A leader in pro bono delivery

Join us as we celebrate Kathryn Fritz

Managing Partner at Fenwick and West LLP and one of our event honorees!

Every year, the OneJustice network gathers at our Opening Doors to Justice event to celebrate three individuals whose outstanding accomplishments have moved the needle on legal services, pro bono, and access to justice. Won’t you join us this year on:

Thursday, June 25th

6-9 pm

Julia Morgan Ballroom (downtown SF)

*Tickets and auction items are now available

We are incredibly honored to be recognizing Kate Fritz for her work in mobilizing the private sector to bring legal help to those in need. With Kate’s leadership, in 2013, Fenwick & West contributed over 11,000 hours in pro bono services, valued at over $5 million in legal services. The firm is at the forefront of pro bono delivery, as a founding law firm in the Bay Area Rural Justice Collaborative, the Virtual Legal Services Project, and a frequent partner in the Justice Bus Project, reaching isolated communities throughout Northern California. Please welcome our second honoree, Kathryn Fritz, Managing Partner at Fenwick & West LLP!

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Why have you committed your time and energy to working on increasing access to civil legal services and access to justice?

I’ve always viewed service not only to our clients but to our broader community as a core part of being a lawyer. Sometimes we lose sight of just how essential our service is in providing access to justice, but it’s critical that we do not forget, and so critical that we remember what an essential part every member of the legal profession has to play. Philosophically, those ideas are what drew me to the study of law and those same themes have drawn me into pro bono work. It’s both gratifying and deeply humbling to be able to serve those who don’t have easy access to the privilege we take for granted and whose voices often go unheard. The need is so great and the legal profession has a unique ability to make a difference. On a more personal note, I’m also very motivated by my two teenage sons and the desire to help make our community one that ensures fairness and protection for everyone. Community engagement is tremendously powerful, and we all have meaningful contributions to make, but we must act.

What is one particularly rewarding experience you have had in your work on these issues?

Every pro bono case that I have worked on has changed my life: they could not help but do that. But three cases stand out. In two cases I was able to help secure political asylum for clients whose lives were in grave danger in their home countries – one because of his religious beliefs and another because he was a gay man who was HIV positive. In a third case, we obtained reversal of the death penalty for our client. It is hard not to be changed fundamentally by these experiences.

In addition to my personal pro bono work, in my role as Managing Partner of Fenwick & West, I’ve also made it an important part of my focus to promote the firm’s pro bono commitment. Not only do our attorneys and staff devote thousands of hours every year to pro bono work, but we support fellows and organizations (such as OneJustice) who in turn go out and engage even more people to do this work.

What is your favorite part of being a member of the OneJustice network?

How can I name just one? The Justice Bus project is just one example of the inspired and innovative way that OneJustice enables the expansion of pro bono work. We have made several trips to serve clients in rural areas, including Napa and Yolo counties, and each time our bus has been oversubscribed. It’s our most popular pro bono opportunity for our attorneys and summer associates (and the client in-house teams that we sometimes partner with on the trips). They come back so energized and engaged. The Justice Bus is a great opportunity to have a personal impact and make a difference in the lives of those you’re helping. We’re also proud of the work being done through the Rural Justice Collaborative which is expanding access to legal services in rural and isolated communities throughout the Bay Area. The group supports the role of pro bono attorneys in the delivery of legal services to the poor, including innovative collaborations between law firms and legal services organizations. We’re also looking forward to working with OneJustice as you host our upcoming Equal Justice Works Fellow, Renee Schomp, and extend the reach of the Justice Bus project even further.

Thank you, Kate, for your commitment to bringing pro bono assistance to Californians in need. We cannot wait to celebrate your achievements next month!

Happy 2nd Bday to Rural Justice Collaborative!

Join us as we celebrate 2 fantastic years…

Of bringing vital legal services to communities in need in the Bay Area.

2 years ago, under the leadership 0f Association of Pro Bono Counsel (APBCo) and Cooley LLP, the Bay Area Rural Justice Collaborative IMPACT (Involving More Pro Bono Attorneys in Our Communities Together) project was born. The Bay Area Rural Justice Collaborative, a collaboration of legal services organizations and law firms, strives to increase access to legal services in isolated communities through free limited scope legal clinics staffed by pro bono attorneys.

Since 2013, the Rural Justice Collaborative has served 425 clients through 53 mobile legal clinics ran by 227 Bay Area pro bono attorneys. We couldn’t be more thankful for the support of our donors, legal services and law firm partners, and volunteer attorneys for making each and one of these clinics possible. Here’s to many more!

Rural Justice Collaborative by the numbers:

Thank you to our legal services, nonprofit, law firms and corporate partners for making all of this possible! You are all amazing!

Interested in learning more about the Rural Justice Collaborative?

For more information about the Rural Justice Collaborative or becoming involved, please contact Lauren Roberts at lroberts@one-justice.org

Lauren Roberts manages the Bay Area Rural Justice Collaborative at OneJustice, engaging law firms and in-house counsel in a network of monthly mobile legal clinics. Together, they bring life-changing legal assistance to hundreds of rural Californians facing pressing legal problems.

A serial legal services entrepreneur

Join us as we celebrate Claire Solot

For her work advancing justice and bringing training to legal services leaders

Claire Solot, Managing Director of Bigglesworth Family Foundation, head shot Every year, the OneJustice network gathers at our Opening Doors to Justice event to celebrate three individuals whose outstanding accomplishments have truly moved the needle on legal services, pro bono, and access to justice. Won’t you join us this year on:

Thursday, June 25th

6-9 pm

Julia Morgan Ballroom (downtown SF)

*Tickets and auction items are now available

We are so excited to be honoring Claire Solot, Managing Director of Bigglesworth Family Foundation, this summer. In 2009, Claire approached OneJustice with the idea for a comprehensive nonprofit management training for legal services leaders, and the result of that conversation – the Executive Fellowship – is now in its 5th year and next month will graduate the 100th Fellow. Please welcome our first honoree, Claire Solot!

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Claire, we can’t wait to honor you on June 25th! Please tell us, why have you committed your time and energy to working on increasing access to justice?

Twenty-five years ago as a law student extern in the Family Law Department of the San Francisco Superior Court, I had the opportunity to see first hand both the value of and need for civil legal services. Following my career as a litigator, I joined the philanthropic sector in 2000. While working on a “safety net” grants portfolio, I started to wonder why legal services were not regularly included in this category. As a result in 2008, we launched our first legal services grants portfolio. Working with these grantees for the past eight years, I am more convinced than ever that civil legal aid is a critical part of the solution to breaking the cycle of poverty.

From working on these issues, what is one particularly rewarding experience you have encountered?

Bringing together the OneJustice Fellows Advisory Board in 2009 to start vetting the need for a training program for legal services leaders was an amazing experience. In a matter of months, we were able to assemble a “dream team” of diverse leaders, which included: legal aid executive directors, law firm partners, pro bono coordinators, state bar representatives, a non-profit consultant and a funder. In less than 9 months, we went from a mere concept to a fully operating program.

What is your favorite part of being a part of the Executive Fellowship?

Every time I hear a Fellow share the value of the program, I get shivers. It is amazing to know that by creating and supporting this program, we not only help these individuals in their roles, we help the organizations they work for and the communities they serve. As we graduate our 100^th Fellow, I know we have developed an important resource for the legal aid community. As we field requests from alumni, law students and out of state practitioners for more offerings, I know that the current Fellows program is just the first piece of this puzzle.

You really are building a powerful civil justice puzzle. Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?

Perhaps I am a serial “non-profit program legal service entrepreneur,” as last fall I assembled a new team comprised of funders from a wide variety of sectors, including: community foundations, private foundations, law firms, crowd-source funders, government and individuals. Together, we have launched the Bay Area Legal Services Funders Network.

Thank you, Claire, for your dedication to excellence, and your outstanding contributions to ensuring justice for those in need! We are honored to partner with you, and we are thrilled to be recognizing your achievements this summer!

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About the OneJustice Executive Fellowship: OneJustice trains current executives and the next generation of nonprofit leaders through our management training program. OneJustice’s Executive Fellowship is a 10-month comprehensive program that brings legal aid leaders new business skills.

Where can you find a dim sum enthusiast and an avid knitter?

A: At OneJustice, of course!

Join OneJustice as we welcome our newest staff members, Amy and Anh!

Recently, OneJustice expanded both its Los Angeles and San Francisco offices with two new team members, Amy Kaizuka and Anh Van. Amy is our new Senior Staff Attorney in Los Angeles and Anh is our new Development Associate in the San Francisco office. We are so excited to embark on this adventure with them, and thought you all would like to get to know them too!

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Welcome Amy! Now tell us, what drew you to the work of OneJustice?

I was drawn to the organization’s mission to increase access to legal help for underserved Californians and its dedication to closing the justice gap. And I love the focus on collaboration and community building, through the unique role that OneJustice plays in developing partnerships and supporting a broad network of legal services nonprofits, law schools, law firms, corporations, and individual volunteers.

Photo of Amy Kaizuka in her office, seated at her desk with a computer screen behind her

Amy Kaizuka, Senior Staff Attorney, will be overseeing pro bono projects in SoCal.

As the Senior Staff Attorney, what will your role be at OneJustice?

As Senior Staff Attorney, I will be responsible for overseeing the work of the Pro Bono Justice program in southern California, which includes the Justice Bus Project, OneJustice’s signature project connecting urban pro bono attorneys to underserved rural and isolated communities; IMPACT LA, an innovative program connecting domestic violence survivors with pro bono attorneys for assistance with housing, immigration and public benefit matter; and the California Pro Bono Training Institute, a new project founded by the pro bono directors of OneJustice, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles and Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County aimed at developing an online library of accessible and engaging trainings relevant to pro bono work.

I wish to foster and grow the existing relationships OneJustice has with partners in the southern California area. I hope to develop new partnerships and work on expanding services throughout southern California, reaching out to communities and areas we do not currently reach.

Sounds like amazing work ahead! We can’t wait to hear about this new California Pro Bono Training Institute project in the upcoming months! So, before coming to OneJustice, what type of work did you do?

Prior to joining OneJustice, I was a grant writer for the Venice Oceanarium, a local educational nonprofit. My previous experiences included working in San Francisco as Legal Services Director at California Lawyers for the Arts, where I oversaw the pro bono program and conducted outreach to pro bono attorneys, and working in D.C. as a staff attorney at the Board on Professional Responsibility, an arm of the D.C. Court of Appeals responsible for adjudicating cases of attorney misconduct and disability.

Wow – such diverse organizations! And finally, tells us something quirky about you?

I crochet and knit. I learned to crochet when I was little, making sweaters, scarves and hats for my teddy bears (this often involved crocheting directly onto the bears, in order to accommodate their ears). I taught myself to knit later. I love seeing yarn bombing or other crochet or knit public art projects, but I usually stick to things like scarves or blankets.

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Thank you for your great answers, Amy!

Hello Anh! Tells us a little about yourself! Where were you before OneJustice?

Anh Van, Development Associate, sitting at her desk with computer in front of her.

Anh Van, Development Associate, will be working with our donors and special events.

Before coming to OneJustice, I was searching for a career path that would enable me to make an impact. I wanted to find a work environment that would not only challenge me to do good but would also allow me to grow professionally. I would like to pursue an MBA degree in the distant future and the opportunity to be a part of the Development and Communications team is a great stepping stone towards my goal. I’m very fortunate to be apart of the OneJustice team and have the opportunity to work with people who share similar ideals and passion.

We are happy to have you with us! What will you be responsible for at OneJustice – and what do you hope to achieve?

My position as a Development Associate involves me managing our donor database, providing donor and corporate relations support and assisting with special events. Since joining the team, I’ve had immense support in learning about my role and responsibilities. Our Opening Doors to Justice event is coming up in about two months, so I’ve been able to not only learn about the event but also contribute to its planning and preparation. I look forward to not only being a key member to the Development and Communications team but to the OneJustice family and community as I learn more about my role.

That’s wonderful, glad it’s going well for you so far. We’re excited to see what is ahead for you! Tell us – what did you do before joining OneJustice?

I graduated in 2013 from the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in Rhetoric. After graduation, I spent seven months abroad in Turkey and Hong Kong respectively. I’ve traveled quite a bit during my university days, going on three study abroad trips (London, Istanbul and Hong Kong) and an internship abroad in Singapore. Prior to coming to OneJustice, I interned at a local trade organization, a social media start-up as well as worked in the real estate industry.

Wow – those study abroad trips sound awesome! Finally, last question – what do you like to do in your spare time?

I really love exploring new sights and sounds. My first weekend back in the Bay Area, I spent all of Saturday at Golden Gate Park, going to the San Francisco’s King’s Day celebration, immersing myself in Dutch culture, and trying Dutch food. I also love furniture shopping, taking walks along Lake Merritt, eating dim sum, and driving along Pacific Coast Highway. I’m obsessed with cooking shows and singing competitions.

Thanks so much, Amy and Anh – we’re so happy to welcome you to the OneJustice team!

Unbuilding walls

How the Justice Bus breaks down walls of apathy and indifference.

One pro bono attorney’s journey from EA to Greenfield.

Justin Aragon, Ecommerce, Privacy, and Consumer Protection Counsel for EA

There is someone we’d like you to meet: Justin Aragon, Ecommerce, Privacy and Consumer Protection Counsel at Electronic Arts (EA).

This past March, Justin joined a team of expert attorneys from Electronic Arts and Fenwick & West LLP on a Justice Bus trip to bring free legal help to youth and families in Greenfield.

We loved hearing about Justin’s experience from the trip so much, that we’re making him share it with all of you too!

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Let’s get started Justin! So, during the Justice Bus clinic, did any client story resonate with you?

It’s difficult to pick just one story. I was struck by the fortitude of each young man and woman I met throughout the day – all high school graduates, all working below minimum-wage jobs to support their families, all struggling for greater opportunity. DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) helps to provide this community a path to fair pay and the financial aid to further their education. It was a privilege to help these young men and women along this path, even in a small way.

EA attorneys, Suk Lee and Justin Aragon, with their client at the Greenfield immigration Justice Bus clinic.

Their stories are really inspiring. Did you make any connections with any of the clients?

I met one young man, a farm worker like all the rest, who grew up in Mexicali, the town that borders Calexico where my father grew up and worked in the fields as a boy. I met another young man whose father had the same last name as me. When he saw my last name, he smiled and said “familia” and we all laughed.

That is a quite coincidence! Now, tell us – what would you say is your personal motivation to do pro bono work?

Getting a chance to work with the sort of people I met during the Justice Bus Clinic is what motivates me to do pro bono work – not just the young men and women I mention above, but the OneJustice staff and the volunteer immigration attorneys who supervised us. The Justice Bus Clinic was, hands down, the best clinic I’ve participated in – it was well organized, well trained, and well supervised. I’d recommend the Clinic to anyone.

Justin and EA attorneys at the Greenfield Immigration Justice Bus clinic.

Thank you Justin! We’re so thrilled to have you as an official “Justice Bus Rider”! Okay, final question: is there a fictional social justice hero you admire the most?

I just finished reading the Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin. In it, the central character, Shevek, goes around “unbuilding” walls – walls of apathy and indifference as much as injustice. I thought it was a poignant message, particularly when it seems, these days, that just a bit more empathy would go a long way. One of my favorite quotes: “You cannot buy the Revolution. You cannot make the Revolution. You can only be the Revolution. It is in your spirit, or it is nowhere.”

A huge thanks to our guest, Justin and all of the Greenfield clinic volunteers, who brought relief and much-needed help to rural areas like Greenfield.

Because of volunteers like Justin, the Justice Bus Project has served 147 youth and families with DACA and Immigration assistance throughout the state.

Can you find yourself….

In our awesome volunteer slideshow?

Created just for you – as part of National Volunteer Week.

When you board the Justice Bus, volunteer at a mobile legal clinic, or give generously of your time and energy in any way, you are making all the difference for those in need! You are coming to the rescue for children with disabilities who need special education services, low-income veterans encountering barriers to employment, isolated seniors facing serious medical problems, families at risk of losing their housing, and youth who are eligible for immigration relief. Thank you!

We are so tickled to be able to celebrate you during National Volunteer Week!

In fact, we love our volunteers so much that we made this slideshow featuring you and all the Justice Heroes. It shows you out there at clinics, on the ground, in the neediest communities – bringing justice where it is needed the most!

So toast yourself during National Volunteer Week. You deserve it!

For ways to get involved, please contact Arbour Decker at adecker@one-justice.org

Did you ever spend spring break stuck in a classroom?

These USF School of Law students did . . .

And it unleashed a fountain of creativity and innovation.

Earlier this month, a group of 21 students at the University of San Francisco School of Law did something out-of-the-ordinary during spring break. (And no, it wasn’t a Justice Bus trip this time!). They chose to stay in the classroom for a three-day “boot camp” on nonprofit management. Pretty counter-cultural, right?

The reason was a brand-new class developed by OneJustice in collaboration with USF School of Law, called “Practice Ready Leadership for the Nonprofit Sector.” Designed and taught by Kim Irish, Director of OneJustice’s Healthy Nonprofits program, the class is based on the curriculum of OneJustice’s Executive Fellowship, a 10-month comprehensive program that brings legal aid leaders new business skills.

So over the course of three days, the students learned a wide array of nonprofit management skills, ranging from the history of civil legal aid in California to how to build a project budget with full organizational and overhead costs. They did a deep dive into lateral leadership and strengths-based management of personnel. They conducted scans of the sector and analyzed revenue models. They learned project management skills and debated how to create effective evaluation systems for legal aid projects.

And throughout the class, they worked in small teams to design a new project for a fictional legal aid organization, culminating in a group presentation on the final afternoon on their project goals, sector and financial context, budgets, evaluation metrics, and implementation plans. And the results were simply amazing. In just three quick days, these teams:

developed the idea for a statewide online intake system, targeted at bringing services to rural communities
designed a medical-legal partnership focused on holistic services for children with disabilities
created a pro bono program focused on eviction defense in a small rural county, and
drafted an outreach and training plan on the new immigration relief programs for advocates around the state.

Aren’t you impressed? We certainly were!

And our big take-away was this: if our sector can offer these bright, strategic, and thoughtful folks opportunities to be part of California’s civil legal aid system post-graduation, either as legal aid attorneys, pro bono volunteers, or Board members, — well, then we’re feeling pretty confident that the sector’s future is in very good hands!

Thank you from all of us at OneJustice to these amazing individuals who chose to spend their spring break with us. You inspired us deeply and taught us more than you can possibly know!

Someone with such strong character stays with you

I could see his determination to improve his life.

One pro bono attorney’s reflection on bringing legal services to veterans.

Photo of Jennifer Cormano, an associate at the law firm of Nixon Peabody.

Jennifer Cormano, Associate at Nixon Peabody LLP

Last month, Jennifer Cormano joined a team of attorneys from Nixon Peabody LLP and DIRECTV on the Justice Bus to staff a free legal clinic for isolated veterans living in Lancaster. Over the course of just one afternoon, these volunteers provided vital advice and assistance to 29 veterans facing a wide array of legal problems. Working closely with expert attorneys from the Legal Aid Foundation Los Angeles (LAFLA), these attorneys brought much-needed services to those who served our country.

We asked Jennifer to share with us some of her reflections on the experience – what it meant to be able to serve veterans, her experience on the Justice Bus, and her personal connection to pro bono.

We know you’ll enjoy her answers as much as we did!

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Jennifer, tell us a little bit about your favorite memory of volunteering at the Justice Bus clinic for veterans?

All of the veterans I helped while participating in the Justice Bus Project were very inspirational, but one stuck with me. Even though he was recovering from Postraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and some physical injuries, he wanted to go back to school. When I worked with him, I could see his determination to improve his life. As cliché as it sounds, meeting someone with such strong character stays with you.

A photo of Jennifer sitting on the Justice Bus with other lawyers.

Jennifer with fellow volunteers from Nixon Peabody LLP and DIRECTV head out on the Justice Bus!

What was the funniest thing that happened on your trip?

As an ice breaker to get to know everyone on the trip, we took turns saying our names and our high school mascots. One of the lawyers couldn’t remember his mascot, but was pretty sure it was the fighting fawns. While I appreciate the alliteration, I don’t think fighting baby deer would be very intimidating. Actually, I think it might be pretty adorable.

What is your personal motivation to do pro bono work?

I believe it is our professional responsibility as lawyers to provide access to our legal system. I like the Justice Bus model, because it does two very important things. First, the pro bono model allows me to empower clients to advocate for themselves, which is about more than just legal advice. Second, the model of having experts on-site allows a team of legal professionals to provide meaningful legal advice to as many clients as possible in a short amount of time.

A photo of Jennifer with another volunteer at the Justice Bus clinic, holding a sign that says "impacting one life makes all the difference."

Bringing free legal help to veterans in isolated communities truly makes all the difference.

What are your plans in terms of continuing to do pro bono work?

Since my commercial work is all transactional, I am most comfortable in a clinic setting. I plan to continue to volunteer at clinics, participate in pro bono models like the Justice Bus, and where possible partner with my clients. For example, recently DIRECTV‘s legal department participated with Nixon Peabody LLP on the Justice Bus. It was very rewarding to work with a client to serve our community.

And our final question for you – what fictional social justice hero do you most admire and why?

A fictional social justice hero? There are so many real social justice heroes that I admire – Rosa Parks and Susan B. Anthony come to mind first. However, if I have to name a fictional character, I’d say Atticus Finch from “To Kill A Mockingbird.” Like a lot of lawyers, it is my favorite book. One of my favorite quotes in the book is something Atticus said, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

Over the past year, the Justice Bus Project has served 144 veterans throughout the state.

A most heartfelt thanks to Jennifer and all of these volunteers, who make the Justice Bus possible!

Craving the best tuna tartare with avocado cream and crispy wonton?

Fear not…

We’ve got you covered at our 2015 Opening Doors to Justice awards reception! Mark your calendars today!

Don’t roll up the red carpet, yet!

In the spirit of the Oscars, we announce…

The 2015 Opening Doors to Justice awards!

Every year, the OneJustice network gathers to celebrate three individuals whose outstanding accomplishments have truly moved the needle on legal services, pro bono, and access to justice in California. We look forward to gathering with you all again this year at our Opening Doors to Justice awards ceremony. Mark your calendars now:

2015 Opening Doors to Justice
Thursday, June 25, 2015

6:00pm to 9:00pm
Julia Morgan Ballroom
465 California St, San Francisco, CA 94104

And now to announce the 2015 honorees! The envelopes, please!

In the category of: Building the Power of Pro Bono…

Kate Fritz has a vision; she knows first-hand that the private sector can be mobilized to bring life-changing legal help to Californians in need. And due to Kate’s leadership, Fenwick & West delivers on that vision. In 2013, Fenwick & West contributed over 11,000 hours in pro bono services, valued at over $5 million in legal services.

Fenwick & West is at the forefront of pro bono delivery, as a founding law firm in the Bay Area Rural Justice Collaborative, the Virtual Legal Services Project, and a frequent partner in the Justice Bus Project, reaching isolated communities throughout Northern California. Thank you Kate!

Watch the Winning Film: Fenwick & West in “The Power of Pro Bono”

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Pro Bono in Action: Fenwick Attorneys Board the Justice Bus from Fenwick & West on Vimeo.

In the category of: Supporting legal services leaders through new learning…

Claire Solot and Martin Tannenbaum believe deeply in the power of civil legal aid to remove legal barriers to basic necessities. At the same time, they realize that dramatic sector and funding shifts have left legal services nonprofits – and their executive directors – needing to develop a new set of skills around effective fundraising, marketing, communications, strategic planning, program evaluation, and board development. Together, Claire and Martin sparked a novel idea – an intensive program to give legal service leaders the business skills they need for their organizations to survive – and thrive – in today’s increasingly complex environment. The result – the OneJustice Executive Fellowship – is now in its 5th year, and this June will graduate the 100th Fellow! Thank you Claire and Martin!

Watch the Winning Film: OneJustice Executive Fellowship
[vimeo 26391035 w=500 h=281]