases.

Valerie Garcia Hong has opened her own practice, Garcia Hong Law. Garcia Hong’s practice areas include business litigation, personal injury, civil appeals, and legal ethics. She is already garnering praise for her work. San Diego Business Journal recognized her as a finalist among its “Next Top Business Leaders Under 40.”

Genevieve A. Suzuki is the founding partner of Suzuki, Zandovskis & Yip, LLP.

About Us

Lawyers Club Members Making NewsBy Genevieve A. Suzuki

...changed jobs? ...won any recent awards? ...spoken at a professional conference?

Don’t be shy about sharing the good news! Submit news of your or your colleagues’ career accomplishments (awards, promotions, job changes, board appointments, published articles, presentations, etc.) to Genevieve Suzuki at [email protected]. The deadline for each issue of Lawyers Club News is the first of the month.

*Please include your headshot if you would like your picture to be featured.

HAVE YOU...

Lisa Weinreb

Parisa Weiss

Brigid Campo

Valerie Garcia Hong

mailto:[email protected]





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Lawyers Club News – October 1988By George W. Brewster Jr.

The 1972 Articles of Association for the new Lawyers Club of San Diego listed a number of purposes for the association, including the recruitment of women into the legal profession, promoting the appointment or election of women lawyers to the judiciary and improving the status of women in the community. This section ends with the call to “do anything necessary and proper for the accomplishment of these purposes.”

One of the common paths to the judiciary was service as a director for the San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA). This worked for Melinda Lasater, the first female SDCBA president (1985), who was appointed to the bench in 1987. In time, this bar to bench path led to the creation of Lawyers Club’s Endorsement Committee, which made recommendations to the Lawyers Club Board as to who Lawyers Club should endorse for the SDCBA Board. In the October 1988 edition of the Lawyers Club News, the front page headline announced Lawyers Club's endorsements of three candidates: Helen Rowe, Janet Houts and Louisa Porter. At that time there were 18 candidates vying for four slots on the SDCBA board.

In 1988 Lawyers Club had under 800 members, but as a voting block, presented great possibilities. The Endorsement Committee had—and still has—a balancing act in selecting those who would be good additions to the SDCBA board while also having been sufficiently active in Lawyers Club to warrant their endorsement. For example, should a dynamic newcomer to Lawyers Club get the nod over someone who has been a long-time, albeit quiet, member of Lawyers Club?

The committee found three quality candidates who were also long-time members of Lawyers Club (then in existence for 16 years). Helen Rowe was very active in the SDCBA, and had also been a member of Lawyers Club since 1982—serving as the Lawyers Club News editor and later as Lawyers Club president (1987-88). Janet Houts was then in-house counsel for the Sheriff’s Department, active in both the SDCBA and Lawyers Club, one of the original members of Lawyers Club, and served on its Scholarship

Committee. Louisa Porter was then president of the San Diego Trial Lawyers Association, active in numerous bar committees, and “a long-time Lawyers Club member.”

Jumping ahead to the results of the election: none of the three women won a seat. However, it was noted that Leo Papas (a long-time supporter of Lawyers Club) did win. Both Papas and Porter were appointed as U.S. Magistrate Judges (Southern District of California) in 1991.

Elsewhere in this edition, it was noted that Richard Huffman was scheduled to be confirmed October 13 as the newest Justice on the Fourth District Court of Appeal, and would be hiring an all Lawyers Club legal staff (Cindy Muckey and Valerie Leman as his research attorneys). Then Superior Court Judge (later Justice on the Fourth District Court) Judith McConnell wrapped up her term as president of the National Association of Women Judges.

Finally, in the New Members column were 4 names: Kitty Juniper (later Lawyers Club president), Jolene Grimm, Norman Cooley and some guy named George Brewster.

George W. Brewster Jr. is a member of the History and Archives Committee.

30 Years Ago



Marissa BejaranoMarissa Bejarano is a Deputy

District Attorney for the County of San Diego. She has worked as a prosecutor for over ten years. Prior to becoming a Deputy District Attorney, she worked as a Deputy Attorney General. Bejarano has also taught Legal Writing as an adjunct professor at Thomas

Jefferson School of Law. Bejarano served as a board trustee for the Chula Vista Elementary School District, board president for MANA de San Diego, and on the president’s Latino Advisory Council for San Diego State University. She is currently vice chair of the San Diego County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. Her honors include Outstanding Service by a Public Attorney from the SDCBA, 10News Leadership Award, and Cool Woman Awardee from the Girl Scouts, San Diego-Imperial County.

Bejarano’s efforts to promote diversity in the legal community, particularly the advancement of women of color, are evidenced by her previous leadership commitments, as well as her work as part of the Ethnic Relations and Diversity Committee of the SDCBA where she helped to create and implement the Diversity Pledge and the Diversity Fellowship Program.

The Honorable Victor Bianchini

Hon. Victor Bianchini is a retired Superior Court Judge and U.S. Magistrate Judge currently recalled to the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. He is also a private mediator and arbitrator. Hon. Bianchini retired as a colonel in

the U.S. Marine Corps with 26 military decorations, serving active duty from 1964 to 1967.

Hon. Bianchini has supported Lawyers Club since its founding in the 1970s. He has been actively involved during some of his 15-20 years of membership and currently is a member of the Bench/Bar Committee.

Hon. Bianchini served as a Director, treasurer and vice president of the SDCBA from 1978 to 1980. He is past president of the San Diego County Law Library (two terms), past president of the San Diego County Public Law Library Foundation, and currently serves on its board. He has held numerous adjunct professor positions, specializing in the field of evidence and served on the Faculty Council of the National Judicial College. He was a professor of Criminal Justice and Business Law for 30 years.

Hon. Bianchini now volunteers for numerous civic and veterans organizations while maintaining a busy mediation and arbitration practice. He has received a number of honors for his service on the bench and for Bar activities. During his judicial service, he was honored as "Judge of the Year" by the San Diego Trial Lawyers, and received Family Law Judge of the Year Honors from the El Cajon Superior Court.

Lawyers Club Endorses Four Candidates for the 2018 San Diego County Bar Association Board of Directors ElectionBy Mehry Mohseni and Corrie Klekowski

Lawyers Club is pleased to endorse four highly-qualified candidates in the upcoming San Diego County Bar Association (“SDCBA”) Board of Directors elections: Marissa Bejarano, the Honorable Victor Bianchini, Nicholas Fox, and Melissa Johnson.

SDCBA is governed by a 19-member Board of Directors. Directors are elected at large by the membership and elections are held in November of each year. All attorney members of the SDCBA who maintain active status with the State Bar of California are eligible to vote in the election. Each elected candidate will serve a three-year term.

Lawyers Club’s Endorsements & Nominations Committee is co-chaired by Corrie Klekowski of Paul, Plevin, Sullivan & Connaughton and Mehry Mohseni of Cage & Miles, LLP. The esteemed members of the committee include Betty Boone, Rebecca Church, Emily Fox, Kate Kowalewski, and Abby Weiss. The committee reviews applications for endorsement and thoughtfully assesses each candidate before making recommendations for endorsement to Lawyers Club’s Board of Directors. This year, the Board accepted the Committee’s recommendations and voted to endorse these four leaders in our legal community, each of whom exemplifies Lawyers Club’s mission “to advance the status of women in the law and in society.” Below are brief bios that demonstrate each candidate’s commitment to our San Diego legal community.


Nicholas FoxNick Fox is senior counsel and

litigation attorney with Foley & Lardner LLP. His practice focuses on commercial and consumer litigation in state and federal court. In addition to his litigation practice, Fox also has a robust pro bono practice, including his participation in and occasional supervision of the USD Law Trans* Clinic, which helps local community members

with their paperwork for name and gender-marker changes.

Fox is extremely involved in his community and deeply committed to diversity in the legal profession. He just completed his second term as co-president of the Tom Homann LGBT Law Association, and he continues to serve as president of the THLA Foundation. Nick serves on the Board of Directors for the University of San Diego School of Law Alumni Association. He is also a barrister member of the Hon. William B. Enright American Inn of Court, and chairs an alumni committee dedicated to raising funds for scholarships for LGBTQ law students at USD Law.

Melissa JohnsonMelissa Johnson is a partner

and litigator at Spencer Johnson McCammon LLP. Johnson represents and advises workers in a range of employment law matters including executive compensation, unpaid overtime and other wage and hour claims, employment contract disputes, work-related gender, race, age, color and national origin

discrimination, sexual harassment, disability discrimination and failure to accommodate, and public sector matters. Prior to joining Spencer Johnson McCammon LLP, Johnson was a partner at a general business firm where she handled a variety of business-related matters and employment litigation.

Johnson currently serves as chair of the SDCBA's Labor and Employment Section and has served on its Executive Committee since 2015. Johnson is a member of the California Employment Lawyers Association and serves on its Board of Directors and Mentorship Committee. Johnson serves as co-chair of the Lawyers Club of San Diego Mentorship Committee and is a member of its Bench/Bar Committee and LGTBQ Task Force. She is also a member of the Tom Homann Law Association and California Women Lawyers.

Johnson’s commitment to increase awareness of persistent gender inequality and civil rights violations can be seen through her legal advocacy on behalf of her clients and in her mentorship efforts outside of the courtroom.

Corrie Klekowski is a partner with Paul, Plevin, Sullivan & Connaughton and is co-chair of the Endorsement & Nominations Committee.

Mehry Mohseni is an associate attorney with Cage & Miles, LLP, and is co-chair of the Endorsement & Nominations Committee.



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Join Lawyers Club and the San Diego Law Library for an educational evening honoring and examining the career of Chief Justice Rose Elizabeth Bird on November 1. The event features author Kathleen Cairns, Ph.D. and author of The Case of Rose Bird: Gender, Politics, and the California Courts, which examines how Chief Justice Bird both gained her seat on California’s highest court and how she lost the same. San Diego Superior Court Judge Yvonne E. Campos will join Cairns in a discussion moderated by San Diego City Attorney Mara W. Elliott. A dessert and wine reception will follow.

Bird blazed trails as the first female justice and first female Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court. She was also the first—and so far only—California Supreme Court chief justice to be voted out of office. In her book, Cairns—a lecturer of history and women’s studies at California Polytechnic University—takes particular care to examine the role gender dynamics played in Bird’s story.

Megan Walker is an associate at Fisher & Phillips LLP and is a Lawyers Club board member.

Lawyers Club and San Diego Law Library Honor the Late Legend Rose Bird on Eve of BirthdayBy Megan E. Walker

What: The Case of Rose Bird: Gender, Politics, and the California Courts

When: Thursday, November 1, 2018 at 6 p.m.

Where: Reading Room, San Diego Law Library, 1105 Front St. San Diego, CA 92101

Cost: $15

Registration: Eventbrite.com

Sponsor and/or Host: Lawyers Club and San Diego Law Library

What? When? Where?

During the October Luncheon Pasquil will discuss how women attorneys, particularly women of color, can become leaders and utilize their legal position to support human rights and to demand equality and inclusivity for all.

Lawyers Club’s Diverse Women’s Committee is excited to host this annual luncheon at the Westin Emerald Plaza. The event is sponsored by the Dean Law Group. The Diverse Women’s Committee co-chaired this year by Yahairah Aristy and Jonah Toleno, works to identify, confront, and address particular challenges that women of color, as double minorities, continue to face in the legal profession and society, particularly in San Diego.

Please come out and support California Appointments Secretary Mona Pasquil, the Diverse Women’s Committee and Lawyers Club.

Yahairah Aristy serves on Lawyers Club’s Board of Directors and co-chairs the Diverse Women’s Committee. She is a Deputy Public Defender at the Office of the Public Defender.

Demanding Equality for all Human Rights as LawyersContinued from cover

What: Diverse Women’s Committee October Luncheon

When: October 18, 2018

Time: 11:30 a.m. – Noon Check-In

Program: Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Where: Westin Emerald Plaza, 400 West Broadway,

San Diego, CA 92101

RSVP: www.lawyersclubsandiego.com

What? When? Where?




It’s That Spooky Time of Year Again– the Annual Halloween Read-InBy Sara Pike

Lawyers Club celebrates its 22nd Annual Halloween Read-In at Central Elementary School in City Heights on Halloween Day. The annual event is much loved by all who participate including the students, teachers, attorneys, judges, and community members.

Central Elementary is a pre-kindergarten through 5th grade school located in a multi-cultural neighborhood with a large immigrant population. Eighty-five percent of Central Elementary students are English learners with non-English speakers in the home, and the children routinely face significant economic obstacles as well as cultural and linguistic barriers. For over two decades, the Lawyers Club Community Outreach Committee has organized Read-Ins at Central Elementary. Approximately 70 volunteers go into classrooms to read to students and serve as role models by talking with the children about a love of reading and the importance of going to school, going to college, and gaining skills that lead to professional success.

As part of this event, Lawyers Club will be collecting school supplies to present to the school at the Read-In. Many families of Central Elementary students struggle economically and cannot afford to provide basic school supplies for their children. There are several ways to help with our school supply drive: (1) school supplies may be brought to the Lawyers Club luncheons in September and October; (2) school supplies can be dropped off at various law firms around San Diego that have agreed to assist as drop off locations (contact information below); or (3) bring school supplies with you to the Halloween Read-In. A link to the school supply wish list can be found at http://a.co/8cCWCTm.

For more information, to volunteer as a reader for the Halloween Read-In, or to obtain the list of school supply donation drop off locations, please contact the Lawyers Club Community Outreach Committee at [email protected]. Costumes are highly encouraged for volunteers.

Sara Pike is a 3L at the University of San Diego, law clerk at Blanchard, Krasner & French, and member of the Community Outreach Committee.

2017 Group shot of volunteers

2017 Read-in Coordinators Michele Macosky (skittles) and Jane Nguyen (emoji)

Curious George Brewster at the 2017 Read-in

What: 22nd Annual Halloween Read-In

When: 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m., October 31, 2018

Where: Central Elementary School, 4063 Polk Avenue,

San Diego, CA 92105

Contact: [email protected]

Wish List Link: http://a.co/8cCWCTm

What? When? Where?

http://a.co/8cCWCTm




http://a.co/8cCWCTm


Register early. The event is free, but all guests (including members of the judiciary) must RSVP by October 24th at www.lawyersclubsandiego.com. All local judicial officers are invited to attend. For non-judges, current membership in Lawyers Club is required. Join Lawyers Club or renew membership directly at www.lawyersclubsandiego.com; or call the Lawyers Club office at 619-595-0650.

Lawyers Club is grateful to Title Sponsor Higgs, Fletcher & Mack LLP for its generosity and continued support of the Lawyers Club mission to advance the status of women in the law and society.

The Bench/Bar Committee hosts this and other events to encourage the sharing of information, experiences, and ideas between Lawyers Club members and members of the judiciary to help bridge any gaps and foster relationships between them.

For more information, to volunteer at this event, or to join the Bench Bar Committee, please contact the co-chairs of the Bench/Bar Committee Kristen Fritz ([email protected]) or Isabel Eustaquio ([email protected]).

Kristen Marquis Fritz is an attorney with Smaha Law Group and is also the owner of Professional Fiduciaries of San Diego, Inc. She is a co-chair of the Bench-Bar Committee.

What: 2018 Fall Judicial Reception

When: 5-7 p.m., October 25, 2018

Where: Higgs, Fletcher & Mack LLP, 401 W A Street, Ste. 2600

Cost: Free

Registration: www.lawyersclubsandiego.com

Sponsor and/or Host: Higgs, Fletcher & Mack LLP

What? When? Where?

Annual Fall Judicial Reception marks the change of seasonsBy Kristen Marquis Fritz

Each year, just as the weather gets cooler, Lawyers Club hosts members of the judiciary and other members of the legal community for a Fall Judicial Reception. The Fall Judicial Reception provides an informal and relaxed atmosphere where attorneys and law students have valuable opportunities to meet and interact with members of the judiciary outside of the courtroom. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

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COC Responds to Crisis at the Border and Organizes Community TrainingBy Jylan Megahead

Lawyers Club Community Outreach Committee (COC), Casa Cornelia and Thomas Jefferson School of Law organized a one-hour information session and a two-hour continuing legal education training session on August 16 in response to the systematic separation of families at the border. A family entering at the border illegally is subject to a misdemeanor. The systematic separation stemmed from President Trump’s Executive Order of Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvement dated January 25, 2017. Thereafter, the U.S. Attorney General announced on April 6, 2018, a zero-tolerance policy for criminal illegal entry, and President Trump’s administration began to prosecute as many border-crossing offenses as possible.

“We had an up swell of interest from the legal community in helping asylum-seekers, and a great need, with many pro bono cases to place. The Lawyers Club training was an opportunity to train a lot of potential volunteers at once, and to reach attorneys new to us. As of August 31, we have placed three defensive asylum cases with those who attended, and we are so grateful!” stated the Casa Cornelia Pro Bono Director, Katherine Paculba Lacher.

There were 52 attendees, and 38 attorneys, who successfully completed the two-hour continuing legal education training session. These attorneys can now assist Casa Cornelia clients who are in front of judges, physically removed from their homes, or children in facilities. The clients are parents placed in criminal detention, entering from ports subject to being separated from their children. The officers at the port are given the discretion to assess whether the child should be separated from their parent(s). Some children are separated because the officer is unsure whether the child is entering with their legal parent and or guardian, and concern for child's safety. Separated children are required to be placed within 72 hours of separation.

Some clients have been processed from their criminal case/detention, and then immediately transported to immigrant detention. Some clients agree to expeditious removal because they think they will get their children more quickly. Casa Cornelia explains that our laws allow people to come through a port and seek asylum because they are scared to go to their home country. However, people do not know what to say at the port except, “I want a better life,” and that could mean anything. They need to know how to articulate their fears so they receive the protection that they need. A unique fact about Casa Cornelia is that they are the only San Diego organization contracted with children detention facilities to represent the children.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer attorney, contact Jylan Megahed and Kate Langmore of the Community Outreach Committee at [email protected]

Jylan Megahed is the principle attorney at M E G A H E D, E S Q. Inc. and the co-chair of the Community Outreach Committee.

New MembersMr. Jacob Bedingfield

Ms. Kiki Crockett

Ms. Sarah Gallagher

Ms. Megan Hunter

Ms. Samantha Markley

Ms. Meredith Montrose



Bridget Burns is an attorney at Day & Associates, Inc., and is co-chair of the Lawyers Club North County Committee.

NORTH COUNTY CORNER

Join North County Committee for the Fifth Annual Taste of North County on the evening of Wednesday, November 7 sponsored by Leakakos Law, APC. Please keep an eye out for future announcements on the location and exact time. Taste of North County is free for Lawyers Club members and is a great opportunity to meet and network with members who work or live in North County. Registration will open soon; be sure to sign up as the committee will provide a complimentary drink to the first attendees! Additionally, please feel free to bring North County friends and colleagues to learn more about Lawyers Club, this committee, and the events for this year.

Every month, members who live or work in North County are welcome to join the North County Committee's monthly meeting and network, request programming, and help plan events, including the new signature event, the International Women’s Day lunch. The committee typically meets at noon on the third Wednesday of the month, and the next meeting occurs on October 17. A call-in number will be available for anyone who wants to participate but cannot attend in person. Sign up to receive committee updates and find the location of each meeting at the Lawyers Club website, by adding yourself to the North County Committee email list.

By Bridget Burns

North County Committee’s Taste of North County announcement



“Understanding how to navigate the process and complexities of litigation is critical to success.” – Micaela Banach

Award-winning representation by some of San Diego’s most experienced trial attorneys is the cornerstone of NoonanLance. Working with clients throughout San Diego County and beyond, the firm strives to serve its clients with efficiency and a focused eye on results.

To learn more, visit noonanlance.com or call 619-780-0880.


Member ProfileAlly KeeganBy Laura Evans

Although Ally Keegan is one of Lawyer’s Club younger attorneys, graduating law school just two years ago, she has already begun a thriving career in both criminal and personal injury law as an associate attorney at Brian E. Watkins & Associates. Keegan works in every court in the county, traveling from South Bay to Vista and everywhere in between several times a month. Although that may sound tasking, Keegan loves that her routine “is not having a routine.” She has the ability to get to know judges all over and yet, still has time to meet with clients a few days a week.

When asked why criminal defense, Keegan said that she was always interested in it although she originally had “no concept of what it entailed.” She interned at the San Diego Public Defender’s Office and credits a lot of her opportunities to both Brian Watkins and a previous employer, Marc Carlos. Now, doing about 60% criminal defense and 40% personal injury, Keegan has the most fun with all of the legal and factual issues she encounters on a daily basis. “There is something for everyone here.”

Though originally from New York, Keegan was sold on San Diego when she first stepped off of the plane to look at law schools. She had come from a school in Texas and when she arrived in San Diego, her first thought was “Yup. This will do. This will work.” Keegan loves the diversity San Diego has to offer, from the different neighborhoods to the fact that there is always somewhere to go. “The weather is beautiful” as was the USD campus where she graduated law school in 2016.

Keegan is passionate about advancing women in the legal community. She joined Lawyers Club as a 1L, belonged to the Membership Development Committee, and appreciated that it was a woman’s organization focused on empowering women in the legal community. Keegan’s experience in different areas, from her home in New York to undergraduate school in Pennsylvania, showed her that there can be a vast disparity between men and women in the legal community. Keegan is proud, however, that San Diego is making a “concerted effort to level the playing field.”

Keegan has now advanced to be the vice president of the National Women’s Political Caucus. In that role, she assists in recruiting and training women for local or appointed office, whether it is the President of the United States or a local judicial candidate.

When Keegan is not practicing law, she is spending every spare moment with her new puppy, Gus, an Australian Cattle Dog. In addition to ensuring the in-house accidents remain at a minimum, Keegan enjoys hiking and traveling. She has done potato chip rock multiple times, visited Tahoe recently, and travels back to the East Coast to visit family as much as she can.

Proust Questionnaire Responses:Q: What is your greatest fear?A: Geese, spiders, failure…in that order.

Q: What historical figure do you most identify with?A: Amelia Earhart – super drive and occasionally a little lost.

Q: What is your greatest extravagance?A: I spend more money on candles than I would care to admit.

Q: What do you consider your greatest achievement?A: Moving to California when I didn’t know a soul here.

Q: Where would you like to live?A: I’m already here!

Q: If you could choose an object to come back as, what would you choose?

A: Google, so I would finally have all of the answers.

Q: What is your motto, the words you live by or that mean a lot to you?

A: “When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” – Malala Yousafzai

Laura Evans is a Deputy District Attorney in San Diego and is a member of Lawyers Club Community Outreach Committee.

Ally Keegan


18 october 2018Lawyers Club NewsLawyers Club News

Lawyers Club Annual Supporters 2018Diamond Annual SponsorCasey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt

& Penfield LLP

Platinum Annual SponsorsANTONYAN MIRANDA, LLPBoyd Law APCDuane Morris LLPGomez Trial Attorneys

Gold Annual SponsorsFisher Phillips, LLPHaeggquist & Eck, LLPKlinedinst PC Litivate Reporting + Trial ServicesPokorny MediationsProcopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLPShustak Reynolds & Partners, P.CWilson Turner Kosmo LLP

PatronsMr. Marc AdelmanMs. Joan FriedenbergMs. Patty HollenbeckHon. Judith McConnellHon. Paula RosensteinMs. Tracy Skaddan

Sustaining MembersHon. Cynthia AaronMs. Ali AdelmanHon. Jeffrey BartonHon. Cynthia BashantMs. Wendy BehanMr. Harvey BergerHon. Laura BirkmeyerMs. Gayle BlattHon. Jill BurkhardtMs. Brigid CampoHon. Rachel CanoMs. Linda CiancioloMs. Jodi CleesattleMs. Diana Coker

Ms. Judy CopelandMs. Danna CotmanHon. Karen CrawfordHon. Robert DahlquistHon. Cindy DavisMs. Deborah DixonMs. Tina DyerHon. Susan FinlayHon. Patricia GarciaHon. Irma GonzalezMs. P. Camille GuerraHon. Judith HallerMs. Judy HamiltonMrs. Jillian HayesMs. Karen HewittMs. Erika HiramatsuMr. Richard HuverHon. Joan IrionMs. Angela Jae ChunMs. Kitty JuniperMs. Rebecca KanterHon. Julia KeletyMr. Garrison Klueck

Mr. Gregory KnollMs. Amanda LoCurtoMr. Peter LynchHon. Barbara MajorMs. Jerrilyn MalanaHon. M. Margaret McKeownHon. Pennie McLaughlinMs. Julie MebaneMs. Danielle MooreMrs. Misty MooreHon. Dwayne MoringMs. Sandra MorrisMr. Ron OberndorferMs. Katie ParkerMrs. Stephanie ReynoldsMs. Carra RhamyMs. Heather RileyHon. Charles RogersMs. Tracy RogersHon. Janis SammartinoMs. Johanna SchiavoniMs. Tracy SchimelfenigMs. Elizabeth Schulman

Ms. Frann SetzerMs. Abby Silverman WeissHon. Stephanie SontagMr. Todd StevensMs. Kimberly StewartHon. Ronald StynMs. Susan SwanMr. Victor Manuel TorresMs. Vickie TurnerMs. Meagan VerschuerenMs. Megan WalkerHon. Theodore Weathers Dr. Lorelei WestinMs. Alyssa WilliamsMs. Claudette WilsonMs. Sheila WiseHon. Joel Wohlfeil

We appreciate our annual sponsors and events sponsors! To learn more about sponsoring Lawyers Club, contact Elaine Lawrence at (619) 595-0650 or [email protected]

Ms. Olga AlvarezMs. Betty BooneMs. Candace Carroll

Mr. Jose CastilloMs. Ann DynesMr. Josh Gruenberg

Ms. Virginia NelsonHon. David OberholtzerMs. Lynn Schenk

Ms. Deborah Wolfe

Silver Annual SponsorsAshworth Blanchet Christenson, LLPBest Best & Krieger LLPBlanchard, Krasner & French, APCBrown Law GroupCalifornia Western School of LawCooley LLPDinsmore & Shohl LLPDLA Piper LLP (US)Esquire Deposition Solutions, LLCFish & Richardson, P.C.Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLPThe Gilleon Law FirmHeisner Álvarez, APCHiggs Fletcher & Mack LLPJackson Lewis P.C.Jones DayLittler Mendelson, P.C.Noonan Lance Boyer & Banach LLPTencerSherman LLP

Tyson & Mendes LLPUnion BankUniversity of San Diego School of Law

Annual Corporate Sponsors – Package A Aptus Court Reporting Epiq

Annual Corporate Sponsor – Package B Durham-Newton Legal Nurse ConsultingHuver MediationKramm Court ReportingThe Roby Company Real Estate BrokerageTodd Bulich Real Estate Company, Inc.

Annual Corporate Sponsor – Package C AbacusNextDolan Xitco Consulting GroupFoley & Lardner LLPMintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky

and Popeo, P.C.San Diego Gas & Electric

President’s Circle



Lawyers Club Calendar of EventsInformation 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.

October 2018

LAWYERS CLUB OF SAN DIEGO IS A STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA APPROVED MULTIPLE ACTIVITY PROVIDER (PROVIDER NO. 1401). (619) 595-0650 | [email protected].

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Wednesday, 10/3/2018Promote Yourself in a Tough Industry (The Ask Workshop Series)Tyson & Mendes, San Diego

Thursday, 10/18/2018Diverse Women’s Committee luncheonWestin Emerald Plaza, San Diego

Thursday, 10/25/2018Fall Judicial ReceptionHiggs, Fletcher & Mack LLP, San Diego

Thursday, 10/27/2018Human Trafficking Collaborative Fall CLE Training - HT 101

Wednesday, 10/31/201822nd Annual Halloween Read-InCentral Elementary, San Diego




20 october 2018

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