October 24, 2015
h on or i n g o v e r 2 0 y e a r s of w or k i n i m m i g r at i on
k g a c l c a n n i v e r s a r y c e l e br at i on
EDUC ATION SERVICE SUCCESS
Celebrating twenty-one years of educating law students and providing free legal services to the community with competence, conscience, and compassion
A Message from the Executive Director Dear Friends, On this occasion it is my pleasure to honor our Immigration Program and the many contributions it has made to our community for more than twenty years. We are particularly proud that Professor Lynette Parker recently received the prestigious FBI San Francisco Division Director’s Community Leadership Award for her efforts to bring an end to human trafficking in the Bay Area. Thanks to the collective work of her students over the years, her many contributions have been amplified and enriched, so this recognition is a testament to their hard work and dedication as well. And while our students enrich our everyday work at the Law Center, Professor Parker’s relationship with Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren has empowered us to serve countless members of our immigrant community, many of them survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence and other crimes. Ms. Lofgren’s tireless work through her local office and her legislative office on Capitol Hill has made a significant difference for our clients and our community at large. It is therefore very fitting that we honor her tonight with our Lifetime Achievement Award. We remain committed to the education of our students, and we’re happy to see that they continue to be challenged and inspired by the work they do at KGACLC. As they enter the legal profession, they will be lawyers of conscience, competence and compassion, and will always remember that those who have no voice and no means to access the legal system need their help. Many of you who support KGACLC are former students and have carried into your law practices the passion and dedication you first demonstrated here. You are truly a tribute to our success in what we do. Thank you for your continued support. The Law Center could not continue without the financial support of law firms, attorneys and other individuals, as well as entities and grant providers such as the State Bar and the County of Santa Clara. We also could not continue without the assistance of our volunteer attorneys who help staff our advice clinics, take cases pro bono for our clients and partner with the Law Center on other cases. Much of tonight’s success is due to the dedication of the Celebration Committee, which includes many members of the Law Center’s Advisory Board and our Staff – thank you. I am especially grateful for the never-ending support of Michael E. Engh, S.J., the University President, and Lisa A. Kloppenberg, Dean of the School of Law. To our sponsors and everyone here tonight, thank you so much for your support. Have a wonderful evening. Cynthia A. Mertens 2
Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center
WELCOMING REMARKS
EVENT PROGRAM
Lisa A. Kloppenberg Dean of the Santa Clara University School of Law CELEBRATORY REMARKS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Cynthia A. Mertens Executive Director, Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center OVER 20 YEARS OF WORK IN IMMIGRATION - A BRIEF PERSPECTIVE
Laura Ramirez and Vilma Guerrero Former Law Center Immigration Supervising Attorneys Introducing a video honoring the work of the Law Center in the area of Immigration THE KATHARINE & GEORGE ALEXANDER COMMUNITY LAW CENTER LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Award presented by Kristi Nevarez, Fragomen Worldwide KGACLC Alumna and former Immigration Policy Advisor to Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren Acceptance remarks by U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren LIVE AUCTION, CLOSING REMARKS
Sergio Lopez, Director of External Relations
Celebrating over twenty years of education, service and success
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Advisory Board Diego Aviles Marlene Bennett Sara Folchi Robert E. Greeley Sylvia Kennedy Estela López Carlos Mino Robert Nuddleman Ruth Silver Taube Patricia Timm Niels van Naarden Bart Volkmer 4
KGACLC’s Advisory Board applauds the many accomplishments of the Law Center in the area of immigration and congratulates Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren on receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award
Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Introduced by Kristi Nevarez Fragomen Worldwide, Partner Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren California’s 19th District Zoe Lofgren has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1995. She represents the 19th District of California, based in San Jose. A lifelong Bay Area resident and the daughter of a truck driver, Zoe attended public schools in Palo Alto and attended Stanford University on a scholarship, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1970. She attended, with the help of a scholarship, Santa Clara University School of Law, graduating cum laude in 1975. As the highest ranking Democrat and former chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, and a longtime immigration attorney and law professor, Zoe is recognized as an established champion of comprehensive immigration reform and a national leader in immigration policy. During the 113th Congress she played a key role in negotiating a comprehensive reform bill in the House as part of an eight-person bipartisan working group. In 2010, due to her tireless work on the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi presented Zoe with the gavel used to preside over the passage of the bill in the House of Representatives. Zoe has been a steadfast ally of the Law Center and the South Bay Coalition in our joint efforts to end human trafficking in our area. She and her staff have worked tirelessly with our own staff and students to ensure that our immigration clients receive competent and compassionate services in their efforts to gain lawful status in the U.S. for themselves and their family members. We are eternally grateful for her support.
Celebrating over twenty years of education, service and success
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Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center
OUR IMMIGRATION PROGRAM
Lynette Parker Supervising Attorney, Immigration Program Alexander Community Law Center During her 14-year tenure at the Alexander Community Law Center, Professor Parker has provided legal advice and representation to hundreds of low-income residents of Santa Clara and neighboring counties, while mentoring countless students in the practice of immigration law. She is recognized nationally as an expert in cases of political asylum, protection from domestic violence under VAWA (the Violence Against Women Act) and human trafficking. In particular, her work with survivors of human trafficking has led to her collaboration with many local organizations to provide comprehensive and coordinated relief to her clients, including counseling, housing, and legal support. Through her work with many partnering organizations, she was instrumental in helping to establish the South Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking (SBCEHT) in 2005. In 2009 and 2011, under Professor Parker’s leadership, the Alexander Community Law Center and its SBCEHT partnering organizations obtained $300,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice to better serve survivors of human trafficking. More recently, SBCEHT selected Professor Parker to serve as one of its two representatives on the newly-formed Santa Clara County Human Trafficking Commission, co-chaired by Supervisor Cindy Chavez, District Attorney Jeff Rosen and Sheriff Laurie Smith. Along with the Immigration Program Legal Assistant, Margarita Sandoval, and the many students they have mentored over the years, Professor Parker has provided a safe habor for many families and individuals who look to immigration relief as the first step in rebuilding their lives.
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KGACLC
Maki ng a di ffere nc e ... Our Mission Our mission is to educate law students in accordance with the highest professional and ethical standards by serving individuals and communities in need with competence, conscience and compassion through pro bono legal representation and education.
Our Services Legal Advice and Representation
The Law Center leverages the evolving skills of law students, who work under the close supervision of experienced attorneys to provide free legal services. Clients are served through appointments scheduled during “clinic” days. This model achieves two goals: • •
It allows law students to receive excellent training in the handling of cases involving real clients, which in turn allows them to become competent and compassionate attorneys. It provides very low-income clients with high-quality legal representation that they would not be able to afford otherwise.
Depending on the available resources, the Alexander Law Center may decide to offer full legal representation to a limited number of clients seen during its legal clinics or referred by partner agencies.
Education Through Community Workshops
In addition to its legal clinics, the Law Center offers a number of workshops in the areas of: • Consumer Rights • Tenant Rights • Workers’ Rights These workshops are given throughout the community in day-worker centers, ESL classes, community centers, homeless shelters and other venues as a way to disseminate basic legal information to the under-represented members of our community. 8
Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center
...ever yd ay.
Our Practice Areas
Consumer Law • • • •
Fraud and unfair business practices in the sale and financing of used cars Identity theft and inaccurate credit reports Car repossession or towing issues Debt collection harassment and other miscellaneous consumer issues
• • •
Wrongful termination, unpaid wages Harassment and discrimination in the workplace Investigation of retaliation cases for the Department of Labor Standards Enforcement of the State of California Family and Medical Leave Act and California Paid Family Leave Act issues Representation at the Labor Commission and the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board Mediation at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Assistance with Superior Court Appeals from Labor Commission Decisions
Employment Law
• • • •
Immigration Law
Representation of adults and minors (including unaccompanied minors), in affirmative applications and in deportation defense related to: • T visas for victims of human trafficking, U visas for victims of crimes • Self-petitions based on VAWA (the Violence Against Women Act) • DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) • Petitions for political asylum
Our Collaborative Work Memberships • Bay Area Equal Pay Collaborative • South Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking • Santa Clara County Human Trafficking Commission • Santa Clara County Wage Theft Coalition Partnerships for Workers’ Rights clinics led by supervising attorney Ruth Silver Taube • The Mexican Consulate in San José • The Filipino Bar Association of Northern California (FBANC) • The Vietnamese American Bar Association of Northern California (VABANC) • The Santa Clara County Office of Women’s Policy • The Silicon Valley Independent Living Center (SVILC) • Yerba Buena High School and Mount Pleasant High School
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THANK YOU SPONSORING INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS Our work without your support would not be possible. Thank you! PATRON Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation Carol Blacutt-Underwood & Brian Underwood ADVOCATES Binder & Malter LLP QWCooper SUPPORTERS & TABLE SPONSORS Kevin J. Albanese John Marshall Collins CRGO, Intellectual Property Law Michael E. Engh, S.J., President, Santa Clara University Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel, Inc. Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood Estela López & Haywood S. Gilliam Cynthia A. Mertens & Jim Rowan Chris & Jill Schumb Ruth Silver Taube Solutus Legal Search LLC The Vietnamese American Bar Association of Northern California (VABANC) EVENT CHAIRS Marc Eisenhardt • Delma Locke • Cynthia A. Mertens • Patricia Timm • Ruth Silver Taube
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Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center
CELEBRATION COMMITTEE Your work and dedication to this event and to the Alexander Law Center are truly inspirational. Thank you! Marlene Bennett, Esq.* Dianne Blakely-Depositar + Reuben Castillo+ Robert Greeley, Esq.* Sylvia Kennedy, Esq.* Estela L贸pez, Esq., Committee Chair * Sergio L贸pez+ Cynthia Mertens, Professor of Law, Law Center Executive Director + Ruth Silver Taube, Esq.*+ Patricia Timm, Esq.*
*Advisory Board Member + Law Center Staff
A very special thanks... Our deepest gratitude to the following individuals and organizations for your unconditional support and assistance. Vicky Arafa & Justin Depositar, Celebration Video Producers Reuben Castillo, Law Center Staff Member Cunamacu茅 (Contemporary Afro-Peruvian Dance), Entertainment Erica Felix, Catering and Events Manager, Bay Club Santa Clara Matthew Hall, Law Technology and Digital Media John Marshall Collins Chris Schumb Michelle Waters, Law Technology and Digital Media Ra煤l Ruiz, Music and Sound Bob Quail
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THANK YOU IN-KIND PARTNERS AND SPONSORS
LIVE AUCTION
Benovia Winery, Getaway Package Montalvo Homes & Estates and Patricia Timm, Santa Cruz Penthouse Ridge Vineyards, Magnum Bottles of Fine Wine Ronnie Lott, 49ers Tickets Tesla Motors at Santana Row
SILENT AUCTION
Margalynne Armstrong, Jewelry Ramon Ayala Prado, Wood Crafts Marlene Bennett and Scott Mangum, Fine Wine Robert Greeley and Abel Olivas, Fine Wine & Restaurant Package Hartford Family Winery, Bottle of Fine Wine Mariani’s Inn and Restaurant, Gift Basket Laura Mertens-Rowan, Massage and Cranial Sacral Therapist Ruby Roxanne Designs, High-end Cuff San Francisco 49ers Football, autographed by #6 Joe Nedney
OTHER IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS
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Benovia Winery, Event Wine Tierra Divina Vineyards, Event Wine Hart’s Desire Winery, Event Wine
Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center
IN-KIND PARTNERS AND SPONSORS The Law Center is grateful for the participation of the following establishments in our Opportunity Drawing. The Dio Deka Restaurant, a Hellenic Treasure in Los Gatos Mezcal Mexican Restaurant & Bar Zona Rosa Restaurant The Marriot Hotel, Santa Clara The Marriott Hotel, San Jose Hotel Valencia, Santana Row The Inn at Saratoga This year, to recognize the continued support of the campus community, the Opportunity Drawing is open only to SCU Faculty and Staff.
LAW CENTER STAFF AND ADVISORY BOARD Without you, the work of the Law Center would not be possible. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many law students and members of our community.
Advisory Board Diego Aviles Marlene Bennett Sara Folchi Robert Greeley Sylvia Kennedy Estela López Carlos Mino Robert Nuddleman Ruth Silver Taube Patricia Timm Niels van Naarden Bart Volkmer
Alexander Community Law Center Staff Margarita Alvarez, Workers’ Rights Supervising Professor Dianne Blakely-Depositar, Administrative Director Reuben Castillo, Consumer Law Paralegal Marisol E. Durani, Legal Assistant Mirna Henriquez, Receptionist Sergio López, Director of External Relations Scott Maurer, Consumer Law Supervising Professor Cynthia Mertens, Executive Director Lynette Parker, Immigration Law Supervising Professor Margarita Sandoval, Immigration Legal Assistant Ruth Silver Taube, Supervising Attorney, Workers’ Rights Advice Clinic
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thank you for supporting our mission: The Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center educates law students in accordance with the highest professional and ethical standards by serving individuals and communities in need with competence, conscience and compassion through pro bono legal representation and education.
Learn more at law.scu.edu/kgaclc