I'll be speaking at a police reform forum in Antioch on September 24 at 6:00 pm. It'll be a diverse group led by my friend and fellow Leadership San Francisco alum Con Johnson, recently retired from the SFPD, joined by a clergy member, psychologist, nurse, and lawyer (that's me). Read press coverage here: "Building Bridges & Tearing Down Barriers forum to focus on relationships with public, police."
Read moreBlue Ribbon Panel public hearing archives available
Agendas and recordings (for some) of the public hearings held by SF's Blue Ribbon Panel on Transparency, Accountability, and Fairness in Law Enforcement are available here.
Read moreNational media picks up Blue Ribbon Panel story
After Monday's publication of the Report of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Transparency, Accountability, and Fairness in Law Enforcement, several national and international outlets picked up the story. Links below:
Read moreSF Blue Ribbon Panel on Transparency, Accountability, and Fairness in Law Enforcement publishes final report
In May 2015, the Blue Ribbon Panel on Transparency, Accountability, and Fairness in Law Enforcement was established as an advisory body to San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón. The impetus for the Panel was the discovery of a number of racist and homophobic text messages exchanged between current SFPD officers.
Read morePersyn Law & Policy files Ninth Circuit brief in historic fraud case
Persyn Law & Policy has filed an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit case of United States v. Ebrahim Shabudin on behalf of the Center on the Administration of Criminal Law at NYU.
Read moreMay 2016: Blue Ribbon Panel holds final public hearing, releases preliminary findings
Fourth installment in Persyn Law & Policy's retrospective on the Blue Ribbon Panel
Read moreAB 1644: HEAL Trauma in Schools Act (Asm. Bonta)
Persyn Law & Policy today submitted a letter of support for Assemblymember Bonta's bill, the HEAL Trauma in Schools Act, as it heads to its next hearing on June 29.
Read moreArce v. Douglas team heats up for trial
As I've previously written in this space, I'm very proud that Persyn Law & Policy represents the plaintiff students in Arce v. Douglas (District of Arizona). I serve on a team of terrific lawyers gearing up to go to trial in the fall.
Read morePersyn Law & Policy advocates for California child trauma bill
Persyn Law & Policy was proud to sign on to a letter that Children Now wrote to Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez in support of Assembly Bill 1644. Sponsored by Assemblymember Rob Bonta, the bill creates the HEAL Trauma in Schools Act "to support schools in their efforts to lessen the impacts of trauma."
Read moreGoing Solo: Starting Your Own Law Practice
On May 19, I talked with the Stanford Law School chapter of the American Constitution Society about starting your own law practice. Thank you Stanford and 1L student Rachel Boochever for this great opportunity to reflect on why I opened my office and the core values that carried me here.
I'll be writing the session up into an article for my blog, so watch that page!
February 2016: Blue Ribbon Panel holds a second public hearing
Third installment in Persyn Law & Policy's retrospective on the Blue Ribbon Panel
Read moreJanuary 2016: Blue Ribbon Panel holds public hearing
Second installment in Persyn Law & Policy's retrospective on the Blue Ribbon Panel
Read moreBlue Ribbon Panel enters the final stretch; began May 2015, final hearing May 9, 2016
The final hearing will again include comments from the public.
First installment in a retrospective series
Read moreBig victory for amicus California Award Winning Teachers in Vergara v. California
Today the California Court of Appeal found that certain provisions of the Education Code concerning the hiring, promotion, and tenure of teachers are constitutional, reversing the Superior Court's decision in a huge win for California teachers and students.
Read moreCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington files public corruption brief in the Supreme Court
I'm privileged to represent Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington as amicus curiae in the Supreme Court case McDonnell v. United States. CREW's press release:
Read moreJoseph H. v. California amicus brief filed
It's my privilege to represent the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children ("APSAC") as amicus curiae in the U.S. Supreme Court. Yesterday, APSAC filed its brief in Joseph H. v. California, which presents the question whether a ten-year-old child is capable of waiving Miranda rights to silence and counsel without the assistance of a lawyer.
Read moreCan a traumatized 10-year-old waive Miranda rights to silence and counsel?
Persyn Law & Policy represents the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children ("APSAC") as amicus curiae in the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Joseph H. v. California. This case, in which a petition for certiorari is pending, presents the question whether a ten-year-old boy has sufficient capacity to waive his Fifth Amendment rights to silence and counsel under the rule of Miranda v. Arizona and related cases. APSAC has a particular interest in this case because of the multiple forms of trauma that Joseph suffered since birth.
Read moreDoes Arizona's ban of Mexican American Studies violate the constitutional rights of students?
Persyn Law & Policy is proud to serve on the trial team for Arce v. Douglas, a case testing the constitutionality of Arizona Revised Statutes, Sec. 15-112, which bans certain courses of study. When the case was before the Ninth Circuit, I co-authored an amicus brief on behalf of public school teachers with a partner at my former firm; you can read the brief here.
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