WLALA Newsletter: August 2021
Volume 26, No. 12
Thank You To Our Annual Sponsors
IN THIS ISSUE
President's Message
By Jessica Kronstadt
Jessica Kronstadt's last WLALA President's Message was recorded, please click on the image/GIF above. to hear it! Thank you and congratulations to Jessica on an amazing year!
Upcoming WLALA Events
Stay tuned for an email with more information on how to become a 2021-2022 Annual Sponsor of WLALA!
Member News

Congratulations to Julie R. F. Gerchik who was recognized as a "Top Litigator & Trial Lawyer" by the Los Angeles Business Journal.
On July 20th, WLALA held its last board meeting for the 2020-2021 Board year. We thank and congratulate Jessica Kronstadt on leading us in an amazing year. Congratulations, Jessica! 
We congratulate WLALA President Jessica Kronstadt on being named a Top 40 Under 40 lawyer by the Daily Journal. Congratulations, Jessica!
WLALA Postcard Designed by Polk Paper
WLALA President Jessica Kronstadt has donated these beautiful postcards, which were specially designed for WLALA by Schuyler Polk of Polk Paper and Grace Cope. Only a limited number of sets of these postcards are available and the sets may be purchased HERE.
All proceeds will benefit the WLALA Foundation. 
Attorney Demetria L. Graves’ Book, “When Women Run The Firm: How to successfully launch and manage your law practice with confidence,” is a #1 New Release on Amazon
By Lisa Elkan, Written for PRWeb
Demetria L. Graves, a Certified Family Law Specialist, and the Founder of The Graves Law Firm, is the author of the new book, 'When Women Run The Firm: How to successfully launch and manage your law practice with confidence,' which was released on Amazon on June 27, 2021. The book, a #1 new release, gives women lawyers a step-by-step guide to law firm ownership and features interviews with 7 successful law firm founders.

In When Women Run the Firm, readers will find:

  • Ten insightful “Pillars” that will take you from the “unknown” to a full law firm launch plan;
  • Advice on avoiding the “rookie” mistakes in the early stages of planning and launching your law firm, producing a top-tier law practice without the startup blues;
  • Tips to save time and money in trying to “figure” it out, cutting out the late-night stress and lonely feelings of what to do next;
  • Insight and wisdom from seven prominent women attorneys and law firm owners successfully running their firms;
  • A full and complete outline that will provide a step-by-step guide to your launch day.

To read the full press release article, please CLICK HERE.

To view the book on Amazon, CLICK HERE.

To read the VoyageLA profile, CLICK HERE.
Housing Justice is Racial Justice

Pro bono assistance for tenants facing the loss of housing is needed now more than ever. The coming wave of evictions is going to disproportionately effect individuals and families of color. Lawyers are encouraged to contact their local legal aid organizations to volunteer their time and talents
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Instagram: @Womenlawyersla https://www.instagram.com/womenlawyersla/?hl=en
 
Take a moment now to add us so that you can keep up to date on the latest, and please tag us when you post about WLALA events!
Get to Know the Board: Arin Scapa
Each month, WLALA will feature a 2020-2021 WLALA Board Member so you can get to know more about her role within WLALA, her professional experience and her personal interests.
Arin R. Scapa is a plaintiffs’ lawyer with Mary Alexander & Associates, P.C., a boutique woman-owned law firm specializing in catastrophic personal injury, childhood sexual abuse, wrongful death, products liability, and mass tort litigation. She also recently filed a federal class action lawsuit on behalf of unemployed Californians against Bank of America (B of A) alleging failures related to B of A’s handling of EDD benefits issued on B of A prepaid debit cards during the pandemic. Arin will soon be co-managing attorney of the San Francisco law firm’s new office in Los Angeles, which will open this month!  

Arin previously worked on the other side of the aisle in insurance defense, including as a staff attorney for The Hartford. While with The Hartford, she received awards for attorney of the year and for delivering outcomes for the successful negotiation and settlement of numerous claims.  

To read the rest of Arin's profile, please CLICK HERE.
WLALA ICLC Fellows
 Leilani Stacy – USC Gould School of Law
“This summer working with the Homeless Veterans Project at Inner City Law Center has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I have particularly enjoyed the opportunity to learn about veterans' benefits, which is an area of law that I did not have any exposure to prior to starting this internship. At the beginning of the summer, I started by reviewing clients' records to collect evidence needed to prove a disability or upgrade a client's discharge status. Then I met with clients to get to know their stories and collect further information in a sworn statement. Now, I am using that information to write briefs that will be submitted to the VA or a discharge upgrade board. In addition, I worked with a client to submit a Total Disability Individual Unemployability claim and am currently assisting another veteran in applying for Social Security benefits. After my first year of law school, it has been incredible to work directly with clients, understand different types of claims, and work on cases at various stages in the process of submitting a claim or appealing a VA decision.”
Galyn Sumida-Ross – UCLA School of Law
“So far this summer, I have gotten to work on a wide variety of cases at Inner City Law Center (ICLC) and learned a lot about what it means to be an effective and compassionate attorney. I had the chance to write a discharge upgrade brief for a veteran client who experienced racism, homophobia, and sexual assault during his time in service with the goal of getting him access to VA disability benefits. I am currently drafting two briefs for female veterans to help them get disability benefits from the VA for mental health disabilities developed during service. I have worked directly with clients, conducting an intake interview and taking a sworn statement. Most recently I have been drafting a demand letter to get a client’s security deposit back from a former landlord so that the client can use it to get a new apartment and finally move out of their car. I have learned a lot from all the attorneys on the Homeless Veterans Project at ICLC and have especially appreciated the opportunity to learn about how different attorneys approach their work. Most importantly, it has been incredibly rewarding to help clients access vital benefits and access to healthcare and housing that can pull them out of homelessness. “
Meena's Microaggressions:
August's Awkward Utterance: Saying "My (choose any ethnicity other than White) friend . . . "
 
Now, this may seem strange or perhaps obvious to many people but oddly, I still hear it. Why is it wrong to use ethnicity as an adjective when describing your friend? This comment perpetuates a centuries old myth: the belief that proximity to blackness [or any other race/ethnicity] immunizes white people from having attitudes that are rooted in racism or doing racist things. This thinking, scholars say, is steeped in complicated social factors, from a reluctance to have blunt conversations about race to a failure to acknowledge racial difference altogether. That’s why, after a white person’s proclamation that he has Black friends often comes an insistence that he doesn’t see color.
 
I have heard this comment not just about Black people though . . . I have heard it applied to many other people of color. If you are describing your friend, my suggestion is to omit any ethnic or race-based adjective. 
 
From: Eligon, J. (2019, Feb 7) "The 'Some of My Best Friends Are Black' Defense." The New York Times.
Complimentary WLALA Membership for WLALA's Local Sister Bar Organizations

WLALA is offering one complimentary year of membership to WLALA's local sister bar organization members at APAWLA, BWL and LLBA. Offer is good until December 31, 2021. Membership will be good for one year after you register.
WLALA Membership for New Admittees and Law Students is FREE

WLALA offers free memberships to New Admittees (those who passed the bar less than a year ago) and Law Students. Don't forget to pass the word along and join today and see what WLALA has to offer!
WLALA-LACBA's Podcast: 19th Amendment Speaker Series

There are a few ways to access the podcasts:

The Apple Podcasts page - If you have an iPhone/iPad you can open the show in the Podcasts app – you can subscribe so you’ll be alerted when each episode is released
This page will be updated by Tuesday each week with a player that allows you to listen to each episode from the webpage.
 
Spotify – you can listen in the Spotify App and website as well:
 
You can also find it listed on these other sites and may find a more convenient way to listen by checking them out.
WLALA Webinar Recording's
WLALA webinars have been recorded and are available for purchase. To view all recordings, please CLICK HERE. Following the purchase, the recording will be sent via email. If MCLE credit applies, the materials will be sent after we receive zoom confirmation that the video has been viewed.
iDepo will make a donation to WLALA if you schedule a court reporting or videotaped deposition with them as follows:

  • $20 donation to WLALA for each court reporting services of at least 100 pages per day.
  • $50 donation to WLALA for each videotaped deposition with at least 100 pages per day.

When scheduling, please email or call and mention Code WLALA. Email to Calendar@iDepoReporters.com or call at 323-393-3768. 

IDepo will send donations to WLALA within 90 days after receipt of payment of invoices.
Sister Bar Events

APAWLA Young Lawyers and Law Students (YLLS) is having an ongoing Resume Review Workshop. To participate you must be an active APAWLA member. Please send in a word copy of your resume and/or cover letter to apawla.ylls@gmail.com. You will be assigned an APAWLA board member who will review and suggest revisions in the document with track changes. The anticipated turnaround for feedback is one week. Please be sure to maintain prompt communication. This is an ongoing workshop open until the end of the pandemic.
CWL Installation Dinner Date 
Upcoming Local Bar Events and News 
To view the rest of the local bar events and news, please CLICK HERE.
Request for Attorney Mentors for WLALA Law Student Mentor Program

Over 100 mentorship opportunities now available! Has a mentor impacted your career? 
 
Now is the time to pay it forward! WLALA has over 100 women law students seeking a mentor like you. 
 
CLICK HERE to show your interest and share how much time you’d be willing to commit, no amount is too small and the rewards are unlimited!
WLALA Networking Facebook Page
 
We are excited to announce that WLALA has created a Facebook page for members called WLALA Networking where you can connect with other members of the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles. You can join HERE. Please note that you must be a member to join. Before posting, please be sure to read the Rules and Guidelines here:
Of Interest
"Leadership Succession Planning Increasingly Pushes Women to the Top" by Brenda Sapino Jeffreys, Written for The American Lawyer, July 12, 2021.

What You Need to Know
  • Women leaders say having more voices at the table leads to better firm decisions.
  • More women have paid their dues in smaller leadership roles, and are ready to move to the top.
  • Clients care about the makeup of firm leadership.

To read the full article, please CLICK HERE. (Subscription required)
New Members
Yanan Zhao, Sabrina Narain, Abinaya Prabakar, Tish R. Pickett (Gayles), Christine Cheung, Adrineh Minassian, Charle Swigart (van Heerden), Angela D. Mansfield, Stefani Freeburg, Abby Baron, Ann S. Lee, Sabrina Glavota, Clara Perez, Nat Brown, Sarah Jeon, Thomas D. Briggs, Mary O'Connor.
WLALA Job Bank

Did you know that your WLALA membership allows you to access the WLALA Job Bank? The Job Bank has employment opportunities from different non-profit organizations and law firms. 

McGuireWoods seeks an attorney who is highly fluent in Spanish. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

California State University Northridge is currently hiring an Assistant Professor for their Department of Business Law. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

Kutak Rock LLP, a national law firm, is looking for a litigation associate with 2-5 years' experience for its Los Angeles and/or Irvine offices with substantial experience in environmental, toxic tort and product liability litigation. For more information, please CLICK HERE. 

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (“HACLA”) seeks a well-qualified, highly motivated attorney to serve as a Senior Staff Attorney to handle real estate and affordable housing development/redevelopment matters. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

The Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law is looking for a Bilingual Client Assistant in the Los Angeles/Koreatown area, For more information, please CLICK HERE.

The University of California, Office of the President, is looking for an associate for Counsel, Trusts, & Estates. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

The State Bar of California is seeking a collaborative, visionary, and politically astute legal professional to become the Bar’s Chief Trial Counsel (CTC). For more information, please CLICK HERE.

The Office of the Attorney General is seeking a Correctional Law Section Deputy Attorney General III in the Los Angeles area. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

The Office of the Attorney General is seeking an Antitrust Law Attorney in the Los Angeles area. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

Fox Rothschild LLP has an opening for an associate with 2-4 years of general litigation experience. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

The Los Angeles office of McGuireWoods seek an Associate candidate for the Healthcare Department. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

Fox Rothschild LLP has an opening for a mid-level labor and employment associate with 3-5 years of experience. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

The Los Angeles office of Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanchez, Gaston & Zimet, a medium-sized, national insurance litigation defense firm, is seeking an associate attorney with four to seven (4-7) years of experience in litigation. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

Kaplan Marino, a preeminent white collar criminal defense boutique law firm in Los Angeles, is looking to hire an office manager/legal assistant to manage all tasks related to the office and to provide support to four attorneys. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP seeks to hire an employment litigation associate with a minimum of two years' experience to join its vibrant California and national employment law practice. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

 Public Counsel is hiring a Supervising Staff Attorney in the Los Angeles area. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

Fragomen is hiring for a Business Immigration Associate. For more information, please CLICK HERE.

 You must be a current member and logged into the website to view job postings. If you need help obtaining your username and password, please email info@wlala.org. To view the WLALA Job Bank, please CLICK HERE and click on the Search Openings link in the upper left corner of the page. 
The Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles ("WLALA") promotes the full participation in the legal profession of women lawyers and judges from diverse perspectives and racial and ethnic backgrounds, maintains the integrity of our legal system by advocating principles of fairness and equality, and improves the status of women by supporting their exercise of equal rights, equal representation, and reproductive choice.
 - WLALA Mission Statement

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Take a moment now to add us so that you can keep up to date on the latest, and please tag us when you post about WLALA events!