Alameda County
Bar Association

Have you heard about BALI’s latest success? 

Standing Out for Excellence in the Legal Profession

The Bay Area Legal Incubator (BALI) community of attorneys might be new to solo practice, but they receive accolades and great results for their lawyering skills.

56ec5ac5e4a9947a2300011cFor example, BALI attorney Rashida Harmon recently completed mission impossible when she successfully represented a client in his third life-term parole hearing, ultimately paving the way for his release after 20 years spent behind bars, and achieving a win few attorneys will ever realize.

As of 2013, approximately 30,000 people in California prisons were serving indeterminate life sentences (meaning sentence that could extend up to a life term, but for which parole is a possibility). Although the rate of parole grants for life term prisoners has increased significantly in the past decade, it remains exceedingly low.

Rashida credits her rare victory in great part to effective collaboration with her client, whose hard work and diligent preparation led to a successful presentation before the Board of Parole Hearings commissioners. For over a decade, her client facilitated a program in San Quentin State Prison that gives imprisoned men the opportunity to mentor youth caught in the criminal legal system.  Rashida’s efforts will help him realize his dream of launching a similar program out in the community upon release.

Rashida received the case referral and training to support her skill development through the pro bono apprenticeship component of BALI’s training program. The training program is aimed to help BALI attorneys open their own modest means law practices.

Want to know more about BALI? Check out our website for more success stories, background on the legal incubator movement, and how to get involved!

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