Justice For All - Alameda County Bar Association

ALAMEDA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION
VLSC Newsletter
Fall 2015
Justice For All
Justice For All: Celebrating Pro Bono
in Alameda County
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Thank you from the
2015 VLSC Board!
In this issue:
Justice For All: Celebrating Pro
Bono in Alameda County
1
Volunteer Spotlight: Patricia
Gutierrez de Sunseri
4-5
Donor Spotlight: Pamela Jester2
AmazonSmile 5
Pro Bono Family Law Training
Series Individual VLSC Donors
6-8
2
Updates to the VLSC Board of
Directors
3
VLSC Board of Directors 3
Dine Around for Justice Photos 9
Justice for All: Celebrating Pro
Bono Re-cap
10-11
Client Story: Krishna
12
Donor Spotlight: Pamela Jester
“When our society is one in which
one party, or both parties, is selfrepresented in over 80% of family law
matters, we know that there is a real
problem with access to justice.”
Pamela Jester
Pamela Jester is the former Director of Continuing
Education of the Bar in Oakland. She is also a past
President of the Alameda County Bar Association
and a huge supporter of VLSC.
We asked her to share a bit about herself and
why she supports VLSC.
You have been a VLSC donor since 2003 and
began giving monthly in 2006. Why did you
decide to become a monthly donor?
Donating on a monthly basis is a simple, direct
way of supporting VLSC. There are no-end-of-year
decisions to make, no fund-raising campaigns to
follow and, when using a credit card, the recordkeeping is minimal.
Most of us understand that lawyers are the
keepers of the keys to the courthouse and to
justice. When our society is one in which one
party, or both parties, is self-represented in over
80% of family law matters, we know that there
is a real problem with access to justice. Without
programs like VLSC and its volunteer lawyers,
even more people would be cut out of the system.
Congratulations on your recent retirement.
What do you plan to do next?
In June of 2015, I was ordained a deacon in the
Episcopal Church in the Diocese of California and
am now the parish deacon at All Saints Episcopal
Church in San Leandro. Deacons have a particular
responsibility to serving the poor, the weak, the
sick, and the lonely.
What would you want to share with others
about the impact of pro bono work in our
community?
PROMOTING EXCELLENCE—SEEKING JUSTICE
Family Law Pro Bono Training Series: The Basics
Presented by VLSC, Bay Area Legal Aid , and the ACBA Family Law Section
Wednesdays, October 7, 14, and 21, 2015
Thursdays, October 8, 15, and 22, 2015
To register, please visit www.acbanet.org/calendar and
submit the registration form to [email protected].
All classes take place from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at:
The Alameda County Bar Association | 1000 Broadway, Suite 480, Oakland, CA 94607
Page 2
Updates to the VLSC Board
of Directors
2015 VLSC Board
of Directors
OFFICERS
VLSC is proud to be governed by a talented, committed and
hardworking Board of Directors. We would like to extend a special
welcome to the newest addition to our Board, Ruben Sundeen.
Ruben Sundeen is the managing
partner of the Oakland-based law firm
Sundeen Salinas & Pyle, which he cofounded in 1998. Ruben’s firm actively
supports VLSC as one of the Guardians
of Justice.
Michael P. Johnson,
President,
AT&T Inc.
Eric Handler, Secretary-Treasurer,
Donahue Fitzgerald LLP
BOARD MEMBERS
David Carrillo, Berkeley Law,
University of California
Ruben attended the University of
California, Berkeley, for both his
undergraduate
and
law
school
degrees. Ruben is deeply committed
to public service, as evidenced by his
extensive history of volunteer and civic
engagement. He served as President
of the Boalt Hall Students Association, and has served multiple
terms as President of the Rotary Club of Oakland Sunrise and
of the East Bay La Raza Lawyer’s Association. Most recently, he
served four years as a member of the Board of Directors of the
Alameda County Bar Association.
In addition to his professional and civil commitments, Ruben
is the lead singer (or as he describes it, “lead screamer”),
songwriter, and guitarist for an original rock band, Two Sticks.
Tiela Chalmers, ex officio,
Alameda County Bar Association
Janice Cho, Law Offices of
Janice Cho
Judge Kimberly Colwell,
ex officio, Superior Court of
California, County of Alameda
Brian Doucette, Bialson Bergen
& Schwab
Judge Tara Flanagan, ex
officio, Superior Court of
California, County of Alameda
Carolyn Henel, Roisman Henel
LLP
Scott Jackson, Golden Gate
University School of Law
Justice James Lambden
(Ret.), ADR Services, Inc.
Judge Élan Consuella
Lambert, ex officio, State of
California
Michael Loeb, JAMS
Ruben also is a long-time season ticket holder of the Golden
State Warriors. The mission of VLSC is so important to Ruben
that he gave away his seats to a playoff game during this year’s
championship run in order to attend VLSC’s 10th annual Justice
for All: Celebrating Pro Bono dinner event in May!
Ruben Sundeen, Sundeen,
Salinas & Pyle
Neil Rubenstein, Retired
Judge Alison Tucher, ex
officio, Superior Court of
California, County of Alameda
Marshall Wallace, Allen
Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory &
Natsis LLP
Welcome Ruben!
Page 3
Volunteer Spotlight:
Patricia Gutierrez de Sunseri
“I wish people knew that VLSC not
only gives back to their community
through its volunteers, but also
gives volunteers invaluable
opportunity to increase their
knowledge and experience in
return.”
Patricia
Gutierrez de
Sunseri,
Attorney at
Law
Patricia Gutierrez de Sunseri originally practiced
law in her native Colombia. After coming to
the US, she spent ten years on staff at the
Superior Court of Alameda County. In 2013,
Patricia opened her own Family Law practice.
She is also a licensed real estate broker and is
the Secretary of the ACBA Real Estate Section’s
2015 Executive Committee and an active
volunteer. Patricia received a Wiley W. Manuel
Certificate for Pro Bono Legal Service earlier
this year in recognition of her volunteer work.
the process and how to access justice, or when
they tell me I have made the language of the
law comprehensible, even more so when they
are monolingual Spanish speakers.
We caught up with Patricia and asked her about
her experience with VLSC.
What are you listening to on your iPod
now?
Why do you volunteer with VLSC?
Currently I am listening to Aaron Keyes’ “In the
Living Room.”
I learned about the ACBA while working at the
Court and collaborating with VLSC volunteers
at several clinics. I saw first-hand what an
invaluable service the ACBA renders to the
whole community and its members. Of course, I
joined immediately after obtaining my California
license and have volunteered as much as I can
since September 2013.
Volunteering not only keeps me up to date with
the law and interpretation given by the local
bench, but also gives me the satisfaction of
helping people who otherwise would not have
access to legal help.
Do you have a particularly memorable
VLSC client or pro bono case?
It is a memorable moment every time a litigant
tells me he or she was finally able to understand
Page 4
What other community activities are you
involved in?
I am active with my church. Also, my husband
and I, as real estate brokers, support various
charitable and community events organized by
local real estate groups.
What is one thing that you wished people
knew about VLSC?
I wish people knew that VLSC not only gives
back to their community through its volunteers,
but also gives volunteers invaluable opportunity
to increase their knowledge and experience in
return.
VLSC Seeks
Volunteers!
Do you want to give back to
the community?
Do you want to learn a new
area of the law?
Do you want to work with
other really awesome
attorneys?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, join us as a VLSC volunteer! VLSC offers training
for new volunteers, and many volunteer opportunities require a commitment of only two or three
hours each month.
Here is what some of our current volunteers have to say about the experience:
“It’s a way to give back to the community and society, which has given me so much.” —Summer
Nastich
“[Volunteering] is such a rewarding experience—you’ll find yourself looking forward to it!”—Nadine
Berg
Ready to learn more? For information about our volunteer opportunities, please contact Christina
Wiellette at (510) 302-2216 or [email protected].
What is AmazonSmile?
AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon
that lets customers shop the same selection
of products, prices, and shopping features as
on Amazon.com. The difference is that when
customers shop on AmazonSmile (smile.
amazon.com), the AmazonSmile Foundation
will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible
purchases to the charitable organizations
selected by customers.
https://smile.amazon.com/
How does AmazonSmile work?
When first visiting AmazonSmile, you will be
prompted to select a charitable organization.
Search for and select “VLSC” and 0.5% of your
purchase will be donated to VLSC! Be sure to
start every search at AmazonSmile, and your
gift will continue!
Page 5
Individual VLSC Donors
Donations received between September 1, 2014 and August 31, 2015
We are grateful for your support, which helps VLSC match trained volunteer attorneys with low-income
people in need of critical legal services—services that help them keep their families together, regain
financial stability, and feel safe in their own homes. Thank you!
Guardians of Justice
($1,000 or more)
Stephen Blitch
Donna Gibbs
Pamela J. Jester
Justice James R. Lambden
Michael J. Loeb
Margaret R. Roisman
Neil J. Rubenstein
Judge Alison Tucher
Counselors ($500 - $999)
Anna Miroslawa Bednarczyk
Barbara Bernstein
Tiela Chalmers
Janice Cho
John F. Cove, Jr.
Steven L. Derby
Donald B. Greenberg
Scott B. Jackson
Rick Jarvis
Pamela J. Ross
James Stephens, II
Herman A. Trutner
Elizabeth E. Trutner
Partners ($250 - $499)
Charles Bendes
Richard Bennett
Judge Steven A. Brick
Marc C. Cerda
Kathryn E. Dobel
Brian E. Doucette
Robert J. Frassetto
Les A. Hausrath
Michael P. Johnson
Justice Henry Needham, Jr.
Stephanie Parks Penrod
Cheryl M. Poncini
Ismail J. Ramsey
Melinda Sesto
Nancy Stuart
Janette L. Tom
Charles E. Toombs
Judge John M. True, III
Brian Washington
Timothy S. Williams
Nancy Yamada
Associates ($100 - $249)
Patti Abramson
Agnieszka Adams
Judge Demetrios P. Agretelis
Cherri Allison
Raymond Amanquah
C. Cheryl Archer
Raymond N. Baker
Eric Behrens
John Bell
Alan Bellanca
Judge Jacob Blea III
Mark Bostick
Marc P. Bouret
Karen Bovarnick
Deborah Broyles
Leland Bruzzone
David Byron
Elizabeth A. Clark
Nikki Clark
Judge Kimberly E. Colwell
Judge Julie Conger
Kevin Doucette
Mark E. Estes
Carol J. Federighi
James I. Fisher
Judge Robert B. Freedman
Judge Keith H. Fudenna
James Giller
David Goldman
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers
Joseph Gross
Richard A. Gutstadt
Eric A. Handler
Charles A. Hansen
Judge Brenda Harbin-Forte
James A. Haverkamp
Stephen Henry
Robert G. Heywood
Joyce M. Hicks
Constance M. Hosemann
Page 6
Daniel Judge
Jane R. Kaplan
Judge Stephen Kaus
Man-Li Kelly
Judith Droz Keyes
George King
Hale Kronenberg
Judge Jo-Lynne Q. Lee
Duane M. Leonard
David Little
Pelayo A. Llamas
Peter G. Lomhoff
Judge Michael Markman
Jani Matsui
Venice McKnight
Arthur K. Mitchell
William K. Muraoka
Anne Bruner Nash
Christine Noma
Eric A. Nyberg
Victor R. Ochoa
Catherine Ongiri
David Pai
Daniel P. Phillips
Ann Rankin
William L. Reagan
Jonathan W. Redding
Judge Gloria F. Rhynes
Sarah Robertson
William Lansing Russum
Merrill J. Schwartz
Peter Shelton
Gregory A. Silva
Steven M. Simrin
Erin Smart
David Stern
Dennis J. Thornton
Ann Wassam
Richard P. Waxman
Ian Wescott
William D. Wick
Jonathan M. Wong
James M. Wood
Advocates ($1 - $99)
Arthur Abelson
Steven Abern
Gilbert C. Adauto
Alan Adelman
Christopher B. Allard
Jeffrey M. Allen
Carol Amyx
Elizabeth S. Andersen
Justice Carl West Anderson
Mary-Margaret Anderson
David B. Anderson
John Randall Andrada
Lori Andrus
Barbara Anscher
Judge Lawrence J. Appel
Tony Arjo
Barbara Arnold
Jillian Atuegbu
Jennifer Banker
Judge Gordon S. Baranco
Ericka C. Bartling
Richard Baskin
Geva Baumer
Lara Bazelon
Adrionne Beasley
Gregory L. Beattie
Donald Beeson
Robert J. Beles
Samuel Bellicini
Robert Belzer
Clea Bennett
Judge Gail Brewster Bereola
Brian Beverly
Rosario Billingsley
Elizabeth Blair
Edward Blum
Karine Bohbot
Thomas Borst
Steve Bovarnick
Colin Bowen
Sharon Braz
Steven Brewer
Raymond E. Bridges
R. Shanti Brien
Sean Brooke
Travis Brooks
Gregory D. Brown
Marlis Bruns
Judge Robert K. Byers
Payal K. Cadman
Kathy Campbell
Jacqueline Canlas-Laflam
David Carrillo
Judge Wynne Carvill
Felipe Castillo
Peggy Chang
Padmini Cheruvu
Carmo Chery
Andrew Christensen
Kyle Chuah
Mitchell Chyette
Steven L. Clarence
Commissioner Jason A. Clay
Jason B. Cline
Max Cline
Wayne M. Collins
Beth Conroy
John G. Cowperthwaite
James P. Cramer
Felicia C. Curran
Paul Curry
Judge Tara Desautels
Caroline E. Dickie
Steven C. Dimick
Sharon Djemal
Emily Doskow
Michael R. Dougherty
Gregory M. Doyle
Darya S. Druch
Deborah Dubroff
Sharon E. Duggan
William Dullea
Jonathan B. Eager
Mark P Edson
David J. Elefant
Sally J. Elkington
Luke Ellis
Martin J. Elmer
Sarah Fairchild
Gordon M. Fauth Jr.
Seth J. Feinberg
Michael C. Ferguson
Lowell Finley
Jerome Fishkin
Judge Tara M. Flanagan
Stephen Fleischer
Shane R. Ford
Jeremy Forsyth
Clifford Fried
Stephen M. Fuerch
Margaret J. Fujioka
Robert A. Furtado
Margaret A. Gannon
Michael A. Gardner
Thomas S. Gelini
James Getz
Andrew R. Gillin
Phil Gillin
Barbara A. Ginsberg
Andrea Barr Goldman
Louis J. Goodman
Barbara F. Green
Judge Evelio M. Grillo
Carl Gustafson
Patricia Gutierrez de Sunseri
Page 7
Mary G. Guzman
J. Gary Gwilliam
Stephanie Haffner
Laurel Halbany
Matthew D. Haley
Timothy H. Hallahan
Ann M. Hansen
Walter Harper
Johanna Hartwig
Laurel L. Headley
Carol L. Healey
Carolyn E. Henel
Judge Paul Herbert
Evelyn J. Herrera
Frederick C. Hertz
C. Lee Hewitt
Jason W. Holder
Mark A. Homen
Stephanie Hon
Katharine F. Hooker
Melissa A. Horst
Andrew Huang
Patrick Hubbard
David E. Hunter III
Ralph L. Jacobson
Michelle M. Jacobson-Kwok
Frederick J. James
Charles E. Jameson
Martin L. Jaspovice
Ali J. Javaheri
Ann Marie Jelacich
Roberto C. Jimenez
James J. Jirn
Ravinder S. Johal
Krista Stevenson Johnson
Leslie Johnson
William C. Johnson
Judge Ursula Jones Dickson
David Jordan
Jeffrey Kaloustian
Ann S. Kaplan
Jennifer M. Keith
Raymond D. Keller
Patrick J. Kelly
Stephen J. Kennedy
Edward J. Kerley
Maureen Kildee
Linda Kim
Jonathan N. King
Judge Kenneth R. Kingsbury
Jo Ann Kingston
Patrick R. Kitchin
David Kleczek
Harvey M. Kletz
Fumino Knox
David Knutsen
Alexander Konik
Individual Donors Continued
Alexis Krieg
Hien Lam
Lauren M. LaPietra
Jim P. Larsen
Michael R. Lauer
Judy M. Law
Maria Lawless
Alexander Kin-Yip Lee
Edward O. Lee
Scott Levine
Leslie F. Levy
Susan Lew
Thomas G. Lewellyn
Beth Litwin
Richard G. Logan, Jr.
Guy Louie
Rodney S. Low
Kristin Lucey
Peter D. MacDonald
Anne Maness
Jerald Marrs
Rodman Martin
Edward E. Martins
Deborah J. Marx
Kuruvilla Mathen
Mary Mazzocco
Eileen T. McAndrew
Michael McCarthy
Otis McGee Jr.
Mary Kathleen McGraw
Judge Dennis J. McLaughlin
Mary McNeill
George A. McNitt
Brook Meakins
Toni Y. Mims-Cochran
Dale Minami
Myra S. Mitzman
Mahal Montoya
Masanao J. Morimoto
Mark T. Morodomi
Nelson H. Mosher, Jr.
Deborah D. Moss-West
Mark Muntean
Mark V. Murphy
William J. Murray
Elene M. Mylordos
Judge Vernon K. Nakahara
Lauren Naor
Howard D. Neal
Karen A. Neri
Judge Thomas J. Nixon
Emily Nugent
Frank Nunes
Jody Ann Nunez
Gabriela B. Odell
Frank Offen
Adetunji Olude
Neli Palma
Arcolina Panto
Omar Parra
Jana Pastena
Eric Patrick
Judge Scott Patton
Lise A. Pearlman
Adam Pennella
Michael W. Perna
Stephen P. Pezzola
Jennifer C. Phillips
J. Dominique Pinkney
Lauren E. Powe
Dorothy Proudfoot
Judge Stephen M. Pulido
R. Hunter Pyle
Mujdah Rahim
Carole Raimondi
James W. Ramsaur
Diana M. Redding
Berne H. Reuben
Richard L. Reynolds
John S. Richards
Rena Rickles
Elizabeth Riles
Patrick Z. Riley
Steven J. Rood
David A. Rosenthal
David L. Roth
Walter C. Rundin, III
Amanda J. Rydza
Sunena Sabharwal
Judge Bonnie Lewman Sabraw
Chantal M. Sampogna
William M. Samsel
David J. Samuelsen
Kristin K. Sato
Stephanie Sato
Susan F. Sawyer
Joseph H. Schieffer
Sarah A. Schulze
Barbara Scramstad
Raquel L. Sefton
Rochelle Shapell
James A. Shepherd
Katherine A. Sher
Joseph C. Shipp, II
Daniel Shriro
Ryan Siegel
Robert J. Silverman
Richard J. Simons
Kathleen A. Skinner
Sally A. Sklar
Lindsay Kohut Slatter
Judge Winifred Y. Smith
Morgan Smith
Judge Julia A. Spain
Anthony J. Sperber
John F. Staley
Darryl Stallworth
Judge Thomas E. Stevens
Ruben Sundeen
Jon H. Sylvester
Judge Gregory A. Syren
Lawrence L. Szabo
Tanya Tambling
Shelley Tarnoff
Jennifer L. Thaete
Michael P. Thorman
Khari Tillery
Steven C. Toschi
Christine Tour-Sarkissian
Sheryl Traum
Delia Trevino
Charles A. Triay
Stephen M. Tye
Douglas A. Unsworth
R. Lewis Van Blois
Christopher Viadro
Judge Alice Vilardi
Larry Vollintine
Jon Wactor
Marc Wahrhaftig
Jayme Walker
Judge Hugh A. Walker
William J. Walraven
Madeline Warren
Robert D. Whitney
Christina Wiellette
Michael Willcoxon
Don Willenburg
Vivien Williamson
Jimmie L. Wilson
Judge Noel Wise
Peter R. Witherington
Michael F. Wohlstadter
Steven C. Wolan
Sylvia D. Woods
David Worsham
We have made every effort to include all donors at the appropriate level.
We apologize for any inadvertent omissions.
Page 8
Dine Around for Justice
At VLSC, we rounded out the summer with our annual Dine Around for
Justice. Each Thursday in August was celebrated at one of our favorite
restaurants in Oakland: Pizzaiolo, Doña Tomás, Bocanova, and Tribune
Tavern. All of these establishments graciously donated 15% of one
evening’s revenue to support legal services in our community.
Thank you to everyone who enjoyed a delicious meal to support VLSC.
And a special thanks to the owners and staff at all the participating
restaurants for their exceptional service, generosity, and financial
support of VLSC! We look forward to dining with them soon.
Elizabeth Clark and friends at
Pizzaiolo
Mahal Montoya and friends at
Pizzaiolo
Family Law attorneys and volunteers
at Doña Tomás
Ruben Sundeen, Teresa Green and
friends at Doña Tomás
Toni Mims-Cochran and friend at
Bocanova
ACBA Barristers Section Executive
Committee at Bocanova
ACBA Board Members and guests at
Bocanova
VLSC Supporters at Tribune Tavern
Margaret and Richard Roisman and
friends at Tribune Tavern
Page 9
Justice for All: Celebrating Pro Bono
VLSC’s annual Justice for All: Celebrating Pro Bono event was held on May 21
at Scott’s Pavilion in Jack London Square. The evening featured a silent auction,
sit-down dinner, and presentation of the Volunteer of the Year award to Pamela
Ross and Casey Williams, and the Pro Bono Leadership Award to Judge Winifred
Smith. State Bar of California Wiley W. Manuel Certificates for Pro Bono Legal
Services were also presented to fourteen VLSC volunteers.
We are grateful to Justice James Lambden for graciously agreeing to deliver
the keynote address when planned keynote speaker Justice Martin Jenkins was
unable to attend due to illness. VLSC President Michael Johnson gave opening
remarks and VLSC Secretary-Treasurer Eric Handler presented the call to action.
Judge Smith and Michael Johnson also took part in the presentation of awards.
Sherry Hu was the Mistress of Ceremonies.
The evening’s celebration showed how equal access to justice still resonates
strongly as an issue in our legal community and how important providing legal
services to low-income clients remains. Thanks to the generosity of 27 sponsoring
firms and corporations, numerous individuals and East Bay businesses and
organizations that donated silent auction items, and all of you who purchased
tickets, bid in the auction, or participated in our text-to-donate campaign. You
raised more than $46,000 in one evening for VLSC!
Michael Loeb, Judge Wynne Carvill and
Judge Brad Seligman
Philip Jelley, Edward Kerley, Justice James
Lambden, Carolyn Henel
Judge Stephen Kaus, Judge Kimberly
Colwell, and Judge Gregory Syren
Janice Cho
Commissioner Jason Clay
Summer Nastich, Phillip Campbell, and
Rachel Dodson
Page 10
2015 Guardians of Justice
Gold Sponsors
AT&T
Bingham Osborn & Scarborough LLC
California Constitution Center
Continuing Education of the Bar –California
JAMS–The Resolution Experts
Wendel Rosen Black & Dean LLP
•
Silver Sponsors
Aiken Welch Court Reporters
Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis
LLP
Aptus Court Reporting
Burnham Brown
Farella Braun + Martel LLP
King & Spalding
Thomson Reuters
Bronze Sponsors
Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers’
Association
Law Offices of Bornstein & Bornstein
The Derby Law Firm
David Durant
Ericksen Arbuthnot
Frassetto Law LLP
Geico
Kornfield, Nyberg, Bendes & Kuhner
Meyers Nave Riback Silver & Wilson
Murphy, Vu, Thongsamouth & Chatterjee
LLP
Shartsis Friese LLP
SymbioSystems, LLC
Law Offices of Sheryl Traum
Zanghi Torres Arshawsky LLP
VLSC 2015 Board of Directors
Pamela Ross, Judge Winifred Smith, Justice
James Lambden, and Casey Williams
Wiley Manual Award recipients
Attorneys bidding at the VLSC Silent Auction
Judge Gordon Baranco, Commissioner
Boydine Hall, Judge Gloria Rhynes, Judge
Ursula Jones Dickson, and Judge Beverly
Daniels-Greenberg
Paul Johnson and Richard Normington
participating in the Text-to-Pledge campaign
Page 11
Client Story: Tina
Alameda County Bar Association
1000 Broadway, Suite 480
Oakland, CA 94607
Tel: (510) 302-2222
Fax: (510) 452-2224
We’re on the web!
www.acbanet.org
Once a month, VLSC holds a Dissolution Clinic to help people navigate
through the difficult process of divorce.
VLSC Staff
Tiela Chalmers,
CEO
Christina Wiellette, VLSC Manager
Daniela Meza,
VLSC Clinics Coordinator
Katrielle Veslenio,
Events and Development
Coordinator
Krishna* attended the VLSC Dissolution Clinic after being kicked out of
her home by her abusive husband. With two children and no source of
income, Krishna and her children had to move into her father’s small
studio apartment. However, her father’s landlord gave them notice
there were too many people living in the unit and that she and her
children would have to leave.
Knowing she had to move out, Krishna contacted VLSC in hopes of
getting assistance with child support. Her cultural background did not
permit divorce, so VLSC volunteers helped her with the paperwork
to file for a legal separation to help facilitate financial assistance.
Krishna has returned to the clinic for help with the next few steps in
her separation and is now receiving child support. Regaining financial
stability has allowed Krishna and her children to move into their own
apartment.
*Name has been changed to protect client privacy.
For more information about
volunteer opportunities, please
contact Christina Wiellette at
[email protected] or (510)
302-2216.
For more information on ways
to support VLSC, please contact
Katrielle Veslenio at: katrielle@
acbanet.org or (510) 302-2209.
VLSC publishes this newsletter
twice a year to share the latest
VLSC news with our donors,
volunteers, and friends.
Designate your Cy Pres to VLSC!
If you are involved in class action matters, please consider
including VLSC in your settlement or judgment. We are
happy to talk with you about crafting an appropriate
designation, and to help negotiate this issue with
opposing counsel and the judge.
Questions?
Please contact VLSC Manager Christina Wiellete with any questions at
(510) 302- 2216 or [email protected].
Page 12