A Word From The Executive Director

Advancing our mission of training law students to be lifelong social justice advocates and serving the legal needs of low-income consumers, immigrants, and workers is more imperative than ever. 

We’re doubling down on our resolve to serve by expanding our legal practice areas both to enrich student learning while helping us reach and assist more clients. The Law Center recently launched a Pro Bono Program and our unhoused advocacy work is coming soon. We are ever grateful to be standing strong and owe a deep debt of gratitude to Law Center alumni, volunteers, and donors who stepped up their support. This brief newsletter highlights academic year accomplishments, recent happenings, and what’s ahead for the Law Center. 

Please join us at the Annual Celebration on Friday, October 3rd. The event will recognize the community, commitment, and courage of our students, clients, and supporters and feature social justice activista, lawyer, and performer Irma Herrera.  We’d be honored to Celebrate with you!

Blessings,

Deborah Moss West, JD ’94
Executive Director

Consider making a gift to keep our programs strong; we’d be quite grateful.

Academic Year Service Highlights

During the 2024-2025 academic year, Law Center faculty, staff, and students persevered providing brief service, advice, and representation for 611 clients. Additionally, our community education and outreach served over 400 more individuals and families with information regarding their rights and responsibilities. Materials distribution reached hundreds more.   

Law Center students are at the core of all that we do, their passion inspires us. Last year, law students worked over 4,598 hours to advance our client's legal matters. If billed, the law student hours represent a direct benefit of $689,700 annually to the community; a significant investment of time and resources. The law students themselves also gained practical, transferable legal skills.

“I’m honored to use my legal experience to guide clients with advocacy, care, and strategic support at every step of their journey.” Alejandra Barcena ’25 - Immigration Practice

"My experience with the Law Center was incredibly informative. I was able to obtain real-world first-hand experience that you aren’t able to achieve sitting in a classroom.” Andrew Engstrom ’26 – Workers’ Rights Practice

"Working with the Law Center has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my law school journey. Not only have I developed practical, real-world legal skills, but I’ve also had the invaluable opportunity to apply those skills to make a meaningful difference in our community." Mary Finnegan ’25 – Consumer Law Practice

Welcome New KGACLC Staff

This academic year, the Law Center welcomed three new staff members whose heart and dedication are already making a meaningful impact.  

Gam Galindo, JD ’14, Sr. Clinical Supervising Attorney, Immigration Practice – Gam brings over a dozen years of legal experience having worked as a crimmigration expert at a PD’s office, managing his own law practice, working with unaccompanied alien children, representing clients in removal defense and appeals, and working with SCU Law students in both clinical and skills classes. Before joining our staff, Gam contracted with the Law Center for eight years, partnering to provide full scope representation services for our immigration clients. We’re thrilled to now have his knowledge on board full-time.

Maryam Nemazie, LL.M. ’09, Pro Bono Attorney/Manager – Maryam described the pro bono role as combining two of her passions, serving the community and working with law students. She has a wealth of experience—from non-profit to corporate to a solo practice, each experience preparing her to effectively engage attorneys across disciplines and match them with meaningful volunteer roles. We have put her talents to work!

Cintia Vargas, Immigration Program Assistant – Cintia’s dedication to the Law Center’s mission combined with her background in Animation and hands-on experience in community engagement and outreach, makes her a great asset to the team. Cintia shared, “The Law Center’s mission deeply resonates with me because it reflects my own values of equity, empowerment, and creating lasting change through community-centered work."

WITH GRATITUDE TO ALL LAW CENTER STAFF:

Dianne Blakely, Reuben Castillo, Angelica Frias, Scott Maurer, Lynette Parker, Margarita Sandoval, and Ruth Silver Taube

Pro Bono Program

With a generous grant from the California Access to Justice Commission, in July, the Law Center launched its Pro Bono Program (PBP) with opportunities for volunteers to engage in community education and outreach, advice clinics, and direct representation for consumers, immigrants, workers, and those experiencing homelessness. 

KGACLC‘s service delivery model uses law students working under supervision alongside over a dozen volunteer attorneys. Each semester, more Law Center alumni offer to volunteer than we have capacity to support. Given the vast unmet need for legal services, the PBP was established to create the  infrastructure to harness the ready energy of alumni and other attorney volunteers. “I am honored to work alongside our alumni, attorney volunteers, and law students in bridging the access to justice gap by expanding the pool of trained attorneys capable of competently serving vulnerable populations,” shared Nemazie. The PBP enhances KGACLC’s ability to educate, advocate, and serve our law students and the client community. We’re honored  to serve our alumni, law school, and community in this impactful way. 

Want to join the efforts? Please complete the Volunteer Interest Form or contact our Pro Bono Attorney, Maryam Nemazie, for more information.  

Unhoused Advocacy – Coming Fall 2025

The Law Center is pleased to announce its partnership with Santa Clara University’s Unhoused Initiative (UI) to launch the Unhoused Advocacy Practice (UA). The overarching goal of the UA is to reduce barriers to housing through legal services and advocacy centered on the intersection of homelessness and the criminal legal system.

Annual Celebration

The Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center is pleased to host our Annual Celebration on Friday, October 3rd, at 5:30 p.m. at the beautiful Recital Hall on the Santa Clara University campus. 

Please invite your friends and colleagues. Email Dianne Blakely to donate or sponsor or if you have any questions about the event. Mark your calendar for this community-building Celebration!

Share Your Time, Talent, and Treasure

Interested in volunteering with the Law Center, funding a fellowship, or joining the Advisory Board? Contact Deborah Moss-West or Board Chair Delma Locke to learn more. Volunteers and supporters keep our program strong!