Tseada T. Berhanu is a committed lawyer who works on immigration cases. Tseada holds a bachelor`s degree in political science, an IMBA from the University of Denver, Daniels College of Business, and a JD from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law. During law school, Tseada interned with various non-profit organizations that serve underserved communities. After graduating from law school, Tseada first worked in private practice, focusing on immigration law, and moved to Colorado Legal Services, where he assisted low-income individuals with various civil law matters. Shane Sagisi is a committed lawyer and former legal intern for the HomeAvers project. While in law school, Shane articled at Northern California Legal Services in Vallejo, where he developed an interest in legal aid work. Prior to joining Legal Aid, Shane completed a research fellowship at the Eviction Defense Collaborative in San Francisco. Shane holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from UC Santa Cruz and a J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law. Jonathan Garcia is a bilingual lawyer with a passion for immigration law. After earning degrees in sociology and history from UC Santa Barbara, Jonathan made his way to Ventura College of Law as a quarter-cemetery master at a local drug and alcohol rehab center.
After graduating from law school, Jonathan entered private practice, focusing primarily on immigration law. Jonathan has also spoken on local Spanish radio shows, presented Know Your Rights seminars in collaboration with the Mexican Consulate in Oxnard, participated in free legal clinics at the Simi Valley Clinic, and volunteered as a trainer for the Oxnard High School Moot Court Competition Team. Scott Maurer has represented low-income consumers since 1996. As counsel at Legal Aid, Scott helps consumers resolve their legal issues. He is considered an expert in fair debt collection, auto fraud and consumer data protection. Scott teaches consumer protection and civil procedure at Santa Clara Law. He also mentors student consumer representatives at Santa Clara Civil Hospital. Scott received the National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA) Legal Services and Clinical Lawyer of the Year Award in 2003. Dustin Helmer is a longtime resident of San Mateo County and an eviction defense attorney. Dustin began his legal career as an articling student at JusticeCorp, helping litigants resolve their housing and family law issues. During law school, Dustin focused on pro bono opportunities and judicial representation, including participating in the William`s Institute Moot Court Competition and placing 3rd nationally in the ABA Labor & Employment Moot Court Competition. After graduating from law school, Dustin worked for several housing and criminal defense law firms until he joined the AIDS Legal Referral Panel, where he worked as an eviction attorney for three years.
He is an active member of the LGBTQ+ Bar Association, BALIF. Dustin holds a bachelor`s degree in criminal justice from San Francisco State University and a juris doctorate from Golden Gate University School of Law, specializing in pro bono law, litigation and criminal law. He is also a graduate of the International Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy. “For much of 2014, lead counsel Jenny Horne struggled to obtain special teen immigrant status for two teenage sisters from El Salvador. At the end of the year, KQED Radio compiled his sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes inspiring story and showed how important legal aid is to the lives of those denied access to justice. Mr. Stacey Hawver, Executive Director of the San Mateo County Legal Aid Society, has been an advocate for the public interest for over thirty years. A respected advocate for low-income residents of San Mateo County, Hawver was named Woman of the Year for the Assembly`s 22nd District in 2020.
She was a member of the San Mateo County 2020 Full Enumeration Committee and the 2018 Charter Review Committee. Ms. Hawver joined Legal Aid in 1990 as a lawyer, where she focused on administrative law. She also worked as Senior Counsel before becoming Executive Director in 2002. Ms. Hawver graduated from Stanford Law School at the top of her class. She also holds a master`s degree from the London School of Economics and a bachelor`s degree in economics from Cornell University. JC RenteriaDevelopment and Communication Project Manager Jules Lutaba is an attorney at Legal Aid`s Health Consumer Center. Jules received his J.D. from UC Irvine Law School and his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary. After graduating from law school, Jules worked in the field of international human rights and protected the right of journalists to express themselves at the Media Legal Defense Initiative and the Southern Africa Litigation Center. Prior to joining Legal Aid, Jules was an attorney at Mental Health Advocacy Services as part of the Los Angeles County Medical Legal Partnership.
Read or listen to KQED`s story about Jenny Horne`s work here. Camille Nguyen is originally from Southern California and graduated from UC San Diego with a major in political science and a minor in fine arts. At UCSD, she volunteered with a nonprofit organization for families affected by cancer, which sparked her interest in advocating for affordable access to health care. She is a member of the fifth class of UC Irvine School of Law, where she has served as a student leader at the Public Interest Law Fund, SSI Clinic, and the Asian Pacific American Law School Association. Prior to joining Legal Aid, Camille worked at the Silicon Valley Law Foundation, representing clients with mental disabilities. Loreli LopezProject Coordinator/Senior Administrative Assistant Gwen BarrettDirector of Development and Communications From the San Mateo County Legal Aid Society website: Senior Counsel Hope Nakamura leads the Senior Legal Aid Advocates Program, Government Benefits Unit, and LIBRE Program. She is considered a national expert in government benefits. Hope graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor`s degree in economics before attending UCLA Law School, and joined Legal Aid after working at the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington, DC. During her 29 years at Legal Aid, she has developed programs and worked in partnerships that educate and support low-income families and individual residents in need of safety net services.
Stephanie E. Bilinski is a volunteer director and oversees all aspects of Legal Aid`s pro bono program. Stephanie reviews cases for mediation, provides training to volunteers, and provides advice and supervision to pro bono lawyers.
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