Members In The News
Hispanic Bar Gala - Story PDF
Orange County Business Journal 3/31/2008
Orange County Business Journal Staff
Hispanic Bar Gala
Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California, Irvine's new law school, made his first major local public appearance on March 1 at the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association's award and scholarship gala at the Westin South Coast Plaza. UC Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake also was on hand. The Hispanic Bar Association honored Juan Francisco Lara, UCI's assistant vice chancellor emeritus; Miguel Ortiz Haro, immediate past consul general of Mexico in Orange County; John G. Cruz, appointments secretary for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger; and Wells Fargo & Co., which was represented by Armando de la Libertad, vice president of community development. The group also awarded scholarships to students at Chapman University Law School; Brigham Young University School of Law; Boalt Law School at the University of California, Berkeley; and Columbia University School of Law
Hispanic Bar honorees, sponsor (from left): Armando de la Libertad of Wells Fargo (WF Corporate Citizen honoree); Attorney of the Year John Cruz, appointments secretary for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger; UCI's Erwin Chemerinsky; Bill Reichert, Wells Fargo senior counsel; Lifetime Achievement winner Juan Francisco Lara, UCI's assistant vice chancellor emeritus; Robert Beall of sponsor Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton
UCI Chancellor Michael Drake
A Legacy of Justice: Commissioner Joe T. Perez
Read the article
20 Women To Watch
Compiled by Kelly St. John, Tina Borgatta, Susan Belknapp, Kristen Schott,
Amy Bentley and Craig Reem
Norma Garcia Guillen
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton
Attorney, specializing in business litigation
AGE: 33
Words to live by: “Stay true to yourself. Do what’s right, even if it’s not popular.”
Role model: Her parents. “They are working-class immigrants from Mexico who came here with nothing and left everything they knew behind. They have built up their own empire and sent their kids off to college. That’s what I admire – people with very little who succeed and stand by their principals.”
Favorite movie: “La Ley de Herodes” (“Herod’s Law”), a fable about a janitor-turned-mayor in a little Mexican town who realizes how far his new power and corruption can get him.
Guillen is a leader in her profession. In addition to being a successful litigator, she serves as president of the Orange County Hispanic Bar Association – one of only 6 women to serve as president, and the first who was also an HBA scholarship recipient.
Guillen has successfully prosecuted and defended cases in state and federal court, including winning an open-ended jail sentence for contempt against a defendant who refused to turn over documents relating to a large Ponzi scheme.
While attending the University of Southern California, where she earned her law degree, Guillen was a member of the Jessup International Moot Court program, the Immigration Clinic and president of La Raza Law Students Association. Through her work with the Immigration Clinic, she helped undocumented women who were victims of domestic violence become legal permanent residents.
And in 2002, USC Law School awarded Guillen the prestigious Shattuck Award for her leadership, dedication and service to the law school community and profession. She remains committed to pro bono work and serves on the board of many organizations, including the Santa Ana Education Foundation and KidWorks. Guillen lives in Santa Ana with her husband, Jose, and their 3-year-old daughter.
Who's Who in the OCBA
The OCBA Executive Committee, Board of Directors and Sections Chairs generously volunteer their time to Association activties to benefit the members and improve the practive of law. They are the leaders of the Bar. This list is published as a service to OCBA members. For a complete listing of all members, visit www.ocbar.org to access the OCBA online membership directory, input of your ID number is required.
View the directory PDF >
WOMEN IN BUSINESS DIRECTORY SPRING 2008
OC METRO BUISINESS MAGAZINE
CPT Group, Inc.
Genoveva Meza Talbott, Esq.
Vice President, Class Action Services
16630 Aston • Irvine
800.542.0900
genoveva@cptgroup.com
Genoveva “Gen” Talbott is a new executive power house in the O.C.! After earning her Bachelor’s degree from UCLA and Law Degree from USC in 2002, Genoveva began clerking for the LA District Attorney’s Office. This experience influenced her to practice high-end family law at Nachshin & Weston, LLP. Her experience in both law and business made a comfortable transition to the role of Vice President for CPT Group. Active in the legal community, Genoveva is a member of the O.C. Hispanic Bar Association, where she serves as the 2008 Executive Vice President.
Headquartered in Irvine, California, and offices nation wide, CPT Group, Inc. is a full service class action case administrator. CPT has been serving the national legal community for over 20 years! For more information, please visit the website: www.cptgroup.com.
http://www.ocmetro.com/NEW_SITE/directories/women_directory.php
OC METRO BUISINESS MAGAZINE
MOVERS & SHAKERS
MARCH 13, 2008
Please send press releases and photos to movers@churmmedia.com
Hirings & Promotions
Doug French has been appointed director of revenue management at the Hilton Anaheim. He previously served for 4 years at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa in the same role…
John Baumgartner has joined Sidepath, Inc., an Irvine-based technology company, as vice president of business development…
Kevin Fryman has been promoted to vice president at Hanley Investment Group Real Estate Advisors in Irvine…
Joshua Haskins has been named vice president at Irvine-based Iger & Associates Government Interface Consultants…
George Nickels has been named director of weddings at The Resort at Pelican Hill…
Javier Rivera-Carbone has joined the Irvine-based law firm of Fisher & Phillips LLP…
Tim Price has been promoted to vice president at RiechesBaird in Irvine…
Ruth Horaczko has joined Lyndon Group LLC, an accounting, finance and IT consulting firm based in Newport Beach…
Mark Wimer has been hired at Newport Beach-based Strategic Global Advisors. He joins the firm’s portfolio management team…
Body Design, a women’s athletic and wellness center in Newport Beach, has hired 3 expert trainers: Joy Dugan, Shoshanna Cairns and Leah Rakeman…
Dana Larson has been promoted to manager of volunteer services at Habitat for Humanity of Orange County in Santa Ana.
http://www.ocmetro.com/NEW_SITE/current_issue/movers_shakers.php
Immigrants & The Law
The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in New York issued an opinion that opened with these words: "With disturbing frequency, this Court encounters evidence of ineffective representation by attorneys retained by immigrants seeking legal status in this country." Law.com bloggers and co-hosts, J. Craig Williams and Robert Ambrogi, discuss this hot-button issue as they turn to the experts: Attorney Lisa D. Ramirez, immigration lawyer from the Law Office of Lisa D. Ramirez, Attorney Nora Privitera, Special Projects Attorney for The Immigrant Legal Resource Center and Attorney Eleanor Newhoff, part time attorney for Greater Boston Legal Services. They will question the quality of legal representation of immigrants, why so many are receiving sub par legal assistance and what lawyers are doing to provide their clients with the best possible representation.
Show URL:
http://www.legaltalknetwork.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=249
MP3:
http://websrvr82il.audiovideoweb.com/ny60web16519/LTN/C2C/C2C_022708_Immigration.mp3
Windows Media Player:
mms://win40nj.audiovideoweb.com/avwebdsnjwin4287/LTN/C2C/C2C_022708_Immigration.wma
You can also find them on iTunes in the Podcast Library.
Chancellor Drake Introduces Law Dean Chemerinsky to O.C. Legal Community
http://www.chancellor.uci.edu/080301_HBA_Chemerinsky.php
Chancellor Michael Drake introduced Erwin Chemerinsky, new dean of UCI’s School of Law, to the Orange County legal community at a Feb. 29 reception with local judges and justices; and the March 1 Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County’s 30th Annual Installation and Scholarship Dinner.
Chancellor Drake introduces Dean Erwin Chemerinsky at the
Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County
30th Annual Installation and Scholarship Dinner
The reception was held at former state Senator Joe Dunn’s house in Santa Ana and was attended by 90 members of the Orange County Bench, state and federal judges sitting in the county. As keynote speaker at the Hispanic Bar Association’s annual fundraiser, Chemerinsky talked about his vision for a 21st century law school before 500 members of the Hispanic and legal communities. Chemerinsky will make his official arrival at UCI July 1.
UCI School of Law
Our 3th Annual Installation Dinner and Scholarship Fundraiser was mentioned briefly in an LA Times article:
Popular ex-consul still in O.C. , for now
By Jennifer Delson, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
March 2, 2008
Mexico's Luis Miguel Ortiz Haro will remain in Santa Ana until the end of the school year, saying goodbye to well-wishers.
As a respected Mexican diplomat for nearly six years, Luis Miguel Ortiz Haro spent hours each week listening to the problems of Orange County's poorest residents.
Now, as a new consul takes the helm of the Mexican consulate in Santa Ana, Ortiz Haro finds himself telling his own tale of woe.
Ortiz Haro, 47, a former elected official in Mexico City who had no previous diplomatic experience, was replaced last month in what Mexican officials described as a routine change of consular heads. But he was not offered another job or the chance to stay in office until his two daughters, 10 and 14, finish the school year.
He remains living in an apartment in Irvine, unemployed, with a borrowed 1993 Mercedes and his wife's cellphone.
In one of the most Spanish-speaking cities in the United States, Ortiz Haro won the hearts of Mexican nationals who reveled in his plain talk and liberal open-door policy. More than 400 people came to say goodbye at a five-hour party Jan. 30 at the consulate that took the tone of a funeral, as employees, immigrant leaders and heads of local organizations broke into tears during tributes to him. After Mexican President Felipe Calderon took office in December 2006, Ortiz Haro had assumed his tenure would end. Consular positions are often changed following elections. Ortiz Haro said he would return to Mexico when the school year ends but had no specific work plans.
In Santa Ana, the new consul, Carlos Alejandro Rodriguez y Quezada, is forging relationships with immigrants who were reluctant to see Ortiz Haro go. With a more conventional style, he's unlikely to affectionately call female visitors mamacita, as Ortiz Haro did, but he is attending immigrant events and creating strategies to promote trade and tourism between Orange County and Mexico.
He has met with local officials, including Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido and interim Orange County Sheriff Jack Anderson. Rodriguez y Quezada, 55, is a career diplomat who has worked in Mexico's Foreign Ministry since 1969. He has served in Cuba, El Salvador and Lebanon. Most recently, he was Mexico's ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro.
Following cues from Calderon, who wants to promote tourism and foreign investment in Mexico, the consul said he would conduct a business workshop at the end of March.
Inside the consulate, Rodriguez y Quezada has ended the informal atmosphere in which immigrants routinely stopped by to say hello and even dropped off tamales as gifts. Rodriguez y Quezada moved his office from the ground floor to an upstairs suite and told consulate employees not to wear jeans.
He said he wouldn't continue Miercoles Paisano (roughly translated as "Compatriot Wednesdays"), which Ortiz Haro developed as a day to listen to anyone who wanted to ask him questions.
"All the consuls want to help people. But each person has his own style," Rodriguez y Quezada said. "The job of a diplomat is 24 hours a day. I don't need to put a name on that service or a day on it. I will attend to everyone who comes here anyway."
Deputy Consul Manuel Herrera, who served under Ortiz Haro, said the vast experience of his new boss reflected how the foreign ministry was placing increasing importance on the Santa Ana office.
"In the entire history of this office, no one has come here with as much experience, nor with the distinction of having served as an ambassador," he said. "A person with such experience has a greater capacity for negotiating with local officials and for diplomacy."
Although immigrant activists were uneasy at first with the more formal atmosphere at the consulate, they have felt welcomed by the consul.
Immigrant leader Mike Gonzalez, who invited the consul to a Valentine's Day gathering at a local restaurant, said he was surprised that Rodriguez y Quezada accepted.
"People thought they would have a lot of trouble accepting a new consul. But he has turned out to very, very capable. They couldn't have sent a more qualified person here," Gonzalez said.
Even so, Bertha Robiatti, who heads a group of immigrants from Nuevo Leon, a state in northern Mexico, said she hadn't been able to walk into the consulate since Ortiz Haro left.
"It's been hard for me . . . because I know [Luis] Miguel isn't there," said Robiatti, who had traveled to Mexico and met with her state's governor to protest Ortiz Haro's removal.
Blocks from the consulate, Ortiz Haro and his family remain until the end of the school year.
He uses a room in a local law office to drum up temporary work and tie up loose ends.
A group of immigrants from Guerrero state, southwest of Mexico City, recently held a dinner in his honor. The Santa Ana City Council is expected to give a proclamation for his years of service at its meeting Monday. The Orange County Hispanic Bar Assn. was to honor him at a dinner Saturday.
When he walks the streets of Santa Ana, many people still recognize him.
"You really helped people in need," says one woman, who hands him a $2 bill for good luck.
"Consul, you were a person who really cared, just like the Mother Teresa," says another.
jennifer.delson@latimes.com
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