The UC Hastings College of Law – Center for Gender & Refugee Studies is one of several outstanding legal aid centers Kazan Law’s Foundation supports. We have supported the UC Hastings College of Law – Center for Gender & Refugee Studies for many years and are proud to do so.

Our firm’s foundation also supports multiple major research efforts dedicated to finding better ways to treat mesothelioma, the lethal cancer caused by asbestos exposure. However we also take seriously our social responsibility role both in our community here in Oakland and in the world around us. We are proud of our decision to support compelling causes such as the UC Hastings College of Law – Center for Gender & Refugee Studies.

How the UC Hastings College of Law – Center for Gender & Refugee Studies Saves Lives

Human trafficking, forced marriage, female genital cutting, honor killing, domestic violence, child abuse, incest, and rape. These are the unfortunate realties facing many women, children and other refugees in the world today who are desperately trying to escape gender-based violence and other forms of mistreatment and exploitation.

Like women and children, LGBT individuals are also subject to high rates of violence in refugee-producing countries. Nearly 80 countries around the world have laws criminalizing homosexuality, often with harsh punishments of prison and death.

The UC Hastings College of Law – Center for Gender & Refugee Studies advocates for refugees seeking asylum based on gender-based persecution and seeks asylum for those trying to escape it. At the same time, the Center works internationally to try to stop the epidemic of gender-based violence that forces people to literally run for their lives and face an unknown and uncertain future elsewhere.

“The UC Hastings College of Law – Center for Gender & Refugee Studies envisions a world where no one is subject to persecution because of his or her gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or membership in a family or other social group,” their mission states. We are proud to help support this mission.

What the UC Hastings College of Law – Center for Gender & Refugee Studies Does

The UC Hastings College of Law – Center for Gender & Refugee Studies has utilized the funding they receive from our firm’s Foundation and other sources to help some of the most vulnerable and needy human beings on the planet.  Since 1999, this small organization has done ground-breaking work on behalf of refugees – primarily women and children — seeking asylum in the US.  The UC Hastings College of Law – Center for Gender & Refugee Studies provides training, technical assistance, and oversees litigation involving asylum cases based on domestic violence, human trafficking, the gender-based killing and mutilation of girls and other gender-based violence.

In addition to providing legal expertise and training, the UC Hastings College of Law – Center for Gender & Refugee Studies provides research, helps with court appeals and advocates for international human rights to address the root causes of persecution.

An Update from UC Hastings College of Law – Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

Recently, Kazan Law of Counsel Fran Schreiberg had the opportunity to hear about the UC Hastings College of Law Center for Gender & Refugee Studies. She attended an event that provided an update of their recent work. Here is what Fran reported to us:

Karen Musalo, founding director of the UC Hastings College of Law – Center for Gender & Refugee Studies and professor at UC Hastings, led the program.  She presented a video of an early interview by Ted Koeppel with a then-17 year old girl who fled Togo after a forced marriage to a man three times her age. The girl escaped with the help of her mother and sister to avoid female circumcision. Her case resulted in a precedent-setting decision from the Board of Immigration Appeals, the nation’s highest immigration tribunal. It established that women fleeing female genital cutting, and by extension gender-based persecution more generally, may be eligible for asylum in the United States. Musalo was the lead attorney on the case and the case was the catalyst for her founding of the Center for Gender& Refugee Studies at Hastings, a University of California law school in San Francisco.

She also showed an excerpt from a video that focused on the recent asylum case of a Guatemalan woman who fled extreme domestic abuse. After 15 years of remaining silent on the issue, on August 26, 2014, the Board of Immigration Appeals issued a precedential decision recognizing domestic violence as a basis for asylum, with the potential to affect immigrant women across the country. The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies assisted the attorney in this case with briefing and strategy and filed a friend of the court brief in support of the client. Now, for the first time there is a binding precedent to support domestic violence survivors who seek asylum protection in the United States.

The program continued with two young women who help staff the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies who discussed their inspiring work helping children who seek asylum to escape violence from gangs, their families, forced recruitment as child soldiers and other violations of their human rights. The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies staffers traveled to detention centers around the country to train and provide technical assistance to volunteer attorneys who come for a week to help defend these children at their hearings. The attorneys help the children by educating the hearing officers about the greater communication challenges for children and about forms and manifestations of persecution unique to children

It was very meaningful for us to learn about the significant work that has resulted in part from the Kazan Law Partners’ Foundation donations to the UC Hastings – Center for Gender & Refugee Studies.

Three Kazan Law partners have received the prestigious honor of being selected for professional recognition by our peers in the legal publication Best Lawyers in America.

I was named “Lawyer of the Year” for Best Lawyers’ 2016 Oakland Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs category. Only a single lawyer in each practice area in each community receives this honor. I was also acknowledged by being included in the Best Lawyers 2016 list for mass tort litigation/class action -plaintiffs. Also included in this list are Kazan Law partners and mesothelioma lawyers David McClain and Denise Abrams. For both David and me, this year marks ten consecutive years of being chosen for this elite list. This is the fifth year in a row that Denise has been selected. We are delighted and also grateful to our colleagues for designating us as their choice for these categories.

For us, one of the most meaningful aspects of being selected for Best Lawyers is that it is strictly a peer-based list. It is not a paid for fake honor. No one can pay to be on the list.

Why Best Lawyers is Important

Best Lawyers is one of the most significant peer-reviewed publications in the legal profession. A listing in Best Lawyers is widely regarded throughout the legal profession as a major honor, conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers. For over three decades, Best Lawyers lists have been respected by the profession, the media, and the public, as a reliable, unbiased source of professional legal recognition.

Best Lawyers has evolved over the last several decades into a trust-worthy compilation of well-regarded attorneys. Inclusion is exclusive and coveted. It is gratifying that the painstaking work we do on behalf of our clients is so highly thought of by our colleagues in the legal profession.

Best Lawyers Methodology

Annual inclusion in Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer-review. The methodology used to develop the list is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. Best Lawyers has developed a sophisticated, conscientious and transparent survey process designed to gather meaningful evaluations from attorneys on the quality of legal services offered by their colleagues.

Every year, Best Lawyers compiles lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting extensive peer-review surveys involving tens of thousands of leading lawyers. If the votes for an attorney are positive enough for that attorney to be included in Best Lawyers, that attorney has to continue to maintain those votes in subsequent polls to remain on the list for each new edition.

At Kazan Law, we continue to be energized to fight on behalf of our clients because of the horrific wrongs that have been done to them. We seek justice for our clients, not glory for ourselves. But recognition by our peers for the work we do is an accolade we do not take lightly.

Thanks to Kazan Law’s pro bono efforts, a 23 year-old young man from El Salvador and his three year-old child were granted asylum by the US Department of Homeland Security Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services Asylum Office. This was the first immigration case for our pro bono practice. It was a challenge that took a lot of teamwork throughout Kazan Law’s staff but it was well worth it. We are still working on securing asylum for the young man’s wife. We hope to achieve this in the next few months and to also win the other pro bono immigration cases we have taken on.

This first pro bono case victory is a great accomplishment for our office. We are pleased that this family now can live here without the constant threat of death they faced in their home country.

Kazan Law Pro Bono Program Helps Anti-Gang Activist

This young man whom the Kazan Law pro bono practice helped is a preacher who preached non-violence and spoke out against gangs in his community.  When he refused to acquiesce to the gangs’ demands that he traffic drugs for them and support their efforts, he and his wife were kidnapped and beaten by gang members and threatened with death. The couple fled to the United States with their child.  They asked for asylum at the border and were released to family here in the Bay area. We are proud to be applying our firm’s legal skills to help this brave young family. We look forward to helping others.

How Kazan Law’s Pro Bono Practice Finds Immigration Cases

Kazan Law’s pro bono immigration cases were referred by to us Centro Legal de la Raza, located here in Oakland.  This is an outstanding nonprofit organization that for over 40 years has provided legal aid to Latino, immigrant, and low-income communities of the Bay Area. They not only refer cases but also mentor pro bono volunteers like us.  The Center for Gender and Refugee Studies also provided us with mentoring and advice. They gave us a wealth of background information we used to make the asylum office and court understand the conditions that force our clients to flee their countries and leave their families, friends and lives back home.

Kazan Law’s Pro Bono Practice – Why Immigration Cases?

Many of us here at Kazan Law come from progressive and humanitarian backgrounds and donate our time to many causes involving children and families in need.  Some of the firm’s partners early in their careers worked with helping California migrant laborers. This led to our work with occupational safety and specifically asbestos. We work hard representing our clients in our asbestos practice.  But we also take on cases pro bono where we think we can make a difference.

Starting the end of last year we heard about kids coming over the border needing representation, and decided to help.  We agreed to take one of the cases of the unaccompanied minor children.

We felt the need was so great that we agreed to take not one, but four cases. These include a 14 year-old boy, a 12 year-old girl, a father and his 15 year-old daughter – all from Honduras, and the 23 year-old married couple and their three year-old baby from El Salvador. Once we saw the list of all the deserving kids and families and read about their stories and the horrible conditions where they lived, we could not stop at just one case.

Kazan Law’s Pro Bono Work Is a Team Effort

Kazan Law partner Denise Abrams headed up our pro bono immigration team. She was assisted by Frank Fernandez, a recently retired partner who represented the young preacher at his asylum hearing. Frank, who prior to joining Kazan Law was a lawyer for the United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO, and the California Department of Occupational Health & Safety (Cal-OSHA), worked together with Julianna Rivera, a former Kazan Law associate now has her own immigration law practice in Oakland. Dianna Lyons, who also started her legal career with Caesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers and recently retired as Kazan Law partner, and associate Ryan Harris were also part of the team. But they were assisted by many KL staffers including Stacy McKenna, Marcela Nava, and Jazmin Solorzano who helped by translating and staying in contact with the family, and Terry Roy who provided critical administrative support. We were advised by Ellen Widess, the former director of CalOsha who is currently volunteering to help with our ‎pro bono immigration cases.

Kazan Law Pro Bono Work – Why We Do It

Kazan Law’s pro bono cases are a small but significant part of what we do. Our pro bono efforts are a natural outgrowth of the founding principles of our firm. We are first and foremost an asbestos law firm. We obtain justice for people who are sick with mesothelioma, a fatal cancer, from being exposed to asbestos. Often these people were exposed to asbestos through the negligence of manufacturers, distributors and installers. In many cases these are large companies who care more about profits than people’s lives. Our law practice makes us aware that there are many hard-working honest people who need good legal representation to help protect their rights. But many of them can’t afford it. That’s where pro bono work comes in.

With pro bono cases, we make the law and the justice system work for people who have nothing to give us but their gratitude. We empower them. We give them hope; we help them when they have nowhere else to turn. This makes us feel that our training, our experience, and our judgment can help make a difference in the world. It makes us feel that we are better people for doing pro bono work. And we are.

When you do pro bono, everybody wins. Our communities are served by the legal talent of its citizens. Our needy get the help that they require. And justice is served.

Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood, a Professional Law Corporation, are nationally recognized pioneers in asbestos litigation. We are currently seeking a Marketing Specialist to serve as the primary internal point of contact for all marketing related to firm activities and personnel.

Working in our Administration department, the Marketing Specialist will report to the Managing Partner and assist the firm’s management in its overall marketing program.

 Marketing Specialist Job Requirements

• Ability to communicate effectively orally, in writing and in person; interviewing skills a must.
• Must be able to demonstrate initiative due to time-sensitive nature of work.
• High level of project management skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Partners, attorneys, and other firm staff.
• Must be able to demonstrate a high degree of professional judgment around sensitive and confidential issues.
• Ability to organize, document and prioritize a large amount of details.
• Ability to multi-task.
• Knowledge of office and record keeping methods, practices and procedures.
• Ability to adhere to prescribed routines and practices.
• Ability to create reports with accuracy.
• Must be able to demonstrate flexibility in regard to willingness to perform the many duties of the Marketing Department.

Marketing Specialist Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist in the development of marketing best practices and processes.
• Continue to improve processes and procedures to create efficient systems and deliver high quality work product, ensuring the department operates efficiently and effectively.
• Develop and maintain accurate, current database(s) of clients, experts, industry and referral sources.
• Develop and improve the reporting of statistical information related to effectiveness of marketing efforts.
• Acts as liaison with external vendors and other advertising and web providers.
• Develop and maintain relationships with past and present clients.
• Provide in-house video and still photography as needed.
• Develop and maintain client newsletter.
• Initiate and produce video and text content regarding case work and legal developments.
• Create content for use on all social media platforms with focus on SEO.
• Act as liaison between Intake department and external marketing.
• Develop speaking/networking opportunities

How to Apply for the Marketing Specialist Position

Interested candidates should send a resume to the attention of the Human Resources Manager at HRM@kazanlaw.com.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood, a Professional Law Corporation, has represented thousands of people suffering from the effects of asbestos related illnesses, particularly mesothelioma, since 1974. We are nationally recognized pioneers in asbestos litigation and currently interviewing Associate Attorneys to join our Oakland, California based team.

New Associate Attorneys will work in our Case Management department along with other members of an assigned team under the supervision of a senior Attorney or Partner.

Mesothelioma Attorneys: Job Requirements of a New Associate

All Associates must be active members in good standing of the California State Bar. Other requirements include:

• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing (including email), with colleagues, court personnel, co-workers, clients and defense lawyers and law firms.
• Knowledge of legal research methods, legal principles and their application.
• Ability to analyze facts, and apply legal principles and precedents to legal problems.
• Ability to effectively handle discovery matters.
• Ability to present statements of fact, law and argument clearly and logically.
• Ability to prepare correspondence involving the explanation of legal matters.
• Ability to analyze situations accurately and plan an effective course of action.
• Possession of basic trial skills.
• Ability to work collegially with partners, associates and staff.

Mesothelioma Attorney’s Job Duties and Responsibilities

Depending on the job level and applicant’s experience, the Associate Attorney may perform all or any of the duties described below.

Associate Attorney Level I

• Conducts litigation activities, advises clients as to legal rights and practices other phases of law.
• Gathers evidence in civil cases to formulate, initiate and prosecute legal action.
• Conducts research; interviews clients and witnesses; drafts legal documents; prepares lay and expert witnesses; and handles, where necessary, all other details in preparation for trial or hearings.
• Prepares legal briefs interpreting laws, rulings, and regulations, develops strategy, arguments, and testimony in preparation for presentation of case.
• Develops ability to manage a case and handle discovery.
• Represents clients in court.
• Participates as a member of the legal team, to ensure quality performance of the team.
• Employs interpersonal skills to build good working relationships with staff and other attorneys.

Associate Attorney Level II

In addition to the above, an Associate Attorney Level II will be expected to:

• Take and defend depositions
• Manage a caseload, independently, with minimal or no supervision.
• Fill in for Supervising Attorneys, if necessary, and manage the work of other Associate Attorneys.
• Possess advanced trial skills, law & motion, and/or appellate advocacy expertise.
• Move cases from pre-trial to trial readiness.
• Participate in trials as second chair.

How to Apply for a New Associate Position

Interested candidates should send a resume to the attention of the Human Resources Manager at HRM@kazanlaw.com.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

From top left, Steven Kazan, David McClain, Joseph Satterley, Gordon Greenwood, Justin Bosl, Michael Stewart, William Ruiz, Autumn Mesa

Northern California Super Lawyers 2015 has chosen 8 Kazan Law attorneys for its highly selective list of top attorneys. What’s more, we are very proud that this is the12th consecutive year that Kazan Law mesothelioma attorneys were selected for inclusion in the prestigious Northern California Super Lawyers list. Considering that this exclusive peer-driven list is limited to only about 5 percent of the lawyers in the state of California and that we are a firm with 22 attorneys, the selection of eight of our attorneys for Northern California Super Lawyers 2015 is an accolade we are proud of.

Northern California Super Lawyers 2015 Includes All Kazan Law Partners

The Northern California Super Lawyers 2015 list includes each and every one of our firm’s partners. Our firm’s full name is Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood. We are very proud that each of these pillars of our firm has been recognized by the legal community as a Northern California Super Lawyer.

Steven Kazan -2004 – 2015

David McClain – 2004-2015

Gordon Greenwood – 2004, 2006 -2015

Joseph Satterley – 2013(Kentucky), 2014 – 2015

Northern California Super Lawyers 2015 Rising Stars

In 1998, Super Lawyers launched its Rising Stars list to recognize the top up-and-coming attorneys in the state. Rising Stars are considered by their peers as the best attorneys under the age of 40, or who have been practicing law for 10 years or less. No more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are named to this list. We are very proud that four of Kazan Law’s attorneys have been chosen for this important distinction:

Justin Bosl – 2011 – 2015

Autumn Mesa – 2015

William Ruiz – 2012 – 2015

Michael Stewart – 2013 – 2015

Northern California Super Lawyers 2015 Selection Process

The Super Lawyers list is developed as a resource to be used by attorneys and consumers searching for the best possible legal counsel. Unlike many listings in the legal profession and other professions, a listing in Northern California Super Lawyers 2015 can’t be bought by purchasing advertising space. Super Lawyers attorneys are chosen through a rigorous, multiphase rating process which includes peer nominations and evaluations combined with third party research.

Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Selections are made on an annual, state-by-state basis.

To put it simply, the Northern California Super Lawyers 2015 list is a list of lawyers that other lawyers recommend. That’s the only way to get on the list. To be held in high esteem by our colleagues in this way is very gratifying for us.

Super Lawyers National Significance

Super Lawyers annually selects lawyers from top law firms from more than 70 practice areas who are admired by their peers and who have reached levels of success in their field of law. The list is published in Super Lawyers Magazine which is distributed to attorneys and accredited law school libraries. The magazine is published in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., reaching more than 13 million readers. Super Lawyers also publishes the list as a supplemental special section professional city and regional magazines across the country. Of course, there are also digital editions available online.

It is interesting to note that the Super Lawyers selection process received a patent from The United States Patent and Trademark Office in April 2013. The patent is a distinction which demonstrates credibility as an impartial third-party rating system.

Northern California Super Lawyers 2015 Accolade’s Positive Message

Northern California Super Lawyers 2015 inclusion of 8 of our attorneys provides us with a positive message. It offers us a great tribute from our colleagues that our asbestos law firm continues to be on the right track. After more than 40 years of fighting for justice for our clients, it is nice to know that our professional colleagues continue to respect and admire our work. But for us, winning for our clients is what truly matters. We don’t represent big businesses with fancy software patents or contract negotiations. We represent hard-working everyday people many of whom die prematurely because of the asbestos exposure they suffered on their jobs. Achieving justice for them always has been and continues to be the most important accolade for us.

Asbestos law like other types of law practice is part of a chain that links the past, the present and the future. But at Kazan Law we have a special responsibility to forge new links in that chain. When I first started practicing asbestos law over 40 years ago, I hoped that someday there would be no need for asbestos law. I hoped that all asbestos use would become illegal and in the future no one would ever develop mesothelioma, the lethal cancer caused by asbestos exposure. But I underestimated the power of greed and the asbestos lobby business interests. – Consequently, we must strive to help ensure that there will be outstanding dedicated asbestos lawyers as we head towards the future. That is the goal of our asbestos law summer clerks program.

Kazan Law Summer Clerks Become Tomorrow’s Asbestos Lawyers

Our asbestos law summer law clerk program offers law students the chance to gain hands on experience in a plaintiff’s asbestos law practice.  We fully involve our summer clerks in the daily workings of the firm in order to provide them with a realistic view of the rewards and demands of a plaintiff’s practice. Summer law clerks are given the opportunity to work with our experienced asbestos litigation attorneys as we prepare and try mesothelioma cases.  Upon graduation from law school, our former summer law clerks are given consideration in our hiring process. Some of our current attorneys here at Kazan started their careers with the firm as summer law clerks. The list includes:

Justin Bosl (now a Partner)

Ryan Harris

Joseph Nicholson

Ian Rivamonte

Michael Stewart

Meet Kazan Law’s 2015 Summer Law ClerksHere is our outstanding team of asbestos law summer clerks for 2015

Jabari Brown returns to us for a second summer after completing his first year of law school at the University of Oregon where he holds office for the Oregon Law Students Public Interest Fund and Green Business Initiative Student Association.

“I chose to return because I recognize Kazan Law’s excellence in advocacy,” Jabari said. “I look forward to furthering my understanding of the professional advocacy techniques that the attorneys at Kazan Law utilize on a daily basis. I am interested in learning problem solving skills concerning asbestos exposure.

It takes a compassionate mind to champion victories for people who lack the resources to fight legal battles with large entities. I am interested in providing a legal voice to those who would otherwise have no remedy.”

Daniel Dellafosse is a second year law student at the University Of San Francisco School Of Law where he serves on the Law Review and Maritime Law Journal.  Daniel is also active with La Raza and the Black Law Students Association. He has worked for the US Department of Labor and the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.

“Wanting to help injured people is one of the main reasons I went to law school,” explained Daniel.  “Plaintiff side asbestos litigation will also allow me to help the families as well. I am excited to be at Kazan Law because they are excellent at this and I know I will get great experience here. I spoke with their past summer clerks and they have only great things to say about them.”

Shanita Farris is a second year law student at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Several of her many activities there include the Berkeley Journal of African-American Law & Policy where she is senior articles editor, Boalt Hall Student Association and Juvenile Hall Outreach.

Shanita said, “I chose Kazan Law for my summer placement because of the firm’s commitment to helping a vulnerable group of people. The experienced attorneys here at Kazan are able to successfully fight for clients who have been harmed and are seeking justice. I wanted to be a part of a team of compassionate and hard-working attorneys that truly value and support the community.”

“I am interested in asbestos litigation from the plaintiff’s side because these plaintiffs are typically disadvantaged people who come from a community similar to mine.”

Tyra Singleton is a first year law student at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.  Tyra graduated from San Francisco State University with a BA, magna cum laude, in Sociology and Africana Studies.  Tyra is also the inaugural recipient of the Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr. ’58 Endowed Scholarship.  Her past experience includes work with the Impact Fund in Berkeley and volunteer work with Shih Yu-Lang Central YMCA.

“This summer placement gives me an invaluable opportunity to learn from the best.  Kazan has a stellar reputation as expert trial attorneys and industry leaders in asbestos litigation,” Tyra said. “Additionally, it is a priority of mine to work for a firm that is committed to diversity and supporting the communities around them.  I have personally witnessed the ways in which Kazan is changing lives through their Foundation’s generous support of community organizations and mesothelioma research.  I admire and respect the great work they are doing on behalf of their clients and I am happy to be at a firm that has values similar to my own.”

Kazan Law Summer Clerks Learn By Doing

At Kazan Law, law students get the invaluable chance to learn by doing. Instead of listening to law professor’s lecture and reading text books, here these young people get to do real world law firm tasks such as:

• Helping draft parts of motions.
• Attending court hearings.
• Assisting in trial preparation.
• Writing legal memorandum.
• Fact checking legal documents.

In keeping with the needs of our community and the population we serve, our summer clerks reflect the diverse spectrum of America today. We consider it a duty and a privilege to help educate these bright young future lawyers about the ongoing need to balance the scales of justice and represent those unlawfully exposed to asbestos by willfully negligent business interests.

Kazan Law is proud to be an Alameda County Bar Association (ACBA) Leadership Firm. ACBA Leadership Firms is a program that recognizes law firms of ten or more attorneys that have 100% membership in the ACBA (i.e., every one of the firm’s Alameda County attorneys is a member of the ACBA). That would be us.

As mesothelioma lawyers who are legal advocates for victims of asbestos exposure, we represent everyday people who have been harmed and strive to achieve justice for them. We experience first-hand the important triumphs of our great legal system that provides equal justice for all. This compels us to try to help people who face other forms of injustice. Because our expertise is in matters of law pertaining to asbestos and mesothelioma, we gladly support legal assistance for those who need it in other causes. We do this through supporting many wonderful legal nonprofit organizations. One of our favorites is the Alameda County Bar Association.

3 Reasons Why Kazan Law is An Alameda County Bar Association Leadership Firm

We believe that lawyers should support their local bar association. Bar associations provide many community services and work with the court to improve administration of justice. It provides a forum for attorneys to work together to address issues of concern in our profession.

Here are 3 key reasons why we’re an Alameda County Bar Association Leadership Firm. The ACBCA is the leading legal organization in this area that:

• Seeks to provide legal help to all people living in Alameda County who otherwise cannot afford it.
• Coordinates services of volunteer attorneys to provide pro bono legal assistance to Alameda County’s low-income population.
• Promotes excellence in the legal profession and facilitates equal access to justice.

How the Alameda County Bar Association Helps the Community

ACBA matches low-income clients with qualified pro bono attorneys to handle complex pro bono cases. ACBA programs also include 30 pro per assistance clinics a month in the areas of family law, domestic violence, bankruptcy, guardianship, immigration, and landlord-tenant disputes.

Through these efforts ACBA also provides training, mentoring and malpractice insurance to our dedicated volunteer attorneys, paralegals, and recent law school graduates thus enriching the local legal profession.

For all of the above reasons and more, we believe we’re one of the best asbestos law firms in the world and we are proud that all the mesothelioma attorneys at Kazan Law are members of the Alameda County Bar Association.

Martin Luther King Day took on special significance for our firm this year. Kazan Law partner Gordon Greenwood was invited to his Mississippi hometown to be the keynote speaker at an event honoring Dr. King.

“As I look out over this audience today I see a lot of people who poured a lot of life into me and who are completely responsible for everything that I have ever accomplished in my life, and it is good to be invited to a lot of different places, it’s great to be invited home,” Gordon told the audience.

Annual Event Attracts Growing Crowds

Over 300 people gathered for the Meridian/Lauderdale County NAACP’s 30th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Prayer Breakfast on January 19. The annual event, which started with just a few members of the Boys and Girls club in Meridian, had to be moved from Meridian’s City Hall to a larger venue. Gordon Greenwood, who has been with our firm for 15 years, is a Meridian native and graduate of Meridian High School.

Also present was Meridian resident Angie Lewis who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award from President Obama on behalf of her father James Chaney. Chaney, along with Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, were Mississippi Civil Rights workers who were murdered in 1964. Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968.

Gordon Greenwood Encourages Self-Motivation

Gordon Greenwood, in his keynote address “Looking Back to Move Forward”, called on the community to follow Dr. King’s example of being self-motivated in achieving their goals.

“Somehow, we got this idea that the answer lies outside of us. We protest to the school board. Then we go to the supervisor: he must not be doing his job. Then we complain about the mayor, he must not be doing his job. We even complain about the president, Barack Obama ain’t doing his job. We look everywhere but at the man in the mirror,” he told the crowd.

“The babies born today at Rush and Anderson today are born with the same cry as the babies who were born at Matty Hersee,” Greenwood, a 1980 graduate of Meridian High School, told the crowd referring to past and current local hospitals. “It is a cry for motivation. It is a cry for direction, and if we do not answer it, the streets will.”

The breakfast concluded after a reading of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and a prayer by NAACP President Randle Jennings.

“We were truly blessed by the speech given to the community by Gordon Greenwood,” Jennings said. “More than anything, I hope we can build a bridge from this. We were challenged by Mr. Greenwood to build and strengthen our community.”