Committees

Our Fellow service on committees both within our local chapter and committees of the AAML Nationals organization. Some of our local committees include the following:

Amicus: Chair, David Youngsmith 
Contact: DYoungsmith at hflp.com

The amicus committee monitors important cases pending before the various courts. The committee considers requests that the chapter becomes involved in amicus positions with respect to important issues and makes recommendations to the board of managers.

Awards: Chair, Gretchen Wallacker 
Contact: gwallacker at bswmlaw.com

The awards committee considers candidates for various awards given by the chapter and makes recommendations to the board of managers regarding recipients of such awards.

Board of Examiners/Membership: Chair, Geniveve Ruskus
Contact: GRuskus at LakinSpears.com

The board of examiners is made up of the voting members of the board of managers. This board reviews applications for Fellowship to the Northern California chapter and makes recommendations to the national board of examiners. Note that the national board is the body that makes the final decisions regarding membership.

Charitable Contributions: Chair, Donna Gibbs
Contact: donna at bgdfamilylaw.com

The charitable contributions committee considers applications for charitable contributions and recommends how funds available for charitable contributions shall be distributed. The committee also reviews scholarship applications for the Symposium and Trial Practicum and makes recommendations for scholarship awards.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion: Co-Chairs, Lexi Mussallem and Nancy Encarnacion Mass
Contact: lexi at amafamilylaw.com and nmass at lakinspears.com

The Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee hopes to provide education and bring more inclusion to our organization. This committee is in its infancy, so we will be using the first part of this year to create a mission statement and goals and then will reach out to Fellows to join.

Legislative Liaison: Chair, Lorie Nachlis
Contact: lorie at nclwlaw.com

The legislative liaison's tasks include ongoing dialogue with ACFLS regarding pending legislation, monitoring significant pending litigation, and keeping fellows informed, and polling our membership to determine if the chapter wishes to propose legislation or take positions regarding significant pending litigation.

Membership Development: Chair, Tanya Prioste
Contact: tprioste at lakinspears.com

The membership development committee oversees new member recruitment with special attention to increasing the geographic diversity of members and other factors, oversees new member announcements and implements the "buddy system" and overall mentorship to new fellows, and increases chapter participation in our activities.

Mentoring: Co-Chairs, Gretchen Rubel and Jennifer Crum
Contact: GRubel at hflp.com and jc at hansonflg.com

The mentoring committee administers the mentoring program in many Bay Area counties, which matches experienced AAML fellows with groups of 20-30 younger family law attorneys for regular meetings typically over a two year term for the purpose of educating, mentoring, and facilitating networking for those younger attorneys. At any given time, different mentor groups may meet in Marin County, San Francisco, the East Bay, the South Bay, and other geographic areas.

Pro Bono Court Resources: Chair, Yasmine Mehmet
Contact: ysmehmet at sbcglobal.net

The Pro Bono Committee was created to address various ways the AAML could serve the Court, potential litigants, or even other Fellows. Some of the tasks undertaken have included the following: compiling and updating a referral list of low-fee or pro bono organizations that offer family-law-related services; assisting the Court in locating Judge Pro Tems or gathering volunteers to help with Court-specific needs such as Judgment review or lawyer of the day programs; and creating a History Project to ensure the legacy of our Fellows is not lost to time.

Symposium: Co-Chairs, Nancy Encarnacion Mass & Marisa San Filippo
Contact: nmass at lakinspears.com and msanfilippo at fkkblaw.com

The Symposium committee plans, organizes, and presents our chapter's annual Symposium. 

Trial Practicum: Co-Chairs, Michèle Bissada & Lexi Mussallem

Contact: mbissada at fkkblaw.com and lexi at amafamilylaw.com

Every other year, the Trial Practicum committee puts on a week-long educational program to teach young lawyers the skills they need to handle a trial from start to finish.