On Wednesday, May 22, 2013, volunteers and supporters gathered together at Scott’s Seafood in Jack London Square for VLSC’s Justice for All: Celebrating Pro Bono event. It was truly heartwarming to have 200 attorneys and judges turn out to support pro bono legal services.
In addition to recognizing VLSC’s more than 400 volunteers, VLSC also celebrated its 30th anniversary at this year’s Justice for All: Celebrating Pro Bono event. VLSC is the largest pro bono legal services provider in Alameda County assisting low-income residents through pro bono attorneys. Each year, VLSC volunteers donate nearly 3,000 hours of pro bono legal services to more than 1,000 clients.
Event-goers enjoyed a delicious dinner and were inspired by UC Hastings College of the Law Chancellor and Dean Frank Wu’s thoughtful and provocative keynote address. Dean Wu, told the story of Vincent Chin who, days before his wedding, was killed in a racially-motivated crime in Detroit. As a young man growing up in Detroit himself, the tragic loss of this man’s life and the injustice in his murder case, had a profound impact on Dean Wu and ultimately inspired him to pursue a career in law.
Sherry Hu served as Mistress of Ceremonies for the seventh year in a row. To celebrate the work of VLSC’s volunteers, awards were presented for Volunteer and Mentors of the Year, in addition to the Pro Bono Leadership Award. This year’s awards were presented to:
- Pro Bono Leadership: Judge Stephen Pulido, Superior Court of California—County of Alameda
- Volunteer of the Year: Jane Kaplan, Law Office of Jane R. Kaplan
- Volunteer of the Year—Rising Star: Janice Cho, Law Office of Janice Cho
- Mentors of the Year: Phillip Campbell and Teresa Green, Campbell Law Office
Additionally, fifteen VLSC volunteers received the State Bar’s Wiley W. Manuel Certificate for Pro Bono Legal Service, which recognizes volunteers who contribute at least 50 pro bono hours in a year: Joel Ackerman, Jennifer Banker, Michael Brodie, Phillip Campbell, Nikki Clark, Brian Doucette, Phillip Ghaderi, Teresa Green, John Kirkham, Summer Nastich, David Olsen, Matthew Quiring, David L. Roth, Selwyn Whitehead, and Froilan Zuno.
In all, the event raised more than $46,000 for the Volunteer Legal Services Corporation, which will help VLSC continue to provide pro bono services to Alameda County’s low-income families and individuals. In addition to dinner, there was a silent auction with more than 50 amazing items. A few bidding wars even broke out! Photos from the event are available to view here.
Missed the event but want to support VLSC in under a minute? Our text-to-pledge campaign raised more than $3,600 in under two hours! The text-to-pledge line will be open until August 21, 2013. Please help us reach our goal of $5,000! If you have not already donated, please make a pledge by texting VLSC, the amount you would like to donate, and your name to 41444. For example: VLSC 500 Joe Lawyer. Thank you to our many supporters who have already texted and donated! Please pass the text-to-pledge information on to your friends and colleagues.
Thank you again to our generous sponsors, without whom this event would not be possible!
Pillar of Justice Sponsor
Guardians of Justice Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
AT & T
Bingham Osborn & Scarborough LLC
Continuing Education of the Bar–California
JAMS–The Resolution Experts
Keker & Van Nest LLP
Wendel Rosen Black & Dean LLP
Silver Sponsors
Chevron
Harrington Group
Hereford Kerley LLP
King & Spalding LLP
Lake Merritt Plaza
Mechanics Bank
Reed Smith LLP
Schiff Hardin LLP
Thomson Reuters
Bronze Sponsors
ABA Retirement Funds Program
Aiken Welch Court Reporters
Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP
Cassidy Turley
Ericksen, Arbuthnot, Inc.
Frassetto Herbert LLP
Gargalicana/Graceffa LLP
Jack London Square Ventures LLC
Kornfield, Nyberg, Bendes & Kuhner, PC
Lee, Lawless & Blyth
LexisNexis
McInerney & Dillon P.C.
Sundeen Salinas & Pyle
SymbioSystems, LLC