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staying connected

THE MARIN LAWYER December 2025 Lead Editor: Marrianne Taleghani Guest Editors: Adrea Tencer & Paul Burglin Creative Director: Aariel Nigam

2025 Officers President: Kristine Fowler Cirby President-Elect: Thomas M. McInerney Treasurer: Neusha N. Ghaedi Secretary: Robyn B. Christo Past President: Scott Buell 5 Year Past President: Matt White Board of Directors 2025 Elisha J. Yang Lucie C. Hollingsworth Morgan H. Daly Nestor Schnasse Shanti Eagle 2026 Christine O’Hanlon Ingrid L. Carbone Marisa R. Chaves Marrianne S. Taleghani Roni D. Pomerantz 2027 Adrea S. Tencer Emily B. Harrington Paul Burglin Sarah B. Anker R. Wesley Pratt Executive Director Julie Cervetto Membership & Events Manager Denise Belli Client Relations Chair David M. Zeff The Marin Lawyer is published by The Marin County Bar Association 101 Lucas Valley Road, Suite 326 San Rafael, CA 94903 (415) 499-1314 info@marinbar.org marinbar.org

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CONTENTS 5 | Editor’s Introduction MARRIANNE TALEGHANI 6 | 2025 President’s Message KRISTINE FOWLER CIRBY 8 | Takeaways from California State Bar’s 2025 Diversity Report MARRIANNE TALEGHANI 14 | Forty Years of Lawyering - A Solo Practitioner’s Perspective PAUL BURGLIN 16 | The State of DEI in the Legal Profession MARRIANNE TALEGHANI

24 | Judge's Profile: Get to Know a Judge: Hon. Sheila Shah Lichtblau MARIN COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION 27 | Reflecting on Two Days of Learning and Community: The 2025 Bay Area MCLE Conference MARIN COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION 30 | Judge's Profile: An Interview With Newly Appointed Judge Matthew Siroka PAUL BURGLIN 34 | MCBA Member Profile: A Conversation About Access to Justice in Marin County: Abby Frost Lucha ADREA TENCER

19 | The Gemma Project: A Gender-Responsive Reentry Program for Justice-Involved Women THE GEMMA PROJECT 22 | Marin County Bar Association Teams Up with Book Passage for a Special Book Talk KRISTINE FOWLER CIRBY

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EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION Marrianne Taleghani This edition of the Marin Lawyer reflects the critical issues currently affecting our community, with a particular focus on diversity and the state of representation at local and national levels. While we navigate challenging and ever-changing landscapes, we find a silver lining in the dedicated contributions and activism of our Marin community members, including our judges and public service providers. As these social and legal landscapes continue to shift, we, as a collective, remain committed to doing what we can to ensure that vulnerable and marginalized members of our community are protected. We hope the insights in this issue provide both clarity and inspiration for our shared mission. From our families to yours, we wish you a very happy holiday season.

Marrianne S. Taleghani brings over 13 years of complex litigation experience to her role as Senior Counsel on Compass’s inhouse legal team. Her practice focuses on real estate, general civil litigation, and insurance defense. Admitted to the bar in both California and Hawaii, she holds a J.D. and an LL.M. in Taxation from Golden Gate University School of Law. Marrianne actively contributes to the legal community through her service as a Director and Co-Chair of the Real Estate Section for the Marin County Bar Association.

2025 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Kristine Fowler Cirby As I write my final President’s Message, I am struck by how quickly this year has passed. It has truly been one of the great privileges of my career to serve as President of the Marin County Bar Association. This year gave me the opportunity to meet more of our wonderful members, to deepen my appreciation for our legal community, and to be reminded, again and again, of the vital role we play as lawyers in upholding the rule of law. When I began my term, I hoped to strengthen the sense of community within MCBA and to update our website. What I did not anticipate was just how deeply this year would underscore the importance of staying connected as a profession, especially at a time when the legal system, the judiciary, and even the practice of law itself have come under increased pressure. We saw growing misinformation about the courts, hostility directed at lawyers for simply doing their jobs, and public challenges to judicial independence. In response, our programs and conversations continually returned to a core principle: when our courts are questioned, when our colleagues are attacked, when the rule of law is threatened, we must use our voices. I'm so proud that MCBA leaned into these important conversations this year with openness and thoughtfulness. One of my most joyful parts of the year was launching Thirsty Thursdays. From Mill Valley to Novato, members gathered at restaurants along the 101 corridor not just to network but to unwind, talk, laugh, and reconnect. Each month I met attorneys attending their first MCBA event or returning after time away. Those evenings were filled with genuine conversation and reminded me of the heart of our organization: the people who give their time, insight, and goodwill to lift each other up. In addition to Thirsty Thursdays, we came together for Earth

Day, Coastal Clean-Up, our annual picnic, the Book Passage Book Talk, and more in-person monthly meetings.

This year we also had some fun with MCBA swag —t-shirts, sweatshirts, quarter-zips, you name it! And we now have our very own bright orange pop-up tent that makes us impossible to miss at events. It's been a hit! Behind the scenes, we also made tremendous progress. With the Board’s support, we welcomed a part-time intern who modernized our operations by organizing and moving our administrative files into the cloud. This project was long overdue, and the result is a more secure, accessible, and sustainable foundation for future Boards. That same intern also expanded our presence on social media, ensuring our work is visible on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook (follow us @marincountybar). Our membership grew significantly as well—we welcomed 90 new members, many of whom learned about MCBA through increased outreach and law school engagement.

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We also expanded the future of our Bar by voting to increase the amount of our MCBA Legal Education Scholarships. strengthening our commitment to supporting future generations of lawyers. If you know any law students, please encourage them to apply. While we made progress on our goal of updating the website, we also learned that the current infrastructure is more outdated than we had previously understood. Rather than rushing a patchwork update, we are focused on planning for a modern, functional website that will serve our members well into the future. This will include the updated directory initiated by our Immediate Past President, Scott Buell, whose leadership continues to shape the improvements we are making. Check out the new home page photo!

To all our members, thank you for showing up, for supporting one another, for engaging in conversations, for volunteering your time, and for demonstrating every day why the rule of law matters. I encourage each of you to become more involved in MCBA: attend a new event, join a MCBA committee, become more active in your section, or join the MCBA board. If you have an idea for MCBA, reach out to any member of the Board of Directors. I am confident that MCBA will continue to thrive under the leadership of Tom McInerney, who brings wisdom, integrity, and a vision for the year ahead. It has been an honor to serve as your President, and I look forward to continuing to support this extraordinary community in the months and years to come.

As this year comes to a close, my gratitude for everyone on our Board of Directors is immeasurable. They are thoughtful, hardworking, and deeply committed to our members. Each person stepped forward in meaningful ways, bringing ideas, energy, and an unwavering dedication to our mission. This brings me to one of the most important parts of this message: expressing my gratitude to our extraordinary staff. Julie Cervetto, our Executive Director, is the steady, calm, brilliant force who keeps MCBA operating seamlessly. Her dedication supports not only the Board but every member of this association. Julie is the person who ensures that our plans become reality and that our organization remains strong, responsive, and forward-looking. Denise Belli, our Membership & Events Manager, brings exceptional attention to detail to everything she touches. Julie and Denise are the backbone of MCBA, and I am profoundly grateful to both for helping me during this past year.

Wishing you a warm and peaceful holiday season, Kris Cirby 2025 MCBA President Kristine Fowler Cirby s a family law attorney with over 30 years of experience. In 2019, she established her family law firm in Larkspur, handling all types of family law cases, including divorce, custody, domestic violence, and support matters. Throughout her career, Kris has advocated for victims of domestic violence, immigrants, and low-income families. Kris was formerly the Executive Director at Family & Children’s Law Center. She currently serves on the board of Community Violence Solutions. Kris previously held leadership roles with the Marin County Law Library and Marin Women's Commission. In 2021, Kris received the Marin Trial Lawyers Association’s President’s Award.

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Takeaways from California State Bar’s 2025 Diversity Report Marrianne Taleghani According to the State Bar of California's 2024-2025 Biennial Report on Access, Fairness, and Diversity, while recent trends show promise, the overall picture reveals a profession that remains predominantly white and male. White attorneys comprise 65 percent of California's licensed attorneys, despite representing only 38 percent of the state's adult population. In contrast, Latino attorneys make up just 6 percent of licensed attorneys while constituting 37 percent of California's population—a disparity of more than six-fold. Black attorneys represent 3 percent of the profession compared to 6 percent of the state's population, while women account for 44 percent of attorneys versus 50 percent of California's adult population. 1

There are bright spots in the data. Recent admission cohorts show encouraging progress, with women comprising 56 percent and people of color representing 55 percent of newly admitted attorneys in 2023—a record high. Asian attorneys have achieved near-parity at 14 percent of the profession compared to 16 percent of the state's population. Additionally, LGBTQIA+ representation has grown from 7.3 percent in 2019 to 9.1 percent in 2023, now matching the state's overall LGBTQIA+ adult population. However, these incremental gains at entry level translate slowly to the overall attorney population, and year-over-year demographic shifts remain small. The profession continues to face what the State Bar describes as persistent challenges in reflecting California's “rich and varied diversity.” 1

The State Bar's Assessment: A System Under Strain The State Bar's comprehensive analysis reveals troubling patterns throughout the legal education and practice pipeline. The groundbreaking Profile of California Law Schools report, published for the first time in 2024, illuminated critical disparities across the state's three categories of law schools: ABA-approved schools, Californiaaccredited law schools (CALS), and unaccredited institutions. While California-accredited and unaccredited schools enroll significantly more diverse student populations than ABA-approved institutions, they face dramatically higher attrition rates and lower bar passage rates. Students of color comprise 56 percent of enrollment at CALS and 50 percent at unaccredited schools, compared to 46 percent at ABA-approved schools. However, over half of first-year students at unaccredited schools leave after their first year, with Black students facing particularly acute challenges— nearly 70 percent attrition at unaccredited schools and the highest rates at ABA-approved schools alongside Native American students.

https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/reports/State-Bar-Biennial-Access-Fairness-Diversity-

Report2025.pdf

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The bar examination results compound these disparities. First-time applicants from ABAapproved schools consistently achieve higher pass rates than those from CALS and unaccredited schools, creating what the State Bar characterizes as "significant challenges in their aspirations to become licensed attorneys" for students pursuing JDs outside the ABA system. Perhaps most revealing, the State Bar's inaugural Profile of California's Inactive Attorneys report found that approximately 4,600 attorneys transition to inactive status annually, with concerning patterns among attorneys of color. While retirement drives many transitions— particularly among white male attorneys averaging 67 years old—attorneys of color tend to be significantly younger when leaving active practice. Asian, Middle Eastern/North African, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander women are among the youngest groups transferring to inactive status, with the latter averaging just 37 years old. The State Bar's 2024 update to its landmark 2019 study on disparities in attorney discipline found that while racial disparities in probation and disbarment outcomes are narrowing, they persist between Black and white male attorneys. The report notes that "42.9 percent of respondents indicated that retirement is not their motive, particularly among women and attorneys of color, signaling a deliberate departure from active law practice." Comprehensive Programs to Address Systemic Barriers Recognizing these challenges, the State Bar has implemented an ambitious array of initiatives across four core pillars: statewide leadership, creating a culture of inclusivity, pipeline to the profession, and retention and advancement.

Statewide Leadership and Transparency The State Bar has committed to data-driven accountability through several mechanisms. The annual Attorney Census, launched in 2019, collects comprehensive demographic data that forms the basis for the yearly Diversity Report Card, providing transparency on the profession's composition. Beginning in 2026, this report will be available as an interactive dashboard, allowing stakeholders to filter and analyze data according to their specific interests. The DEI Leadership Seal program, launched in January 2023, has attracted remarkable engagement with 99 participating employers— including 72 seal recipients across law firms, nonprofits, government agencies, and corporate legal departments. Organizations commit to implementing at least five of ten evidence-based DEI action items and are recognized at bronze, silver, or gold tiers. The State Bar itself achieved gold-tier status, demonstrating institutional commitment to leading by example.

Supporting the Pipeline Addressing pipeline challenges requires intervention at multiple points. The State Bar continues its California Strategies and Stories program (Mindsets in Legal Education), a positive mindset intervention that has shown particular success for first-generation bar takers and those from underrepresented groups. The program helps combat psychological barriers that can affect exam performance.

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Retention and Advancement Initiatives Recognizing that diversity efforts cannot stop at licensure; the State Bar has developed innovative programs to support attorney retention. The Attorney-Client Bridge Program, which became permanent in 2025, offers non-confrontational resolution of low-level client-attorney issues outside the formal complaint process, potentially preventing matters from escalating into discipline proceedings.

Addressing neurodiversity, the Refocus: ADHD Strategies for Success in Law program targets executive functioning challenges that can limit competent practice. With more than 85 percent of attendees rating themselves as "extremely" or "very" satisfied, the program demonstrates the value of specialized support for attorneys facing unique challenges. The State Bar has also reformed its discipline system to address disparities. A new cost model methodology significantly reduces financial burdens associated with proceedings, while amendments to rules governing settlement conferences aim to promote resolution without trial. The Attorney Supervision and Assistance Redesign project uses evidence-informed practices to provide individualized supervision and support, with the goal of reducing recidivism rates that have historically been higher among Black and Hispanic/Latino respondents. Addressing Systemic Barriers Beyond programmatic interventions, the State Bar has undertaken structural reforms. A procurement disparities assessment revealed the need for race- and gender-neutral policies that encourage equitable participation of small businesses, including those owned by women and underrepresented groups. The State Bar has adopted a Small Business Enterprise policy and developed a robust vendor outreach plan in response.

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Looking forward, the State Bar is supporting a steering committee to develop a completely new California Bar Examination following an October 2024 Supreme Court order. The redesigned exam will emphasize practical skills over memorization, explicitly prioritizing "fairness, equity, and minimizing disparate performance impacts based on race, gender, ethnicity, disability, and other immutable characteristics." The State Bar has also expanded outreach to recruit diverse bar exam graders and proctors, with mandatory implicit bias training for all involved in exam administration. Meanwhile, the California Bar Exam Experiment is testing various format changes—including remote testing, openbook access, and varying time allocations— specifically to evaluate their impact on reducing performance disparities among diverse populations. Retention and Advancement Initiatives Recognizing that diversity efforts cannot stop at licensure; the State Bar has developed innovative programs to support attorney retention. The Attorney-Client Bridge Program, which became permanent in 2025, offers non-confrontational resolution of low-level client-attorney issues outside the formal complaint process, potentially preventing matters from escalating into discipline proceedings.

The Reset: Bar Retaker Support Program provides mental health and study strategies to bar exam retakers—a group disproportionately composed of individuals from historically marginalized communities. The five-week program has achieved a 97 percent satisfaction rate, with 96 percent of participants reporting improved preparedness. Addressing neurodiversity, the Refocus: ADHD Strategies for Success in Law program targets executive functioning challenges that can limit competent practice. With more than 85 percent of attendees rating themselves as "extremely" or "very" satisfied, the program demonstrates the value of specialized support for attorneys facing unique challenges. The State Bar has also reformed its discipline system to address disparities. A new cost model methodology significantly reduces financial burdens associated with proceedings, while amendments to rules governing settlement conferences aim to promote resolution without trial. The Attorney Supervision and Assistance Redesign project uses evidence-informed practices to provide individualized supervision and support, with the goal of reducing recidivism rates that have historically been higher among Black and Hispanic/Latino respondents.

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Nevertheless, the organization affirms its confidence that its work “does not constitute illegal discrimination or preferences” and emphasizes its statutory obligation to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion for all Californians. The State Bar frames this commitment not as preferential treatment but as fulfilling its fundamental public protection mission—ensuring that California's legal profession can adequately serve the state's diverse population.

that remains to be done." Whether these efforts will ultimately transform California's legal profession to reflect the state it serves remains an open question—one that will require continued commitment, adequate resources, and willingness to confront uncomfortable truths revealed by data. As the State Bar notes, "with adequate support and resources, the State Bar is positioned to accelerate this crucial transformation of California's legal profession."

Funding remains a persistent constraint. The primary revenue source, an opt-out fee on attorney licensing statements, generates approximately $300,000 annually—a modest sum given the scope of challenges identified. With additional resources, the State Bar could expand outreach and communications ($25,000 annually), develop robust retention programming ($50,000 annually), pilot an appointed counsel program for income-qualifying respondents in discipline proceedings ($250,000), and regularly update the free online elimination of bias training ($100,000 every three years).

While major law firms nationwide retreat from diversity initiatives under federal pressure, the California State Bar has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing diversity within the legal profession. Despite acknowledging a “challenging political climate,” the State Bar has expanded its efforts through programs addressing the persistent under-representation of Latino, Black, and women attorneys in a profession that remains 65 percent white and male. The organization's data reveals both progress, with record diversity among newly admitted attorneys, and ongoing challenges including high attrition rates at schools serving diverse students and persistent discipline disparities among attorneys of color. Constrained by modest funding, the State Bar nevertheless frames its work as essential to its public protection mandate— arguing that California's ability to serve its diverse population depends on cultivating a legal profession that reflects it, even amid heightened national scrutiny of DEI initiatives.

As demographic data reveals both progress and persistent challenges, the State Bar's comprehensive approach—spanning data transparency, educational support, systemic reforms, and targeted programming—represents a recognition that meaningful change requires sustained, multifaceted intervention. The 4,600 attorneys who transition to inactive status annually, the disparate attrition rates at law schools enrolling diverse students, and gaps in discipline outcomes all underscore that diversity gains at entry level remain fragile without systemic support throughout attorneys' careers. The initiatives outlined in the 2024-2025 report represent what the State Bar characterizes as "significant steps toward a more equitable legal system, while acknowledging the substantial work

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Forty Years of Lawyering - A Solo Practitioner’s Perspective Paul Burglin In 1985 we were using IBM typewriters for legal briefs and the U.S. mail for communication. We did our legal research in the stacks with the aid of Shepard’s maroon volumes. Nobody expected things the same day, nor even tomorrow. The practice of law moved at a slower pace back then. Fax machines triggered a change though, as lawyers could suddenly make immediate demands with limited notice. Next came computers, pagers, and e-mail. Large law firms and government entities took advantage of these innovations and put the heat on solo practitioners trying to keep pace. Years later, when COVID-19 forced the closure of courthouses in 2020, technological advances were made to let people work from home and keep the legal system churning. Many court appearances are now handled remotely and legal documents electronically filed and delivered. Administrative hearings that were once mandated to be in person are done via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or BlueJeans. Fewer people go to an office for work, and fewer yet go five or six days a week. Getting ahold of government employees by telephone has become nearly impossible.

What we have really lost to an appreciable degree is human interaction, and for lawyers that’s an important means for sharing and building legal concepts and ideas. Relationships with court staff, judges and colleagues, fostered over many years, have been lost or weakened. On the bright side, our travel and dry-cleaning expenses have gone down, and we can ease into the path of retirement by simply slowing down instead of turning the faucet completely off. What will artificial intelligence bring next to the profession? Wait, it’s already here, isn’t it? Paul Burglin is a Dean Emeritus and Fellow – National College of DUI Defense (NCDD). A former Director California DUI Lawyers Association. A Board-Certified in DUI Defense by the NCDD, as approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).He received a 1997 Certificate of Completion of the Robert F. Borkenstein Course on Alcohol and Highway Safety. He is the Co-Author of the two-volume treatise California Drunk Driving Law (Burglin, Simons & Kuwatch; James Publishing). He has over 130 jury trials to verdict.

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The State of DEI in the Legal Profession Marrianne Taleghani In 2025, the Trump administration issued multiple executive orders and implemented various measures to eliminate DEI initiatives in federal agencies and curtail such programs in the private sector. The legal profession has not been exempt from this sweeping change. Law firms across the country have found themselves navigating a dramatically altered landscape, with many reevaluating their DEI commitments amid increased scrutiny and potential legal risks. This shift has fundamentally reshaped discussions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion in the profession, forcing firms to balance longstanding commitments to workplace diversity with compliance concerns and evolving legal interpretations of permissible DEI practices. Law Firm Responses to Anti-DEI Orders Law firms of all sizes have responded in various ways to anti-DEI executive orders. One widespread response, documented across multiple news outlets, has been to rebrand diversity initiatives and quietly remove explicit references to DEI and certain pro bono programs from their websites. According to an April 2025 Guardian article, “Nearly two dozen US law firms have quietly scrubbed references to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) from their website and revised descriptions of pro-bono work to more closely align with Donald Trump's priorities,” demonstrating what the Guardian characterizes as “the Trump administration's successful campaign of intimidation against the legal profession.”1

Beyond rebranding efforts, several major law firms—including Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, and A&O Shearman Sterling, LLC—reached agreements with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that represent a more substantial capitulation to administration pressure. Under these multi-year agreements, the firms collectively committed to providing $600 million in pro bono legal work to the Trump administration while agreeing to significant operational changes. According to the EEOC, these firms “affirmed their commitment to lawful merit-based hiring, promotion, and retention; agreed not to engage in unlawful discrimination or preferences based on race, sex, or other protected characteristics, including in any policies, programs, and practices previously labeled, characterized, or framed as a diversity or DEI program; agreed to no longer categorize any lawful employment or practices (including those addressing equal employment opportunity, accessibility, or reasonable accommodation for religion, disability, or pregnancy) as DEI; and agreed to compliance monitoring.”2

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/11/law-firms-dei

https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-settlement-four-biglaw-firms-disavow-dei-and-affirm-their-commitment-

merit-based

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Rebranding Efforts In response to the current administration’s views on DEI, numerous law firms with California offices rapidly rebranded or eliminated their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Major firms have even removed DEI-specific language from their websites, archived diversity reports, and dissolved employee resource groups.3 This shift represents a significant retreat from public diversity commitments that these firms had championed for years, with many firms citing regulatory scrutiny as the driving factor behind their decisions. Rather than abandoning workplace culture initiatives entirely, firms adopted euphemistic alternatives designed to avoid regulatory attention while ostensibly maintaining some commitment to workplace inclusion. However, the substantive changes—including the removal of references to institutional racism, LGBTQ+ issues, and disability accommodations—suggest these rebrandings often involve more than semantic shifts. Examples of Rebranding Terms: Culture & Engagement (Reed Smith, Dentons) Inclusion (Hogan Lovells) Engagement & Development (White & Case) Pathways Scholars Program (Latham & Watkins - formerly "Diversity Scholars Program") Navigating this Cultural Shift The legal profession faces a critical inflection point as regulatory pressures and political shifts threaten decades of progress toward creating more inclusive workplaces. Despite the recent retreat from public DEI commitments, the fundamental challenges remain: the legal profession continues to lack representative 3

diversity at partnership levels, women and attorneys of color face persistent barriers to advancement, and systemic inequities in recruitment, retention, and promotion have not disappeared simply because firms have removed diversity pages from their websites. To combat these unprecedented changes, law firms and legal organizations must move beyond performative statements and instead embed inclusive practices into core business operations —integrating diverse candidate pipelines into standard recruiting processes, implementing transparent and equitable promotion criteria, ensuring diverse representation on client matters and pitch teams, investing in mentorship and sponsorship programs that are baked into performance evaluations rather than voluntary initiatives, and holding leadership accountable for measurable inclusion outcomes through compensation and advancement decisions. Rather than abandoning the work because the terminology has become politically fraught, forward-thinking firms can demonstrate genuine commitment by making inclusion an operational imperative rather than a separate program, proving that building diverse, equitable workplaces is not only legally defensible but essential to attracting top talent, serving increasingly diverse clients, and maintaining competitive advantage in a global legal marketplace.

https://abovethelaw.com/2025/02/biglaw-firm-quietly-begins-purging-diversity-language-from-website/

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The Gemma Project: A Gender-Responsive Reentry Program for Justice-Involved Women The Gemma Project Across California and the nation, justice-involved women represent the fastest-growing population within the criminal legal system. Despite recent declines in men’s incarceration, women’s incarceration continues to rise, revealing a significant gap in how systems respond to women’s needs. Over the past 35 years, arrests of women have increased by 25%, while arrests of men have decreased by 33%. Between 2009 and 2018, men’s jail populations fell by 8%, but women’s jail populations grew by 23%. These statistics make clear that gender-neutral services are not effective for women, and that counties must adopt specialized, gender- and trauma-responsive approaches if they hope to improve outcomes. About The Gemma Project Gemma was founded in 2000 by and for justiceinvolved women who were tired of cycling in and out of jail without programs and services designed to help them from coming back. The Gemma Project is a therapeutic reentry curriculum that begins prior to release and continues into the community as a trusted bridge of support for an unlimited amount of time. We provide therapeutic groups that support practical skill building in a supportive environment that specifically addresses the unique pathways to women’s incarceration. As part of our program, each participant receives group and individual reentry planning, as well as group and individual therapy. We use evidence-based practices and have been effective at reducing recidivism by 40% Why Gender-Responsive Services Matter Research consistently shows that women’s experiences of trauma, domestic violence, economic instability, addiction, parenting responsibilities, and lack of safe housing create distinct patterns of system involvement. Nearly 90% of justice-involved women have histories of violence and sexual assault and 80% are mothers

- often sole caregivers. When counties rely on generic reentry models designed primarily for men, women fall through the cracks, which leads to higher recidivism, unstable reentry, and increased strain on local courts, probation, and social services and directly contributes to the intergenerational cycle of incarceration. The Gemma Project fills this gap by providing direct services tailored to the real, lived experiences of women and their children. Where we are: The Gemma Project operates our full service model in Contra Costa County including: Pretrial Care Coordination for all women released on pretrial In-Custody 8-week Day Program Curriculum Individual Continuing Care pre-release planning and support Individual and Group Continuing Care postrelease groups Individual and Group therapy post release

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We provide the following services to women on parole and being released from prison to Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma counties: In-Custody 8-month Day Program Curriculum at both CA women’s prisons Individual Continuing Care pre-release planning and support Individual and Group Continuing Care postrelease groups Individual and Group therapy post release Housing subsidies

We do not believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Our work is designed for the women most overlooked by the traditional system – because when women succeed, families stabilize, and entire communities become stronger. Partner With Us The Gemma Project welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with counties committed to building a more effective, equitable, and genderresponsive justice system. We are ready to assist with program implementation, training, service coordination, and long-term partnership development.

Why Counties Choose The Gemma Project Counties turn to The Gemma Project because we: Specialize in serving justice-involved women Employ trauma-, gender-, and culturally responsive practices that are proven effective Provide a proven structure for reentry success Offer scalable programming tailored to county needs Reduce in-custody liability Reduce strain on multiple county department budgets Strengthen court and probation outcomes Strengthen families and reduce intergenerational risk for incarceration Reduce long-term justice-system involvement

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MCBA LEADERSHIP CIRCLE

Scott Buell Buell Law & Mediation Peter Kleinbrodt Freitas Law Firm Hamilton Tatum “Tate” Holt Bay Area Disability

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Marin County Bar Association Teams Up with Book Passage for a Special Book Talk Kristine Fowler Cirby The Marin County Bar Association kicked off November with an evening that brought together books, community, and great conversation. On November 6, 2025, MCBA members and guests met up at Book Passage for a private MCBA Book Talk that turned into the best kind of literary field trip. The Book Passage team rolled out the welcome mat with a thoughtfully curated two-page list of reading recommendations—fiction, nonfiction, thrillers, music history, kids' books, and gorgeous coffee-table editions. Some highlights? Life & Death & Giants, Heart the Lover, The Glass Eel, Expensive Basketball, Letter from Japan, Mother Mary Comes to Me, and Culpability. One real standout was Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run—the new book about Paul McCartney reinventing himself in the 1970s after the Beatles broke up. We heard about a super limited edition (just 175 numbered copies!) that's signed by McCartney himself and comes in a deluxe cloth case with screen-printed album artwork. Pretty cool, but pricey at $3,500.

The staff also showed off some unique finds like Butterflies of the Bay Area and (Slightly) Beyond, filled with beautiful butterfly illustrations throughout.

The list featured some eye-catching coffee-table books too—Stephen Curry's Shot Ready, Michelle Obama's The Looks, and the New York Times puzzle editor's colorful NYT Games Puzzle Mania! Perfect for your holiday gift lists for sports fans, design lovers, or puzzle addicts. Children's books like Perla & the Pirate sparked conversations about reading with grandkids and keeping storytelling traditions alive. With so many genres covered, everyone found something new for their winter reading pile or holiday shopping list. After the event, MCBA members headed to Flores restaurant for Thirsty Thursday. By the end of the night, people left with a great reading list—and even better, stronger connections with each other. That's exactly what MCBA community events are all about. Got ideas for other gatherings? We'd love to hear them—reach out anytime! Kristine Fowler Cirby s a family law attorney with over 30 years of experience. In 2019, she established her family law firm in Larkspur, handling all types of family law cases, including divorce, custody, domestic violence, and support matters. Throughout her career, Kris has advocated for victims of domestic violence, immigrants, and low-income families. Kris was formerly the Executive Director at Family & Children’s Law Center. She currently serves on the board of Community Violence Solutions. Kris previously held leadership roles with the Marin County Law Library and Marin Women's Commission. In 2021, Kris received the Marin Trial Lawyers Association’s President’s Award.

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JUDGE’S PROFILE Get to Know a Judge: Hon. Sheila Shah Lichtblau Marin County Bar Association Before we dive into the fun questions, here’s a quick introduction to Judge Sheila Shah Lichtblau— one of Marin County’s most versatile and community-minded judicial officers. Judge Lichtblau has served on the Marin Superior Court since January 2017, working in the criminal, family, and now civil divisions. She previously led the family division as its supervising judge, and since 2019 has also sat on the appellate division, where she has served as presiding judge since 2021. Additionally, she presides over Community Court in partnership with Legal Aid of Marin and serves as the court’s liaison to the Marin County Office of Education for both the mock trial competition and the Real DUI program in high schools. Judge Lichtblau earned her JD from UC Hastings (now UC College of the Law San Francisco) and her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley. Her early career included five years with a nonprofit representing low-income and disabled Spanishspeaking clients, followed by civil practice as a partner at Wright, Robinson, Osthimer & Tatum. Beginning in 2006, she served in the Marin County Counsel’s Office and, before her appointment to the bench, volunteered as a judge pro tem in small claims court and as a mediator in

Hon. Sheila Shah Lichtblau

the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Now that you know a little about her impressive background, let’s get to the fun part! Here are some lighthearted questions to help you get to know Judge Lichtblau beyond the bench. What is your guilty-pleasure snack during long trials or hearings? Sour patch gummies. I know, they're terrible for you. What is your favorite place in Marin (or your community) to spend a Saturday morning? I love to run in the headlands. Also, there is nothing better than walking on the beach at Stinson before the crowds show up.

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What book are you currently reading? Why Nations Fail by Acemoglu. Also I just finished Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, which is a book every judge should read. If the TV is on, what show makes you stop and watch? I don't watch TV, but I used to watch the Daily Show when Jon Stewart was its regular host. If you weren’t a judge, what career would you choose in an alternate universe? Good question! Maybe a mediator? Maybe an entrepreneur? I have lots of ideas—although I'd probably be terrible at implementing them. If you could invite someone from history to dinner, who would it be? Could I have a dinner party with lots of historical figures? I'd invite Cleopatra, Benjamin Franklin, Eleanor Roosevelt and Nikita Kruschev. With Google translate, it would be a lively conversation!

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THE MARIN LAWYER

Reflecting on Two Days of Learning and Community: The 2025 Bay Area MCLE Conference Marin County Bar Association The Marin County Bar Association's 2025 Bay Area MCLE Conference brought together attorneys from across the region on November 12–13 for a thoughtfully curated program that balanced substantive legal education with pressing conversations about the profession's evolving landscape. This year's conference offered not just continuing education credits, but a space for reflection on what it means to practice law in a moment of significant social, technological, and institutional change. emerged was a picture of women's sports as not just a niche practice area, but a dynamic force reshaping sports law more broadly—one that reflects wider cultural shifts and presents complex, cutting-edge legal questions for practitioners to navigate.

Opening with Wellness and Candor The conference began with Dr. Arianna SholesDouglas's presentation, "Briefs, Briefings & Brain Fog: Menopause in the Legal Lane." Dr. SholesDouglas offered a medically grounded yet deeply personal exploration of the cognitive and physical challenges that many women attorneys face—challenges rarely discussed openly in professional settings. Her session set a tone of honesty and humanity that carried through the two days, reminding attendees that competence and wellness are not separate concerns but deeply interconnected aspects of sustainable practice. Women's Sports and the Evolution of Sports Law One of Day One's most engaging sessions was "The Rise of Women's Sports," featuring Leonard Lun, Meghann Burke, and Gabrielle McKee. The panel traced the remarkable growth of women's professional athletics, exploring equal pay negotiations, league expansion, evolving media rights, and new labor frameworks. What

Professor Leah Litman on the Current Supreme Court Term Midway through the conference, attendees heard from Professor Leah Litman, co-host of the Strict Scrutiny podcast and author of Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes. Litman delivered an accessible yet incisive analysis of the current Supreme Court term, breaking down complex developments in administrative law, election law, and First Amendment jurisprudence. Her presentation helped practitioners understand how federal decisions may ripple into California practice, all delivered with a blend of clarity, humor, and scholarly insight that made challenging material feel approachable. When the Rule of Law Comes Under Pressure Perhaps the most profound moment came during a keynote conversation with John Keker, Robert Van Nest, and Elliot Peters, titled "A Lawyer's Obligation When the Rule of Law Is Under Attack." The panel explored what happens when lawyers face pressure—sometimes from

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government actors—to withdraw from representing vulnerable or politically unpopular clients, particularly in immigration and asylum cases. They told the audience, “Never give up!” Drawing from their own experiences, the speakers described how certain administrations have attempted to discourage large firms from pro bono work supporting asylum seekers and immigrant families. Rather than retreating, many firms responded by deepening their commitments. The panelists spoke candidly about resisting efforts to chill legal representation, protecting judicial independence, and ensuring access to counsel for those who need it most. Their message was sobering: the legal profession is not simply a participant in upholding the rule of law—it may be one of its most essential defenders. Day Two: Tools for Resilience and Navigating New Technology Day Two continued with sessions focused on attorney well-being and the practical realities of modern practice. Cameron Stout presented "On the Path to Wellness in the Legal Profession," offering a compassionate framework for building mental health resilience. Carolyn Rosenblatt and Mikol Davis followed with a hands-on workshop.

providing six concrete tools for managing stress, reactivity, and burnout—strategies attendees could begin using immediately Technology sessions addressed the ethical dimensions of generative AI, privacy obligations in an increasingly digital world, and cybersecurity risks. The program exploring recent ABA guidance on AI proved particularly valuable, helping attorneys distinguish between thoughtful integration of new tools and potential ethical missteps. A Community Reconnected The conference closed with a reception at The Burren House Irish Pub & Kitchen in San Rafael, where colleagues gathered to reconnect and reflect on the sessions. The gathering underscored something that can sometimes get lost in the demands of practice: the legal community is strengthened not just by shared knowledge, but by genuine connection. The 2025 Bay Area MCLE Conference reminded attendees that continuing legal education is about more than checking boxes. It's an opportunity to pause, learn together, and consider not just how we practice law, but why— and for whom.

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TRUST ME TO RESOLVE YOUR CASE

JUDGE’S PROFILE An Interview With Newly Appointed Judge Matthew Siroka Paul Burglin Filling the vacancy created by the retirement of the late Paul Haakenson, Marin County resident Matthew Siroka was recently appointed to serve as a Judge in the Marin County Superior Court. He received his law degree from U.C. Law San Francisco (formerly U.C. Hastings College of the Law). Though presently closing out his private practice as defense counsel in a homicide trial, Siroka graciously took the time to share his motivations to become a judge and the life experiences that led him to it. He is known to friends and colleagues as “Matt” and has been married to Alejandra Siroka of Argentina since 2005 (she is a relationship and communications coach with her company Language Alchemy). What made you decide to become a lawyer? My grandparents on both sides were labor and civil rights activists, and I learned early on that the law could be a powerful force for good. I went to law school to better understand how the law and power work and to see how I could use it to help make a more just society. You worked for the California Appellate Project for a couple of years---what kind of training did you get there, and was it worth your while? It was actually the First District Appellate Project. Hon. Matthew Siroka I learned a lot about criminal procedure, what proceedings in the trial court look like on appeal, and a lot of substantive criminal and constitutional law. I read many trial transcripts and saw many different approaches to handling trials and evidence. I also read many briefs and learned about persuasive writing. It was definitely worthwhile. What kind of experience do you have in the civil arena? I’ve tried a couple of civil cases (one to verdict, one settled during trial). I’ve handled many more civil cases that did not go to trial so I have experience with depositions, summary judgement, motions practice, discovery, etc. I’ve also done administrative writs of mandate, and handled administrative hearings in front of several different administrative bodies. What made you decide to become a judge? When there were some retirements a few years ago, some people suggested the idea. I thought about it

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carefully and decided to apply- here’s an excerpt from my application: Being an advocate is deeply meaningful. I can offer people support, dignity and respect. I can advance or protect their interests. Advocates are the lifeblood of the law - we keep it moving and healthy. But judges are the soul of the law. And if judges serve with compassion, humility and integrity, then the law can become a transformative force in people's lives. I want to move beyond taking sides to serve the greater good and be part of that transformative force. As the institutions of government have come under political and physical attack, cynicism has proven its most powerful weapon; it is an intensely corrosive and destabilizing force. As society has grown more polarized in its views, infusing our legal system with compassionate understanding is our best hope for maintaining some level of social cohesion. People will be more willing to resolve their differences through the rule of law and accept the legitimacy of the courts if they see the law not as a rigid structure of power imposed on them from above, but as a human-scale process where real people work together to try to resolve their differences. Only then will people utter the words that reflect a successful rules-based system: "I don't agree with the outcome, but I respect the process.” I hope to contribute to the mending of our differences by helping create an environment that promotes respect for the rule of law and for each person. How many jury trials have you had? About 18 jury trials plus many lengthy evidentiary hearings involving experts and such (habeas evidentiary hearings, motions for new trial, etc.) What are your views on mental health and addiction treatment as opposed to incarceration? Every case is different and each situation has to be evaluated on its merits. That said, Penal Code section 17.2 states: (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the disposition of any criminal case use the least restrictive means available. (b) The court presiding over a criminal matter shall consider alternatives to incarceration, including, without limitation, collaborative justice court programs, diversion, restorative justice, and probation. (c) The court shall have the discretion to determine the appropriate sentence according to relevant statutes and the sentencing rules of the Judicial Council. I assume the Legislature means what it said, and the passage of Penal Code section 1001.36 reinforces that. At the same time, I know that “treatment” is not a magic wand we can waive. It must be effective and calibrated to the person’s needs. That’s always true, but if a person is receiving mental health treatment (including substance abuse treatment) instead of incarceration for a criminal offense, the justice system should strive to make the treatment as effective as possible. That’s the humane and practical thing to do. Otherwise, if they re-offend, people will say, well we tried treatment and it didn’t work.

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What qualities do you believe make for a good judge? Compassion, humility, intellectual rigor, empathy, discernment and of course, fairness. In addition, I believe judges should continually examine their own assumptions and biases and make efforts to have contact a variety of people, places and ideas, so as not to become imprisoned by their assumptions about what is “average” or “normal”. I’d like to be the kind of judge in front of whom I would like to appear: friendly, intellectually rigorous, fair, humble, and dedicated to equal justice under law. How do you feel about judging individuals who appear before you? I’m not judging the individuals; I’m making decisions about specific issues in their lives at the moment in time they appear before me. For example, fitness as a parent, likelihood to appear in court, competency, etc. What will your expectations be from attorneys appearing before you? Be prepared. Be courteous to opposing counsel, litigants and court staff. Be clear about what you want from the proceeding

Paul Burglin is a Dean Emeritus and Fellow – National College of DUI Defense (NCDD). A former Director California DUI Lawyers Association. A Board-Certified in DUI Defense by the NCDD, as approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).He received a 1997 Certificate of Completion of the Robert F. Borkenstein Course on Alcohol and Highway Safety. He is the Co-Author of the two-volume treatise California Drunk Driving Law (Burglin, Simons & Kuwatch; James Publishing). He has over 130 jury trials to verdict.

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MCBA MEMBER PROFILE A Conversation About Access to Justice in Marin County: Abby Frost Lucha Adrea Tencer When family law attorneys dedicate their careers to serving underrepresented communities, their paths often cross in meaningful ways. Abby Frost Lucha and Adrea Tencer met while working at the Family & Children's Law Center (FACLC), where they both worked to provide critical legal services to low-income families in Marin County. Access to Justice and Equity From your unique perspective having been a leader at Family and Children’s Law Center (FACLC) for 14 years and now serving as the Family Law Facilitator in Marin County, what are the most significant barriers that low-income families in Marin face when trying to access family law services? IThe most significant barrier to low-income families is the ability to hire one’s own private attorney. However, even litigants (parents) of means choose to NOT hire an attorney (70% of family law cases have one self-represented litigant (SRL) at the beginning of the case increasing to 80% percent by the time of judgment).1 The Family Law Facilitator’s Office (FLFO) and Legal Self-Help Center (LSHC) was created to reduce the barriers and increase access to the court by providing low-income litigants (all litigants) the legal information on processes that they need to navigate their family law problems. For example, if a parent needs a custody order (or a domestic violence restraining order, or both), the LSHC Abby Frost Lucha can provide that parent with the necessary forms; explain the steps of the process; and discuss how they can best be ready for court. While we are not able to provide direct representation, we do have staff attorneys in many of the family law calendars (self-represented litigant, law and motion, and DCSS). This allows litigants immediate access to legal services while in court. Marin County has a reputation for affluence, yet there is significant economic diversity. How does this economic disparity impact families navigating the court system, particularly family law matters? The legal arena and the courts are not easy to navigate. Despite best efforts, the law and legal procedure is complex and often confusing, even for legal professionals. When real life pressures such as childcare, 1

[1] A Report to the California Legislature Family Law Information Center: An Evaluation of Three Pilot Programs. March

2003

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mental health issues, mobility issues, substance related issues, financial struggles, limited English proficiency are present there can be insurmountable hurdles to meaningfully accessing the courts. My role as Family Law Facilitator is to ensure equal access to the courts. Depending on the case and the litigants, services may look different to meet the litigant where they are. Our day-to-day can vary greatly in our effort to serve the individual with what the need that day and how to best provide those services to them in the moment. This may mean logging onto Zoom with a litigant out of state, writing an instruction letter to an incarcerated litigant trying to obtain a divorce, or meeting on the court floor with a litigant to prepare their order. What role does the Family Law Facilitator's Office play in bridging the justice gap for selfrepresented litigants, and how does this complement the work of organizations like FACLC? The court’s mission is to ensure fair and equal access to justice and serve the public with dignity and respect. To support this mission, our bench and our court administration have long supported our LSHC and the FLFO. Founded in 2003, LSHC provides no cost legal information and procedure in multiple areas of law. We have three experienced attorneys with significant family law and public interest background and two experienced court processing specialists. Over half of our team is bilingual in Spanish to ensure we provide language access (20-25% of our services are provided in Spanish). In the LSHC, we prioritize not only legal acumen but also providing respectful and courteous service to our diverse community. When I started with the court in 2022, LSHC assisted approximately 3,800 litigants annually. The need for LSHC services continues to grow and so does the court’s ability to assist litigants. In 2025 we are on track to assist over 5,000 litigants. In addition, in 2024 LSHC answered over 12,600 telephone calls and emails from litigants. The biggest difference between LSHC and FACLC is that LSHC is unable to provide legal advice while FACLC represents one party, oftentimes in a limited scope capacity. LSHC assists all parties in a case so long as they are self-represented. While this allows us to assist more people, the services we provide may be more limited and procedural in nature. LSHC excels in explaining various legal procedures to parties and assisting them with forms. The LSHC team also assists parties at the Self-Represented Litigant Calendar, Law and Motion family law calendars, and DCSS calendars; prepares Orders After Hearings; mediates family law cases, and per Family Code 1005(b)(1) can assume “[A]ny other responsibilities that will enable the court to be responsive to the litigants’ needs.” Cultural Competency and Language Access In your experience working with Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) cases at FACLC, what did you learn about serving immigrant families that now informs your approach as Family Law Facilitator? Working with immigrant families I learned that it is oftentimes not simply family law issues they may be experiencing. Families may face a whole host of other challenges, and while the court is unable to meet every need, me as the Family Law Facilitator,

THE MARIN LAWYER An Official Publication of the Marin County Bar Association

can be knowledgeable about our local community programs to ensure litigants have the information to get the help they need. Our team works with our community partners to keep up to speed with what services are being provided and when. LSHC creates and maintains referral lists to provide families needing additional services. Recently, this included creating an immigration services referral list in both English and Spanish. As an ongoing project, our team is working to translate our LSHC/FLFO instruction materials and form packets into Spanish. One of our most distributed packets, the DVRO packet, is now available with Spanish written instructions. Regarding cultural competency, it is much more a commitment to cultural humility than competency. I am fortunate to work with a team that has committed themselves to public interest work and are engaged in the regular practice of self-examination. We are constantly learning and examining how we can engage in more equitable practices.

Systemic Challenges and Innovation You've witnessed the evolution of family law services in Marin over many years. How have the needs of underserved families changed, and what systemic improvements are still needed? In the last five years, the court has made considerable strides toward ensuring the court is accessible remotely. The pandemic spurred the digital by default movement, and created more access for litigants. For instance, the LSHC/FLFO provides Zoom/remote drop-in services two days per week; our three free mediation sessions are also remote. We literally reach people where they are: at home, at work, and in their car. In fact, we occasionally need to remind litigants joining our Zoom drop-in to pull over their vehicle, get dressed, or turn their camera off if in a state of undress or in an inappropriate location. There may be a variety of reasons why a litigant is unable to personally visit the court in person including geography, mobility or transportation issues, lack of childcare, or employment obligations. While not an inclusive list, launching remote court appearances, creating document access through ePortal, permitting DVRO submissions through ePortal, and implementing eFiling have all been indispensable tools for SRLs to better access the court and self-help services. Where the LSHC/FLFO and the court’s Case Management System team come in is to ensure our community and SRLs can meaningfully access these systems. Many litigants still lack the technological know-how and comfort level to interact with these systems successfully. In the LSHC, we routinely walk litigants through how to access these systems. It is always exciting when we can assist in successful utilization of an online tool that allows better access to the court.

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What innovative approaches or partnerships have you seen work well in making the family court system more equitable and accessible? We strive to maintain innovation to ensure we maintain capacity to provide dependable services to the greatest number of litigants. One such innovation this year was digitizing our intake procedure via a touch screen kiosk located in our waiting area. The kiosk not only allows parties to type via a keypad in English AND Spanish, but also allows parties to access ePortal without requiring login credentials. Parties can check their court date and courtroom or see if any documents were recently filed. Utilization of this kiosk not only creates a more efficient and equitable intake process, but also it allows more enhanced access to ePortal on the court floor. Community Resources and Collaboration Beyond legal services, what community resources do you frequently connect families with, and how crucial are these wraparound services for achieving equitable outcomes? We are incredibly fortunate in this county to have such a variety of resources. Looking beyond legal services (which also include Legal Aid of Marin, Bay Area Legal Aid, and the Family & Children’s Law Center), we regularly make referrals to Canal Alliance, Center for Domestic Peace, and other county services such as Behavioral Health and Health & Human Services. I would encourage everyone to look at our Family Law Resource Guide located on the local forms page of the court’s website for more information on our community resources. How can private family law attorneys better collaborate with the Facilitator's Office and organizations like FACLC to ensure no family falls through the cracks? One of the best ways to collaborate is to understand how each entity operates. For the FLFO, we are governed by Family Code Sections 10000-10015 and provide services accordingly. However, we are also the LSHC and provide services in other areas including unlawful detainer, small claims, name and/or gender changes, guardianship, and a few others. What LSHC/FLFO can do: We can assist SRL litigants with forms and legal procedures. A Substitution of Attorney or Withdrawal is required prior to us assisting a formally represented litigant. We provide scheduled mediation in family law cases not involving domestic violence. We provide court floor assistance and mediation during the family law departments law and motion calendar and DCSS calendars. We answer questions by email and telephone to SRLs. We process all family law judgments. We prepare Orders After Hearings for self-represented family law litigants. We provide judicial support as requested by our bench. What LSHC/FLFO cannot do: Assist with family law discovery. It is very complicated and not geared towards SRLs. Provide legal advice or legal representation. This includes writing someone’s declaration for them. Provide assistance (outside of mediation or court) to represented parties or attorneys. There is a small exception for DCSS cases.

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Private attorneys can volunteer at the thrice monthly double self-represented family law litigant calendar (held on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 1:30pm). They can meet with SRLs to provide information on their next steps which may include (if a party is ready) finishing the judgment paperwork. Saving litigants a return to the courthouse is the most equitable things we can do. FACLC provides sliding scale services in the family law matters in Marin. They often provide services on a limited scope basis. When in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask! Looking Forward For attorneys reading this who want to contribute to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts in family law, what concrete actions would you recommend they take? Take on pro/low-bono cases from underserved populations, volunteer at non-profit legal providers. Volunteer for Lawyers in the Library Mentor law students from diverse or traditionally underrepresented communities. Volunteer on the Self-Represented Litigant Calendar or as a Bench Bar Settlement Conference panelist. I would add that this would include preparing the agreement and Judgment forms for SRLs. Abby Frost Lucha's commitment to equity in family law has been unwavering throughout her impressive career. Abby grew up in Marin County, attending Dominican University, graduating cum laude. Abby focused on public interest work while in law school, interning at the Tenderloin Housing Clinic as well as the Family and Children’s Law Center. Her passion for making the legal systems accessible turned into a career and she has had the opportunity to work for the courts, non-profit organizations, and in private practice. In more recent years, Abby served as the Executive Director of the Family & Children’s Law Center and currently is the Family Law Facilitator/ Legal Self-Help Center Manger/Family Court Services Director for Marin Superior Court. Abby previously served as MCBA family law section co-chair and currently serves on the Marin County Law Library Board of Trustees. In her free time, Abby can be found on the soccer field cheering on her two boys, or in her garden.

Adrea Tencer is a Senior Associate Attorney at ADZ Law, LLP, specializing in family law matters including divorce, child custody, child support, division of assets, domestic violence restraining orders, and parentage actions. Adrea is incredibly passionate about her work and practices law with a focus on traumainformed services. She values the opportunity to assist individuals during periods of transition, helping them navigate the legal system with compassion and expertise. Adrea graduated cum laude from the University of California Law San Francisco and holds an undergraduate degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. Before joining ADZ Law, Adrea worked at the Family and Children's Law Center as a Bilingual Staff Attorney, assisting low-income individuals in Marin County with family law matters. She also represented domestic violence survivors in San Mateo County through her work at CORA (Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse). Adrea grew up in Marin County and now serves on the Board of Directors of the Marin County Bar Association. Outside of her legal practice, she volunteers frequently with Breakthrough T1D and previously served as the Chair of Outreach on the Board of Directors.

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NETWORKING Build relationships with fellow attorneys and other professionals. EDUCATION In collaboration with our sections, we offer many CLE programs, covering topical and timely issues. COMMUNITY OUTREACH MCBA, with The Marin County Law Library, offers free legal consultations through our Lawyers in the Library program. SUPPORT and RECOGNITION MCBA supports financially disadvantaged students pursuing a law school degree and all high schools participating in Mock Trial. INFORMATIVE MCBA’s website and monthly Marin Lawyer newsletter deliver updates on events, court notices, timely legal articles, and legal community news. LEADERSHIP MCBA membership provides access to an exclusive community of attorneys and other legal professionals. Explore your leadership potential through board and committee involvement. AUTO-RENEWAL Renewal is even easier with our auto-renewal service. MEMBERSHIP PERKS Special offers from select partners. THE MARIN LAWYER An Official Publication of the Marin County Bar Association

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ExecutiveOfficers Board of Officers

Kristine Fowler Cirby President Cirby Family Law Offices

Thomas M. McInerney President-Elect Ogletree Deakins

Neusha Ghaedi Treasurer DeMartini, Walker, & Ghaedi LLP

Robyn B. Christo Secretary Epstein Holtzapple Christo LLP

Scott Buell Past President Buell Law and Mediation

Matt White 5-Year Past President Monty White LLP

Julie Cervetto Executive Director Marin County Bar Association

David M. Zeff Client Relations Chair Law Offices of David M. Zeff

MCBA LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES! JOIN a Committee CHAIR a Section SERVE on the Board Contact Julie Cervetto for more information

Board of Directors

Elisha J. Yang 2025 Director Hanson Bridgett LLP

Lucie C. Hollingsworth 2025 Director Legal Aid of Marin

Morgan H. Daly 2025 Director Law Office of Morgan Daly

Shanti Eagle 2025 Director Farella Braun + Martel LLP

Nestor Schnasse 2025 Director Schnasse Law

Marrianne S. Taleghani 2026 Director Nixon Peabody LLP

Ingrid L. Carbone 2026 Director Carbone Family Law

Christine O‘Hanlon 2026 Director County of Marin

Roni D. Pomerantz 2026 Director California Department of Justice

Marisa R. Chaves 2026 Director Hanson Crawford Crum

R. Wesley Pratt 2027 Director County of Marin

Adrea Tencer 2027 Director ADZ Law, LLP

Emily Harrington 2027 Director Maier Law Group

Paul Burglin 2027 Director Burglin Law Office, P.C.

Sarah Anker 2027 Director County of Marin

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To involve, encourage, and support Bar Association members, to serve as a liaison to the Marin County Courts, to educate the community and enhance access to legal services. MISSION STATEMENT

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