WLAC Women Lawyersof Alameda County page 1

A voice for Women in the Law since 1980

1-3 SpringReception

3 MinorityBarCoalitionMixer

4-5 Spotlight-DorothyChouProudfoot

5 SAVETHEDATE!

6-7 DismissalofConvictions

8 OutandAbout

Summer 2015

WLAC Spring Reception

OnThursday,March19,theWomenLawyersofAlamedaCountygatheredonawarmspringnightatthebeautifulhomeofJudgeJudithFord.Theannualeventprovidesarelaxedatmosphereformembersandgueststogatherandcelebratewomeninlaw.NestledinthefoothillsaboveOakland,theSpringReceptionbroughttogethermorethan40peopletosocializewithpeersandsupportersoftheWomenLawyersofAlamedaCounty.SeveraljudgesfromtheAlamedaCountySuperiorCourtwereonhandasweredistinguishedmembersofthelegalprofessionandenergeticlawstudentsalike.Participantsindulgedingoodwine

by Kevin Ikuma

andgoodcompany.Plentyofdeliciousfoodandinterestingconversationwashadbyall.

in this issue

EnjoyingthebuffetwithJudgeFord

WLAC Women Lawyersof Alameda County

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Summer 2015

WLAC Spring Reception- Continued

Inadditiontotheopportunitytoreconnectwitholdfriendsandmakenewones,theWomenLawyersofAlamedaCountyalsotooktimetoawardtheannualMargaretGannonscholarshiptothreedynamic,talentedandexceptionallawstudents.AlexandraMedina,SonyaLaddonRahders,andHongT.Leeachreceived$500scholarships.

Theawardistobeusedtohelpeasetheburdenoftheirpreparationforthebarexam.Eachofthehonoredstudentsgaveheartfeltthanksandcouldfeelthesupportthatthisorganizationstrivestoprovideforallwomeninthelegalprofession.

Pleasecomejoinusnextyearatthisfunandinspiringevent!

Above:GinaBoer,KarenBovarnick,PaulaRasmussenandMargaretGannon

Below:BoardmembersAdetunjiOludeandKarenBovarnick

ScholarshiprecipientswithPresidingJudgeWinifredSmith,JudgeJudithFord,andMargaretGannon.

ThankyoutoalltheJudgeswhoattendedthereception!

WLAC Women Lawyersof Alameda County

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Summer 2015

OnThursday,May14,2015,WLACco-hostedamixerwithMinorityBarCoalitionandotherlocalbarassociationsatEverett&Jones.Over200peopleattendedtheevent,wheretherewasplentyoftastyfood(ribs,chicken,greens,potatosalad)andcomplimentarytequilatastings.WLACwaswell-representedbyJudgeTaraDesautels,JudgeVictoriaKolakowski,WLACPresidentBrendaAguilar-Guerrero,BoardMemberAdetunjiOlude,BoardMemberDorothyChouProudfoot,BoardMemberSharonAlkire,LaurenYoungEpstein,andJaniceDow(1L,BerkeleyLaw),tonameafew.Everyoneappearedtohaveagoodtimeminglingwithcolleaguesandfriends.WLAClooksforwardtomoreco-hostingopportunitiesandmixersinthefuture.

by Heather ChangMinority Bar Coalition Mixer

WLAC Spring Reception- Continued

WLAC Women Lawyersof Alameda County

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Summer 2015

DorothyChouProudfoothasthekindofresumethatmakesyouwonderwhateffectKryptonitemighthaveonher,asshegoesaboutherdailyrounds,protectingthepublicandgenerallydoinggoodintheworld.

Dorothybeganherlegalcareerinacivillitigationroleinatop-flightSanFranciscolawfirm,butafteraboutayearandahalf,knewshereallybelongedinpublicservice.“Luckily,mygrandparentshadbeenabletohelpenoughsothatIdidnotgraduatewithacrushingdebt.IknewIwantedtobeinapositionwheremyjobwasjusttodotherightthing—ok,Iknowthatsoundsalittlecorny,butareliablesourcetellsmethatCaliforniaSupremeCourtJusticeMingChinsaidthatitwasthe‘highestcalling,’andIagree.Myjobinvolvesrealissues,affectingpeoplewheretheylive.Iloveit.”

DorothyhasbeenaDeputyDistrictAttorneyinMarinCountysince2001,andwasjustrecentlypromotedtothetopstepoftrialattorneysintheoffice.SheleadsaFelonyTrialTeam,andhasprosecutedthegamutofcases,includingeverythingfromDUIandFishandGamecases,toviolentfeloniesandsexcrimes.Dorothyalsoservedastheoffice’sdesignatedGangDeputyforeightyears,andcompletedaone-yearassignmentasaSpecialAssistantUnitedStatesAttorney,toprosecuteProjectSafeChildhoodandProjectSafeNeighborhoodcasesintheNorthernDistrict.Whenaskedwhatlessonsshehastakenawayfromtheserichexperiences,Dorothysays:“Ihaveasingingbackground,andIhavealwayshadanextremelyloudvoice.”Shelaughs,“HaveyoueverseenthemovieDune?Likethat.Iliketothinkofmyselfthatwayasanadvocate,usingmyvoicetogivepeopletheirvoice.”

Dorothystaysbusy.ShegraduatedfromUCBerkeleyinthreeyearswithabachelor’sdegreeinEnglish

(Seniorseminar,Shakespeare.“Theprofessorchallengedusto‘saywhatyoumean,andifyouhavenothingtosay,saynothingatall.’Ifeelthatmademeamuchbetterwriter.”)Shakespearestillcomesinhandy—fortheInnsofCourt,herteamdidapresentationonsamesexmarriageiniambicpentameter,are-engineeredversionofRomeoandJuliet(completewithafencingsceneinperiodcostume)

featuring“RuthBaderCapulet”and“AntoninScaliaMontague”expoundingupontheSupremeCourt’srulingsasthematriarchandpatriarchofthetwofeudingfamilies.Dorothypointsoutthiswasnotonlygoodfun,butaneducationalpresentation—andsinceitinvolvedlawstudentsaswellasjudges,therewasamentoringcomponent.

DorothyearnedherJ.D.fromUCBerkeleyin1999,whereshewastheExecutiveEditorofAsianLawJournal(nowAALJ).Dorothyisdriventoincreasethediversityoftheprofession.Inparticular—therepresentationofwomenandpeopleofAsiandescentinleadershipandkeydecision-makingpositions,isapassionthatdrivesher.“Atfirst,joiningminoritybargroupswasmoresocial,findingacomfortzoneamongpeoplewithwhomIobviouslysharedsomethingincommon,butwhenIgottobeaboutmid-level,Icouldseeweneededtohearmorevoiceswhentalkingaboutjustice.Continuingtostriveforgenderequalityandethnicdiversityareimportant.We’renotdone,andwedon’thavetobelimitedtowhatwentbefore.”saysDorothy.ThisiscomingfromawomanwhocoachesMockTrialatTamalpaisHighSchool,forfun.Talkaboutwalkingyourtalk!

Dorothyisveryexperiencedwithboardserviceandwhatittakestobuildasuccessfulorganization.DorothyisthecurrentTreasureroftheMarinCountyBarAssociation,andservesontheboardsofCaliforniaWomenLawyersaswellasWomenLawyersof

Board Member Profile—Dorothy Chou Proudfootby Mary S. Cain Simon

WLAC Women Lawyersof Alameda County

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Summer 2015

AlamedaCounty.WhatdrewDorothytoWLAC?“I’vebeencalledabarassociationjunkie,butIhaverealizedthatbyworkingwithotherpeople,youcangetalotofstuffdone;youdon’thavetodoitallyourself.Whenweworktogether,thatisthewaytomovethingsforward.Ireallywanttoencourageotherpeopletotryboardservice.Everyonehasskillsandstrengthstooffer,somethingtocontribute.ForWLAC,weareontherighttrack.“Shewrappedupwiththisthought,“Wehaveagoodorganization,wesupporteachother,andwecareaboutsupportingotherwomenlawyers

todowell,andencouragingthementobelike-minded.Itisreallyimportanttoworkwithotherbarorganizationsaswell,buildingcoalitionstoaccomplishthemission.”

YoumayalsofindDorothyatmeetingsoftheAsianAmericanBarAssociation’sCivilRightsandPublicLawCommittees,ontheboardoftheAsianAmericanProsecutorsAssociationandparticipatingintheEarlWarrenAmericanInnofCourt.

PleasejoinusinwelcomingDorothyChouProudfoot!

Board Member Profile—Dorothy Chou Proudfoot - continued

DID YOU KNOW?ThattheStateBarwebsitehas24/7mentorshipavailableonline?Checkitoutatcalbar.ca.gov!

FebruaryCABarpasserswillbesworninJune2attheOaklandConventionCenter!Congratulationstoall-andWLACwillbetheretosupportournewestlawyers!

SAVE THE DATE!

MinorityBarColalitionThirdAnnualLGBTLadiesSalon&TalkShow, June 4atFarellaBraun&Martel

EqualRightsAdvocatesGala;ForgingAheadMakingourFuture withkeynotespeakerPatriciaArquette,

June 11, 2015attheSanFranciscoMarriotMarquis,noon.WLACSoYouWanttoBeAPartnereventJune2015

PostBarExamMixerJuly2015SummerNetworkingMixer

AnnualJudges’DinnerOctober2015

WLAC Women Lawyersof Alameda County

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Summer 2015

Nomatterwhatyourpracticearea,youmayhaveaclientwhosecriminalrecordiswreakinghavocintheirlives.Acriminalconvictionisoneofthegreatestbarrierstoemployment,housing,evenstudentloans.Thestudy,“LandlordAttitudesTowardRentingtoReleasedOffenders,”(LynnM.Clark)foundthat66%oflandlordswouldnotknowinglyrenttoapersonwithacriminalhistory.Publichousingdoorsareclosedtopeopleconvictedofnon-violentcrimes,evenaftertheyhave“donethetime.”Clientstryingtobuildafruitfulnewlifeforthemselvesandtheirfamiliesarecontinuallyheldtoanswerforthepast.

Whatmostpeopledon’trealizeisthatmanymisdemeanorandfelony“wobbler”(thosethatcanbechargedasafelonyormisdemeanor)convictionscanbejudiciallydismissedunderPC§§1203.4,1203.4a,and1203.41.Oncedismissed,theindividualcantruthfullysaythatshedoesnothaveaconviction,andcancheckthe“No”boxonapplicationsaskingaboutpriorconvictions.

“Expungement” as a Misnomer

Itisimportanttounderstandthataconvictiondismissal,alsoknownasanexpungement,doesnoterasetheconvictionfromtheperson’srecord.Allrecordsofthearrestandprosecutionremaininthefileandareaccessibleaspublicrecords.Theconvictionitselfwillbenotatedas“DismissedintheInterestofJustice.”UnderCalif.LaborCode§432.7(a),“[n]o employer,whetherapublicagencyorprivateindividualorcorporation,shallaskanapplicantforemploymenttodisclose...information...concerningaconvictionthathasbeenjudiciallydismissedororderedsealedpursuanttolaw,including,butnotlimitedto,Sections1203.4,[and]1203.4aofthePenalCode....”

Additionally,employersarebarredfrom“seekingfromanysourcewhatsoever,orutilize,asafactorindetermininganyconditionofemployment...”aconvictionthathasbeenjudiciallydismissed.Consideringtheeasewithwhichpublicrecordscanbeaccessedonline,thisisatremendousprotectionstemmingfromtherelativelysimpleprocessofpetitioningforadismissal.

Howdoesthisplayoutinreality,though?Interstateandinternationalcompaniesregularlydobackgroundchecksonapplicants.Peoplemaymovetoastatewithoutsuchemploymentprotections.Inthatcase,youcanexpectafranticphonecallfromaclientwhodoesn’tunderstandwhyadismissedconvictionkeepscominguponbackgroundchecks.Understandingthatthedismissedconvictionisnoterasedfromyourclient’sfile,itisimportanttoconsiderwhetheritismoreprudenttoacknowledgethedismissedconvictiononajobapplicationbycheckingthe“No”boxandadding,“Dismissed.”Thisprovidestheapplicanttheopportunitytoexplainthecircumstancesfacetofaceratherthandefendherselfafterabackgroundcheckturnsupacriminalhistory.

What a Dismissal Can and Cannot Do

Inadditiontoimprovingchancesofemployment,qualifyingforloans,findingdecenthousingandbringinghighereducationbackintoreach,somepeoplefindthatitallowsthemtocloseadifficultchapterintheirlives,expungingthestigmaofacriminalconviction,ifyouwill.

Dismissal of Convictions:

The Overlooked, Underutilized Judicial Tool

By Sharon Alkire

WLAC Women Lawyersof Alameda County

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Summer 2015

Keepinmind,however,thataconvictiondismissaldoesnot:

1. Reinstatetherighttopossessorownfirearms;

2. Sealthecasefileorremovetheconvictionfroma“rapsheet”;

3. Reinstateasuspendedorrevokeddriver’slicense;

4. Relieveonefromregisteringasasexoffender.

Theconviction,althoughdismissed,canstillbeusedasapriorcriminalconvictionforfuturecriminalproceedings.Itmustalsobedisclosedonapplicationsforagovernmentjoborgovernment-issuedlicenseifthereisadirectquestionaboutconvictions.

Quick Guide to Dismissal of Conviction Petitions

Apetitionfordismissalalsorequiresthatyourclientisnotservingasentenceforanyotheroffense,isnotonprobationforanyotheroffense,isnotcurrentlychargedwithanyotheroffense,andmusthavepaidallcourtorderedfinesandrestitution.(Don’ttakeyourclient’swordthateverythinghasbeenpaidinfull.There’snothinglikefindingouttoolatethatyourclientstillowesmoney—asingleappearancecanquicklyturnintomultipletripstocourt.)

In the Next Issue: Expungement as a Tool for Women’s Rights

Whiletherearelimitationsastoprotectionsandbenefitsofferedthroughaconvictiondismissal,thisstraight-forward(comparedtomanylegalprocesses)procedurecanopendoorsforclientsstuckinthestruggletomoveforwardwhilebeingpinneddownbytheirpast.Thisisespeciallytrueforwomen,whoaredisproportionatelylikelytobeincarceratedfornon-violent,poverty-basedoffensessuchasdrugpossession,fraud,solicitation,andpettytheft.Thesearepreciselythetypesofconvictionsthatcanbedismissedaftercompletionofprobationand/orcountyjailtime.Helpyourclientthrowoffthevestigesofpastmistakesinordertosucceedinthepresent.

Dismissal of Convictions: - continued

Convicted of misdemeanor and completed

probation

File PC 1203.4 petition for dismissal

Convicted of misdemeanor and still on probation File PC 1203.3 petition to have probation terminated

early and file PC 1203.4 petition for dismissal

Convicted of misdemeanor but not placed on

probation

After one year has passed since judgment entered,

file PC 1203.4a petition for dismissal

Convicted of felony wobbler and completed

probation and/or county jail time

File PC 17 (b) petition to get the felony reduced, and

file PC 1203.4 petition for dismissal

Convicted of felony wobbler and still on probation File PC 1203.3 petition to have probation terminated

early, file PC 17 (b) petition to get felony reduced,

and file PC 1203.4 petition for dismissal

WLAC Women Lawyersof Alameda County

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Summer 2015

Boalt Hall Women’s Association: Women Advancing the Law

BoaltHallWomen’sAssociation(BHWA)helditsWomenAdvancingtheLawAwardsDinnerattheBancroftHotelinApril.Thiseventistheorganization’sfundraiserfortheHermaHillKayFellowships,offeringgrantstofemalestudentsatBerkeleyLawtoassisttheminadvancinggenderequalityandwomen’srights.

ThisyearBHWAhonoredProfessorAndreaRothandProfessorKristinHolmquistfortheirworkmentoringwomenlawstudents.NancyNewman,founderoftheInternationalActionNetworkforGenderEquity&Law(IANGEL),washonoredforcreatinganinternationalnetworkoflawyerspromotingandprotectingtherightsofwomen.

2015 California Women Lawyers Annual Conference: Pathways to Equality and Success

WLACwaswellrepresentedbypanelistsSuperiorCourtJudgeVictoriaKolakowskiandmediatorBarbaraBryantattheCWLConferenceheldMay8thinBurlingame.

JudgeKolakowskiwasjoinedbySashaBuchertoftheTransgenderLawCenterandElizabethGill,fromtheNationalACLU’sLesbianGayBisexualTransgender&HIVProject,inpresenting“TransgenderIssues:DiscriminationBasedonGenderIdentityandExpression.”

BarbaraBryanttookpartinalivelydiscussionon“SexualHarassmentandImplicitBiasTowardFemaleAttorneys,”wherepanelistsexaminedcasestudiesinvolvingexplicitandimplicitbiasandharassment,andofferedconstructiveideasonhowtomanagethesituations.

Theoverarchingthemeoftheconference,asexemplifiedbykeynotespeakerMicheleColemanMayes,wasthatofgrit,courageandcamaraderie.MayesisChairoftheABA’sCommissiononWomenintheProfessionandVicePresident,GeneralCounselandSecretary,NewYorkPublicLibrary,aswellasformergeneralcounseltoaFortune500company.

Mayesspokeaboutthefiveguidingprinciplessheusestoassessherlifeandcareer:Takestock,takecredit,takerisks,takeastandandtakeahand.Canyoubeyourauthenticselfinyourcurrentposition?Howdoestheorganizationactuallyperceiveyou?Supervisorsmaybemakingassumptionsaboutyou,yourworkandyourfuturethatmayneedtobeaddressed.Takerisksbasedonanhonestassessmentofyourgoals,strengthsandweaknesses,andpassionforyourwork.Areyousellingyourselfshortbecauseyoudon’tfeel100%confidentaboutyourexperienceorabilities?Sheprovidedafabulousexampleofthedifferencebetweenwomenandmenwhenitcomestoevaluatingyourabilities.Awomanandamanapplyforajobthatrequiresexperiencewithbreast-feeding.Thewomanthinks,“Well,I’vebreast-fedmythreekids,butit’sbeenyears,Ihaven’tkeptupwithdevelopmentsinbreast-feeding,Ididn’treallyenjoyit,I’mjustnotsureI’mqualifiedenough.”Themanthinks,“Iwasaroundwhenmywifebreast-fedourkids,IcanalwaysGoogleit,I’mtotallyrightforthejob!”Valueyourexperienceandyourabilitytolearnandadapt.Also,reachouttoothers,suchasmentorsandallies,tohelpyouprepareforrisk-taking.Theycanhelpyoulearntheinformalrulesinnewenvironmentsaswellaspromoteyourworkandideastosuperiorsandpotentialemployers.

Personally,Icameawayfromtheconferenceunderstandingthatourcareerstakecourageeverystepoftheway.Asathird-yearattorneywithayoungsolopractice,dauntingsituationsariseconstantly,anditisimperativethatIusemyhardcoregrit,determinationandmentorresourcestoengageandgrowbeyondeachnewchallenge.WLACandCWLhavealwaysofferedwonderfulsupportandencouragement,andthisconferenceupheldthosestandards.

By Sharon Alkire

WLAC - Out and About