L A W F I R M
GWILLIAM IVARY CHIOSSO CAVALLI & BREWER
Gwilliam Ivary Chiosso Cavalli & Brewer, a distinguished personal injury, employment, business, and consumer law firm in Northern California, has demonstrated unwavering commitment to the ACBA.
As a Leadership Firm, they boast 100% membership in the ACBA, reflecting their dedication to supporting the local legal community.
Their attorneys actively contribute to the ACBA's mission by serving on various volunteer section executive committees. Notably, Robert Schwartz and Jayme Walker have been members of the Trial Practice Executive Committee, playing a pivotal role in organizing programs and events that enhance the professional development of ACBA members.
Gary Gwilliam is a notable speaker on Competence and attorney wellness and has presented on these
topics and much more for the ACBA
Beyond committee involvement, Gwilliam Ivary Chiosso Cavalli & Brewer has partnered with the ACBA to create innovative events that resonate with attorneys. For instance, they hosted the "Mocktail Mix & Mingle" event at their offices, providing a unique networking opportunity for legal professionals to connect in a relaxed setting.
The firm's commitment to the ACBA and the broader legal community is further exemplified by their support for initiatives that promote excellence and equal access to justice. Their active participation and leadership within the ACBA underscore their dedication to fostering a vibrant and inclusive legal community in Alameda County.
BYRON TOMA, BART
Byron Toma has been a cornerstone of the ACBA, contributing his time and expertise in numerous impactful ways A former ACBA board member, Byron has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a steadfast commitment to the organization’s mission. His involvement spans the Public Entity and Environmental Law Executive Committees, where he has played a vital role in shaping programs and initiatives that serve ACBA members in these specialized areas.
Passionate about fostering the next generation of legal professionals, Byron actively recruits interns and law students to join the ACBA, helping to expand the association’s reach and diversify its membership.
Additionally, he is dedicated to leadership development within the ACBA’s sections, mentoring and empowering future leaders to take on meaningful roles within the organization.
Byro community has brought a unique flavor to ACBA events. He organized a "Check, Please! Bay Area" social and the popular annual Environmental and Public Entity Ice Cream Social, creating memorable opportunities for members to connect
As a seasoned attorney for BART, Byron combines his professional expertise with a deep commitment to public service. His multifaceted contributions to the ACBA whether through leadership, mentorship, or communitybuilding events exemplify his dedication to strengthening the legal community and creating a welcoming and vibrant space for all its members.
JASON ALLEN, OFFICE OF THE COUNTY COUNSEL
Jason Allen, Deputy County Counsel at the Office of the County Counsel in Oakland, California., was the 2024 Chair of the ACBA’s Judicial Appointments Evaluation Committee (JAEC). He led the committee through a notably active year in 2024. Under his leadership, the JAEC diligently investigated and evaluated numerous candidates seeking judicial appointments in Alameda County, ensuring that only the most qualified individuals were recommended for the bench.
Jason’s leadership in 2024 was marked by a commitment to maintaining the integrity of the judicial selection process. He emphasized thorough evaluations of candidates' professional backgrounds, legal experience, and qualifications, gathering input from colleagues and peers to assess
competence, ethics, temperament, and overall suitability for judicial service. This rigorous process ensured that appointees met the high standards expected of Alameda County judges, fostering public trust in the judiciary.
Beyond his role with the JAEC, Jason’s dedication to public service and the legal profession has been evident throughout his career. His efforts have had a lasting impact on the quality and integrity of the judicial system in Alameda County, reflecting his commitment to justice and community service.
JO-ANNA NIEVES, PRESIDENT Nieves Law Firm, APC
Jo-Anna Nieves formed the Nieves Law Firm, APC in order to help those accused of crimes navigate the complex and challenging legal process of the criminal justice system. JoAnna is the former Chair of the ACBA Barristers Section Executive Committee and former Chair of the ACBA Judicial Appointments Evaluation Committee. She also volunteers as a mentor for El Centro Legal de la Raza’s Youth Law Academy and is a member of the Earl Warren Inns of Court. She has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star every year since 2016, and her firm has been recognized as one of the fastestgrowing law firms in the nation by Law Firm 500
JANICE CHO, PRESIDENT-ELECT Law Office of Janice Cho
Janice Cho has been practicing law since 2004, with expertise in family law and immigration law. Ms. Cho received her Juris Doctorate degree from Northwestern University School of Law. After law school, Ms. Cho began her career working exclusively in the area of family law and immigration law. She has supervised family law and domestic violence legal clinics, provided technical assistance to non-profits and pro bono attorneys, provided trainings on family law and immigration law, and regularly volunteers in multiple capacities for the Alameda County Superior Court. Ms. Cho was selected as a 2021 Super Lawyer in Northern California. She is proficient in Spanish and conversational in Korean.
Mario Choi, VICE PRESIDENT
Administrative Law Judge State of California
Mario Choi is an Administrative Law Judge with the State of California He hears, mediates, and arbitrates administrative matters. He is a former litigation attorney and counselor with nearly 20 years of experience handling complex commercial, intellectual property, civil, partnership, consumer protection, securities, antitrust, and privacy matters.
Outside the office, Mario is an active member of the community. Mario is a lecturer at U.C. Berkeley School of Law. Mario also serves – or has served – on the boards and committees of several non-profit and legal organizations. For his work, Mario was elected a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
Maria Bee, Director
Oakland City Attorney’s Office
Chief Assistant City Attorney Maria Bee oversees both the Affirmative Litigation, Innovation & Enforcement Division, which focuses on injustices that impact Black, Indigenous, Latina/o/x, Asian / Pacific Islander, and other historically and/or presently marginalized communities, and the General & Complex Litigation Division (defense) of the Oakland City Attorney’s Office Before taking this post, Maria served as the Chief of the Victim Services Division in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. In this role, she was responsible for providing critical services to victims of crime in San Francisco. Maria is a member of the Charles Houston Bar Association and serves on the Alameda County Bar Association board. She formerly chaired the Alameda County Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service committee and served as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of La Casa de Las Madres, an advocacy program for survivors of domestic violence.
Aimee Hamoy, Director
California Department of Justice – Attorney General’s Office
Aimee Hamoy is a deputy attorney general with the California Department of Justice Attorney General’s office Ms Hamoy is assigned to the Police Practices Section of the Public Rights Division Prior to joining Cal DOJ, she was a litigation partner with extensive trial experience in the defense of public entities in cases alleging violations of civil rights/excessive force, and the defense of national retailers in serious personal injury and premises liability matters. Ms. Hamoy started her legal career as a deputy district attorney and has represented public entity
clients and large national retailers in all aspects of conflict resolution from pre-litigation negotiations through verdict and appeal.
Helen Hoeffel, Director Legal Assistance for Seniors
Helen Hoeffel has been practicing law since 1994, with a background in real estate title litigation, civil and criminal appeals, consumer law, and housing. She is currently a senior staff attorney at Legal Assistance for Seniors where she assists older adults with a wide variety of legal issues including fraudulent debt collection, illegal home solicitation contracts, and tenant rental deposit disputes Her prior litigation experience includes quiet title and escrow matters, predatory lending, financial elder abuse, and wrongful foreclosure Ms Hoeffel handled criminal appeals for six years as a courtappointed appellate attorney representing indigent defendants, including juveniles which she found to be the most compelling appeals. She chairs the ACBA business section, is a past board member of the Women Lawyers of Alameda County and serves as a Pro Tem Judge in Alameda County Superior Court.
Sonya Z. Mehta, Director
Siegel, Yee, Brunner & Mehta
Sonya Z. Mehta is a trial attorney and partner with Siegel, Yee, Brunner & Mehta. She represents individual employees and labor unions as a dedicated advocate for workers’ and civil rights. She has won high value verdicts, including over $2.2 million in a public employee equal pay case, many favorable rulings, and significant settlements in whistleblower, discrimination, and other civil rights cases She is General Counsel to Public Employees Union, Local #1. Ms. Mehta served two terms as President of Women Lawyers of Alameda County (WLAC) and was a two-time Co-Chair of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA) Public Employees Committee. She graduated from the University of California at
Berkeley and received her law degree from the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law. Before practicing law, Ms. Mehta was the Co-Executive Director and a Community Organizer at community and workers’ organization Young Workers United (YWU) in San Francisco. At YWU, she won the nation’s first paid sick leave law through a San Francisco ballot initiative.
Mahal Montoya Billingsley, Director
Law Offices of Mahal Montoya Billingsley
Mahal began her law practice in 2014, having spent the previous fourteen years as a law clerk, educator, and paralegal specialist for the US Securities and Exchange Commission Mahal was born in Vallejo, and after a series of family tragedies enrolled herself in the tenth grade at Oakland Technical High School. She was legally emancipated as a minor the following spring. These childhood experiences inspired her to become an attorney and in her law practice, to work on family law issues. Mahal received a full academic scholarship to study law at the University of Iowa after earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from UC Berkeley.
Maria Lampasona, Director
Rankin, Shuey, Mintz, Lampasona & Harper
Maria Lampasona is a shareholder of Rankin, Shuey, Mintz, Lampasona & Harper, an Oakland civil litigation defense firm. Her practice includes the defense of general liability, access, and employment-related claims In general liability matters, Ms Lampasona’s practice has included the representation of clients in the medical transport and hospitality industries, as well as various universities, public school districts, and public and private entities. Ms. Lampasona also is experienced in advising and defending clients, including owners and tenants of large facilities, stadiums, and ballparks, regarding general liability matters, access issues, and compliance with the
Americans With Disabilities Act and California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act. In employment-related litigation, Ms. Lampasona has represented public entities and private companies, as well as public and private educational institutions, both in civil actions, and in administrative actions involving the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the California Civil Rights Department (formerly the California Department of Fair Employment & Housing). Originally from Massachusetts, Ms. Lampasona graduated from the University of California at Davis, receiving a B.A. in American Studies and a B.A. in Political Science. Prior to receiving her degrees, Ms. Lampasona participated in the University of California Washington D.C. program, and interned at the White House in the office of Vice President Al Gore. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law.
Spojmie Nasiri, Director
Law Office of Spojmie Nasiri, PC
Spojmie Nasiri the principal attorney at the Law Office of Spojmie Nasiri PC. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Davis in 1998 and her Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University, School of Law in 2003 Mrs Nasiri is a member of the California State Bar and has been practicing immigration law for over 10 years In addition to her legal practice, Mrs. Nasiri is actively involved in various immigrant rights organizations, including the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and has volunteered her expertise to provide services to the immigrant community. She is a frequent speaker at immigration law conferences and seminars and has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to the field. Her dedication to her profession has been recognized by many organizations. In 2019, she was inducted into the Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame for her unwavering commitment to immigrationrelated legal work in the community. In 2021, she was also awarded the Minority Bar Coalition Unity Award by the AILA
Northern California Chapter. Additionally, in 2021, Mrs. Nasiri was recognized by Congressman Eric Swalwell in the Congressional Record for her pro bono service to the Afghan community In 2022 and 2023, Mrs Nasiri was awarded AILA President’s Commendations Award for her tremendous contribution to immigration law Mrs Nasiri is fluent in English, Pashto, and Dari
David Parnall, Director Parnall Trust and Estate Law
David Parnall is the principal of Parnall Trust & Estate Law, PC. His practice emphasizes trust and estate litigation, administration, and mediation. Dave is a seasoned litigator who fights hard for his clients, having taken cases through trial and appeal. When possible, he aims to resolve his clients’ legal issues by working cooperatively with opponents, emphasizing alternative dispute resolution and the mitigation of interpersonal conflicts. Dave’s cases commonly relate to financial elder abuse, contested estate accountings, the validity of testamentary instruments, the removal of fiduciaries, and similar disputes relating to the transfer of assets between generations A certified trust and estate law specialist, Dave was selected to the Northern California SuperLawyers list for 2022 through 2024 He spent several years with one of California’s preeminent trust and estate law firms, where he defended a trial victory through a successful, published appellate decision addressing an opposing attorney’s incivility. Dave earned his J.D. in 2006 from U.C. Davis, where he was an editor of the law review. Dave is also an accomplished musician and was one of the original music analysts for Pandora internet radio. He also serves a lifetime appointment as the lucky father of two wonderful children.
Brian Ripley, Director Law Office of Brian A. Ripley, P.C.
Since 1983, Oakland-based business transactions attorney
Brian Ripley has counseled and represented business owners, particularly licensed professionals, in a broad variety of legal
issues and matters, including corporate compliance and governance, risk management, asset protection, buy-sell agreements, business policies and procedures, commercial leases, business contracts and agreements, succession planning and “exit” strategies, and many more.
Megan Burns, Past-President
Mirador Law
With two decades of trial experience in private practice and as a deputy public defender, Megan Burns specializes in criminal defense and plaintiff personal injury matters She has tried over fifty jury trials and been named a Super Lawyer in Northern California every year since 2018. Megan enjoys fighting for real people with real problems, whether they are charged with a crime or seeking recovery after being injured through no fault of their own. Megan graduated with honors from Boston College in 1999 and earned her law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School.
Martha Prempeh, Barristers’ Chair
Santana, Vierra, Stevenson, and Harris
Martha practices insurance defense litigation at Santana, Vierra, Stevenson, and Harris. She has also previously practiced tax and family law. She grew up in the Bay Area, where she continues to enjoy the area's vibrant culture and scenery Martha is an ardent advocate, who vigorously defends her clients' interests throughout the legal process She is committed to positively impacting the lives and circumstances of her clients. Martha received her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School, and her bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley. Her enthusiasm for law stems from her passion for justice and equity. Her hobbies include traveling, music, trying new restaurants, and spending quality time with family and friends.
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