Record-breaking Volunteers for Justice Dinner Features CA Attorney General & Honorees
July Pro Bono Matters
The Volunteers for Justice Dinner is a wrap and summer is here, but the fight for access to justice in Orange County continues for PLC staff and volunteers. In this edition of Pro Bono Matters, we'll recap VFJ, introduce new staff like our first-ever Director of Litigation, Training and Advocacy Jorge Alvarado, and welcome our 2017 Summer Law Clerks. In case you missed it, here's a Los Angeles Times/Daily Pilot article on recent developments in our efforts to prevent homelessness in Costa Mesa. Want to make sure you stay up to date on PLC news? Please follow us at facebook.com/PublicLawCenter. 
California AG Xavier Becerra Encourages 2017 VFJ Guests to be Warriors for Justice

Keynote speaker California Attorney General Xavier Becerra encouraged the 800 leaders convened at PLC's annual awards dinner to be "Warriors for Justice". The evening's honorees Haynes and Boone, LLP, the Gibson Dunn Jerra Litigation Team and Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development (OCCORD) certainly fit that description. So too are the sponsors and donors who helped to raise a record-breaking $750,000 that evening - which will generate $6 million worth of free civil legal aid through PLC's pro bono model. To learn more about the evening please click here and to view photos from the evening please click here. Below are the videos we presented at the 2017 Volunteers for Justice Dinner.

Meet Jorge Alvarado

Please join us in welcoming Jorge Alvarado as PLC's first-ever Director of Litigation, Training and Advocacy. Jorge brings to PLC over three decades of legal experience, including as  the first Chief Public Defender for the State of New Mexico, where he led the largest law firm in New Mexico with 226 lawyers and contracting with approximately 160 private attorneys. 

Executive Director Ken Babcock describes the  goal for creating the new position as "growing PLC's strategic policy advocacy and impact litigation work, while also providing mentoring and guidance to our staff attorneys."  

"We found the perfect person for the job with Jorge," added Babcock.  "In just his first two months, he's already made a profound difference on the ability of our younger staff members to address our clients' legal problems. At the same time, he's getting involved in several policy advocacy and impact litigation matters, which will ultimately grow our capacity to assist the community and enlist volunteers." 

"I am so honored to join the PLC team, where each staff member's exuberance in helping poor and disenfranchised clients is truly inspiring. I am excited to now establish stronger collaborative connections with the local community to provide access to justice for Orange County's low income residents," said Jorge.

Jorge immigrated at the age of four from San Jose, Costa Rica to Los Angeles, California. He attended Drake University Law School, attaining a Juris Doctorate in 1982. After admission to the California Bar, he settled in Ventura County and began providing legal services to the poor and disenfranchised. In 2000, Jorge became the Assistant Public Defender for Riverside County.  He later relocated again to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2009 to become the Managing Attorney at New Mexico Legal Aid, Inc. He became Chief Public Defender in 2013.

In addition to Jorge, PLC welcomed several other amazing advocates in recent months. To view our entire team, please visit here.
The Next Generation of Public Interest/Pro Bono Attorneys are Already Hard at Work at PLC


PLC welcomes our 2017 Summer Law Clerks:

Kevin Barnes, UCI School of Law 3L - Veterans/Housing
 
Claudia Coleman, University of San Diego School of Law 1L - Veterans/Housing
 
Kayvon Hashemian, UCI School of Law 1L - Immigration
 
Kristi Lin, UCI School of Law 2L - Consumer
 
Yamilet Medina,  Chapman University School of Law 2L - Immigration
 
Andrew Ryngaert, Washington University School of Law 1L - Veterans/Housing
 
Patrick Smith, Duke University School of Law 1L - Health 
 
Alice Carranza Vega, Chapman University School of Law 1L - Health 
 
Katrina Yang, UCLA School of Law 2L - Veterans/Housing
 
Jianna Yun, UCI School of Law 1L - COLAP
Photos courtesy of Laurel Hungerford Photography.