Meet The Panelists for Tomorrow's Exploring Criminal Law Event!

by Leeor Neta
Assistant Director for Public Interest Programs

This week, GGU is proud to welcome back numerous of its alumni pursuing exciting careers in criminal law. The following is a brief description of three of the panelists:

Sylvia V. Perez: Ms. Perez has been practicing criminal law since January 1996. She is currently an attorney with the Office of the Public Defender in Santa Clara County. She joined this office in 1997. Ms. Perez is currently assigned to the Special Trials Unit, a division within the Public Defenders Office comprised of 7 lawyers who are assigned to this division, based on extensive trial experience and demonstrated competency to handle the most serious and complex cases in the office, including homicide and Capital (Death Penalty eligible) cases.

In addition to trial work, Ms. Perez has also held management positions in the Public Defender’s Office. She served as the Supervising Attorney of the Juvenile Division from 2004 to 2007. She supervised eight attorneys and was actively involved in the county-wide initiative of Juvenile Detention Reform. Her work entailed both legal advocacy and policy work impacting children and adolescents touched by the justice system.

As an advocate for youth, her work involved providing county officials with the defense perspective of what systemic reforms will most effectively rehabilitate youth, prevent future incarceration and reduce the number of youth detained. Ms. Perez served as a Co-chair of the Disproportionate Minority Confinement workgroup, a committee that was formed to reduce the overrepresentation of youth of color in detention in Santa Clara County by changing systemic practices and procedures that may negatively impact youth of color.

Richard L. Richardson: A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Richard L. Richardson graduated from San Francisco State University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. After spending a year working for the Office of the San Francisco Supervisor Geraldo Sandoval as a political intern, he began his legal studies at Golden Gate University School of Law. During all three years of law school, he managed a full load of cases as a law clerk at a civil rights law firm. Mr. Richardson earned his Juris Doctor degree in 2006 and was soon after admitted to the State Bar of California.

Mr. Richardson is currently an Assistant District Attorney for the San Francisco DA’s Office. As a team leader in the Felony Preliminary Hearing Department, he has successfully prosecuted more than 195 felony preliminary hearings on a broad range of cases, including: attempted murder, narcotics, identity theft, robbery, and sexual assault. On a daily basis, he manages more than 50 felony cases from plea negotiations to sentencing in high-pressure court proceedings.

In his capacity as a community activist, Mr. Richardson also gives monthly speeches to citizens of the Bayview District at town hall meetings regarding local crime trends, truancy, and anti-recidivism programs.

Acadia L. Senese: Ms. Senese is a 2007 graduate of Golden Gate University School of Law. She serves as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office here in San Francisco. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Senese served as a Deputy District Attorney for the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office. As a student at GGU, Ms. Senese worked as a Judicial Extern to the Honorable Presiding Judge Alphons Orie of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, United Nations; and as a Judicial Extern to the Honorable Susan Illston of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Ms. Senese also spent time during school working as a law clerk in the United States Attorney’s Office where she worked with the Misdemeanor & Strike Force Units.