Career Track Series*: Crimmigration - Ethical Obligations of this Practice Trend

By Erica L. Morris
Law Career Development Graduate Fellow

Crimmigration Or Crimmigation - Ethical Obligations to Know What It Is

Crimmigration is a word coined by legal scholars, and it describes the commingled consequences and practice demands of two important areas of law: criminal and immigration. Crimmigration is more than just knowing these two distinct practices, it is understanding "'...how they intersect. That is a crimmigation lawyer.'" (Steven Crighton, "'Crimmigation' Law Practice Niche on the Rise," San Francisco Daily Journal, Vol. 121 No. 180, published 09/17/15, quoting Cesar C.G. Hernandez, a law professor at University of Denver Sturm Collge of Law.")**

Crimmigration may also be described as "crimmigation" (as seen in Mr. Crighton's article), but from my findings, the former is the most commonly used term.

The Significance Of Crimmigration

In 1986, the Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) removed 1,978 immigrants for criminal convictions. That number rose and kept rising over the past decades. INS removed 36,909 immigrants in 1996 and removed 240,000 immigrants in 2013 for the same reasons. (Crighton.) During the Obama Administration, where the President has vowed "to deport only criminals and repeat immigration violators," the numbers grew at a still startling rate. According to Migration Policy Institute,

95 percent of the immigrants deported from 2009 to 2013 met Mr. Obama’s stated national security priorities for deportations, meaning only about 77,000 of the 1.6 million illegal immigrants removed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over the last five years were rank-and-file border-crossers with clean records.

Thus, the impact that a criminal conviction has on an immigrant is significant and it affects nearly every single immigrant charged with a crime.

U.S. JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL'S CORPS (JAG): How Can You Join?

by Michelle Queirolo 
Grad Fellow 
Law Career Services

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a Judge Advocate? JAG Corps is appealing to many law students, and attorneys alike, because it offers a diverse practice - a combination of criminal prosecution, criminal defense, and client counseling - plus the opportunity for national and international travel. In addition, Judge Advocates are officers in the military, so these attorneys not only serve their clients, they serve and represent our country as well. To become a Judge Advocate, an applicant does not need prior military experience. Rather, a prospective applicant must first decide on which of the branches s/he would like to practice and serve in: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard.

BEAT THE CLOCK 2015 MCLE EVENT

Golden Gate Law alumni, students, faculty and staff are invited to our Annual MCLE Event Seminar and Networking Lunch.

Golden Gate University School of Law will be hosting the annual Beat the Clock MCLE event on Saturday, January 31, 2015, from 8:30 am to 5:10 pm. All sessions will be held at GGU, 536 Mission Street, 2nd floor. The networking lunch will be held in the 5th floor auditorium.

Registration fees (includes any or all sessions):

• GGU Alumni (classes of 2012 or earlier): $150 
• GGU Alumni (classes of 2013 or 2014): $75 
• Non-GGU Alumni: $250 
• Current GGU Students: FREE 
• GGU Staff/Professors: FREE 

More information regarding topics, schedule and registration form can be found at: http://law.ggu.edu/alumni/alumni-events

Deadline to register is: Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Contact: Mateo Jenkins at mjenkins@ggu.edu or 415-442-6541

How Does Proposition 47 Affect You?

by Sabrina M. Johnson, LCS Graduate Fellow

Proposition 47 - Criminal Sentences. Misdemeanor Penalties. Initiative Statute

• Requires misdemeanor sentence instead of felony for certain drug possession offenses. 
• Requires misdemeanor sentence instead of felony for the following crimes when amount involved is $950 or less: petty theft, receiving stolen property, and forging/writing bad checks. 
• Allows felony sentence for these offenses if person has previous conviction for crimes such as rape, murder, or child molestation or is registered sex offender. 
• Requires resentencing for persons serving felony sentences for these offenses unless court finds unreasonable public safety risk. 
• Applies savings to mental health and drug treatment programs, K–12 schools, and crime victims. 

Official Title and Summary, prepared by the Attorney General 

Passage of Proposition 47 in the last election significantly changes how criminal cases are and will be handled statewide, with rippling effects in immigration and family law. It is also expected to cause a hiring surge in prosecutor and public defender offices statewide.

To help our students and graduates keep abreast of Proposition 47’s implementation, we at LCS recommend watching this free video, while earning free, self-study CLE units.

Sometimes You Have To Go AwayTo Come Home Again

By Susan Leff (GGU JD 95),
Acting Director of Clinical Externships and Adjunct Law Professor

During my years as a student at GGU School of Law, I worked in several different kinds of public defender agencies – county, federal, and state offices – and I experienced both trial work and appellate work. I was also extremely fortunate to be mentored by great GGU law professors with strong connections to criminal defense, including Professors Calhoun, Rutberg, and Keane. Through both my work experiences and my conversations with my mentors, becoming a public defender trial attorney became my life’s dream.

However, when I graduated in 1995, it was a difficult time to find a job in my chosen area of law. Although I lived in San Francisco, getting a job in the San Francisco Public Defender's Office was nearly impossible. So after taking the California Bar Examination, I applied for employment to public defender offices in over 30 of the 58 California counties. I finally heard back from offices in two different counties: Kern and San Joaquin Counties. Although I had never stepped foot in either county – I wasn’t even exactly sure where to find either of them on a map! – I quickly responded by calling back the San Joaquin County Public Defender’s Office, simply because their call was the first one I received. With great excitement, I set up a time for an interview with the Public Defender. Before I hung up the telephone, I asked the Public Defender whether he could pick me up at the Greyhound station because I didn’t have a car.

Much to his credit, the Public Defender agreed to meet me at the Greyhound station. On the day of my interview, he personally picked me up there and walked me to his office. After our interview, I asked the Public Defender whether I could stay and have lunch with the misdemeanor trial attorneys on his staff and then shadow them in court after lunch: after all, I explained to him, my bus back to San Francisco wouldn’t leave until the end of the business day. He agreed and took me to meet and have lunch with his misdemeanor staff, and I trailed those attorneys in court that afternoon before getting back on the Greyhound bus for San Francisco. The very next morning, the Public Defender called me and offered me a job in his office, which I gratefully accepted.

In my first year at the San Joaquin County Public Defender's Office, I tried 18 cases in nine months. I spent the next four years working as a public defender attorney in California’s Central Valley, commuting over 90 miles each way to work – and yes, after commuting for several months by MUNI, BART and carpool, I did eventually have to buy a car. After that I spent over four years commuting to Napa County to work as a public defender attorney in the Napa County Public Defender's Office. In the Central Valley and in Napa, I had the time and experience to develop my craft and become the kind of public defender attorney I wanted to be. After nine years working as a public defender attorney, and nearly 60 trials, I finally received an opportunity to work in San Francisco in the San Francisco Public Defender's Office as a public defender attorney – my dream job in my chosen home.

Although it took a lot of time, work and energy, I had to go away and work somewhere else in order to get more trial experience – not to mention valuable life experiences – in order to come home again.

GGU Law Alumni Visit Campus To Discuss Exciting Careers in Criminal Law

by Leeor Neta
Assistant Director for Public Interest Programs

Students, faculty and alumni packed into a room at GGU School of Law last night to hear four distinguished alumni panelists discuss their careers in criminal law and hear advice on how others could follow in their footsteps. The four panelists - Peter Goodman (GGU JD 75), Sylvia Perez (GGU JD 95), Richard Richardson (GGU JD 07) and Acadia Senese (GGU JD 07) — each took turns answering questions from the moderator, Professor Susan Rutberg (GGU JD 75), and the assembled students.

In particular, Richard Richardson amused students with stories about his first day on the job at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. Sylvia Perez explained how she provides a vigorous defense to clients that are accused of committing terrible crimes. Peter Goodman talked about the thrill he felt when receiving news that the county would not pursue a death penalty conviction for his client. Acadia Senese talked about her experiences at both the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office.

Afterward, everyone congregated in the 2nd floor lobby to enjoy food and drink and, most of all, each other’s company! For more information about these events, please contact Leeor Neta at lneta@ggu.edu.

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.