• President's Message by Noelle Natoli - Hate Speech is on the Rise
• Sarah Quist: It Takes a Community to Make Champions
• Video: Meet the 2024 WLALA Foundation Scholarship and Fellowship Recipients
• WLALA Offers Complimentary Memberships to Affinity Bar Members
• Celebrating Latine Art of LA: Defining Our Legacies - October 19, 2024
• WLALA Hike - October 26, 2024
• Photos: WLALA Awards & Installation Dinner - September 13, 2024
• Photos: Black Women Lawyers Association 49th Annual Installation & Awards Gala - September 28, 2024
• Announcement: WLALA Board of Governors Member, JENNIFER LIESER, recognized as a 2024 SoCal Rising Star, Best Lawyers in American 5th Edition of 'Ones to Watch', and Next Generation Leader by Lawdragon500X
• Welcome New Members!
• New Member Highlight: A. Carley Palmer
• New Member Highlight: Mihret Getabicha
• Local Bar Calendar
• Join Harriet Buhai's Remote Volunteer Program - October 2, 2024 
• LLBA's Annual Awards and Scholarship Dinner - October 4, 2024
• LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of LA: Emotional Intelligence for Attorneys - October 6, 2024
• LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of LA: Mentorship Program
• Community Lawyers, Inc.'s Justice Jam - October 18, 2024
• Judicate West's D&I Scholarship Program
• Power Lunch Program Sponsorships Available
• WLALA Needs Mentors for Law Students
• Career Center
• WLALA Webinar Recordings
• Contribute to the WLALA Newsletter

Noelle Natoli

WLALA President 2024-2025

Hate Speech is on the Rise

Maya Angelou once said, "Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet.”

In recent weeks and as Election Day approaches, we see and hear more and more rhetoric as individuals are invoking their Constitutional right to free speech. This month’s President’s Message is devoted to addressing the issue of hate speech, specifically, my response to a call to action by the National Conference of Bar Presidents who recently held a program titled “Standing Up to Hate: What Bars Can Say, What Bars Can Do.”

As bar leaders, we are often asked to speak out, but we owe an obligation to our members to first determine the appropriateness of whether to speak out on a controversial issue. We are often warned to stay within our purview.  

But something Reggie Shuford of the North Carolina Justice Center said really resonated with me and that was, “Hate is Everywhere.” He encouraged us to not only do more, but SAY more.

Another panelist had a similar point of view, expressing her belief that it is incumbent on all lawyers to have hard conversations regarding hate speech. Specifically, Carolyn Shapiro, a Constitutional Law Professor at Chicago Kent School of Law described illegal hate speech as having three categories:

• Incitement of imminent action
• Fighting words
• True threats

Professor Shapiro noted, in particular, that words we may have previously condoned as merely insensitive or not thoughtful, can be actually perceived by others as hate speech. And in those cases, as the President of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Rahat Babar, stated, “we cannot sit idly by and say nothing.” As another panelist, Mark Rosenberg of Hillel, International suggested, “We have to learn how to get along in a democratic society. We have to learn to speak up.”

I am decidedly saddened to report that in 2023, hate crimes, including hate speech, in LA increased another 17% (slightly better than the 18% increase in 2022 when we saw the horrific surge in Anti-AAPI hate crimes). In 2023 the current majority of hate crimes in LA targeted African-American, Jewish, Muslim, and Trans-gender members of the Los Angeles community. We have got to take action to stop the hate speech we are exposed to on a daily basis.  

One of the ways WLALA chooses to take action is by bringing people together because when we do, we can have those challenging conversations. We can engage in meaningful discourse. We do not have to agree, but we do have to listen to each other’s perspectives and, more importantly, learn from them. And if I may say, we must persist in forcing these conversations and moving the ball forward. I strongly encourage you to attend any one of the wonderful WLALA events we have coming up in the month of October (please see the flyers below for details).

Please join me in helping to Stop the Hate. When you hear or see something, speak up. And, if you have no words, let your actions speak for you and vote on Election Day November 5, 2025. The last day to register to vote in LA County is October 21st.

It Takes a Community to Make Champions

by Sarah Quist, WLALA Foundation President

As I was swept up by this summer’s Olympics, I read the book Fast Girls about the first USA women’s track and field team allowed to compete at the Olympics – in 1928. The book wove tales of three trailblazers overcoming physical disabilities, assault, and racism to defy expectations and earn a place on the team. And even then, after proving themselves, it was only with the fundraising of their hometowns that the athletes secured their travel with the Olympic team. 

WLALA Foundation recognizes that, similar to the 1928 athletes, it takes a community to make champions. Together, our contributions to WLALA Foundation build a deeper bench of the next generation of women judges, law firm partners, and public interest advocates. 

With your support, in 2024, WLALA Foundation supported 12 scholarships and fellowships. Meet these extraordinary women in this video here:

Video: Meet the 2024 WLALA Foundation Scholarship and Fellowship Recipients

WLALA Offers Complimentary Memberships to Affinity Bar Members

WLALA is pleased to announce the continuation to offer complimentary membership to those who are members of any local affinity bar association this year. Some examples of affinity bars are BWL, CWL, LLBA, MABA and SCCLA just to name a few. We are so grateful to the many relationships WLALA has developed between other organizations and to continue to grow and learn from each other, and, most importantly, advocate for each other. Please pass this offer on to anyone you think may qualify.

WLALA Awards & Installation Dinner

September 13, 2024

Black Women Lawyers Association of

Los Angeles: 49th Annual Installation

Dinner & Awards Gala

September 28, 2024

WLALA Board of Governors Member,

JENNIFER LIESER, recognized as a 2024 SoCal Rising Star, Best Lawyers in American 5th Edition of 'Ones to Watch', and Next Generation Leader by Lawdragon500X

WLALA is pleased to announce that WLALA Board of Governors Member Jennifer Lieser, Partner at Kaplan Marino, was recognized by ‘Lawdragon500X -The Next Generation’ for her continued commitment to excellence as a next-generation leader in the white-collar space. Jennifer received numerous recognitions from Super Lawyers as a 2024 SoCal Rising Star, Up-and-Coming 50: Women Southern California Rising Stars, and Up-and-Coming 100: Southern California Rising Stars. Jennifer, along with partners Richard Kaplan and Nina Marino, were listed in the 31st edition of 'Best Lawyers in America,' and Jennifer was recognized in the 5th edition of 'Ones to Watch.' 

Jennifer handles business and financial crimes, including fraud and money laundering offenses, cryptocurrency regulatory issues, tax controversy matters, AML compliance, and other white-collar and complex crimes. Her comprehensive understanding of both federal and state laws enables her to effectively navigate the intricacies of the legal landscape on both a local and national level.

As chair of the firm’s internal investigation and corporate compliance practice group, Jennifer represents corporations, financial institutions, and other organizations in investigations commonly triggered by government scrutiny or other litigation. Known for her meticulous attention to detail, Jennifer leads discrete and efficient investigations to identify possible red flags and advise accordingly on the corporate implementation of recommended legal compliance frameworks for addressing and rectifying areas of potential liability or exposure.

Jennifer has published in legal treatises and publications on international extradition, frauds involving cryptocurrency, and other policy, political and legal current events. She makes regular guest appearances on national television and online news networks, and speaks at legal conferences on a diverse array of white-collar and internal investigation topics.

Welcome to Our New Members

Joana Arilyn Castro

Kira Brekke

Adriana Dutra

Jenna Edzant

Susan Feder

Julianna Gesiotto

Kallie Hoffman

Katie Kaessinger

Veega Karlsson

Vivian Kwang

Monique Madrid

Malina Manni

Armie Margaryan

Devon Myers

Alicia Olivares

Anna Osipov

Holly Parker

Leah Perez

David Perkiss

Aaliyah Pitts

Anne Richardson

Jennifer Sandoval

Anuja Shah

Ping Shen

Sean Shriver

Jennifer Skolnick

Kayla Solomon

Ariana Soria

Natalie Sorrentino

Amanda Stockard

Lisette Torres

Abby Treadwell

Maria Tudorache

Aslin Tutuyan

Jacquelyn Vasantachat

Stacy Walker

Jasmine Williams

Brenda Wong

New Member Highlight

A. Carley Palmer, WLALA Board of Governors,

Co-Chair of the Criminal Justice Committee

"I joined the WLALA Board of Governors because I believe in the power of community and in the undeniable magic of women, working together, to get stuff done. Other women’s mentorship, friendship, and collaboration have made my career possible and infinitely more fulfilling. I’m excited to pay that gift forward and to help grow and strengthen our network and our allyships. To me, WLALA is about women lawyers rising together, and then using our collective agency to advocate for women everywhere—the causes that matter to them, the resources they need, and the rights and representation they deserve. When women are in rooms where decisions are made—including courtrooms—the world is a better place. I want to empower, enable, and encourage those women, in all the important work they do."

Carley Palmer serves on the WLALA Board of Governors and co-chairs WLALA's Criminal Justice Committee. She strongly believes that women belong in rooms where decisions are made, and that includes courtrooms. 

Carley is a partner at Halpern May Ybarra Gelberg LLP in Los Angeles. A seasoned trial and appellate lawyer, Carley focuses her practice on internal and regulatory investigations, white-collar criminal defense, and complex commercial litigation. Her clients include individuals and corporations who are facing sensitive government inquiries, managing critical moments, and navigating high-stakes business disputes. Carley previously practiced white-collar criminal defense and securities litigation at Dechert LLP in New York City, where she represented individual and corporate clients in civil and criminal litigation, government investigations, and regulatory-enforcement matters.

Carley is a former federal prosecutor. Carley served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, where she investigated and prosecuted federal crimes for over eight years. As Deputy Chief of the General Crimes Section, Carley trained and supervised dozens of federal prosecutors, overseeing hundreds of cases and scores of trials. While at the U.S. Department of Justice, Carley also personally led more than ten trials or significant evidentiary hearings in the Central District of California, argued six cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and wrote countless district-court motions and appellate briefs. As a member of the Criminal Appeals Section, Carley consulted on cases at all stages of litigation from throughout the Criminal and National Security Divisions. As a member of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section, Carley also led local, federal, and foreign law-enforcement efforts to investigate and impede transnational crimes.

Carley graduated magna cum laude from Boston College and Order of Barristers from New York University School of Law. After law school, Carley clerked for the Honorable Jay C. Gandhi (Retired) in the Central District of California. She also taught Legal Writing and Advocacy to first-year law students at USC Gould School of Law. 

Carley is a proud member of both WLALA and the Women’s White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA). She also enjoys mentoring women law students of color through The Appellate Project (TAP).

LindedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carleypalmer?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Website: https://halpernmay.com/attorney/a-carley-palmer/

New Member Highlight

Mihret Getabicha, WLALA Board of Governors Member, Co- Chair of the Legislative Committee

"I value WLALA’s top notch programming, community of supportive attorneys, and commitment to uplifting other women.

WLALA means inviting others in to share your passions and legal talents, learning from other women, and collectively engaging with and giving back to the community. This includes state-wide legislative advocacy, such as through WLALA's Conference of Delegates Committee and Legislation Committee."

Mihret Getabicha is an employment and immigration litigation attorney based in San Diego. She attended Dartmouth College and the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. During law school, she participated in the Immigration Clinic and Human Rights Clinic, served as the President of the Human Rights Law Society, and was a staff editor on the Texas Journal for Civil Liberties and Civil Rights. After law school, she moved to Southern California. Mihret clerked at a non-profit immigration law firm in Los Angeles from 2018 - 2019, focusing on family unity after separation and removal defense matters. She also joined WLALA’s Conference of Delegates Committee to engage in legislative advocacy. From 2019 to early 2024, her practice centered on civil employment litigation in California state and federal courts, and counseling employers of all sizes on compliance with California’s rapidly changing employment laws. She also continued her legislative advocacy through WLALA and is currently on WLALA’s Board of Directors and Legislation Committee.

Recently, Mihret has also been dedicated to immigration litigation, including mandamus actions related to unreasonable delays in administrative processing of family-based and employment-based visa applications as an Associate at Red Eagle Law, L.C. She also continues to handle labor and employment litigation and immigration matters through her firm, the California Labor Employment and Immigration Law Practice, P.C.

In her free time, Mihret loves being in nature and travel.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mihret-getabicha-066b911b

Website at CALEI LAW: https://www.caleilaw.com

Website at Red Eagle Law, L.C.: https://redeaglelaw.com/about-us

Pictured above, Karen Suri, Esq., Deputy Director of Legal Services, Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law; volunteer@hbcfl.org

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. There is no better time to start volunteering with Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law, to make a difference for victims of domestic violence and improve the well-being of children living in poverty. 

Lawyers, law school graduates, and law students are invited to attend a new volunteer training for the Remote Volunteer Program on October 5, 2024 from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm. Volunteers in this program conduct telephone consultations with prospective clients and provide legal advice in consultation with staff attorneys. More information about this and other volunteer opportunities at Harriett Buhai are available here.

Emotional Intelligence for Attorneys

1 hour Civility MCLE

October 9, 2024

Where: Zoom (instructions will be emailed to registrants before event)

Time: 12-1pm (presentation starts promptly at 12pm)

1 hour of Civility MCLE credit will be provided.

The LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of LA with the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Diversity in the Profession Section is proud to offer this highly-informative MCLE to our members & friends. Whether it’s building professional relationships with colleagues, co-counsel, or clients, adapting to changes in procedure, or working through difficult depositions, hearings, or client meetings, emotional intelligence can help you conduct yourself with civility in the legal profession . . . and be happier in it! This interactive class will not only explore the link between emotional intelligence and the skills needed for successfully performing as an attorney with civility but also help you gain insights into your impact on others and obstacles to an accurate self-perception. It will also identify techniques for applying emotional intelligence to everyday occurrences.

Attendance is FREE to active LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of LA and LACBA DIP Section members and members of sibling LGBTQ+ Lawyer organizations, and only $20 for non-members (it pays to be a member!).

Presented by David Alan Perkiss (he/him/his).

Online registration WITH BAR NUMBER is required to attend and obtain MCLE Credit. This class is eligible for 1.0 hour of MCLE civility credit. (Civility is a new subfield requirement, starting for the compliance period ending January 31, 2025.) The LGBTQ+ Bar Association of Los Angeles is State Bar of California MCLE provider. Zoom info & Materials will be emailed to registrants in advance for your printing/viewing needs.

If you need more information please contact the MCLE Committee at: MCLE.LGBTQPlusLawyersLA@gmail.com

The LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of

Los Angeles Mentorship Program

LGBTQ+ LALA Mentor Program.pdf

Mentor/Mentee Application - LGBTQ+ Lawyers Assoc. LA (google.com)

Apply for Judicate West's

D&I Scholarship Program

Judicate West’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee is excited to share an initiative we believe will make a significant impact on fostering diversity and inclusion within the legal profession broadly and the ADR sector specifically. We are offering a full scholarship for two individuals from underrepresented communities to attend the internationally top-ranked Mediation Training Program at Straus Institute at Straus Institute at Pepperdine University in Malibu.

Application deadline:

September 1, 2024

Selection notification:

October 30, 2024

Program participation:

Scholarship recipients can attend either of the biannual training dates, within three years of being selected.

Why Now?

In the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) community, there is an overall need to represent and reflect the people we serve. As a leading firm in this space, we want to positively impact this gap.

This scholarship award was created with the vision of fostering a more inclusive legal community of ADR practitioners. Our scholarship program aims to provide financial support to professionals who have demonstrated a passion for litigation, a dedication to inclusiveness, a strong interest in developing a career as an ADR practitioner, and a consistent commitment to excellence.

What's Covered?

The scholarship covers registration to the internationally top-ranked Mediation Training Program at the Straus Institute at Pepperdine University in Malibu, as well as lodging and meals for the duration of the five-day course. Recipients will receive world-class instruction and also gain access to invaluable mentorship and networking opportunities within their educational cohort as well as within our organization.

Who is Eligible?

Civil litigators who are active members of bar associations serving underrepresented communities, which include but are not limited to, individuals from minority racial and ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ individuals, individuals with disabilities, and others who have faced unique challenges in their pursuit of higher education. Please visit the scholarship web page, to view complete eligibility criteria.

Check Eligibility

Applications

Applicants should prepare a resume; a personal statement of up to 1,000 words that showcases their motivation for pursuing this scholarship, provides an overview of their career goals, and discusses how this scholarship will help them make a positive impact on society; and a letter of recommendation from an officer or board member in the bar group in which they serve.

Apply Now

Selection Process

A selection committee, comprised of accomplished ADR professionals from various backgrounds, will meticulously review applications and select the winning candidate. The 2024 scholarship awardee will be notified by October 30, 2024.

Questions?

Rosemarie Drohan

Executive Vice President of Business Development

Judicate West

rosemarie@judicatewest.com

800-488-8805

WLALA Needs Mentors for Law Students

WLALA needs attorney mentor volunteers since our increased presence in the legal community has led to increased participation among local law schools. WLALA's Law Student Mentoring Program pairs law student members with lawyer members to encourage and facilitate the development of women law students. Mentors and mentees are matched based on interests and background where possible. The program is flexible; mentors and mentees choose when and how to stay connected with one another, whether through e-mail, telephone, in-person meet ups, or a combination. Many participants find that the one-on-one mentoring relationship becomes a long-term friendship.

Contribute to the WLALA Newsletter

If you are interested in contributing an article or sharing member news, please reach out to WLALA.communications@gmail.com. Everyone loves to read about accomplishments, appointments, and promotions! Also, please do not forget to share photos or videos taken at WLALA events. We would love to share them in the newsletter and on our social media!

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.

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