Minority Bar Coalition Recognizes Local Attorneys

Congratulations to the following BASF members who were recognized with a Minority Bar Coalition Unity Award at a ceremony held at UC Hastings College of the Law in November: Abigail Rivamonte Mesa was recognized with two awards, one from the Filipino Bar Association and one from the Asian American Criminal Trial Lawyers Association; Robert Augustine Depew was recognized by BASF; and Daniel Flores was recognized by the San Francisco La Raza Lawyer’s Association.

Unity Awards are presented to legal professionals working to advance the cause of diversity in the legal profession.

BASF Mediation Panelist Honored

Congratulations to BASF Mediation Services Panelist Lizbeth Hasse. Heart to Heart International Children’s Medical Alliance recently honored her for her 25 years of pro bono service as the organization’s General Counsel.

Hasse has provided guidance and trouble-shooting for a wide variety of legal and practical matters, from negotiating protocols with the former Soviet ministries to setting up non-profit joint venture agreements with each partner medical center, navigating customs issues and educating Russian lawyers about charitable/nonprofit legal organizational matters.

Perkins Coie Honored for Law Firm Diversity

BASF Leader Circle firm Perkins Coie recently received the 2014 Law Firm Diversity Award from the National Asian Pacific Bar Association (NAPABA). The award honors law firms that steadfastly commit to diversity initiatives and that actively, affirmatively, consistently and en-thusiastically recruit, retain and promote Asian Pacific American lawyers to equity partnership and firm leadership.

Member Inducted as College of Law Practice Management Fellow

BASF member Scott Rechtschaffen, Littler Mendelson, was recently inducted as a fellow of the College of Law Practice Management.

Peter Rukin Inducted as College of Labor and Employment Lawyers Fellow

BASF member Peter Rukin, Rukin Hyland Doria & Tindall, was recently inducted into the Class of 2014 as a Fellow of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers.

Past President Honored by Anti-Defamation League

Past BASF President Kelly M. Dermody, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, was recently selected by the Anti-Defamation League to receive its Distinguished Jurisprudence Award.

The award recognizes and celebrates Dermody’s leadership and dedication to serving the public interest, improving access to justice, and ensuring that the rights of historically disenfranchised persons are protected. The award was presented at a gala in San Francisco on December 16.

Katherine Lubin Benson Appointed to East Bay Community Law Center Board

The East Bay Community Law Center recently announced that Katherine Lubin Benson, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, was appointed to serve on their Board of Directors.

The East Bay Community Law Center was founded in 1988 by law students at the UC Berkeley School of Law. As a nationally recognized poverty law clinic, EBCLC has grown into the largest provider of free legal services in the East Bay.

Gary Kaplan Appointed President of Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum

BASF member Gary Kaplan, Farella Braun + Martel, was recently announced as president of the Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum. His one-year term began in November.

The mission of the Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum is to disseminate information, provide public service and education and promote cooperation and efficiency in the bankruptcy and insolvency fields.

Human Rights Campaign Announces Law Firms With Perfect Scores for LGBT Inclusion

Eighty-nine law firms achieved perfect scores from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for workplace treatment of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender individuals, the foundation recently announced.
The ratings are part of the foundation’s 2015 Corporate Equality Index.

The following BASF Leader Circle firms were included on the list: Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld; Bingham McCutchen; Bryan Cave; Crowell & Moring; Davis Wright Tremaine; DLA Piper; Fenwick & West; Foley & Lardner; Goodwin Procter; Hinshaw & Culbertson; Latham & Watkins; Littler Mendelson; Morrison & Foerster; Nixon Peabody; O’Melveny & Myers; Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe; Perkins Coie; Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman; Schiff Hardin; Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton; and Shook, Hardy & Bacon.