My name is Sophia Ahmad and I am the Chair of the Barristers Section. I would like to welcome you and thank you for visiting our page. The Barristers Section is free for attorney members with ten years or fewer in practice. The theme for this year’s Barristers Executive Committee is “Mankind is our Business”. As a board, we are committed to professional growth, community service, and serving as an advocate for our members. We provide free monthly MCLEs in various practice areas, an outstanding six-month Mentorship Program, opportunities to Dine with a Judge, volunteer in the community, and fun socials to gather and network. We are open to co-sponsor with other ACBA sections as well as other local Bar Associations. We invite you to join and get involved with our section. If you have any ideas, suggestions, or concerns, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me at: C: 510-421-6188 or E: sophia@sophiaahmadlaw.com Throughout the year, the Barristers gather to socialize and to network. Our events range from simple gatherings at a local restaurant or pub, to co-sponsored and more elaborate events such as Tailgate and BBQ at an A’s v. Giants game. Regardless of the theme or the venue, each social is designed to create opportunities to network and develop friendships as well as to relax and have some fun. Whether you’re a new golfer wanting to spend an afternoon networking with other attorneys and judges or an experienced golfer looking for a chance to get your name engraved on the President’s Cup, you’re welcome at the annual ACBA Barristers Golf Classic, typically held in early August! Our 2019 event was held on August 2nd. Check out the photos here. Dine with State Bar Court Judge Manjari Chawla Barristers Night Out: Oakland A’s v SF Giants Universal Curiosity: Mediating and Lawyering Beyond Cultural Competency Dine with a Judge: Élan Consuella Lambert Dine with a Judge: Gail Brewster Bereola New events are added regularly. Visit the ACBA calendar for more upcoming ACBA events. The Barristers Mentorship Program was created to link new attorneys (mentees) with seasoned attorneys (mentors) in Alameda County so that mentees may gain support and guidance as they embark on their professional legal careers. For mentors, participation in the program is an opportunity to give back and support the profession of law, and help shape its future by coaching the mentees and sharing their experiences and life lessons. Please check out the program guidelines for more information. The Barristers Mentorship Program Committee pairs mentees and mentors twice a year, but you can submit a mentor application or a mentee application at any time! The ACBA and Barristers are committed to building a stronger relationship between the Bench and Bar in Alameda County. The Barristers Dine with a Judge programs provide you and several of your peers the unique chance to enjoy a delicious dinner and casual conversation with some of the area’s premier judges. Whether you have already appeared in court for a case or may make a future court appearance, these dinners are terrific ways to gain new insights and become acquainted with a member of the bench outside the courtroom setting. Dine with a Judge affords you an excellent opportunity to ask questions and learn information that may guide you during your court appearances. Ask the judges about their career path and learn about their experiences before they took their seats on the Bench. Sophia Ahmad Law, A.P.C. Sophia Ahmad was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management. After being intern to the executive team for the grand opening of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Sophia attended Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. She was a Student Attorney and Clinic Chief at the SMU Federal Taxpayers Clinic and with the Small Business/Self-Employed Division of the IRS. She worked for her family’s CPA firm before opening her own practice. Sophia Ahmad Law, A.P.C. focuses in tax, corporate, and immigration law. Sophia is a huge foodie, loves to travel, and is currently learning Tahitian dancing! Law Office of Adrieannette Ciccone/Gitmeid & Assoc. Adrieannette knew she wanted to be a lawyer when she was a young child. As time progressed, she realized that much societal injustice was the result of socioeconomic inequality. After earning a joint MA in Urban Planning and Latin American Studies, Adrieannette embarked on her legal career. She is now working to defend the legal rights of those faced with debt collection lawsuits, and doing land use law to help reshape the urban landscape to be more equitable. She is an active board member of the California Association of Black Lawyers, an Executive Member of the Litigation Section of the California Lawyers Association and also serves as the 2019 Membership Co-Chair for the Charles Houston Bar Association. When she is not advocating for others or serving the community, Adrieannette enjoys global travel, practicing Portuguese and Spanish, Afro-Latin dance, and fusion cooking. Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. Shannon Clawson is an East Bay native and practices employment law in San Francisco. In her practice, she strives to support and guide her clients through the ever-changing employment law process – whether it’s an investigation, deposition, settlement, alternative dispute resolution or trial. Shannon was also a participant in the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel’s (FDCC) Ladder Down Program and is an active member of the Earl Warren Inn of Court. She also serves as a member of the Instructional Faculty at San Francisco State University’s College of Extended Learning, where she regularly co-teaches an employment laws course. When she is not working, you’ll generally find Shannon running around Lake Merritt, reading for a book club, traveling, or spoiling her dog. Law Offices of John L. Burris Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) Eileen Eib is a Publications Attorney for the Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB), where she works on publications and programs in the areas of civil litigation, insurance, and family law. Prior to joining CEB, Eileen practiced family law litigation for five years, first in Santa Clara County and then in Alameda County, before deciding to focus her day-to-day on her favorite skillset, legal research and writing. When she is not wading through case law and new legislation, Eileen enjoys cooking, reading, playing board games, and exploring the East Bay. Eileen also volunteers regularly for Legal Access’ CLASP legal clinic. Geosyntec Consultants, Inc Law Offices of Jason Leong Jason practices criminal defense and also handles post-conviction writs, petitions, and appeals. Jason has been a long-time resident of Alameda County, going to high school in the East Bay, and graduating from UC Berkeley and UC Hastings College of the Law. After more than two years as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of California and a Deputy District Attorney in Madera County, he’s excited to be back home serving the Bay Area. Jason is a former member of the Earl Warren and Kennedy Inns of Court and enjoys staying at the cutting edges of the law. Wapnick Family Law Alice Cheng is a family law attorney with Wapnick Family Law in Walnut Creek. She has served on the ACBA Barristers Section Executive Committee from 2014 to present, and was their Chair from 2017-2018. Alice was the 2018 recipient of the ACBA Distinguished Service Award for New Lawyer. She is also a member of the Earl Warren American Inn of Court, the Asian American Bar Association, and Women Lawyers of Alameda County. Alice speaks Cantonese and basic conversational Mandarin. Law Offices of WookSun Hong WookSun is part of the Bay Area Legal Incubator, a group of attorneys that provide legal services for mid to low income communities. Their practice areas cover employment, immigration, estate planning, real estate, business/corporate law, prisoners’ rights and more. WookSun personally handles real estate, landlord-tenant, immigration, and estate planning. WookSun graduated from Seoul National University with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He pursued Ph.D. degree in biochemistry before switching to law. He is the recipient of the ACBA’s 2019 Distinguished Service Award for Barrister. He is a 2019 extraordinary VLSC volunteer and a member of ACBA LRS 2019 Governing Committee. He enjoys cycling and wants to travel as many countries as possible in the future. Disability Rights Advocates Paul Leahy joined Disability Rights Advocates in 2017 as a DRA Fellowship Attorney. Mr. Leahy received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2017 and his B.A. with distinction in History from the University of Michigan in 2009. Mr. Leahy served as an associate with the Michigan practice of a national public affairs firm headquartered in Boston where he had several disability and healthcare-related projects. Mr. Leahy helped elect attorney Richard Bernstein as the first blind Supreme Court Justice in Michigan history. During law school, he served as a law clerk on the Senate Judiciary Committee and in the Natural Resources Section and Executive Office of the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the United States Department of Justice. Mr. Leahy also worked as a student advocate in Georgetown Law’s Federal Legislation and Administrative Clinic. Mr. Leahy is also a member of the Disability Rights Bar Association. When not besting his best friend or brothers at board games, Mr. Leahy enjoys running, swimming, and downhill skiing. Shikina Mediation Services As a certified mediator, Alice Shikina has a unique background. She has over 20 years of theatre experience, which she brings to her mediation practice. She is a practiced improviser and an excellent people reader. She has mediated hundreds of hours of landlord/tenant cases, as well as families/au pair cases. She is a good listener, compassionate and a true neutral. Shikina has coached mediators in training through UC Berkeley extension and the Arts Arbitration and Mediation Services. Alice is a member of The Bar Association of San Francisco and its Mediation Panel. She is on the ADR Executive Committee and the Barristers Executive Commmittee for the Alameda County Bar Association. She is a volunteer mediator for the Superior Court of California in Alameda County and mediates for the San Francisco Police Accountability Department, as well as the Arts Arbitration and Mediation Services. She is on the Board of Directors for the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center. Deputy Director
Socials
Annual Barristers Golf Classic
Recent Events
Upcoming Programs and Events
Barristers Mentorship Program
Dine with a Judge
The Executive Committee
CHAIR
Sophia Ahmad
39055 Hastings Street, Suite 211
Fremont, CA 94538
sophia@sophiaahmadlaw.com
(510) 421-6188
About: VICE-CHAIR
Adrieannette Ciccone
24438 Santa Clara Street, #56204
Hayward, CA 94544
adrieannette.ciccone@gmail.com
(619) 727-8997
About: SECRETARY
Shannon Clawson
Steuart Tower,One Market Plaza, Suite 1300
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-536-3456
shannon.clawson@ogletree.com
About: MEMBER
James Cook
7677 Oakport Street, Suite 1120
Oakland, CA 94609
james.cook@johnburrislaw.com
(510) 839-5200
About: MEMBER
Eileen Eib
2100 Franklin St Ste 500
Oakland, CA 94612
(510)302-2148
eileeneib@gmail.com
About: MEMBER
David George
1111 Broadway, 6th Floor
Oakland, California 94607
510-285-2669
About: MEMBER
Jason Leong
4123 Broadway #708
Oakland, CA 94611
jasonleonglawoffices@gmail.com
510-421-3327
About: ALTERNATE MEMBER
Alice Cheng
101 Ygnacio Valley Road, Suite 201
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 932-2225
About: ALTERNATE MEMBER
WookSun (Phil) Hong
125 12th Street, Ste. 100-BALI,
Oakland, CA 94607
modulegal@gmail.com
(510) 368-8538
About: ALTERNATE MEMBER
Paul G. Leahy
J.D., Georgetown University Law Center
(313) 549-0768 | pgl9@georgetown.edu
About: ALTERNATE MEMBER
Alice Shikina
Alice.Shikina@gmail.com
415-793-8729
About: STAFF LIAISON
Hadassah Hayashi
1000 Broadway, Suite 290
Oakland, CA 94607
hadassah@acbanet.org
(510) 302-2200
Barristers
James Cook’s focus is Section 1983 civil rights litigation. His other practice areas include DUI – DWI Defense, Criminal Defense, Landlord Tenant – housing law, Personal injury law, contract law, and corporate entity formation for profit and non-profits. James volunteers for VLSC’s Unlawful Detainer Mediation, Bankruptcy, and Family Law Clinics, and is an active member of the Earl Warren Inn of Court. Before becoming a lawyer, James was a professional competitor and decorated champion in Muay Thai Full-Contact Kickboxing who competed internationally and throughout the United States. He won Golden Gloves Boxing in two states and he competed in Mixed Martial Arts.
After leaving a law enforcement career where he served as a deputy sheriff, David went to work in the contracts department for a Bay Area software company. Today, he is corporate counsel to an environmental engineering firm. He earned his JD from the Golden Gate University School of Law, and completed his MBA and undergraduate education at St Mary’s College of California. Long before his bar admission, David was been a frequent volunteer for the state bar; having served as a public member on the JNE commission, the Disciplinary Standards Task Force, and the Client Security Fund. He currently serves on the RJNE and is a panelist on the Practice Analysis Working Group.