Welcome to CJC’s Virtual Alumni Reunion Page!
DONNA RYU - From Civil Justice Clinic Professor to United States District Court Magistrate Judge!
On February 26, 2010, the Hastings Civil Justice Clinic bid farewell to our beloved Professor Donna Ryu, who has been part of the CJC teaching staff since 2002. Donna left our cozy confines to assume a very prestigious appointment to the federal bench, which she assumed on March 1, 2010. She is now a U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge, sitting on the federal bench in Oakland. Donna was royally feted and celebrated by Hastings faculty, staff, and students before we let her go on to her very bright future. We miss her so much! She will always be part of our Hastings Civil Justice Clinic family. We wish you tremendous ongoing success and a distinguished, rewarding future, Your Honor, Judge Donna Ryu! [You can see photos of Judge Ryu's 6/10/10 induction ceremony celebration here.]
CJC's August 2010 Alumni Newsletter!
Contents
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS - new position, promotion, new location - whatever!
FAMILY NEWS - with photos, if you wish
JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS - links to job announcements so folks can download
REQUESTS FROM CJC ALUMNI
SPECIAL EVENTS
Date: February 8, 2012: From Gail Silverstein CJC Associate Clinical Prof. of Law -Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County-Staff Attorney-Government Benefits-San Mateo, CA.
Date: December 7, 2011: From CJC Fellow Mai Linh Spencer- Bay Legal Aid (Bay Legal) Bilingual Spanish Temp. Attorney- Contra Costa Office - DEADLINE- DECEMBER 16, 2011.
Date: November 14, 2011: From Miye Goishi CJC Director and Clinical Professor of Law -Legal Services of Northern CA (LSNC)-Managing Attorney- Sacramento, CA.
Date: November 2, 2011: From Eumi Lee CJC Associate Clinial Prof. of Law -One Justice -Staff Atty.-Capacity Building. Project - San Francisco, CA. DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 28, 2011.
Date: October 18, 2011: From Gail Silverstein CJC Associate Clinical Prof. of Law - Bay Area Legal Aid (BayLegal)-Disability Rights Attorney- Oakland, CA.
Date: September 26, 2011: From Eumi Lee CJC Associate Clinical Prof. of Law -API Legal Outreach - Staff Attorney Disability- San Francisco, CA.
Date: September 26, 2011: From Eumi Lee CJC Associate Clinical Prof. of Law -API Legal Outreach- Immigration Staff Attorney- San Francisco, CA.
Date: September 15, 2011: From Miye Goishi CJC Director and Clinical Professor of Law - Eviction Defense Collaborative (EDC) - Executive Director - San Francisco, CA.
Date: August 15, 2011: From Masood Ordikhani (CJC S04), Death Penalty Focus (DPF)- Program Director - San Francisco, CA - DEADLINE: AUGUST 19, 2011.
Date: August 8, 2011: From Masood Ordikhani (CJC S04), Advocates for Children's Services (ACS)- School-to-Prison Pipeline Legal Fellowship -North Carolina- DEADLINE: AUGUST 21, 2011.
Date: July 25, 2011: From Legal Services of Northern CA - Contract Staff Attorney - Woodland, CA - DEADLINE- UNTIL FILLED.
Date: July 25, 2011: From Masood Ordikhani (CJC S04), Southern Poverty Law Center - Grant Opportunity - Montgomery, Alabama - DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 16, 2011.
Date: June 2, 2011: From Ascanio Piomelli CJC Clinical Professor of Law -Office of City Attorney Litigation Division-Neighborhood Law Corps Attorney - Oakland, CA. DEADLINE: JUNE 17, 2011, by 5:00 PM.
Date: April 12, 2011: From Miye Goishi CJC Director and Clinical Professor of Law - Disability Rights of CA - Clients' Rights Advocate - South Central LA. DEADLINE: MAY 11, 2011.
Date: March 25, 2011: From Barbra L. Williams (CJC-S06), Mehri & Skalet. PLLC -Associate Attorney -Washington, D.C. DEADLINE: APRIL 11, 2011.
Date: March 1, 2011: From Adrienne Ratner (CJC F08), Bay Area Legal Aid-Attorney-Legal Advice Line -Bay Area, CA.
Date: February 23, 2011: From Masood Ordikhani (CJC S04), Morris & Berger -EQCA- Executive Director -SF or LA, CA.
Date: February 5, 2011: From Masood Ordikhani (CJC S04), See Change, Inc. Senior Research Associate - SF, CA.
Date: January 6, 2011: From Miye Goishi CJC Director and Clinical Professor of Law - Rosen, Bien & Galvan, LLP - Associate Attorney - San Francisco, CA.
Date: December 10, 2010: From Miye Goishi CJC Director and Clinical Professor of Law - Fair Employment and Housing (FEH) - Two PT Counsel Mediators - LA, Oakland, CA. DEADLINE: DECEMBER 23, 2010.
Date: December 10, 2010: From Miye Goishi CJC Director and Clinical Professor of Law - Dept. of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) - Staff Counsel -Oakland, CA. DEADLINE: DECEMBER 23, 2010.
Date: November 30, 2010: From Willie Ngueyn (CJC-Fellow-6/07-6/09), Asian Law Caucus - Employment Staff Attorney - San Francisco, CA. DEADLINE: DECEMBER 20, 2010.
Date: November 4, 2010: From Eumi Lee CJC Associate Clinical Prof. of Law, Public Advocates Inc. Civil Rights Attorney & Fellowship - San Francisco, CA.
Date: September 16, 2010: From Legal Services of Northern California -Third Year Law Student -2010 Fall Program Recruitment -Woodland, CA. DEADLINE: DECEMBER 31, 2010.
Date: September 16, 2010: From Legal Services of Northern California - 2011-LSNC Summer Intern -Woodland, CA. DEADLINE: DECEMBER 31, 2010.
Date: September 9, 2010: From Eumi Lee CJC Associate Clinical Prof. of Law, Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County -FT. Temp. Atty. Health and Govt. Benefits - San Mateo, CA.
Date: August 25, 2010: From Shauna Marshall Hastings Academic Dean and Professor of Law - Siegel & LeWitter -Contract Attorney - Oakland, CA.
Date: August 19, 2010: From Miye Goishi CJC Director and Clinical Professor of Law, Consumers Union - Public Policy Internship - San Francisco, CA.
Date: August 10, 2010: From Cathy Sakimura (CJC IRF05), The National Center for Lesbians Rights (NCLR) - Senior Staff Attorney - San Francisco, CA.
Date: August 3, 2010: From Masood Ordikhani (CJC S04), Warren Institute, Director of Education Policy - Berkeley, CA.
Date: August 2, 2010: From Masood Ordikhani (CJC S04), The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) - Staff Attorney - San Francisco, CA.
Date: August 2, 2010: From Masood Ordikhani (CJC S04), Carrington & Carrington, Ltd. Associate General Counsel - Chicago, IL.
Date: August 2, 2010: From Mark Aaronson CJC Professor of Law, Alliance for Justice, Bilingual Counsel - West Coast office.
REQUESTS FROM CJC ALUMNI
Date: Aug 2 - Amy Fairweather (CJC S98 & F98) - Iraq Veterans Project Coordinator at Swords to Plowshares in San Francisco - seeking a Consultant to design a sustainable non-profit legal assistance program for veterans.
MONA MOTWANI (CJC-IRS04, GRPS05) was in the news Thanksgiving week (2010) re: her ongoing battle with the health care industry to cover her treatment for advanced-stage Lyme Disease. The symptoms of Lyme Disease are not recognizable by many physicians, so Mona went untreated for a long time, resulting in the advanced stage of the disease and many years of tremendous suffering. Mona had been a very dedicated and successful attorney with San Francisco's Child Care Law Center and later the Law Foundation of Silican Valley's Fair Housing Law Project, but has been forced to hold her career in abeyance for over 3 years now while she wages her long battle to recover her once-good health. On November 23rd, with a re-broadcast on November 24th, CBS-KPIX television news in San Francisco did a story on Mona's and others' plight re: health insurance intransigence in covering ongoing, expensive treatments for Lyme Disease. Says Mona of the first segment: "I am very glad they did the story and HOPE Blue Shield will pay me back $100,000 but there is still major media resistance to exposing the mainstream medical culture's denial of this disease, appropriate treatment, and its insurance coverage . . . [T]he Connecticut State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal launched the first antitrust suit against a medical society in the US - against the IDSA . . . the judge found them guilty." There was so much interest in this subject that CBS-KPIX aired a second segment on November 25th. [Scroll down the page to view the second piece.] Mona: "Finally, my title, ‘Attorney, Fighting the Man' is accurate! Thanks all...much love and on this Thanksgiving, I am grateful for having all of you in my life as support and friends...more than you know." Check out Mona's blog, as well as her piece on her own SSDI application and the emotional journey she experienced in remembering the fight for her CJC client's SSDI.
Civil rights attorney ZAHRA BILLOO (CJC S09), an attorney with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Santa Clara, sent CJC another updates on 10/28/10: "[CAIR] recently took in a case involving a 20 year old college student, an Arab American Muslim, who found a GPS tracking device on his car. After discovering it and posting online that he had, FBI agents showed up at his home and asked for it back. The story has gotten a lot of media attention because it resonates with people in terms of the reality of civil rights erosions." You can hear Zahra discussing this case both on NPR and MSNBC.
SHER KUNG (CJC F07), now an attorney with the ACLU in Tacoma, Washington, won a big victory for her Air Force Major client, who had been discharged under "don't ask-don't tell." On 9/24/10, the federal district court ordered Major Witt reinstated.
ERIC CASHER (CJC F05-S06) - More news from Eric -- in mid-October he will start with Meyers Nave's Oakland Office, where he'll be doing more public sector work to better integrate the political work he does outside the office with his in-office practice. Eric feels Meyers will be a great fit. Congratulations on the job front AND family scene, Eric! (See photo in "Family News" of Eric with his new son.)
ERIC CASHER (CJC F05-S06), was named the San Francisco Bar Association's "June Spotlight" volunteer for his fantastic work with the Volunteer Legal Referral Panel's Federal Pro Bono Project. In addition, Eric and his wife are celebrating the birth of their new son!
SCOTT BONAGOFSKY (CJC F96) now has his own practice, Bonagofsky & Weiss, where he and his law partner and wife, Elizabeth Weiss, represent plaintiffs from the high-tech industry - many from Silicon Valley -- in discrimination law suits against their employers. Scott was featured on the front page of The Recorder on August 23, 2010, about his latest civil rights case where his client is suing a client of Scott's very own previous employer, Morgan Lewis & Bockius. Back when Scott was working for Morgan Lewis, he kindly arranged for the firm to very generously donate to the Civil Justice Clinic 15 computers the firm was phasing out, saving Hastings a considerable amount of money in new equipment costs at that time.
ZAHRA BILLOO (CJC S09), now an attorney with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Santa Clara, was in local news twice in mid-August 2010: August 18th, Zahra was interviewed on KPFA's Morning Show re: the controversy swirling around the Muslim Community Center in New York City. You can hear the inteview via this link - Zahra speaks at about 8:10 am. Also, Zahra was interviewed on KOFY-TV news the evening of August 20th re: the Pakistani couple removed from SFO flight 24 in handcuffs. CAIR was asked to comment on the situation earlier that day where the NY-bound flight was grounded before takeoff for four hours due to a bogus bomb threat phoned into a local hotel. The couple was forcibly removed from the flight apparently for no other reason than their Pakistani nationality, as they were questioned by the FBI and released soon thereafter.
ANDREW INGERSOLL (CJC S02) writes on 11/3/09 that he recently left a wonderful position as an associate at Farella Braun & Martel's environmental practice group, where he had been for almost seven years since graduating from UC Hastings. He left to take advantage of a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to work as a trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice's Environmental Enforcement Section in Washington, DC. Andrew hopes to stay in touch with his Bay Area colleagues, as his caseload includes matters in California. CONGRATULATIONS, ANDREW!!!
HASAN SHAFIQULLAH (CJC S96-F96) [class of '97] writes on May 5, 2009, that after 12 years of eviction defense, he has switched to the Immigration Law Unit at The Legal Aid Society of New York. Congratulations, Hasan, on now more than a decade of wonderful service to your New York community!
KELLY CHEN (CJC S07) has her own practice in Pasadena and is Of Counsel at the Law Offices of Eric E. Castelblanco, a public interest firm representing the under-served immigrant Latino community in wage and hour law, FEHA, public policy, and whistleblower cases. Kelly's Member Profile is listed in the Jan. '09 California Employment Lawyers Assn. (CELA) Bulletin. Kelly writes on 2/3/09: "Happy new year!! I have been meaning to write since December, but time flies. I hope (and I'm sure) CJC remains a very cheerful place. I have driven many times by the tower and couldn't help to miss the old days. I hope all is well with everyone. As for me, I had a very productive 2008. Things are going well. Eric Castelblanco and I are setting up a satellite office in SF this month. We've taken some good cases for the start of 2009. Best of all, I work only 3-4 days per week -- by choice!"
TAMARA SCHANE (CJC F99, S01) writes on 1/21/09 that she is about to celebrate her 3rd anniversary with the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley - Legal Advocates for Children and Youth. She represents children in guardianships, juvenile dependency court, and special ed issues. She is also very excited to be moving back up to San Francisco in February after living in San Jose for the past 3 years. And, she just got back from her first vacation in 3 years - a month of travels in Laos and Thailand.
REGAN RUSH (CJC S01-F01) - Regan, who had been a staff attorney with the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley's Mental Health Advocacy Project, has relocated to the east coast to be closer to her family. She now practices in a small plaintiff's emloyment firm in Maryland. Regan reported October 25, 2008: "I was reading through a treatise on employment discrimination (ABA, Weirich) - and low and behold I see Hastings clinic staff all over the credits. I couldn't resist the opportunity to go down the hall and point out to my fellow associate that I was in that clinic and yes, those were my professors."
ALBERTO TORRICO (CJC F94), California State Assemblyman from the 20th District and Majority Floor Leader, was featured on KPFA's Morning Show News 9/29/08, with his reaction to the Governor's veto of Assemblyman Torrico's proposed legislation designed to protect tens of thousands of California tenants caught in the middle of their landlords' foreclosure proceedings. His comments come at 65:39 into the two-hour show.
SHEENA WADHAWAN (CJC F05-S06) was featured on 9/22/08 in a CBS News webcam about the Oakland City Attorney Office's Neighborhood Law Corps attorneys. As part of the Neighborhood Law Corps, Sheena helps residents to demand that their landlords repair their buildings, make their homes more habitable, and thereby bring safety to tenant's communities.
LUCY ARMENDARIZ (CJC F96) was featured in the SF Daily Journal's "Judicial Spotlight" on 8/29/08. Judge Armendariz has had an illustrious career thus far in her 37 short years, despite formidable obstacles. She was thrust into the foster-care system at an early age, worked throughout her undergrad years at UCLA, and then on to Hastings. Her career began as counsel to Assemblyman Antonio Villaraigosa; she then became an ombudswoman to the CA Dept. of Corrections working with women prisoners; then was counsel to the Assembly Committee on Public Safety; and then became Chief of Staff to Sen. Gloria Romero prior to Judge Armendariz's current appointment by the Senate Rules Committee to the State Bar Court.
NEERAJ BALI (CJC F00) is employed by Dresser-Rand, Houston, TX as its first in-house Intellectual Property Counsel. Dresser-Rand is a publicly-held company that manufactures, sells, and services large, highly engineered centrifugal and reciprocating compressors, steam and gas turbines, and control systems for oil and gas, chemical, and industrial power companies in more than 140 countries.
KASEY CORBIT (CJC F03-S04) is in the news! On KPFA's Morning Show, April 21, 2008, Kasey, staff attorney with Disability Rights Advocates (Berkeley), discussed her agency's participation in the first class-action lawsuit brought by 1.7 million Iraq and Afghanistan returning veterans against the Department of Veterans Affairs. Plaintiffs claim that the V.A. has systematically denying promised medical treatment and long-term care to wounded Vets. Check out the show.
ANNIE GOLDMAN (CJC F00) writes: "In February, I was promoted to Supervising Attorney of Legal Services of South Central Michigan. However, in August, we are moving to New Orleans where my husband, Mark Yakich, will be Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Loyola University." Also, in New Orleans, Annie will be the Assistant Director for Government & Public Interest Opportunities within the Career Development Office of Tulane University School of Law. Annie and Mark are also celebrating the birth of their son, Owen. More about Owen in our Fall CJC alumni newsletter. Congratulations all around!
Meet Baby Jake Pulido Swiller! On October 25, 2010, Paul Swiller (CJC IRS04 & MEDS05) wrote: "We just want to say hi to all of you and to let everyone at the Clinic know that 6 years after meeting in the Clinic, my wife [Liz Pulido (CJC IRS04)] and I have welcomed our first beautiful baby to the family. Jake Eric Swiller was born at 3:30 a.m. on 10/16 weighing 7 lbs and 10 oz and measuring 21" in length." Paul and Liz met each other while in CJC's Individual Rep. Clinic in the Spring of 2004. Says Paul, "CJC played a HUGE role in this momentous event!" Paul is an attorney in the Minor's Counsel Office of San Diego's Dependency Law Group. Liz is in private practice in San Diego. CJC is so pleased and proud to have played a part in beautiful Baby Jake's new life!!!
Eric Casher (CJC F05-S06) with his new son, Nico (September 2010).
SARAH RACHEL GROSSBLATT, born August 1, 2008
Date: Jan. 21, 2009 - Lesley Kim Grossblatt (CJC F94) writes that she and her husband, David, welcomed their first child, Sarah, this past August. Lesley says Sarah is an absolute delight, and Lesley is enjoying being a mom more than any job she's ever had!
Date: Nov. 5, 2008 - Amir Cole, son of Maisha Simmons Cole (CJC F00/S01), just turned 8 months. Maisha, who is an attorney with the AIDS Legal Referral Panel, was taking Amir to work with her due to ALRP's generous babies-in-the-workplace policy. But now Maisha says Amir is way too active (love banging on the keyboard), so he's home with a sitter. Congratulations Maisha and Family!
Jett Diskin is taking after Mom Denise who graduated S08. Denise and family have relocated to Seattle where she is looking for work and planning to take the Feb. 09 WA State bar exam.
Date: June 2, 2008 - From Cecily Vix (CJC F03-S04): "Our little guy, Cade Alexander Smuts Vix, arrived at 3:42 AM on May 30th. He weighed 8 lbs 4 oz and was 20.5 inches long. We're home now and doing great. A 36 hours old photo is attached."
CJC & CGRS receive 400K cy pres award!
CJC receives APILO's Legal Impact Award!
CJC Prof. Eumi Lee receives Minority Bar Coalition's Rising Star Award.
On October 23, 2009, Hastings Civil Justice Clinic Associate Professor EUMI K. LEE, having been nominated by the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area, received a Rising Star Award by the Minority Bar Coalition at its Awards Reception which took place at Golden Gate University. Prof. Lee was recognized for her outstanding and tireless work as a board member of the Asian Law Caucus, the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp., and the Asian American Bar Association. Additionally, she is a mentor and resource for students of color and students in various organizations at Hastings College of the Law, including APALSA, Hastings Race & Poverty Law Journal, and Hastings Women's Law Journal.
Hastings alumnus Nina Paul ('06) also receives Rising Star Award.
Attorney and Hastings College of the Law alumna NINA PAUL was also honored at the Minority Bar Coalition's 10/23/09 Awards Reception with a Rising Star Award, after having been nominated by the South Asian Bar Assn. of Northern California. Ms. Paul is the Gala Chair of SABA-NC, having previously served as its Secretary and Events Co-Chair and being active with SABA-NC's Civil Rights and Pro Bono Committees. Ms. Paul volunteered with the "Lawyers in the Library" clinic at the Milpitas India Community Center. She also volunteers with the Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center's Workers' Rights Clinic and the BASF Family Law Project. Ms. Paul was also the Silent Auction Co-Chair for the Asian Law Caucus's 2009 Annual Event Committee.
Pictured left is honoree Nina Paul with Hastings Civil Justice Clinic student George Kawamoto.
EXTRA! CJC STUDENTS AND PROFS AWARDED OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN ATTORNEY FEES WHILE CHANGING CALIFORNIA LAW!
Read about the change in California's wage-and-hour law in CJC alumni's own words.
The CJC's million-dollar-plus fee award for our five years of work in the Murphy v. Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc. case - a landmark victory for California workers - is likely among the largest ever awarded to a law school clinical program. CJC staff us engaged in a planning process to decide how best to use the fees. Staff is committed to identifying creative ways to support Hasting's public interest alumni, and to enhance the CJC's clinical program. We will keep you posted.
Pictured at left are CJC Professor Donna Ryu (L) and CJC alumna Sarah Beard.
CJC Victory Party (L - R) Prof. Nancy Stuart; Matt Golberg (CJC F03/S05), an attorney with the Employment Law Center; Prof. Donna Ryu; Sarah Beard (CJC F03/S05), an attorney with Siegel & LeWitter; Rachel Folberg (CJC S99), who has been working with the California Division of Labor Standards & Enforcement Legal Dept.
KABANC/KALSA Award to CJC Prof. Donna Ryu
Chancellor and Dean Nell Newton presenting award to Clinical Professor Donna Ryu with KABANC President and Hastings alumnus Jae Yi (Class of 2000) standing by
CJC Clinical Professor Donna Ryu with KABANC/KALSA award
KALSA group photo: CJC Clinical Prof. Donna Ryu, holding her award (seated right), and KALSA President Sara Kim (seated left)
Civil Justice Clinic Turns 15!
May 2007 Hastings Graduation Ceremony
CJC Prof. Gail Silverstein with Kelly Chen who participated in the Individual Rep. S07 Clinic and successfully settled her wage-and-hour case in Alameda Superior Court.
CJC Prof. Gail Silverstein with her Individual Rep. Spring 2007 students Yumi Park (L) and Kelly Chen (R). Yumi and Kelly were student partners on both a landlord-tenant case and a wage-and-hour case, both of which were successfully resolved for their clients.
Allison Hua with Professors Miye Goishi, Donna Ryu, and Gail Silverstein. Allison took the Individual Representation Clinic in Spring 2006. After obtaining social security disability benefits for her client, she helped the Clinic represent a wage and hour client during the summer. She served as Senior Symposium Editor for the Hastings Women's Law Journal, and was a student in Hastings first-ever Asian Pacific Americans and the Law seminar in Fall 2006.