Co-President: Shelley Clark
Shelley Clark is the Housing Policy Attorney at Legal Aid of Sonoma County where she works to understand and implement housing policies that benefit low-income people. Shelley works across stakeholder groups, from elected officials to real estate groups to tenant advocates. She has been instrumental in the formation of the Sonoma County Tenants Union.
Shelley is a native of Florence, Mississippi. She graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2011 with a B.A. in international studies and French and a minor in environmental studies. She completed a joint-degree program in May of 2016 with a Juris Doctor from Pace Law and a Master of Environmental Management from F&ES. At Pace and F&ES, she focused her work and studies on land use law and environmental justice.
She lives with her husband Colin, daughter Story, and dog Winston in Fairfax. She enjoys knitting, yoga, and hiking.
Co-President: Shelley Kramer
Secretary: John Mounier
John is a Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Area dog rescuing English major from Loyola Marymount University and a UCLA Law Grad who defends elders and senior citizens, fights financial abuse and neglect of elders, battles against fraud, protects animals, supports and raises funds for no-kill animal rescue organizations, and tries Elder Abuse Cases and Animal Rights Cases all over Northern California and Southern California.
His passions are defending and protecting elders who can no longer watch out for themselves and helping animals thrive and survive!
Estate Planning is not part of his practice, but he works with lots of planners fighting for elders, contesting suspect wills & toxic trusts. His animal protection website is www.TheAnimalProtector.com. Four rescue dogs (Iris, Charlie, Rosie & Lizzie) are featured on the home page.
Treasurer : Nicole Cabalette
Nicole is a partner at Keegin Harrison LLP in San Rafael, where she practices business and real estate law. In her business practice, Nicole serves as outside general counsel for a wide range of businesses and nonprofit organizations, and advises clients on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and debt and equity financing. Nicole’s real estate practice focuses on the acquisition, financing, development, leasing and disposition of commercial and residential real estate. She also currently serves on the Marin County Bar Association Board of Directors. A Bay Area native, Nicole graduated from University of San Francisco School of Law, after obtaining her bachelor’s degree from UCLA.
Director at Large: Mari-Ann Gibbs Rivers
Cal State East Bay BA Human Development 1982. University of San Francisco School of Law 1984. California State Bar admitted 1984. Martindale Hubbell AV Rated. Superior Court Research Attorney, Sonoma & Marin Counties, 1984-1987; Deputy County Counsel, County of Marin 1987 to present. Litigation & appeals in State/Federal trial courts, appeals courts and administrative bodies. Legal representation, legislation, contracts, trainings, research and generate advice for various, diverse and multiple county departments, boards, commissions, districts, JPAs and other public agencies/entities; Volunteer Small Claims Appeals Court judge. Guest Lecturer & MCLE Provider: CJER (Center for Judicial Education and Research); CCA (County Counsels Association); PA/PG/PC (California Association of Public Administrators, Public Guardians and Public Conservators); FMHA (Forensic Mental Health Association of California); University of San Francisco. Associations: Government Law Section of the California Bar Association; AAPWA (American Association of Public Welfare Attorneys), MCWL (Marin County Women Lawyers); CWL (California Women Lawyers).
Director at Large: Jasmine Davaloo
Jasmine grew up in Marin County. She attended Del Mar Middle School and Redwood High School. After graduating from UCLA with her bachelor’s degree, she moved back to the Bay Area and attended UC Hastings, College of the Law. Jasmine started her own law practice, after graduating from law school, The Law Office of Jasmine Davaloo is where she practices family law. Based in San Rafael, she is also of Counsel to Monty White LLP. Jasmine is a past president of MCWL and has served on the boards of Marin County Bar Association and Women Lawyers of Alameda County. She is deeply involved in the legal community and provides legal services throughout the Bay Area.
Jasmine is a past president of MCWL.
Director at Large: Ahtossa Fullerton
Ahtossa is a partner at Wasacz Hilley & Fullerton LLP, practicing juvenile dependency law. She received a BA from UC Davis and a JD/MBA from Santa Clara University. She is also a Certified Child Welfare Law Specialist and has completed the 40 hour mediation training to qualify for court mediation programs. Ahtossa has volunteered for a number of non-profit and school organizations over the years. She is a Bay Area native and lives in Mill Valley with her husband, 3 kids, 2 cats and a dog.
Director at Large: Claudia Brisson
For over 30 years, Claudia has run the Law office of Claudia W. Brisson, representing injured people in a wide range of personal injury cases. She also handles other civil disputes including employment, civil rights and contract disputes.
Claudia was admitted in New York in January 1980, and started practicing as an associate in Westchester County, NY, with the Richard Scanlan law firm. In 1983 she was admitted to the California Bar, and in 1984 Claudia moved to San Francisco, initially at the law firm of Wilson Elser, in San Francisco. In 1985, Claudia started up her own law firm in on Mint St. and then at 345 Franklin Street in San Francisco. In 1998, Claudia moved up to Marin County and ran her office first in Corte Madera and then moved to San Rafael.
Over the last 30 years in California, Claudia Brisson has represented clients in more than 700 cases to successful resolution in mediation or trial. Ms. Brisson remains a member of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, a valuable professional resource, and the Marin County Bar Association and the Marin County Women Lawyers. Claudia volunteers in Landlord-tenant disputes, representing tenants on average of 2 cases per year.
Claudia is an avid hiker (and member of the California Alpine Club), and a bicyclist (and a member of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition), and a swimmer (and has been a member of the Marin JCC for over 20 years). She raised a son who is now 24 years old and living in Marin, and they both regularly visit the family back on the East Coast, between Boston and Washington DC.
Director at Large: Lois Prentice
Director at Large: Karen Carrera
Karen Carrera has been practicing law for over 25 years. She is the co-Principal at Villegas/Carrera, Inc. (V/C), an employment law firm with offices in San Francisco and Tiburon. Founded in 1999, the firm represents clients in discrimination and class action employment lawsuits throughout the state. Ms. Carrera conducts workplace investigations for both public and private employers in response to employee complaints of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, bullying, and other alleged employee misconduct. She speaks Spanish fluently and regularly conducts investigations in which she interviews witnesses in Spanish. Ms. Carrera also provides expert witness testimony on the adequacy of workplace investigations, training, policies and other employment-related matters. She also provides harassment and discrimination trainings and develops policies and procedures for employers, in both English and Spanish. Ms. Carrera is a member of the Association of Workplace Investigators (AWI).
In 2009, Ms. Carrera joined the faculty of the University of California, Hastings College of Law, as an adjunct professor. She teaches Representing Spanish Speaking Clients, Client Interviewing & Counseling, Negotiation & Settlement, and Representing the Underrepresented. Ms. Carrera is co-President of the Marin Trial Lawyers Association and a member of the board of the Marin County Women’s Lawyers and the California Women Lawyers. She serves as a volunteer attorney for the AIDS Legal Referral Panel and is a member of the California State Bar, Labor and Employment Law Section.
Ms. Carrera is a 1992 graduate of Hastings College of the Law, the University of California, where she served as the student body president during her third year. She became a member of the California State Bar in 1993. She earned her Bachelor of Arts cum laude from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles in May 1988.
Ms. Carrera previously worked at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office and Legal Aid of Marin. Ms. Carrera has served on several boards of non-profits and professional organizations and has received awards for her commitment to serving her community.
Director at Large: Michelle Christovich
Michelle is an associate at Keegin Harrison LLP in San Rafael, where she practices business and trademark law. In her business practice, Michelle advises emerging and established businesses on a wide variety of matters, including entity choice and formation, corporate governance and drafting custom contracts. In her trademark practice, she counsels clients from brick and mortar businesses to technology companies and non-profits on trademarks and brand-protection strategy. While she is originally from New Orleans, Michelle obtained her bachelor’s degree from Scripps College in Claremont, CA before graduating from UC Hastings College of the Law.
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