Committees
As an all-volunteer organization, Queen's bench primarily fulfills its Mission through the work of dedicated members who are organized into Committees. Our Committee members work collaboratively in a fun, collegial environment to provide services to our Members, services to the Legal Profession, and services to the San Francisco Bay Area community at large. If you would like to develop personal and professional relationships with your colleagues and learn more about Queen's Bench, please contact the Queen's Bench Administrative Office or any Committee Chair to join one of our Committees! Click here for a pdf list of committee chairs.

Member Services Committees
Awards
Business Development
Education
Employment/Work-Life Balance
History Committee
Marketing & Communications
Membership
Mentorship
Newsletter
Programs

Community Service Committees
Amicus Briefs
Domestic Violence
Juvenile Hall Project
Legislative Issues and Reproductive Rights
Scholarships

Legal Profession Service Committees
Conference of Delegates
CWL Liaison

Amicus Briefs Committee
The Amicus Committee looks forward to continued work on such varied projects and to assisting in issues of importance to women, their families and their communities, including domestic violence issues, equal pay, and equality at work and in public opportunities. We welcome your ideas and suggestions for future projects. If you are currently working on a case or issue which you would like Queen's Bench to support, or if you would like further information, please call the chair of the committee.

Amicus Briefs Committee Chair

Simona Agnolucci
2650 Diamond Street
San Francisco, CA 94131
(415) 677-6306 (T) / (415) 677-6262 (F)
agnolucci@yahoo.com

Awards

Awards Committee Co-Chairs

Barbara L. Harris Chiang
Dillingham & Murphy, LLP
225 Bush Street, 6th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 397-2700 (T) / (415) 397-3300 (F)
bhc@dillinghammurphy.com

Lisa Rauch
Howard Rome Martin & Ridley LLP
1775 Woodside Road, Suite 200
Redwood City, CA 94061
(650) 365-7715 ext 234 (T)
lrauch@hrmrlaw.com

Eliza M. Rodrigues
Sedgwick LLP
135 Main Street, 14th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 537-3019 (T) / (415) 781-2635 (F)
eliza.rodrigues@sdma.com

Business Development Committee
The Business Development Committee provides a fun and collegial environment in which women attorneys can build networks of professional contacts and develop law practice marketing skills. The Annual L.E.A.A.D.D. (Lawyer, Engineers, Architects, Accountants, Doctors and Dentists) Dinner provides an opportunity for women in various professions to meet and hear speakers of common interest. Past years speakers have included Mayor Gavin Newsom and Senator Jackie Speier. The Committee also organizes lively cocktail mixers for women professionals throughout the year .

Business Development Committee Co-Chairs

Hana Hardy
Ropers, Majeski, Kohn & Bentley
1001 Marshall Street, Suite 300
Redwood City, CA 94063-2052
(650) 780-1702 (T)
hananhardy@gmail.com

Sophia Andritsakis
1563 46th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 256-4446 (T)
sandritsakis@mac.com

Nadia Brannon
19771 Sprague Court
Castro Valley, CA 94546
(415) 283- 4217 (T) / (415) 293-4421 (F)
nadia.brannon@fticonsulting.com

Conference of Delegates Committee

Conference of Delegates Committee Chair

Andrea Carlise
Patton Wolan Carlise LLP
1814 Franklin Suite 501
The Leamington Building
Oakland, CA 94612-3744
(415) 987-7500 (T) / (510) 987-7575 (F)
acarlise@pwc-law.com

CWL Liaison Committee

CWL Liaison Committee Chair

Kelly Robbins
Robbins Family Law
601 California Street, Suite 2100
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 788-5400 (T) / (415) 788-5455 (F)
kelly@robbinsfamilylaw.com

Domestic Violence Committee

Domestic Violence Committee Co-Chairs

Maria A. Yuen
Stein Law Group
505 Sansome Street, Suite 1200
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 321-7190 (T)
myuen@steinbusinesslaw.com

Laura Vocke
425 Market Street Suite 2200
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 912-2819 (T)
levocke@gmail.com

Education Committee
Plans, coordinates, organizes and contacts legal newspapers to advertise Queen's Bench educational events. Topics are chosen by Committee members. MCLE credit is provided to speakers and attendees. The Committee also keeps the MCLE credit forms for each program and makes them available to the State Bar, if necessary. The Committee oversees the MCLE renewal application process when required. Watch the Queen's Bench newsletter and website for upcoming MCLE brown bag lunch topics events. The Education Committee meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 6:00 p.m. at Bingham McCutchen's San Francisco office located at Three Embarcadero Center, 24th Floor. Please contact one of the Education Committee co-chairs if you plan to attend.

Education Committee Co-Chairs

Janka Dubakova
WTAS LLC
100 First Street, Suite 1600
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 764-2758 (T) / (415) 764-2770 (F)
janka.dubakova@gmail.com

Elizabeth Stone
1152 Sanchez Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
lizziestone@gmail.com

Employment / Work-Life Balance Committee
The Employment / Work-Life Balance Committee reviews trends in the legal job market, communicates with legal employers about best practices for improving work-life balance and retaining women in the profession, and disseminates information and opportunities to Queen's Bench members to help them accomplish their own career and work-life balance goals. The Queen’s Bench Employment & Work/Life Committee has a LinkedIn group where job opportunities are posted as well as links to useful articles. Log in to LinkedIn and search for Queen’s Bench in the Groups Directory.

Employment / Work-Life Balance Committee Co-Chairs

Tammy Dawson
2350 43rd Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94116
(415) 317-0797 (T) / (415) 731-3927 (F)
tammy.dawson@comcast.net

Karman Ratliff
Stebner and Associates
870 Market Street, Suite 1212
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 362-9800 (T) / (415) 362-9801
karman@stebnerassociates.com

History Committee
Description forthcoming.

History Committee Chair

Amee Mikacich
Brown, Eassa & McLeod LLP
1999 Harrison Street, 18th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612-3541
(510) 444-3131 (T) / (510) 839-7940 (F)
aam@browneassa.com

Clarissa Kang
Trucker Huss
100 Montgomery Street, 23rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 788-3111
ckang@truckerhuss.com

Juvenile Hall Project Committee
The Queen's Bench Juvenile Hall Project volunteers at the San Francisco Juvenile Hall at 375 Woodside Avenue (off Portola) on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.in Unit #5. We provide companionship, enrichment activities and mentoring to pre-teen and teenage girls in “lock up.” These children have historically been subjected to violent victimization. They typically have low self-esteem and are fearful about their future. We encourage the children to express themselves through arts and music. During 2007 and 2008, we have sponsored programs by the San Francisco opera, a Bay Area musician, Amy X Neuburg, and the former lead singer for Ray Charles, Dr. Mable John. We collaborate closely with the Juvenile Hall Unit Managers and counselors along with a number of community based organizations such as YTEC, Girls 2000 and the Women’s Community Clinic to develop programming.

Juvenile Hall Committee Co-Chairs

April Rose Sommer
PO Box 6937
Moraga, CA 94570
(925) 962-9755 (T)
AprilSommerLaw@yahoo.com

Nancy Sullivan Walter
16 Roanoke Street
San Francisco, CA 94131
(510) 457-9925 (T) / (415) 254-1351 (F)
nancy.walter@sbcglobal.net

Legislative Issues and Reproductive Rights Committee
The Legislative Issues and Reproductive Rights Committee works to promote women’s rights and the status of women in the profession by educating our members about current and proposed legislation, promoting activism among our members in legislative activity, and working with the Queen’s Bench Board to review, recommend, and lobby for proposed legislation on the local, state, and national levels. Our members draft articles for the Queen’s Bench newsletter, evaluate legislation and propose action to the Queen's Bench Board, draft letters of support or opposition to legislation, and host events, seminars, and panel discussions on legislative issues of interest to our membership.

Legislative Issues & Reproductive Rights Committee Co-Chairs

Mary Catherine Wiederhold
Law Offices of Mary Catherine Wiederhold
1458 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 533-0735 (T) / (415) 749-1487 (F)
mcw@mcwrealestatelaw.com

Roni Pomerantz
Shartsis Friese LLP
One Maritime Plaza, 18th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 773-7304 (T)
rpomerantz@sflaw.com

Marketing and Communications Committee
Marketing and Communications Committee oversees Queen's Bench policies on use of its e-mail system and mailing lists, administers the Queen's Bench web site content, manages all paid Queen's Bench advertising contracts, and handles all Queen's Bench contact with the press.

Marketing and Communications Committee Chair

Rebecca Hooley
Contra Costa County Counsel's Office
651 Pine Street, 9th Floor
Martinez, CA 94553
(925) 335-1854 (T)
rhool@cc.cccounty.us

Membership Committee

Membership Committee Chair

Vanessa Hierbaum
Kaye*Moser*Hierbaum LLP
Market Center
575 Market Street, Suite 2300
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 296-8868 (T) / (415) 495-1771 (F)
vhierbaum@kayemoser.com

Mentorship Committee
While Queen's Bench informally mentors women attorneys in many ways, our Mentorship Committee oversees a structured program to pair women attorneys with 2-9 years of law practice experience with seasoned veterans in the legal profession, in support of improving the long-term retention of women in the legal profession. Mentee applications from women who are admitted to the bar and have been employed as an attorney for two years are more are accepted annually, usually in January. Click here to download a Mentorship Application Form.

Mentorship Committee Co-Chair

Alison Crane
Bledsoe Cathcart Diestel Pedersen
601 California Street, 16th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 981-5411 (T)
acrane@bledsoelaw.com

Newsletter Committee

Newsletter Committee Chair

Anne Gyemant Paris
Gyemant Paris Law
1330 Castro Street
San Francisco 94114
(415) 513-5502 (T) . (415) 282-4884 (F)
anne@adoptsf.com

Programs Committee

Programs Committee Chair

Lisa Freitas
Freitas Family Law
1048 47th Street, Unit B
Emeryville, CA 94608
(415) 992-7018 (T) / (415) 373-9343 (F)
lfreitas@gmail.com

Scholarships Committee
The Scholarships Committee is responsible for awarding the Mildred W. Levin Scholarship and the Agnes O'Brien Smith Scholarship to outstanding law students at Hastings College of the Law and University of San Francisco School of Law respectively. The scholarships are awarded on an annual basis to students with financial need who exemplify the ideals represented by Judge Smith and Mildred Levin; students representing the ideals of intellect, determination, compassion and integrity. At Hastings, each applicant for a scholarship submits a resume and/or biographical statement and an essay entitled, "Qualities of a Good Lawyer." USF students submit a resume and essay titled, "Improving Public Perception of the Legal Profession." The Scholarships Committee reviews the applications and interviews final candidates.

Scholarships Committee Co-Chairs

Hon. Adrienne Jacobs Miller
San Francisco Superior Court
375 Woodside Avenue, Dept. # 5
San Francisco, CA 94127
415-753-7749 (T) / 415-753-7750 (F)
amiller@SFTC.org

Patricia Rosenberg
Haas & Najarian
58 Maiden Lane, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 788-6330 (T) / (415) 391-0555 (F)
prosenberg@hnattorneys.com