Member Spotlight

"Now is a time when we all have to step forward and give to those who don't have," states the 2012 President of Board of Directors of the Alameda County Bar Association (ACBA), Sally Elkington. "There's a great need in all communities for legal work. I advocate taking donating a few billable hours to provide legal work to those that can least afford it. In the LGBT community, we're used to leading by example."

 

And Sally does lead by example. She serves as a volunteer attorney for the Lawyer Referral Service Corporation of the Alameda County Bar Association and has served as a mentor for young attorneys who are new to the practice of bankruptcy law.

 

A longtime BALIF member, Sally has been a sole practitioner for her entire legal career. She has been practicing law since 1989 and specifically consumer bankruptcy law for the last eighteen years, representing debtors exclusively. Prior to practicing bankruptcy law, Sally represented tenants in habitability lawsuits. Her main office is located in Oakland, with a satellite office in El Sobrante. Sally graduated from the former New College School of Law. She currently lives in Oakland, but travels frequently to NYC to spend time with her partner, who currently lives there.

 

In fact, Sally actually first met her partner when they worked for the same company and were both in their mid-20s. They went their separate ways, but in a true Hollywood-styled soulmate romance, the pair reconnected some forty years later in NYC, where her partner currently lives and began dating again. When in NYC, which is frequent, Sally loves to eat California cuisine at a small bistro called the Blue Ribbon Bakery. She's also a fan of Broadway musicals, and cites "Book of Mormon" as her favorite.

 

To law school students, Sally imparts these words of wisdom on the job search: "Don't wait to become a lawyer to start your networking process. This is really the time to start looking for a job. Join as many bar associations as you can; attend events and MCLE functions. Also, don't limit yourself to what type of lawyer you want to be, keep your options open. Do volunteer work to find mentors. These investments will turn into valuable experience for you."

 

Sally has served as both chair and board liaison to the Bankruptcy and Consumer Law Section Executive Committee of the ACBA. She was selected and currently serves as a member of the Northern District of California Bench-Bar Bankruptcy Committee. Sally also served on the Credit Abuse Resistance Education (CARE) Program development committee of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District. Previously Sally has served on the board of directors for the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and was board president for a number of years. She also served on the Lyon-Martin board of directors, and on the board of the Women's Cancer Resource Center located in Oakland. Sally has been a frequent speaker on numerous panels and symposiums throughout the country in the area of Bankruptcy Law.

Timothy Cahn is an intellectual property litigator and partner at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, where he co-chairs the firm's copyright practice.  Since 2001, Mr. Cahn has dedicated much of his professional pro bono effort to addressing the struggle for LGBT equality in the institutional churches.  At the time, churches were lagging far behind the civic culture in extending full equality, dignity, and relationship-recognition to LGBT folk.   There was a growing sense that, for sexual orientation minorities to continue their momentum toward full civic equality, some measure of progress in the churches needed to be achieved.  Tim joined up with several affinity organizations to lend his substantial support as a litigator toward such efforts.

 

Over the succeeding ten years, Mr. Cahn has represented LGBT persons and their allies in more than fifteen cases in connection with ecclesiastical investigations and trials of persons who were either seeking to become church ministers or to extend religious marriage recognition to same gender couples.   In 2002, he represented Rev. Katie Morrison, the very first openly gay or lesbian person to achieve, and retain, ordination as a minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).  Rev. Morrison was brought up on church charges based on her sexual orientation, and, with Cahn's help, the charges were dismissed and Morrison's status as a minister secured.

 

In 2006, at an ecclesiastical church trial in Northern California , Mr. Cahn represented Rev. Dr. Jane Spahr, a Presbyterian minister who was charged with violating church law by performing weddings for same gender couples.  From the early 1980's, Rev. Spahr has been a tireless advocate for LGBT inclusion and civil rights.  With Cahn's help, Rev. Spahr was acquitted at her 2006 trial, where she was facing the potential sanction of exclusion from ordained ministry.  Mr. Cahn represented Rev. Spahr all the way up to the "Supreme Court" of the Presbyterian church, where Rev. Spahr's acquittal was sustained.

 

In 2008, when a group of conservative churches in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania sought to institute a categorical rule that would have absolutely prevented LGBT persons from seeking to become ministers, Mr. Cahn brought a case in Pennsylvania challenging the discriminatory rule and ultimately succeeding in nullifying it.

 

In connection with California 's 2009 Prop 8 case, Mr. Cahn prepared an amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court of California, on behalf of over twenty religious leaders, churches, and synagogues who argued in support of the religious freedom to marry same gender couples. 

 

Most recently, in the Spring of 2011, Mr. Cahn again represented a gay minister charged with violating church law.  He obtained the acquittal of Rev. Erwin Barron at a church trial in Minneapolis , Minnesota of charges stemming from Rev. Barron's having legally married his husband.  The church authorities who brought the case against Rev. Barron had sought to compel him to divorce his legal husband.  Following the trial, Rev. Barron's status as a minister, and his marriage, were both fully in tact.

 

Mr. Cahn also has been significantly involved with the institutional church on a national level drafting and evaluating guidelines for use by ministers to perform religious ceremonies that bless a civil same-gender marriage, as well as guidelines to enable openly GLBT minister candidates to become ordained.

 

Mr. Cahn's involvement in these matters comes naturally.  He is the son of Presbyterian minister and lifelong church member who himself has struggled with the question of what it means to be "out" as a gay man within a religious organization that at times foments anti-gay discrimination.   His extensive pro bono activities in support of LGBT equality in the churches have helped Mr. Cahn partially answer that question for himself.

Once an attorney at Carroll Burdick & McDonough, now the owner of the legendary nightclub, "The Endup."

 

By Lilah Sutphen

 

One might assume that an individual who owns and operates a nightclub is likely to embrace a rowdy, hard-liquor infused lifestyle. But this does not describe Sydney Leung. Indeed, while he owns and operates the infamous night club, "The Endup," Sydney 's preference is a quiet evening at home with a movie or a book and a glass of wine.

 

Sydney was born in Hong Kong where he lived his early years. He moved to Boston in 1989 and studied architecture.  Boston held Sydney 's interest until 1994, when San Francisco 's appeal cast its magnetic spell on him. Sydney remained in San Francisco until 2003 when he moved to New York . However, the Big Apple's big city charm, good eats, and boundless culture did not surpass that of our lovely city by the Bay, and Sydney was called back to San Francisco , where he cherishes his lifestyle and the local culture. 

 

Sydney attended UC Hastings where his achievements were many. Sydney 's honors and awards included:

 

§   Order of the Coif

§   Thurston Society

§   Who's Who Among American Law Students,1999

§   American Jurisprudence Award for Securities Regulation, 1998

§   Class Award for Telecommunications Law, 1998

§   Recipient of the William Blackfield Memorial Scholarship

§   Recipient of the Bernard and Joan Maier Memorial Scholarship

 

Sydney's honors and accolades did not stop after leaving Hastings . Former mayor Gavin Newsom designated September 27, 2009, as "Sydney Leung Day."  As if this wasn't more recognition than most of us could even hope to receive, on February 6, 2010 the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance awarded Sydney the "George Choy Award of Recognition" for his work in the Asian & Pacific Islander LGBT communities. Indeed, Sydney is a model of what hard work, intelligence, and an upbeat demeanor can achieve.

 

Following law school, Sydney joined Carroll Burdick & McDonough as an associate in the Appellate Department. He then transferred to the firm's transactional group, focusing on corporate and real estate development work. But there are no more motions and appeals for Sydney . He left the corporate world and is now the lawyer for his own business.

 

Sydney's decision to be involved in BALIF was easy and no-nonsense. Sydney explains, "BALIF is the hub for LGBT legal professionals in the Bay Area, a place where we can not only advance the LGBT cause in the legal community, but where we can have a significant impact on the community at large.  As an entrepreneur and a lawyer, my goal is to work with BALIF to provide a platform for our young LBGT law students and legal professionals to fully achieve their goals and dreams."

"Homophobia still exists in the legal profession, even in the bay area, and BALIF plays a very important and powerful role in helping to eradicate bias and stereotypes," states San Francisco Superior Court Judge Angela Bradstreet.
 
Angela vividly recalls an incident that occurred when she was an Officer of the Bar Association of San Francisco: "A speaker came to voice his objections to an equal rights-related resolution that the Bar was considering.  Everyone was shocked by what we heard.  I had never heard such awful hate language in my life.  I can't even repeat it.  After the presentation, I addressed the speaker directly, telling him that I moved to America because this country is a tolerant one.  I also told him that I was very taken aback by the language that he used and considered it to be directed at me personally."  The speaker immediately apologized and later offered to take Angela to lunch.  "I told him I would be delighted and even insisted on paying."  Angela believes that change and progress can come one person at-a-time.
 
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Angela Bradstreet, the state's Labor Commissioner to the San Francisco Superior Court in September 2010.  Not only is Angela a fierce and longtime trailblazer for equality, she's a shining example of the American Dream.
 
Angela obtained the equivalent of a J.D. at the University of Bristol, England and began working for a prestigious law firm in London.  But because of difficulties surrounding her coming-out to her family, Angela left the UK at the tender age of 24.  With only a backpack and $1,000.00 in cash, she boarded a plane for the U.S.   She later obtained an LLM from the Boalt Hall.
 
It took Angela five years after starting her practice in the U.S. to come out of the closet.  "This was the mid-80s, and I was hesitant to reveal my sexual identity.  It took me years to understand that my sexuality is part of who I am.  It should not be an issue; it's just a part of me.  And I'm very proud of who I am."  Her own experiences are the reason why Angela has so much compassion for those who are still in the closet.  She's taken it upon herself to counsel gay and lesbian attorneys on a confidential basis.  "My heart goes out to someone who is in the closet because it is so lonely. When I came out at 30, it was such a relief.  I couldn't have received more support from my firm, colleagues, and friends.  In fact, many of my friends at the time became even closer, and we're still friends to this day." She believes that the San Francisco legal community is a very supportive and open one.  "I always joke that the best part of coming out was that my friends stopped trying to set me up with single men!"
 
Angela served as California's Labor Commissioner for three years, where she managed a staff of 400 in the state's fight against the "underground economy of illegitimate working conditions."  Prior to that, Angela served as the Managing Partner at Carroll, Burdick and McDonough LLP.  During her 25 years in private practice at CB&M, she defended employers in whistleblower, sexual and transgender discrimination, opposite and same-sex harassment, disability, wrongful termination, and racial discrimination claims.
Angela has received numerous awards and professional distinctions, including the Margaret Brent Award, the highest award given by the American Bar Association in recognition of the accomplishments of women lawyers who have excelled in their field and led the advancement of women in the legal profession (2007).  She was recognized as one of the top 75 women litigators in California by The Daily Journal (2005).  Angela received the California State Bar Diversity Award (2003) for her leadership in advancing a local resolution stating that membership by Judicial Officers in organizations that exclude gays and lesbians is inappropriate.
 
This remarkable resolution was the first of its kind in the nation.  And with the invaluable help and support of then Presiding Judge Donna Hitchens and the Court's executive committee, the resolution was adopted unanimously by the entire San Francisco Superior Court bench.  When she was elected President of the Bar Association of San Francisco in 2001, Angela took the resolution statewide.  Her efforts culminated in the California Supreme Court amending the Commentary to the Judicial Cannons of Ethics to include the content of the resolution.  During her tenure, Angela also established a "no glass ceiling" task force to encourage promotion of women into management positions at law firms and government legal agencies.  Angela also served as President of California Women Lawyers (1992); of the Queen's Bench Bar Association (1989); and of the Board of Permit Appeals, City and County of San Francisco (1993-1995).
 
When asked about her decision to apply to the bench, Angela responded, "After 25 years in private practice, there came a point where I wanted to go into public service.  Public service is deeply rewarding and meaningful to me, and I hope to remain in the public sector for a very long time."  Is life on the bench difficult?  "Yes," she replied candidly, "there's a steep learning curve and lots of long hours.  But I try to be well-prepared, and I'm loving it!  I'm currently assigned to the misdemeanors department, and I find this assignment incredibly interesting."  She jokes that one of the perks of being a Judge is that "I don't have to worry about billable hours."
 
Angela recently returned from a trip of a lifetime to Kenya and Uganda with her wonderful partner, Cherie Larson.  Says Angela of Cherie, "She has brought enormous joy to my life, and I feel very blessed.  She's one of the most lovely and talented people I have ever met."
 
Judge Bradstreet provides these words of wisdom to the LGBT legal community: "Let's push ourselves to the best we can be.  And that includes being who we are and not being afraid of making changes and meeting challenges"  Words spoken by a true trailblazer and BALIF hero.


by Michael Nguyen and On Lu, Membership Chair

originally published in the BALIF Newsletter dated January 31, 2011

He parents a cat that’s got the personality of a dog.  He’s a devout Phish groupie who follows the jam band around the country on tours.  And he’s an eligible bachelor looking for the love of his life.  Breaking all of our preconceived notions of the bench, Judge Jon Karesh of the Superior Court for San Mateo County is lively, spontaneous, approachable, and slightly unorthodox – in a refreshing and candid sort of way.

Jon’s a Bear.  (No, not that kind of “bear”.)  He’s a Berkeley undergrad and Boalt law school grad. He spent two years in private practice at Sedgwick Detert Moran & Arnold before joining the San Mateo County District Attorneys Office, where he served for more than twelve years.  Jon primarily prosecuted narcotics cases and specialized in asset forfeiture cases, in which illegally obtained money is seized from drug dealers and forfeited to the state.  For more than ten years he taught asset forfeiture at conferences held throughout the state of California .

Jon is presently in his tenth year as a state court judge and particularly enjoys the complexities of felony jury trials.  He has presided over more than seventy-five jury trials.  These include murder, rape, robbery and child molest cases, as well as numerous civil trials.  Jon also enjoyed a stint in juvenile court: “Unlike adult court, where the focus is on punishment; juvenile court offers the hope for rehabilitation.”  He particularly cherishes his work in uniting families through adoptions.  “So many people do not want to be in court.  Adoptions – including same-sex adoptions – are joyous occasions when people want to be in court.  There are plenty of cameras.  And always tears and laughter.”

Born and raised in San Francisco , Jon follows in the footsteps of his father, who was a rabbi turned judge.  San Francisco Superior Court Judge Joseph Karesh was well-known for presiding over the 1975 Zebra murder trial and the 1978 trial of Black Panther Huey Newton.  Jon moved to San Mateo twenty-some years ago to take a job in the San Mateo County D.A. ’s Office.  His father has always been an inspiration to him in his legal career.  “My Dad has always been a role model for me.  And I love it when attorneys approach me and tell me stories about him.”

Jon is a huge fan of the legendary 1960s folk group, the Kingston Trio.  “When I was a little boy, I had a rocking horse, and I would rock back and forth to their music.”  Every summer, Jon attends the Kingston Trio Fantasy Camp, where fans of the group come together to mingle with famous folk singers, sing, and have a great time.  Jon plays the tenor guitar at camp. The highlight of the camp for Jon is the opportunity to get on stage and perform with his childhood heroes in front of an actual audience.

Jon spends most weekends in San Francisco dining with friends, going to concerts, movies and Giants baseball games.  He spends time with his cat, Jimmy, “the sweetest and friendliest cat on the planet,” who follows him around like a little puppy dog.  Jon enjoys travel when he is on vacation, and last year went to Japan , North Carolina (for two Phish shows), Mexico and to the Kingston Trio camp.  Jon is active in his church, the Congregational Church of San Mateo. The church is a progressive, gay-friendly church that is committed to social justice and has an openly lesbian senior minister.

Jon is also looking for that special someone.  When asked about what it is like to go on a date with a Judge, Jon replied, “Judges are the same as everyone else.  There’s a misconception that judges are perfect, and that’s so far from the truth!  It’s way more difficult for me on a first date than it is for me in a courtroom, where I’m in my comfort zone.  People are often amazed to know that in some social situations, I can be quite shy.”  Jon believes that he comes across as too serious on first dates. “I’ve been told to smile, relax and let my sense of humor come through. Of course that’s easier said than done!”

Already out to family and friends, Jon came out of the closet professionally about five years ago while on the bench. ”I wasn’t sure how my colleagues would react, but I felt like it was time for them to know. It was draining to have to keep such a big wall between my personal and professional life.”  Jon followed the advice of a fellow judge who’s a lesbian:  he called or sent around an email to several close colleagues and professional friends.  The email made its way around, and he was deluged with calls and emails, which were very supportive.  “Within days,” he said, “it became a non-issue.”

Is he optimistic about gay marriage?  “Absolutely,” Jon replies, “it’s just a matter of time.  Look how far we have come in just a few years.”  When asked whether he wants to get married, Jon replied with a resounding “yes!”  “I’ve met my professional goal.  I was a lawyer for some time, and my plan is to be a judge until I retire.  Now it’s time to focus on my personal life.  My dream is to get married and to go on a honeymoon on a beach somewhere.”  Does he date lawyers?  “I haven’t dated many because I come across so few in the South Bay , but am certainly open to it and would love to.”

by On Lu, Membership Chair

originally published in the BALIF Newsletter dated XXXX

The Santa Clara County Bar Association (SCCBA) has named BALIF Co-Chair David J. Tsai the 2010 Barrister of the Year.  David is an associate working out of Townsend & Townsend’s San Francisco and Palo Alto offices, where his practice focuses on trade secret and patent litigation.
Each year, the Barristers Committee of SCCBA presents a young attorney (35 years old or younger with five years or less in practice) with the award. The committee looks at not only the lawyer’s professional skill and achievements, but also his or her contributions to pro bono, community organizations, and participation in the SCCBA and the State Bar of California.
“When it comes to young attorneys, David is the complete package,” said Townsend senior litigation partner Ted Herhold. “He’s shown himself to be an intelligent and skilled litigator early in his career. At the same time, David brings a lot of energy to the business development side, particularly in the firm’s representation of clients in Taiwan . He is also one of the most active attorneys in various community outreach efforts. David truly represents the best of our profession.”  He was named a “Rising Star” in intellectual property litigation by Super Lawyers in both 2009 and 2010.

In addition to a full-time practice representing technology companies, David is very active in pro bono and community activities. His longtime involvement with SCCBA has primarily been through the association’s Rainbow Committee, helping to grow its membership as co-chair. Since 2008, he has served on the board of the AIDS Legal Referral Panel, and since 2007, has worked on civil rights and immigration pro bono matters through the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and the Asian Law Caucus.

David co-chairs Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF), the country’s oldest and largest LGBT bar organization and also previously co-chaired the Minority Bar Coalition. He also currently serves on the boards of the Silicon Valley Intellectual Property Law Association, the Bar Association of San Francisco, and the Santa Clara University School of Law Alumni.
“I’m really honored and humbled to be recognized by the SCCBA with this award. I’ve truly enjoyed my first years practicing law and being part of the Santa Clara County Bar,” David said. “I especially appreciate the friendships I’ve developed and the mentoring I’ve received from Santa Clara County judges and my colleagues at Townsend and the Bar. I decided to practice law to help bring equality for all minorities and am very appreciative of the work of both the SCCBA and Townsend to achieve that same goal. I encourage other young lawyers and law students to seek out opportunities to help the legally underrepresented.”

David was recognized at the Annual SCCBA Barristers Committee Judges’ Luncheon on November 15, 2010. The Honorable Erica R. Yew was the featured speaker and introduced David.

“A guarantee of equality that is subject to exceptions by the majority is no guarantee at all.”

— Therese Stewart, testifying before the California Supreme Court

Anyone who followed the Prop. 8 trial will recognize long-time BALIF member, Therese Stewart, who defended Mayor Gavin Newsom’s order allowing nearly 4,000 same-sex couples to marry at City Hall.  Therese graduated from Boalt Hall School of Law in 1981 and worked as a litigator for almost 20 years.  She served as the first openly gay president of the Bar Association of San Francisco.  In 2001, Therese joined the San Francisco City Attorney’s office, where she presently oversees the litigation practice, which includes
everything from municipal law to constitutional Law.

Therese joined BALIF when she started to practice law in 1982, when the organization was in its formative years.  She also served on the BALIF Board in the mid 1980s.  ”It has become so incredibly successful that I feel extraordinarily proud to be and have been a part of it.”

Therese’s life includes a loving wife of 18 years undefined Carole Scagnetti – whom she describes as “the light of my life and a terrific business lawyer.”  They have a daughter who came into their lives when she was 12. Therese and Carole each have a dog who is “a lot like our spouse”. Therese’s dog is “beautiful, sweet, easygoing, ambivalent, stubborn, talkative and very loveable.” Her wife’s dog is “excitable, hyperactive, obsessive, aggressive, impatient and cutest when asleep.”

For new lawyers, Therese advises, “work hard; absorb as much as you can from lawyers around you; watch, listen and learn from other lawyers; don’t model yourself after only one lawyer and instead develop a range of styles and skills that fit different situations; gravitate into work you can learn from (find it in pro bono work if your day job isn’t providing enough); [and] be patient about having your career develop into what you want it to be.”  She also encourages new lawyers to “use the attorney review process to set professional goals for yourself every year, and look back at the end of the year to see how you have done. Notice and learn from your mistakes and failures, but remind yourself regularly of the things you have done well and successfully.”  Lastly, she emphasizes the importance of staying in touch with friends from college, law school, and the practice.

When asked if there’s anything else she’d like to share, Therese responded, “I am proud of being part of San Francisco’s vibrant legal community.  We are a small City that thinks big, and by doing so we make change well beyond our own boundaries.”

Therese has been recognized with a number of awards and honors, including: Daily Journal 10 Lawyers Who Helped to Shape a Decade (2010); Legal Momentum Woman of Achievement Award (2010); California Law Review Honorary Alumna of the Year (2009); California Lawyer of the Year Award, Civil Rights (2009); Bar Association of San Francisco Champion of Justice Award (2008); National Lesbian and Gay Bar Association Dan Bradley Award (2008); and Northern California Superlawyers (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009).

This week we spotlight a top-notch civil litigator, Tamar Pachter! Growing up in New York and New Jersey, Tamar is a graduate of the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and the Fordham University School of Law. She currently works as a Deputy Attorney General in the Government Law Section of the Attorney General’s Office, representing the Constitutional officers of the State as well as state agencies in litigation. Tamar has served on the Energy Task Force, the Antitrust Law Section, and has represented the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state stem cell commission, in litigation challenging Proposition 71 (its authorizing initiative). Prior to her public service, Tamar was in private practice in New York and San Francisco.

Tamar first became involved with BALIF when she moved to San Francisco in 1991. Her involvement in BALIF helped to jump start her connections with the GLBT community and the legal community in the Bay Area. “Many of the people I served with on the BALIF board and committees remain my closest friends and colleagues,” Tamar recalls. One of her favorite cases, which she describes as “surprising and fascinating,” is Perry v. Schwarzenegger, in which Tamar represents the Attorney General in the federal challenge to Proposition 8. In that case, Tamar drafted the answer admitting that Prop. 8 violated the Due Process and Equal Protection guarantees of the Constitution. Expressing her excitement, Tamar notes that “the lawyering in the case was unparalleled. It was a great opportunity and an honor to represent Attorney General Jerry Brown in that case.” As an added bonus, Tamar has a watercolor depiction that the courtroom artist painted of one of Tamar’s rare appearances at the podium!

Most people wouldn’t guess that Tamar also knows a lot about mattresses-a result of her sales experience in a department store selling furniture to pay for law school. Outside of her work, Tamar enjoys a wonderful family life with her partner Stacey Hawver and her two teenagers, Freda and Jacob. Her advice to new lawyers: “Look for opportunities to do something new. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, you will make them and learn from them. Consider it part of your job, whatever it is, to do public service.” From Wall Street to Montgomery Street, Tamar explains “the most interesting and rewarding work I have done, and many of the best lawyers I have known, have been in public service.” Thank you, Tamar, for your service and for being this week’s Member Spotlight!

**Courtroom illustration by Vicki Ellen Behringer copyright 2010**

This week, we are highlighting a recent graduate, Ted Garey!  Born on the Jersey Shore, Ted grew up in Virginia and attended the University of Virginia before moving to San Francisco.  A recent graduate of UC Hastings, Ted is a staff attorney at the AIDS Legal Referral Panel (ALRP) and helps clients with issues in landlord tenant law, credit counseling and bankruptcy referrals, and will drafting and advanced health care directives.  Ted recently helped a client obtain low-income housing after being denied because of prior eviction issues related to the client’s substance abuse.  Even though the client had been in recovery for almost 2 years, he was still denied low-income housing. A tireless advocate on behalf of the needy, Ted was finally able to persuade the building managers to approve the client after 6 months of letters, phone calls, and finally, an in-person appeal.

Ted joined BALIF in law school to meet more LGBT law students and lawyers.  A social butterfly, Ted definitely enjoys the social aspect of the organization, but also appreciates BALIF’s focus on current events that impact our community.  An active member of BALIF’s Young Lawyers and Law Students Committee, Ted hopes that more practitioners take time to be a mentor in BALIF or speak on a panel at a law school to support the soon-to-be lawyers out there.  As a new lawyer himself, Ted has directly benefited from mentoring through BALIF, explaining, “In law school I had so many people who helped me along the way to get me where I am today.  We should make sure we do the same for all the up and coming lawyers.”

One thing most people don’t know about Ted is that he is a bit of a language nerd.  Ted studied Mandarin Chinese in college and, though he’s a bit rusty, can speak, read, and write it as well.  Ted is also always looking to recruit new panel attorneys for ALRP, so please feel free to contact him directly if interested at 415-701-1200, x307 or at ted@alrp.org.