Eric Alizade

Imperial County District Attorney's Office

I like how involved the SDCBA is in the community. The SDCBA has opened many doors for me to grow as a professional. After becoming a member, I found out about SDVLP and immediately signed up. I received my first assignment representing a domestic violence victim who was fighting for child custody of her beloved son. She moved to the United States after she got married to a US citizen. She did not know the English language well, so her ex-husband took advantage of that and abused her. When she received the help from SDVLP, she was so happy and was able to find some peace and support in the US. Ultimately, she received an outcome that she hoped for and was able to move on. This is just one of the many great opportunities the SDCBA presents to its members.

Lisa Cannon

University of San Diego

I got involved with the SDCBA's Appellate Practice Section ("APS") in 2015 after teaching full time for 10 years. I wanted to reconnect with practitioners, and I wanted to learn more about handling appeals. I found a community of people dedicated to service and to excellence in appellate practice. I connected with appellate specialists through committee work and pro bono activities, and this led to my side job of handling appeals through Appellate Defenders, Inc. APS educates me and gives me endless networking opportunities. I am very grateful to be part of this group.

Maria Chavez

Jacobs & Schlesinger LLP

I love networking with brilliant legal minds in the community. I truly feel rejuvenated after leaving an SDCBA event. I like participating in the DEI Division because I feel like I can make a difference in the legal community and do my little part in uplifting voices of color.

Jim Eischen

Eischen Law Office, APC

The San Diego County Bar Association/SDCBA remains a bedrock of local attorney education, networking and community service/pro bono opportunities. About six years ago, I returned my healthcare law practice to San Diego after working as a partner in a national firm’s Irvine office. I decided to re-open my own healthcare practice in San Diego to be closer to aging parents in my hometown. I knew the SDCBA would (and did) provide incredible resources to support my renewed practice and personal growth. I serve as the law & medicine section chair, and work on the attorney wellness subcommittee, leadership academy committee (having attended the leadership academy’s first cohort—an incredible experience), and also work on diversity/equity presentations. So, to all those who help make the San Diego County Bar Association thrive so we can thrive: thank you!

Jeremy Evans

California Sports Lawyer

SDCBA provided an opportunity early on in practice to learn and connect with seasoned attorneys and judges, network with colleagues, practice writing, communication, and organizational skills, and to get involved with the community. Now as President of the California Lawyers Association, reflecting back there is great value in what the SDCBA provides and to help build a foundation.

Michelle Gastil

Department of Toxic Substances Control

The best part about being an active SDCBA member are the opportunities to learn and make lasting connections. Leadership opportunities help with making even more meaningful connections. I have benefitted from leadership opportunities through SDCBA because I get to work closely and build relationships with some of the kindest and most creative people. I joined the SDCBA when I was around 7 years into being a lawyer, and I was growing my new solo practice. I’ve since served on the SDCBA Board as a Director and Treasurer. What most attracted me to being part of SDCBA's leadership is its Public Positions Advisory Committee (PPAC), which I now chair. PPAC is one of many ways the SDCBA uses its visible place in the community to make positive change.

Sara Gold

I enjoy that the SDCBA offers many opportunities for involvement, especially for younger attorneys. The SDCBA’s committees and sections enable members to associate with other like-minded individuals while bonding over common goals and interests. I also like how the SDCBA produces several law-focused publications that keep attorneys informed about current news, especially as it relates to us here in San Diego.

Mayra Hernandez

Local Realty Law

I started attending SDCBA events while in law school. What I like the most about being a member is that they provide a relaxed forum to meet members of this small community. I've had great conversations with others without knowing who they were — judges and lawyers in prestigious positions, as well as other students and newly minted lawyers. It's important to be recognized for one's accomplishments, but it's also important to acknowledge one's humanity. Forums that allow people to interact are part of that. They open us to a world of camaraderie, fraternity, and where for short periods of time, we can imagine a simpler world.

Kenneth Lynch

Lynch Law Group

So many great attributes to being an SDCBA member: the list serves, the staff, the ethics hotline with its 99 waivers and the wisdom of the President's messages....but the LRIS is worth highlighting. LRIS is superbly organized and helpful in every way. From the multi-talented Director to the screening staff who only have a small space to describe the referral issue but do wonders with that space. My dearest regards to the SDCBA!

David Majchrzak

Klinedinst PC

The legal profession will always be driven by personal connections. Whether it is with clients, colleagues, opposing parties and counsel, the bench, or others, our existing relationships and our ability to develop strong, new ones impact our efficacy and professional satisfaction. I have a tough time thinking of an organization that is better equipped to provide an opportunity for San Diego lawyers to develop those skills, to establish new relationships, and to foster old ones than the San Diego County Bar Association. In many ways, my experience with the organization has been a career changer for me.

Taneashia Morrell

Salk Institute

I enjoy the camaraderie and the opportunity to work on committees with amazing attorneys from various sections of our profession. I also enjoy having an influence within the San Diego legal community. Although I am a San Diego native, I did not attend law school in San Diego. As such, when I moved back home in 2017, I did not have a strong legal footprint in San Diego. Joining the SDCBA and getting involved in the various committees gave me the legal footprint I needed here in San Diego, as well as introduced me to wonderful attorneys, judges, and law students. I give back to the SDCBA because my membership in the SDCBA has given so much to me.

Michael Olinik

The Law Office of Michael G. Olinik

When I moved to San Diego from a big city out east, it was amazing how the bar helped acclimate me to my new legal community. I've met most of the attorneys I work with through bar activities and would have been lost without the bar being there to support me.

Charles S. Roseman

Law Offices of Charles S. Roseman

The membership seems to have an unconditional professional interest in helping each other by reaching out and cooperating with one another. Whether your interests are joined or adversarial, professional civility, with very little exception, is the natural order of the day. This attitude seems to be reciprocal.

Ana Sambold

Sambold Law & ADR Services

The SDCBA is the heartbeat of our San Diego legal community. I love the camaraderie and the opportunity to meet, work, and join forces with local lawyers and judges to make a difference. It provides mentorship support, and a vibrant forum for lawyers interested in educating the public about legal issues, developments in the law and their legal rights; reporting on legal trends and advocating for legal reform, diversity and inclusion; and helping to maintain the integrity of the legal profession. The SDCBA enables us to engage in the activities that make the practice of law more than just a job. I highly encourage law students and lawyers to join and get involved with the SDCBA.

Wilson Schooley

San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, Inc.

There are many reasons. But two things rise to the top of the list: Community; and what I call the Atticus Paradigm. In other words, the highest value of SDBCA for me is (1) connecting with the local legal community and the many and diverse lawyers who are in it with me; and (2) an opportunity and platform on the local level to work and advocate for a fair, equal and responsible justice system and a just society –which I believe it is our responsibility as members of the bar and officers of the court to do.

Joy Seo

Stark & D'Ambrosio, LLP

When I moved to San Diego from Northern California, the SDCBA is where I first looked to gain insights into the San Diego legal community.  In fact, I found my first job through the SDCBA Family Law listserv. I find the SDCBA a uniting force of the San Diego legal community.  It gives me a sense of belonging and inspiration to do the greater good for the community we serve.

Robert Shaughnessy

Klinedinst PC

Membership gives me the opportunity to actively engage with the greater legal community in San Diego. This benefits my practice through involvement with section membership, networking, and making other meaningful connections. But more importantly, membership gives me the opportunity to contribute in a positive way to our shared legal profession, and to make San Diego a fantastic place to be a lawyer.

Jason Sheinberg

Sheinberg Law Group, APC

I love being a part of the SDCBA because of the sense of belonging that comes with membership. The connections I've made at the SDCBA have been a huge help as I navigate my career path. The practice of law can be hard sometimes, but the friends I've made at the SDCBA have made the journey so much more enjoyable.

Hon. Reneé N.G. Stackhouse

Stackhouse, APC

The SDCBA is the first voluntary bar association membership I renew each year. It has provided me with value since the moment I became an attorney. The SDCBA supports me professionally by providing me with irreplaceable resources like LPMT advisor Adriana Linares’ technology support and CLEs. It supports me personally with the friendships and connections that I have made over the years. These benefits became crystal clear to me during the pandemic when the SDCBA didn’t miss a beat in continuing to fulfill both of those needs for me. Finally, the leadership opportunities it has provided me have shaped my legal career. I am profoundly grateful for the opportunities the SDCBA has given me.

Timothy Williams

Berger & Williams, LLP

The SDCBA has given me the chance to connect with members of all experience levels within my practice area, and across many other areas of law, who I would not otherwise have a chance to meet. I attend numerous seminars every year to keep pace with changes in the law, the legal industry, and court operations. I’ve enjoyed participating in a variety of volunteer opportunities. All of these experiences have increased my referral network, but more importantly allowed me to get to know colleagues and enjoy a sense of comradery in our local legal community.

Richard Wirtz

Wirtz Law APC

The San Diego County Bar Association has been a valuable resource for Wirtz Law's lemon law practice. They've provided opportunities to connect with experienced attorneys and judges. Through its diverse range of programs, networking events, and volunteer opportunities, the Bar Association has helped Wirtz Law expand its knowledge and expertise, build valuable relationships, and make a positive impact both inside and outside of the legal profession.