Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles held its 17th annual Access to Justice Dinner on Monday, November 9, 2015 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. LAFLA honored two outstanding public servants and a law firm committed to increasing access to justice.
Zev Yaroslavsky was honored with the Access to Justice Lifetime Achievement Award for his passionate advocacy of behalf of the poor and underserved communities LAFLA serves. He served Los Angeles for more than 40 years, first as a city councilman and as a county supervisor from 1994-2014. He spearheaded multiple projects to reform both the LAPD and the LA Sheriff’s Department, encouraging better relationships with the communities they serve. He also championed a compassionate, housing-first approach for the chronically homeless, which led to a permanent change to the county’s previous policy.
The Maynard Toll Award for Distinguished Public Service was presented to the Honorable Harry Pregerson, renowned judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit since 1979, with this year marking his 50th on the bench.
The Pro Bono Service Award was presented to Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe for their work on behalf of domestic violence survivors. Along with students from UCI School of Law, Orrick attorneys from the Los Angeles and Orange County offices helped clients navigate the US CIS system to help them obtain U Visas.
