BALI Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Highlights Solo Legal Innovators and Their Social Missions

By Frank Zeccola 
LCD Graduate Fellow 

If you are considering starting your own solo practice in any area of law, you should take a long look at the Bay Area Legal Incubator (BALI) program, sponsored in part by Golden Gate University School of Law. The program bills itself as a “social mission incubator,” explaining that “we help attorneys accelerate the development of solo practices that have positive impact in our communities and our neighbors’ lives.”

The 2016-2017 program launched on May 27 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its shared office space in Oakland.

The BALI program, open to all licensed Bay Area attorneys, aims to close the wealth gap that places legal services out of reach for many low-income and even middle-class people. “Very few of us can afford to pay anyone, let alone an attorney, $300 per hour for some undefined, open number of hours,” BALI’s website states. To solve this problem, BALI trains and supports attorneys in “modest means” practices that include reduced or contingency-fee based legal services.

Accordingly, BALI attorneys are required to spend a minimum of half of their time taking on either pro bono or reduced-fee legal work for people of modest means with household incomes of three times the national poverty level or less.

In exchange, BALI gives attorneys a shared community, space, and resources, as well as mentorship in law practice management and substantive law.

Public Interest Law, Lateefah Simon & The PI/PS Launch Celebration Event

By Erica L. Morris
Graduate Fellow, Law Career Development

Just in time for National Pro Bono week, GGU Law is celebrating its students, faculty, alumni and staff who engage in legal service to their communities, and we are celebrating with a very special guest...

Public Interest Law is a cumulative array of industries and practice areas focused on improving the lives of everyone. Those who enter into public interest law may work in a government agency, such as by defending youth from wrongful criminal convictions. Or they may work for a public interest organization that helps victims of domestic violence. Or they may even speak out to improve civil and human rights in a foreign country. Or perhaps, they may "be the attorney who works on community economic development and helps minority-owned small businesses become incorporated. As a public interest lawyer you will be the attorney who ensures liberty and justice for all."

The public interest law sector is vast, and no matter your interest, there is a place for you to fit in - either as a career or as side pro bono work done apart from or within a fee generating practice.  It just takes one person to enact change. Take Lateefah Simon, for an example.

Reflections on Labor Day

by Cynthia Chandler
Interim Associate Dean of Law Career Development and Alumni Relations and Adjunct Professor

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, was established in 1894 as a national day of tribute and rest to celebrate the contribution of workers to all of our communities.

As you enjoy your long weekend, I encourage you to reflect on the broader significance of the day and to consider ways in which law and society is evolving to impact working people.

Check out this useful wrap up of labor law cases from the 2014-15 U. S. Supreme Court term.

Also, Labor Day does not speak to the existence of slavery, or stolen labor, and its continued impact on our economy and society. Consider this blog post on the historic legacy of slavery on the generation of wealth in our country and globally. Moreover, the use of slave labor continues legally in the United States, albeit limitedly, as slave labor was legalized with adoption of the 13th Amendment “as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted…” Consider this recent blog post identifying seven top US companies that continue to make significant profit through the use of free or radically underpaid, imprisoned labor.

Finally, all of us at LCD want to acknowledge how hard our students and graduates work every day, balancing work, school, family and community demands. We thank you for your contributions to our community, culture, politic and society.

SAVE THE DATE! March 16, 50 Things You Can Do With a Law Degree

Please email lawcareer@ggu.edu to let us know you plan to attend

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.

Deadline EXTENDED: Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) Applications Due August 15!

The deadline to apply to GGU's Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) has been extended to Friday, August 15.  LRAP helps graduates (years 2013 and earlier) who secure employment in low-paying public interest and government jobs. Under LRAP, Golden Gate University makes a loan to selected graduates to assist them with their law school loan repayments. If a graduate remains eligible throughout the year, the loan is fully forgiven in July of the following year. There is no limit to the number of years a GGU graduate can receive LRAP support. Please note that beginning in 2014, the LRAP application process is administered by the Law Financial Aid Department. Direct questions/inquiries to Gabriela De la Vega, Director of Law Financial Aid, gdelavega@ggu.edu, (415) 442-6632.

Applications are due August 15, 2014, and are available online: http://law.ggu.edu/clinics-and-centers/special-programs/public-interest-law

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines!

PILF Auction
Friday, March 28, 5 to 9pm, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco
The 2014 Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF) Auction promises to be the highlight of GGU’s social calendar. Tickets are on sale now! You don’t want to miss out on this fun night that also benefits your fellow students. Bid on great items such as dinner at Henry Hunan's with Professor Sylvester or dinner at Chaya with Professor Chu, stargazing with Professor Yates, or golf with Professors Porter and Calhoun! Or you can take a progressive, personalized tour of Alcatraz with GGU’s Public Interest Career Counselor and a formerly imprisoned activist!  And don't forget to buy raffle tickets for the chance to win a $500 visa gift card.  Tickets are $15 for students and $20 for non-students. Buy your tickets today! Tickets go up $5 at the door.

Pro Bono Honors Society - Applications due April 3
To honor the breadth of pro bono work performed by the GGU student body, qualifying criteria for the Pro Bono Honors Society has changed.  Applications for membership are due to Public Interest Career Counselor Cynthia Chandler by Thursday, April 3, 2014.  Golden Gate’s Pro Bono Honor Society acknowledges and rewards students who dedicate a significant portion of their time to helping others through participation in pro bono work.  Pro bono work now is more broadly defined as legal work done in service of indigent or modest means individuals or community groups, or for not-for-profit organizations or government agencies, with the primary purpose of providing services to economically disadvantaged communities, or to other not-for-profit organizations or government agencies with a purpose of increasing access to justice or improving the law and legal system.

Public Interest Specialization Certification - Applications Due April 11 for Mention at Public Interest Graduation
To acknowledge the volume and diversity of GGU Law students committed to the public interest, the qualifying criteria for public interest specialization certification has changed to completing the following: 14 units of Public Interest courses; and 135 hours of supervised legal work at a public interest organization, civil rights law firm, or government agency. You now may qualify under the new rules. All students who previously qualified will fit these criteria, too. If you have already applied for a specialization certification that overlaps with public interest work, such as litigation or environmental law, you might ALSO qualify for the public interest certificate.  To have your public interest efforts acknowledged in the April 2014 Public Interest graduation and commencement activities, applications for the Specialization Certificates are due to the Registrar's Office by Friday, April 11. The revised application form and eligibility requirements are available online.

A Successful PI/PS Day!

by Victoria Capinpin
LCS Graduate Fellow

GGU Law Career Services applauds all of the students that worked so hard in getting their applications and other documents together for PI/PS Day! We know you all put in a lot of work researching interviewing and networking strategies. We would also like to congratulate those students who have already gotten offers or follow-up interviews! Good work everyone!

Now what?

GET ADVICE FROM LCS: Come meet with our counselors to get advice on what to do next! Common questions students have for LCS after participating in PI/PS Day include:

• How do I handle multiple offers? What if I am still waiting on my first choice to give me a decision? 
• How do I approach a follow-up interview? Is it the same strategy as my first interview?

You can make an appointment by emailing LawCareer@ggu.edu or calling 415 442-6625.

SEND THANK YOU CARDS: We hope that you collected business cards of all the people that interviewed you so that you can thank them for taking the time to interview you. Send "Thank You" notes to all of your interviewers as soon as possible. TIP: Make yourself stand out by sending personalized handwritten cards. If you were not able to get business cards from every interviewer, you can try to get information online:

• Check the the One Justice website, which lists the PI/PS Day participants.
• Look on LinkedIn or Google for the interviewer's name 
• Look at the organization's website and see if you can spot the interviewer in a photo.
• Contact LCS to see if our counselors know the name of the interviewer.

Happy New Year!

by Elisa Laird-Metke

Law Career Services welcomes everyone back from the winter break! LCS counselors are available to meet with you to help with applications for spring and summer jobs. Make an appointment by calling (415) 442-6625

If you need just a quick resume/cover letter review, drop-in hours are also available. Stop by Monday, January 6 through Friday, January 10 between 11:30 and 1:00 pm daily at 40 Jessie, 5th floor.

Don't forget that PI/PS Day applications are due January 16!

We look forward to working with you in 2014!

Watch the Remarks fromGolden Gate Law's Public Interestand Pro Bono Celebration 2013

by Leeor Neta
Director for Public Interest Programs

I want to thank the staff and faculty of our Law School and the University for attending and making possible this week's Public Interest and Pro Bono Graduation Reception. With over 100 attendees, it is clear that our community cares very much about public interest work.

In particular, I want to thank the LCS staff, Business Services and Facilities and Classroom Tech Services for arranging the space perfectly, as always.

I also want to thank our speakers for the remarks, which you can watch here:

Do Pro Bono During The Break!

GGU Students are putting their legal skills to use and helping low-income communities in need of legal assistance. On November 3, OneJustice’s Justice Bus ®Project took nine GGU students to Watsonville to volunteer at a wage and hour clinic at the Watsonville Law Center. During the clinic, students met with clients to assess their wage claims and consulted with attorneys in order to deliver legal advice to each client. Because of their hard work and commitment to equal access to justice, 10 underserved Californians received vital legal help.


It is not too late to put your legal skills to use this winter break to help provide legal assistance to low-income and underserved Californians.  




Legal Aid of Marin is seeking law student volunteers to assist in their 2012 Holiday Clinics and help provide limited scope information and advice to Marin residents. The clinics will take place on Thursday & Friday December 27-28, 2012 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Interested students should email justicebus@one-justice.org.  Please provide (1) your full name; (2) law school; and (3) class year.  Be sure to include "LAM Holiday Clinic" in the subject line.

First Annual GGU / OneJustice Nonprofit Leadership Training and Reception

The event was followed by a reception in the GGU Center.

On September 20, Golden Gate and OneJustice hosted their first annual Nonprofit Leadership Training and Reception. The event took place on campus at GGU. The topic for the inaugural training was “How to Obtain Funds to Support a Postgraduate Fellow.” Four attorneys from respected nonprofit organizations closely tied to Golden Gate addressed other nonprofit leaders about how to navigate the fellowship process, successfully supervise a fellow and ensure long-term stability for a fellowship project. The panelists included Paul Cohen, Executive Director at Legal Aid of Marin; Jerel McCrary, Regional Counsel at Bay Area Legal Aid; Teresa Panepinto, Legal Director at Swords to Plowshares; Peggy Stone, Director of Interns and Volunteer Attorneys at East Bay Children's Law Offices. They spoke to an audience including representatives from AIDS Legal Referral Panel, East Bay Community Law Center, Equal Justice Society, Family Violence Law Center, Homeless Action Center, Legal Services for Children, National Housing Law Project, Tenants Together and others. Afterwards, everyone convened in the GGU Center for a reception with Dean Van Cleave and students.

— Leeor Neta

First-Hand Report:Orientation Service Project at St. Anthony's

by Cheri Hawkins

GGU Law's Orientation Service Project at St. Anthony's.

Most of us entered into this field - that we were largely warned would be a gruesome challenge - because we felt the reward outweighed the amount of sleepless hours we would accumulate over the years to come. Through GGU's Orientation Service Project, I was fortunate enough to attend St. Anthony’s, an organization executing its promise to the people by way of feeding the homeless, providing clothing, drug rehabilitation, senior/special needs off site visitation, and the list goes on. The experience is one that a few paragraphs will not do justice, I sincerely ask you to visit and experience it yourself.

We have all heard about the Tenderloin being a place you would want to avoid, however, so many of the people we are seeking to help reside in this area. If we disconnect ourselves from “the people” in need then what difference are we really making? I am humbled by having this experience while embarking on my law school career; I have faces of hungry children and lonely elderly people engraved in my brain to remind me of why I am here. When the weight of law school becomes unbearable I will be thankful I have a warm safe place to sleep at night, and that my belly is full. We are all blessed with lives of abundance and let us not forget there are people out there without the simple pleasures we all so often take for granted.

We were given the honor of hearing a young man’s story about his battle with drug and alcohol addiction. His life is in a stage of transition because of what St. Anthony’s has vowed to do (without government funding) in the community. Because of this great organization, this man has had the opportunity to get clean, work and reestablish himself as a contributing member of our society. They have a program that provides housing and food for him in exchange for hours worked in the dining hall. St. Anthony’s relies largely on volunteer hours; use your short moments from casebook study to serve food to a hungry child, or make a lonely women grateful for a hug and simple conversation over a card game. Just like us, there are people in the Tenderloin with dreams and a life worth living and many of them still have an opportunity to embark on them with a little assistance and encouragement. We are not separate from the people on the streets; at any given moment life can happen to any one of us, so I ask you to not be so far removed from the people that you cannot make the difference you set out to make.

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Cheri Hawkins is a first-year law student at GGU School of Law.

GGU Students Help Gilroy Residents

Six law students from Golden Gate University School of Law traveled to Gilroy, California this spring to assist eligible residents at a Naturalization and Citizenship Clniic through OneJustice's Justice Bus Project. GGU students helped educate applicants about the naturalization process and assisted them with their application.

Public Interest & Pro Bono Reception

Last week, 110 students, faculty and staff crammed into all three rooms of the GGU Center to participate in this year's Public Interest and Pro Bono Graduation Reception. This annual event recognizes Golden Gate's Public Interest and Environmental Law Scholars, and graduating recipients of the Public Interest Specialization Certificate. Certificates were also awarded to the 60 members of this year's Pro Bono Honor Society. If you missed it, or simply want to relive the event, click below for highlights.

Assistant Director for Public Interest Programs Leeor Neta introduces Diva Mohamad Aziz, recipient of the Allan Brotsky Pro Bono Award; Harmony Groves, Shannon Grube and Luthien Niland, winners of the California Bar Foundation Rosenthal Bar Exam Scholarship, and Michaela Beloiu, recipient of the Outstanding Public Interest Student Award:

San Francisco Chief Deputy City Attorney Terry Stewart delivers her keynote:

Professor Eric Christiansen delivers the concluding remarks:

Another Successful PI/PS Day!

by Leeor Neta
Assistant Director for Public Interest Programs

On Saturday, a great number of Golden Gate students met and interviewed with public interest employers from around the country. If you were one of the students who met with an employer, don’t forget to send your thank you notes right away. And if you received an offer, please let me know! I would love to hear about it and counsel you about your next steps. In the meantime, take a moment to watch this brief video about the importance of attending PI/PS Day. It was produced by OneJustice. I and two GGU Law students—Keyvan Eliasieh (2L) and Lauren Whitted (1L)—were interviewed.

Leeor Neta Featured on National Public Service Blog

Leeor Neta, assistant director of public interest programs at GGU Law, was featured on a national public service blog recently (link to article). Steve Grumm, the director of public service initiatives at the National Association of Legal Professionals (NALP), wrote the feature piece. Mr. Grumm profiles Mr. Neta's background and expertise, and refers to Mr. Neta's recent article in which he gives advice about the sometimes unpredictable nature of public interest career paths.

Public Interest Scholar Spotlights

The following article is the third in a series of five spotlights of Golden Gate's Public Interest and Environmental Law Scholars. Each Scholar was interviewed by a current student. If you are a first-year student in the Public Interest or Environmental Law Scholar programs and are interested in finding either an upperclass or alumni mentor, please email lneta@ggu.edu.
Kalla Hirschbein

Kalla is a May 2011 graduate and an attorney and policy advisor at the Institute for Fisheries Resources. Her first job out of college was conducting legal research for National Resource Defense Council to save the San Ignacio Lagoon in Baja, Mexico. It’s one of the few places gray whales go to calf, and Mitsubishi proposed a huge salt plant that would have destroyed it. She participated in one of the first internet campaigns for an environmental cause and the United Nations declared San Ignacio Lagoon a World Heritage site. She was inspired to see the place she helped save when she and her mom drove down to see the whales a few years ago.

Kalla also worked for other nonprofits, mostly in the environmental field, ranging from local small grassroots organizations to national groups including Planned Parenthood. Although she loved working for nonprofits, she decided to go to law school out of her desire to be the one to get things done, rather than merely funding it as her work entailed prior to law school.

While in law school, Kalla spent two years on the Environmental Law Journal. She spent her 1L summer interning with San Diego Coastkeeper. During her 2L summer, she studied international environmental law in Costa Rica.

The ocean is Kalla’s greatest source of motivation as she works towards a career in public interest. She grew up in San Diego going to the beach and tidepools. She has been scuba diving for 14 years and lives to travel to dive spots. Seeing how much the habitat has declined has been very depressing but also has made her more determined. In addition, through her recent work for a nonprofit representing small commercial fisherman she has become acquainted with a number of people who depend on the ecosystem for their livelihoods. She is motivated to do everything she can to help them continue to fish.

Kalla advises her fellow law students to be persistent and assertive with what you want to do, especially regarding jobs and internships. If you get turned down, follow up and take them for coffee. Eventually you will find a position. It is also extremely beneficial to get to know your professors.

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Interviewer: Alexandra Baraff is a 2L student and an Environmental Law Scholar. Last summer, she served as a legal intern at Tri-Valley Communities Against a Radioactive Environment (CARE). Currently, she is interning in Kalla's office, the Institute for Fisheries Resources.

Public Interest Scholar Spotlights

The following article is the second in a series of five spotlights of Golden Gate's Public Interest and Environmental Law Scholars. Each Scholar was interviewed by a current student. If you are a first-year student in the Public Interest or Environmental Law Scholar programs and are interested in finding either an upperclass or alumni mentor, please email lneta@ggu.edu.
Milo Beitman

Milo Beitman’s passion for helping others led to her decision to go to law school. In particular, she wanted to help people navigate the excessively bureaucratic and complex legal system.

Her interest in landlord-tenant law stemmed from an electrical fire that destroyed her house. There were several housing code violations constituting a breach of the warranty of habitability; the electrical outlets and the fire alarms were not functional and did not go off. This experience prompted Milo to volunteer with the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco and assist people who were in similar situations.

Further, her internship with The Transgender, Gender Variant, Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) showed her how poorly California prisons treat transgender people. Consequently, her desire to be part of the necessary systematic changes to policy and legislation pertaining to the treatment of prisoners motivated her to seek a legal education.

While in law school, Milo served as co-president of The Queer Law Student Association (QLSA), enabling her to find and build a community of wonderful students and host events addressing queer issues through a social justice lens. She also worked at the California Appellate Project, where she helped a client on Death Row at San Quentin obtain legal recognition as a member of a Native American Tribe and permission to practice his religion at the prison. She found it very rewarding to help her client get through the day-to-day realities of prison life where rights are so few.

As she works towards a career in public interest, she looks forward to using her legal expertise to continue to help underserved and marginalized communities who do not generally have access to the law.

Milo’s advice for fellow law students is to find balance, to put yourself and your passions out there and be open to the opportunities that come to you. Also, she recommends to find what rejuvenates you and do it, whether it is yoga, dance or something else. Moreover, Milo suggests sharing your story with other people, since sharing our stories brings people together and breaks down the feeling of isolation that can exist in law school.

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Interviewer: Kelly Densmore is a 1L student. She is interested in Public Interest and Civil Rights Law. When she is not being a law student, Kelly likes to garden in her backyard in Oakland, ride her bike and spend time with her family and friends. Kelly is very proud to have been born and raised in the Bay Area.

Public Interest Scholar Spotlights

The following article is the first in a series of five spotlights of Golden Gate's Public Interest and Environmental Law Scholars. Each Scholar was interviewed by a current student. If you are a first-year student in the Public Interest or Environmental Law Scholar programs and are interested in finding either an upperclass or alumni mentor, please email lneta@ggu.edu.

Jonah Minkoff-Zern (JD 11)

Jonah Minkoff-Zern graduated from GGU in May. He currently serves as the Senior Organizer for the Constitutional Amendment Campaign for Public Citizen.

After completing his undergraduate degree at Cornell University, Jonah traveled around the country for two years speaking and working for a national student organization which he started, Student Alliance to Reform Corporations. STARC challenges corporate influence on university practices and challenges the environmental and humanitarian impacts of corporate globalization. In 1999, Jonah helped organize a mass protest in Seattle against the World Trade Organization’s international meeting. About 50,000 people attended the protest which halted the WTO’s agenda and influenced significant changes in WTO’s approach to labor and environmental issues.

His experience as an Oakland school teacher prompted him to co-found the nonprofit Education Not Incarceration to address the problem of student dropouts ending up in prison. He played an influential role in persuading the National Education Association to make the issue of dropouts a national priority.

Jonah decided to go to law school to acquire new skills to advance his work for youth justice. While in law school, Jonah brought more youth law opportunities to Golden Gate and helped increase student involvement in social justice work.

Jonah advises fellow law students to remember we are privileged to be in law school and to use that privilege to benefit others and the earth. He adds that having a law degree should not separate us from our clients; we should always remember to treat our clients with dignity, as fellow human beings.

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Interviewer: Elvin Vu is a 1L from San Francisco, California. He attended undergrad at Chico State. He is currently working with the Asian Law Caucus, the GI Rights Hotline, Asian American Bar Association, La Raza Student Group on Campus and is running for Social Chair of the Student Bar Association.