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INDEX Lawyer SACRAMENTO
SACRAMENTO COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE
Vol. 4-2025
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Ellen Arabian-Lee Arabian-Lee Law Corporation
EDITOR EMERITA
Heather Hoganson support@sacbar.org
PRODUCTION DESIGN, ADVERTISING
Milenko Vlaisavljevic milenko@sacbar.org
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
6 Stronger Together: Reflections on a Remarkable Year
FEATURE ARTICLES
8 Farewell Hall of Justice
10 Why Pro Bono?
COVER ARTICLE
12 I’ve Done it My Way: – Jennifer Mouzis is the 2025 SCBA Nancy Sheehan Distinguished Attorney of the Year
Larry Doyle, Esq., Manager (916) 604-9726 • larry.doyle@sacbar.org
Cover Photo by Heirs of Threads Photography
Sacramento Lawyer welcomes letters and article suggestions from readers. Please e-mail them to support@sacbar.org. The SCBA reserves the right to edit articles and letters submitted for publication. Please contact the SCBA at 916-564-3780 for deadline information. Web page: www.sacbar.org. Caveat: Articles and other work submitted to Sacramento Lawyer become the copyrighted property of the SCBA. Returns of tangible items such as photographs are by permission of the editors, by pickup at the SCBA office only.
Sacramento Lawyer (USPS 0981-300) is published by the Sacramento County Bar Association, 8950 Cal Center Drive, Bldg. 2, Ste. 346, Sacramento CA 95826. Issn 1087-8771. Periodicals postage paid at Sacramento, California. Postmaster: Send address changes to Sacramento Lawyer, 8950 Cal Center Drive, Bldg. 2, Ste. 346, Sacramento CA 95826. Copyright 2025 by the Sacramento County Bar Association.
Stronger Together: Reflections on a Remarkable Year
By Angelina Ray
ear Members of the Sacramento County Bar Association, as this remarkable year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting with profound gratitude on the privilege of serving as President of the Sacramento County Bar Association. It has genuinely been an overwhelming honor in my professional life. To lead this community – to listen, collaborate, innovate, and celebrate alongside you –has been an experience I will carry with me long after this presidency concludes. I hope, and sincerely pray, that the legacy I leave behind reflects meaningful service and a lasting commitment to elevating our Sacramento legal community.
From the very beginning, you welcomed my leadership with open minds and open hearts. You embraced my vision, challenged me to think bigger, and worked alongside me to turn goals into accomplishments. Whether you offered sponsorship support, volunteered your time, served as a speaker, contributed articles, shared ideas, or simply showed up with enthusiasm, you shaped this year. Every achievement we celebrate belongs to all of us.
Together, we celebrated momentous milestones – individual, collective, and institutional. We uplifted the extraordinary work of our members, expanded our programming, strengthened our partnerships, and continued to build a bar association rooted in excellence, inclusion, and service. Each
event, each initiative, and each connection reminded me of why Sacramento’s legal community is so special: we show up for one another, and we show up for the communities we serve.
I would be remiss not to extend my heartfelt congratulations to our Attorney of the Year, Jennifer Mouzis. Jennifer exemplifies the highest ideals of our profession – courage, integrity, leadership, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to justice. She represents the very best of who we are and the promise of who we strive to become. Honoring her this year felt both fitting and deeply inspiring.
I would also like to take a moment to recognize the extraordinary leadership of Hon. Bunmi Awoniyi, who concludes her remarkable service as the first Black woman to serve as Presiding Judge of the Sacramento County Superior Court. Her tenure has been defined by integrity, vision, and a steadfast commitment to justice. This year, we had the privilege of honoring her as our Judge of the Year, a reflection of her unparalleled impact on our bench and community. Under her guidance, the court has navigated challenges while simultaneously moving forward on the development of the new courthouse, slated to open in early 2026. Judge Awoniyi’s leadership, wisdom, and grace have left an indelible mark on our legal community, and we are profoundly grateful for her service.
Angelina Ray is the President of the Sacramento County
Bar
Association. She can be contacted at angelina@pacemtempest.com.
As I transition out of the presidency, I am comforted, and truly excited, to leave this association in the capable and visionary hands of our incoming President, Brittany Berzin. Brittany is thoughtful, grounded, committed, and forward-thinking. I have complete confidence that she will carry this organization to new heights and continue the trajectory of growth, innovation, and meaningful community engagement that our members deserve. The SCBA’s future is bright with her leadership.
Thank you for making this year unforgettable. Thank you for your trust, generosity, candid conversations, and willingness to stand shoulder to shoulder to build something strong and lasting. I hope that as I see you throughout our legal community, you will stop, say hello, and continue the relationships that have made this work so deeply rewarding.
Let us continue to walk together, build together, and lead together, ensuring that Sacramento remains on the cutting edge of what makes the legal profession an extraordinary, indelible force across California.
Peace & Blessings,
Angelina Ray, CFLS President, Sacramento County Bar Association
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FAREWELL HALL OF JUSTICE
By Judge Curtis M. Fiorini
n October 2016, the Sacramento Civil Settlement Conference Center relocated from 800 9th Street to the historic Hall of Justice building at 813 6th Street. The building has a long history including housing the Sacramento Police Department, a city jail, courtrooms and even a shooting range. Department 59 shares the building with the Civil Law and Motion Departments of 53 and 54, as well as the Civil Help Services, Legal Research and Human Resources.
The way in which Department 59 is set up today is in large part due to the effort, foresight, and dedication of our original Hall of
Justice Judge, the Honorable Ben Davidian, for whom without, many aspects of Department 59, including the well-known artwork creating themes in each of the conference rooms, would not have happened. Judge Davidian set the standard for the comfortable atmosphere that has encouraged and fostered settlement discussions with successful results. Many a case has been settled in these walls due to the atmosphere and procedures he created.
In 2021, Judge Davidian made the tough decision to leave Department 59 and move on to other things. He handed the reigns over to the Honorable David De Alba
who then passed them on to the Honorable Gerrit Wood in 2022.
In 2023, the Honorable Geoffrey Goodman took over and presided over Department 59 until turning it over to me in January of this year. It has been equally rewarding to meet so many members of our local civil bar and lawyers from all around the State of California and to work with many of you again that I have not worked with in quiet some time.
The Hall of Justice has been a fine home for our department and I’m sure many of you have lasting memories of being within these walls. Hopefully, more of those are positive memories of successful
Judge Fiorini is the Civil Settlements Supervising Judge.
But now, after nearly 10 years, litigants will no longer walk through the historic building’s doors and across the over one hundred-year-old marble floors to enter the lobby filled with the smell of coffee on their way to one of the many conference rooms with the hopes of settling a case that has been worked on for years. At last, that journey will soon be taking place across the street at the new Tani Cantil-Sakauye Sacramento County Courthouse at 500 G Street. In the early months of 2026, Department 59 will become the Civil Settlement Conference Center located on the Fourth Floor in Suite 450. This exciting move will include the relocation of Civil Law and Motion (Departments 53 and 54) as well as the Civil Help Center, Legal Research and Human Resources. The move will result in the Hall of Justice being completely vacated by the Sacramento County Superior Court. So, I wanted to take a moment and pay homage to a pillar of a building in our city and thank it for allowing us to spend a decade in these historic halls. I feel fortunate to be a part of the history here and at the same time, excited for the future. The classic peppermints and Dum Dums lollipops, as well as that delicious coffee smell will come along with us, along with new treats to keep the sugar levels up for those long
conferences. But, the ghosts will be left behind.
No longer will working late into the evenings come with the risk of a ghostly encounter. While I’ve heard the stories, I personally have never seen a ghost (thankfully), but there sure are a lot of creaking sounds when here alone after dark. Judge Davidian would jokingly tell litigants in cases that were running into the night that they better get the case settled before the ghost comes out. I guess I’ll no longer have that card to play.
As we move on to new digs, I want to thank all of our amazing judges pro tem for being part of our dedicated team in Department 59. I’ve heard many times that Sacramento has one of the best settlement conference departments in the state. Without a doubt, this is because of our incredible pro tems, who dedicate their valuable time, knowledge and their skills. Working with all of our pro tems is the best part of being here. To see all of their dedication and willingness to work so hard to get the job done is inspiring.
Additionally, we are fortunate that our Court Services Coordinator, Stephanie Vanderpool, will also be making the move with us. She is pleased to continue to work with all of you, but I think she may be even more pleased with her new sunny view over The Railyards replacing the dark windowless
lobby view she’s had for years at the Hall of Justice.
I am fortunate to be a part of a new, exciting beginning at the new courthouse in our new surroundings. I can assure you that the new facilities are amazing. Our new location will consist of 12 conference rooms of varying sizes and views, a vending and break room, as well as a dedicated pro tem office. The space is state of the art with new amenities and all the modern technology that can be expected in a new building. So, thank you Hall of Justice and here’s to continued successes in Suite 450 for decades to come.
The Civil Settlement Conference Center is always accepting applications for judges pro tem to join the team. If you are interested in becoming a judge pro tem, simply fill out the quick application at https:// www.saccourt.ca.gov/forms/ docs/cv-application-volunteersettlement-attorney.pdf and email it to Stephanie Vanderpool at Dept59@saccourt.ca.gov. It is a great way to give back to your legal community, help your fellow lawyers and kick off our new adventure in the new courthouse.
Hall of Justice Conference Room.
New Conference Room.
Why Pro Bono?
By Heather Tiffee
Heather Tiffee is the Managing Attorney of Capital Pro Bono htiffee@capitalprobono.org.
participated in an outreach event recently, getting the word out to members of the public about the services Capital Pro Bono offers. One individual approached my table and asked, “What is Capital Pro Bono?” This is a very common question, and I explained that we are a small non-profit legal aid organization that relies on attorneys to volunteer their time and expertise to help our clients for free. His next question, however, was a first: “Why would attorneys do that?”
Corey is drowning in medical debt. After recovering from a long battle with cancer, he started driving for Uber and DoorDash. He has a vehicle loan and can barely cover his rent and food. Corey cannot afford an attorney to help him file for bankruptcy, so he files on his own. There are many mistakes in his paperwork. He ends up having to surrender his vehicle to the lender because the trustee determines he cannot afford the payments. Corey now has a bankruptcy on his credit and no vehicle. He cannot work as an Uber or DoorDash driver any longer and he is at risk of being evicted.
Devon lived on the wild side during his youth. He was arrested several times and convicted of misdemeanor theft and drug charges. Many years have passed, and Devon has gone back to school, re-
ceived his AA, and is trying to better his life for himself and his kids. However, every time he gets a job offer, he is let go after the employer runs his background check. Devon knows he needs to get his record expunged but cannot afford to get his RAP sheet or hire an attorney to prepare the expungement petitions.
Felicia was married for 20 years and has three children; one is special needs. She was a stay-at-home mother for most of the marriage. Her husband moved out of the family home and filed for divorce. Her husband controlled all the finances, paid the bills, and managed all the bank accounts, which he emptied out when they separated. Felicia knows he has a retirement account but has no idea how much is in it. Her husband has an attorney representing him in the divorce and is pressuring Felicia to sign a settlement agreement so the divorce can be finalized quickly. Felicia feels that she should get more financial support in the divorce, but she has no income and no access to funds with which to hire an attorney.
So, why would attorneys give their hard-earned time and expertise away for free? Why should you engage in pro bono? Because there are so many Coreys, Devons, and Felicias in our community who desperately need help. Because it’s the right thing to do. Because as
members of a profession, we are called to a higher standard, to give back to our communities.
Business and Professions Code section 6068(h) provides that it is the duty of a lawyer “never to reject, for any consideration personal to himself or herself, the cause of the defenseless or the oppressed.” In 1989, and amended in 2002, the State Bar adopted a Pro Bono Resolution acknowledging the “dire need” for pro bono legal services and encouraging all attorneys to devote at least 50 hours per year in pro bono legal services. If that isn’t enough to motivate you, starting in 2026, Assembly Bill 2505 goes into effect, requiring all active California-licensed attorneys to report annually on their pro bono hours. While it is not yet required of attorneys to do pro bono, and the reporting is anonymous, wouldn’t it feel good to report a positive number…a large positive number?
My heartfelt thanks go out to all of you who already engage in pro bono work, especially those who volunteer for Capital Pro Bono. We don’t exist without you! If you would like more information on how you can get involved and help the Coreys, Devons, and Felicias of Sacramento, visit our website at www.capitalprobono.org or contact me directly at htiffee@capitalprobono.org.
Lawyer SACRAMENTO
I’ve Done it My Way: – Jennifer Mouzis is the 2025 SCBA Nancy Sheehan Distinguished Attorney of the Year
By Andi Liebenbaum & Amreet Sandhu
acramento’s Best Lawyer that Money Can’t Buy
Someone recently told Jennifer Mouzis that when she was in private practice, she was the best criminal defense counsel money could buy, and now that she is with the Sacramento Public Defender’s office, she is the best criminal defense counsel money can’t buy. That hit her hard, and it seems to encapsulate why Jennifer Mouzis is the 2025 SCBA Nancy Sheehan Distinguished Attorney of the Year.
It is no small honor to be recognized as the SCBA Distinguished Attorney of the Year. The dozens of men and women who have been so recognized over the decades are selected because we believe they represent integral aspects of what it means to be a thoughtful, contributory, ethical, committed attorney. What is stunning about Jen Mouzis is that she seems to represent seemingly all of these attributes in one mighty package. She is a highly re-
spected criminal defense attorney. She ran her own firm for years and credits her team for the successes they experienced. She volunteers for a number of programs and ser vices to benefit and improve the law. She actively leads nonprofits dedicated to helping lift people out of poverty, and addressing inequi ties experienced by marginalized populations. She mentors. She do nates. She offers. She participates. Jen Mouzis is present, engaged, and, significantly, she is grateful. It is this gratitude for the life she has forged that inspires her to do and be in as many places serving as many people as possible.
Most everyone who knows Jen –including past and present clients, bar association colleagues, and for mer employees – understands that she is guided by what seems to be an unmistakably powerful moral compass. While she leads with em pathy, and though she is motivated by optimism and the power of the
Andi is the 2023 SCBA past president, and Policy Lead for Los Angeles County Legislative Affairs & Intergovernmental Relations. She can be reached at liebenbaum@gmail.com.
Amreet is the Director of the Contra Costa County Public Law Library.
human spirit, she is grounded in a strong sense of what is just, and she is comfortable with who she is. “I’ve done things in a way that are uniquely me.” When she said there is likely no other criminal defense attorney in town who would have handled cases the way she did, she is not bragging. Rather, she is expressing the belief that she doesn’t appear to believe that people are ever lost causes.
“I connect with my clients. I show them how the system can be fair –even for them, even if they go to jail or prison.” And that, she says, for her clients, is a big surprise.
Jen says encouraging her clients to believe that justice exists often begins with an acknowledgment that the criminal justice system can be unfair. She says this acknowledgement is key to building trust, and trust from her clients allows her to provide the best possible representation. It is no surprise, then, that she cites Gideon v. Wainwright as the legal case that most positively benefited the legal profession. “Without it,” she said one recent October evening, “we would not be free. You cannot rely on an honor system to protect people’s rights.”
She talks about and treats her cli-
ents with great respect, even those accused of hideous charges. “Each of my clients is someone’s child, maybe someone’s mom, or dad, or brother or sister,” she explained. “They aren’t just ‘the defendant,’ a term which dehumanizes them. They are Mr. or Ms. So-and-So.”
To Jen, it is critical that those who judge her clients do so only after recognizing them as a person, not a label. Even courts and opposing counsel, she says, typically respect what Jen brings to the cases she tries as well as to the lives of the individuals she represents.
Jen’s beliefs in redemption and growth are core to who she is as a criminal defense attorney. She relishes the opportunities where she has been able to tell a client, “You’re a good person,” or “I think you are capable of more than this.” Inevitably, her clients brighten hearing these affirmations and it is altogether clear to her that her clients have not been told such things before.
Likewise, she implores the court to always understand that people can, and do, change. Reflecting on
the children she has represented in resentencing hearings and imagining their progress after a decade or more behind bars, she says it’s impossible to imagine that they wouldn’t be different. “To presume that a 42-year-old man is the same as when he was 14 is ridiculous.”
But there are constant fears and concerns about people who work in criminal defense, and she has heard all the tropes. Most often, the question is “How can you represent someone you know is guilty of something awful?” Jen says without hesitation, “I am here to ensure their rights are respected and protected. I cannot imagine anything more meaningful than giving justice to those most in need,” she says.
In the Beginning
Although she was born in Los Angeles, her family relocated to Sacramento when Jen was very young. She attended Del Campo High School, which she described as a slog – high school didn’t inspire her. While she was the editor of the school newspaper and played soccer, she almost didn’t
Jennifer Mouzis receiving her degree from UC Davis, marking the beginning of her path in the legal profession.
Jennifer Mouzis graduating from McGeorge School of Law, celebrating the moment while holding her daughter, Maya.
Jennifer (top right) with brother Bill (top left) and sister Coco (Bottom center).
graduate – not from poor grades, but because she skipped classes due to sheer boredom. Jen knew she would need to self-fund college, so she enrolled in American River College (ARC), which changed her outlook on school. At ARC Jen began to thrive; college courses nurtured her intellectual curiosity and thoughtful approach to study. “For the first time, I was listened to instead of talked to. My opinions now mattered.” She was delighted to realize she loved to learn, which enabled her to transfer to UC Davis to finish undergrad, and then to McGeorge School of Law.
Jen didn’t come from a family of means, so she was always required to work in college and law school, often working two jobs at a time. While she was at Davis, she worked as a Community Services Officer (CSO) with the City of Davis Police Department. At McGeorge, she kept this up, driving across the causeway three evenings a week. After her first year at McGeorge, she undertook an unpaid (but extremely valuable) clerkship for the Honorable Jeffrey L. Gunther (Ret.). There, she attended court, researched and
wrote throughout the day, and continued to work the swing shift between three and four nights a week as a CSO at the Davis Police Department. It left her little time for sleep but did lead to an incredible experience whose lessons continue to impact her today.
Given these demands on her time, studying came late at night or early in the morning. Then, in her final year at McGeorge, and adding to her already complicated time management challenges, Jen’s daughter was born. Given the school’s policy at the time, she was significantly limited in the amount of “time off” she could take without losing her class credits or having to start over. As a child whose family lived in poverty, she could not accept losing her credits or paying again for credits she had already earned, so she took off one whole week to bond with her baby and then found a way to successfully be a mom, a student, and an employee all at once. For her, failure wasn’t an option; it has never been. In fact, she believes her intense workload and increased personal responsibilities helped her hyperfocus on finish-
ing law school, which she did with Great Distinction and Order of the Coif, in 1998.
Early Law Practice
Jen began lawyering in the Sacramento District Attorney’s office as a prosecutor. At first, she loved it, but by her own admission, she was a talk first, listen later sort of lawyer. She said she wishes she had listened more (which is often her advice to new attorneys). This includes, she says, listening to herself. There were times early in her career when direction from superiors and colleagues felt wrong, but she lacked the courage and voice to say so. There was one specific time when an aggressive colleague was prosecuting a case where Jen felt there was very little evidence of guilt. In that instance, she felt the prosecutor went beyond their ethical responsibilities in bringing and arguing that case. It is a case that she says will never stop bothering her, because she didn’t speak up. Now, she listens. And, if she must, she is comfortable pushing back. “If this is something you want done,” she is not afraid to say, “you can do it yourself. I am not going to make that argument.”
It would be nine years later that Jen would make the switch from the Sacramento District Attorney’s office to criminal defense. This shift was borne of the need to do more in the name of justice. Of course, public safety is critical, but criminal defense is nuanced; it requires recognizing the humanity of both the harmed and the accused. Given her attraction to a very difficult area of law, it is unsurprising that Jen’s favorite book is The Grapes of Wrath, which she’s read three times. The characters, their struggles, their failings, and their victories require nuanced understanding and compassion, just like her work.
Jennifer Mouzis participating in a rare, all-women trial — the judge, all three attorneys, the bailiff, the clerk, and the court reporter — captured in a courtroom sketch by Vicki Behringer.
It is this same recognition of human dignity that Jen brings to her civic engagement. As a mentor since 2001 for Mclatchy High School’s Law and Public Policy Academy, she emphasizes to students that, apart from the substance of what they’ve learned, the students should be proud of themselves for showing up and being the best advocates they can be. For her, it’s always less about notching wins and more about creating impact. Jen emphasizes that her students (and her colleagues) must always, within the confines of the law, ethics, facts, and time, show up, try their best, and work hard, no matter the outcome. She enjoys working with students because she always finishes the experience immensely proud of them.
Jen makes herself available to just about everyone who reaches out to her, despite a ridiculously busy trial schedule. “There is never a time that people reach out to me that I won’t make myself available to them. For example, if a high school student wants to ask me if they should go to college, I will respond as quickly as possible, because the window of opportunity to help that young person is sometimes very small.”
But wait, with Jen there’s always more. Despite how busy she is, she maximizes her small windows of available time to help even more people. For example, in her role as chair of the Upper Room Dining Hall in Placerville, Jen thrives in an environment of charity and service. Through her board leadership at Upper Room, she has helped expand their food service program to include purchasing a food truck to serve the elderly and food insecure in a geographically diverse county, serve thousands of meals to people displaced as a result of the Caldor
Fire, provide wound care, pet care, free laundry, navigation services, showers, clothes, recovery groups, creative writing classes, and (wouldn’t you know it) legal aid. This organization, that has served tens of thousands of meals to families, veterans, the elderly, low-income folks, and those experiencing homelessness, has operated 365 days a year for over 23 years. It’s no surprise that Upper Room inspired Jen’s participation – she models the nonprofit’s mission with her very being. Motivated by love and
grace, Upper Room provides meals and services to members of our community living under the strain of poverty, treating all guests with dignity and compassion.
Jennifer Mouzis is unapologetic about using her skills and voice as broadly as possible. She recalled a time when an individual facing immediate eviction came to her in desperation. Jen reached out to the landlord and was able to secure an additional three days to help that person with a little more stability. It may not seem like much to many people, but for the person facing eviction, three days was invaluable.
She also recalls a time when an unhoused man with an expired housing voucher, who had lived for seven years on the heating grate
outside the Sacramento County Main Jail, caught her attention. Jen chatted with him daily when she was going to and from court and found that he needed help using his voucher to make housing a reality. Jen’s office banded together and helped him secure housing, and he remains housed to this day. With that success, she used the same energy to house a veteran who lived behind her office and another suffering with serious mental illness.
Jen describes herself – her work ethic, her empathy, her compassion – as being the adult for others that she needed when she was younger. And while she recognizes that her career has blessed her with great opportunities and some material success, her own definition of success is more heartfelt. “To me, success is my ability to help people. I am seeking to make the biggest impact on and for others before I go.”
The Highest Honor of My Career Jen has been an active director on the Board of the Sacramento County Bar Association since 2000 as a Section Leader and actively serves on committees each year. Jen has also served as the Chair of the SCBA Criminal Law Section since 2012. She said her involvement in the bar association feeds her spirit. “I love the law so much. I love being around people who practice. It gives me a sense of community and ways to be social I wouldn’t otherwise have.”
It speaks to her leadership style: “If I can be there and be present; I will do it.” Jen said that her “local hero” is former California Chief Justice Tani Cantil Sakauye, who she appeared in front of for a year when Jen was a young Deputy District Attorney and [then] Judge Cantil-Sakauye presided over the home court in Department 62. She said of Justice Sakauye, “she was always wise and kind to both sides in the courtroom, and brave when
Jennifer Mouzis being sworn in as a Deputy District Attorney by Jan Scully on December 1, 1998.
delivering a ruling.”
Jen also says the work and legacy of former Associate United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg is a source of strength and inspiration. “Her opinions were fearless and her ability and desire to dissent remains impactful to the legal community to this day. There may be those who believe that dissent isn’t necessary. It is.”
The only time Jen isn’t working or helping or responding or volunteering during what seems like 24 hours a day (she insists that she gets real rest from about 10:00 PM to 4:30 AM most days), she is traveling. She says she loves to travel out of the country, to have experiences and adventures, learning about other cultures, and removing herself from her environment so she can return refreshed, renewed,
and ready to fight again. “I continue fighting until there is no fight left,” she says. “I give each client my most, not my least.”
When Jen was told that she had been selected as the 2025 SCBA Nancy Sheehan Distinguished Attorney of the Year, she was speechless, but only for a moment. And then she shared these words: “This is the highest honor of my career, not just because of the prestige of the award or the remarkable attorneys who have received it before me, but because of what it represents to me… I do not receive this honor alone; rather, I share it with every person who lifted me up, held me together, inspired my fearlessness, cheered me on, and those who doubted my drive and capabilities – all of whom lit the fire in my soul that drives me daily.” Jen-
nifer Mouzis is, in fact, the distinguished attorney of the year.
Jennifer Mouzis holding the original Polaroid from her 1998 swearing-in ceremony, photographed exactly 25 years later on December 1, 2023.
Accomplishments
University of California, Davis (19921994), Major in Political Science, Minor in History
University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (1998, with Great Distinction and Order of the Coif)
City of Davis Police Department (1994-1996)
Sacramento District Attorney’s Office (1996-2007 serving as an intern, Legal Research Assistant and Deputy District Attorney)
Founder, Principal Attorney, Mouzis Criminal Defense, APC (formerly “Law Office of Jennifer Mouzis” 2007- present
When There Are Nine (Founder, Chairwoman) (2021- Present)
Sacramento Public Defender’s Office (2025 - Present)
Sacramento County Bar Association (Member 2007-Present (Lifetime Member), BOD as Section Leader 2000-Present (newly appointed Member-atLarge for two year term), Chair Criminal Law Section 2009-Present), Chair MCLE Committee (2025), Member
Student Outreach Committee (2025), Member Nathaniel Colley Celebration Committee (2023-2024), Member SCBA Trial Advocacy Conference, Member of Judiciary Committee (2022-2023), Executive Committee member Indigent Defense Panel (2007-2013), International Day of the Woman Committee, Planning Committee (2024), 2012 SCBA Criminal Law Section Attorney of the Year (2012).
MCLE Presentations
Panelist, Cyber Shadows: Unveiling Domestic Violence, Harassment and Intimidation Through Social Media and Under the DVPA, 2025 AFCC California Chapter Annual Conference, February 8, 2025
Panelist, Women Making History, Sacramento County Public Law Library, with the Honorable Jaya Badiga, Lexi Howard, and Amina Merritt, March 2024
Panelist, The Consequences of Criminal Convictions in Occupational and Professional Licenses Cases, Sacramento County Public Law Library, with the Honorable Sean Gavin, June 2024
Panelist, SCBA International Women’s Day, “Empowering Women Lawyers in Leadership”, Moderated by Honorable Shami Messiwala, co-panelists Saliesha Ellis, Noemi Nunez Esparza, Maria Conchita Gonzalez, March 2024
Presenter, Sacramento Legal Secretaries Association, Navigating Criminal Court Procures, A Comprehensive Review”, November 16, 2023
Moderator, SCBA Criminal Law Section with Presiding Judge Bowman and Judge Gweon, 2022
Presenter, Testifying Ethically in Criminal Cases, Sacramento Police Department North Patrol Team, 2014
Presenter, Litigating Brady, A Case Study, 2013
Publications
[Co-Writer to Amreen Sandhu] Nathaniel Colley’s Legacy Bringing the Civil Rights Movement’s Legal Arm to Sacramento, Sacramento Lawyer Magazine, March 2024
Annual Meeting 2025 &
Holiday Celebrationn
Thank You to Our Sponsors | Sponstor list as of 12/2/2025
om Girardi is the gift that keeps giving as far as the State Bar, and its licensees, are concerned.
Girardi is the once-fabled Los Angeles lawyer who was disbarred in 2022 and subsequently convicted of misappropriating and embezzling more than $200 million from his firm’s clients through various fraudulent actions, including a Ponzi-like scheme where money was stolen from one client’s trust account and replaced with money deposited in the client trust account of a different client.
Making the situation worse, Girardi was able to do this in large part because of the failure of the State Bar to act on more than 200 client complaints over four decades. In fact, it wasn’t until Girardi was accused in Illinois of stealing more
Larry Doyle, veteran of decades of experience with the California Legislature, including 18 years as Chief Legislative Counsel for the California State Bar, former member of the State Bar’s Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct, and currently a staffer for the SCBA. He can be reached at larry.doyle@sacbar.org.
than $2 million in settlement funds meant for the families of victims in the 2018 Boeing 737 MAX Lion Air Flight 610 crash in Indonesia that the State Bar of California was inspired to take action.
Since that time, the State Bar, in conjunction with the Supreme Court and the Legislature, has not only moved against Girardi, but it has launched a major effort to make up for the system failings that allowed Girardi to use the client trust account system to defraud so many of his clients. The resulting CTAPP program, which stands for Client Trust Account Protection Program, is being rolled out in stages – the most recent of which place a heavy burden on regular law-abiding attorneys.
There are several parts to the CTAPP, most of which took effect January 1, 2023.
• California Rule of Professional Conduct 1.15 - sets forth an attorney’s duties regarding safekeeping of funds and property of clients and other persons. For most attorneys, this Rule will be most relevant regarding management of an Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) account. Under the newly amended RPC 1.15(d), California attorneys must now ensure:
o Timely Notification: when an attorney receives funds or property belonging to a client
or third person (“claimant”), the attorney must inform the claimant of that fact within 14 days.
o Prompt Disbursement: when an attorney receives funds or property belonging to a claimant, the attorney must disburse the undisputed portion of the funds or property to the claimant within 45 days.
• California Rule of Court 9.8.5 – requires the State Bar to establish and administer a Client Trust Account Protection Program for the protection of client funds held in trust by a licensee who facilitates the State Bar’s detection and deterrence of client trust accounting misconduct.
• State Bar Rule 2.6 - outlines compliance review and investigative audit procedure. If selected under Rule 2.6, a licensee must comply with the State Bar and complete a trust account compliance review investigative audit. Requirements include:
o Register IOLTA and non-IOLTA accounts annually with the State Bar, either individually or through their law firm or organization;
o Complete an annual self-assessment of client trust account management practices (questions previewed here); and
o Certify with the State Bar understanding and compliance
jamsadr.com/sacramento
Hon. Cecily Bond (Ret.)
Hon. David I. Brown (Ret.)
Hon. Kevin R. Culhane (Ret.)
Hon. Ben Davidian (Ret.)
Gary S. Davis, Esq.
Marc Alan Fong, Esq.
Hon. Robert Hight (Ret.)
Hon. Fred K. Morrison (Ret.)
Donald R. Person, Esq.
with requirements and prohibitions applicable to the safekeeping of funds and property of clients and other persons in rule 1.15 of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
The State Bar began the mandatory Client Trust Account Protection Program (CTAPP) compliance review process in late September. During the first month, the State Bar randomly selected and notified 100 attorneys representing a cross-section of the attorney population to complete a CTAPP compliance review for reporting year 2024.
Most compliance reviews are estimated to cost between $5,000 and $10,000, with actual costs affected by factors such as recordkeeping quality and responsiveness. The State Bar selected and trained the participating CPA firms. Additionally, the State Bar has created financial exemptions for those with annual gross incomes of $150,000 or less.
The audits are not limited to reviewing only the accuracy of the bank statements relating to the accounts. Instead, these audits or compliance reviews will demand on a short turnaround that attorneys provide evidence in the form of client communications to show that they notified clients and third parties of receipt of funds within 14 days and distributed undisputed funds within 45 days as required by Rule of Professional Conduct 1.15(d).
Attorneys can fulfill their reporting requirements through My State Bar Profile; law firms and organizations will be able to provide account information for attorneys through agency billing. To register an IOLTA and/or non-IOLTA account you will need to report the year-end balance on December 31 of the reporting period. You should use the bank balance on that date (i.e., the balance including only cleared transactions).
Concern has been raised that the CTAPP compliance rules will disproportionally affect small firms and solo practitioners. The California Lawyers Association Solo and Small Firm Section highly recommends that “solo practitioners seek resources to help ensure they have a solid understanding of their CTAPP obligations, including keeping up with reporting deadlines and changes in requirements.”
Both the Solo and Small Firm
Summit as well as the State Bar are offering courses to provide guidance for attorneys when navigating CTAPP requirements. The Solo and Small Firm Summit offers a course on Client Trust Accounting for 1.25 hours of MCLE credit. The State Bar currently offers a training course on Practical Trust Account Reconciliation for 1 hour general and 1 hour ethics MCLE credit. More information on these resources can be found on the State Bar of California’s website.
On October 8, 2025, the Sacramento County Bar Association (SCBA) and the Sacramento County Bar Foundation (SCBF) came together for the second year in a row to host their Community & Justice Scholarships Reception at 58 Degrees & Holding Co. The event celebrated law students who exemplify a deep commitment to public service and advancing access to justice.
Connor is a past president of the SCBA and an attorney with NorCal Advcoates where he represents employees and consumers in litigation. He can be reached at connor@norcaladvocates.com.
and aspirations in law.
SCBF awarded its Access to Justice Scholarship to Harmanpreet Gakhal and Julia Brown, both law students pursuing careers in public interest law.
Guests enjoyed an evening of mingling with delicious food and warm hospitality generously provided by Ognian Gavrilov. One of the highlights of the night was hearing directly from the scholarship recipients, who shared heartfelt reflections on their journeys
The SCBA presented the Justice Arthur G. Scotland Commitment to Community Scholarship to four outstanding law students: Mikayla Halferty, Cruzangel Nava, Kimberly Moreno, and Jamir Graham. Each recipient was recognized for their dedication to community advocacy, environmental justice, housing rights, criminal defense, and public service.
Guests also heard inspiring remarks from Justice Arthur G. Scotland (Ret.) who reflected on his own career and path, encouraging the recipients to carry forward the values of service, integrity, and justice in their legal journeys.
The evening served as a powerful reminder of the strength and generosity of Sacramento’s legal community. By investing in our future legal leaders and celebrating their commitment to justice, SCBA and SCBF continue to build a legacy of service that will shape the region for years to come.
Attendes.
SCBA Executive Director, Tom Roberts, with others.
Justice Arthur G. Scotland (Ret.) with scholarship recipients.
Asian/Pacific Bar Association of Sacramento Celebrates “Game Changers” At Annual Gala
By Kishwer Vikaas & Andrea Matsuoka
Photos By Melissa's Photography
Emmanuel Salazar (ABAS President-Elect) with Kishwer Vikaas (ABAS President).
n September 17, the Asian/Pacific Bar Association of Sacramento (ABAS) celebrated law students, community service awardees and API judicial appointees with a sold-out gala at the Library Galleria with over 200 attendees.
ABAS honored three law students with its annual scholarships: Angelica Perez (McGeorge School of Law), Michelle Schultz (Lincoln Law School), Victoria Tam (UC Davis School of Law). ABAS also recognized two community service award recipients: Grace Shin Yoon, Family Law Attorney at My Sister’s House and Steven T. Tsuyuki, Career and Technical Education Teacher and Coordinator of the Law and Justice Academy at Luther Burbank High School.
ABAS received a beautiful plaque from Sacramento City Unified School Board President Jas-
Kishwer Vikaas is the 2025 President of ABAS and has served on its board since 2021. She is an Assistant Public Defender and a certified specialist in immigration and nationality law, and she can be reached at k.vikaas.esq@gmail.com.
ABAS Board Member Andrea Matsuoka presents a scholarship to McGeorge student Angelica Perez.
jit Singh on behalf of the School District, as a thank you for facilitating eight back-to-back “Know Your Rights” presentations at local schools with the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office in 2025. Judicial Appointments Secretary Luis Céspedes kicked off the 2025 ABAS judicial appointee awards with inspiring remarks, culminating in his signature “Si, se puede.” This year’s ABAS API judicial appointee awardees included: Hon. Jaya Badiga, Sacramento Superior Court, Hon. Melissa Begley, Placer Superior Court, Hon. Dena M. Coggins, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of CA, Commissioner Christine Suk Hi Dehr, Placer Superior Court, Hon. Renuka George, Sacramento Superior Court, Hon. Fritzgerald A. Javellana, Sutter Superior Court, Hon. Chi Soo Kim, U.S. District Court,
Andrea Matsuoka is the Secretary of ABAS and has served on its board since 2023. She is a Shareholder at Weinberg, Roger & Rosenfeld, a labor movement law firm, and she can be reached at amatsuoka@ unioncounsel.net.
Jasjit Singh, Sacramento City Unified School Board President.
Eastern District of California, Hon. Gurjit Singh Srai, San Joaquin Superior Court and Commissioner Rosie Takhar-Dhillon, Sonoma Superior Court.
Keynote Speaker Judge Pahoua C. Lor of Fresno Superior Court spoke of her beginnings as the first female Hmong judge, bringing law students in the crowd to tears. And, finally, ABAS co-founder Jerry Chong and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law Donna Shestowsky presented ABAS co-founder Toso Himel with two beautiful awards commemorating his legacy. The awards were accepted by his son, Asian Law Caucus attorney Carl Takei Another beautiful and historic ABAS gala! Thank you to all who attended and supported.
L-R: Betty Williams, California Lawyers Association President, Fatema Nushin, Justice Shama Mesiwala, Jerilyn Paik, Judge Danette “Dee” Brown, Chris Nguyen, California Lawyers Association CEO.
L-R: Jerilyn Paik, Kaitlin Toyama, Chief United States District Judge Troy L. Nunley, Fatema Nushin, Justice Shama Mesiwala.
Judge Martin Tejeda, Kaitlin Toyama, Chief United States District Judge Troy L. Nunley, District Attorney Thienvu Ho.
ABAS 2025 Board Members L-R: Rabi David, Jim Stanley, Fay Saechao, Kishwer Vikaas, Emmanuel Salazar, John Tan and Andrew Mahinay. Not Pictured: My Tien Doan, Andrea Matsuoka, and Jennie Woo.
Steven T. Tsuyuki, Teacher of the Law and Justice Academy at Luther Burbank High School with Pat Tsen, Advisory Board Chair of the Law and Justice Academy.
ince 1918, the Sacramento County Bar Association (SCBA) has stood on a simple belief: our members are the heart of this community. Your work, your families, your firms, and the people you serve all matter deeply to us. That’s why we’re committed to offering resources that genuinely support your well-being, professionally and personally, so you can continue doing the work that strengthens our legal community.
20 Years of Protection: Our Ongoing Commitment to You
For more than 20 years, we’ve partnered with Hutchison Financial Group (HFG) to provide SCBA members with access to insurance benefits designed specifically with
you in mind. This long-standing relationship exists because we want you to have coverage you can trust. As an SCBA member, you can access:
• Medical plans: Kaiser, Western Health Advantage, Health Net
• Dental: DentAssure
• Vision: EyeMed
• Life & Disability: Colonial Life
• Commercial coverage, including Lawyers E&O
HFG has supported our members by making complicated insurance decisions clearer and more manageable. Working directly with firms of all sizes, helping navigate rising healthcare costs, understanding options, and choosing plans that truly fit members’ goals and budgets.
Founded in 1983, HFG is a second-generation agency guided by a principle we share: people deserve to know how much you care before they care how much you know. Their commitment to honesty, service, and personal attention mirrors the values we hold as an association – and the values we see in our members every day.
For more information, contact Theresa Lopez at theresa@sacbar. org or to explore benefit options, contact Lindsey HutchisonGilfillan at lindsey@hfgins.com or Jesslyn Sanders at jesslyn@hfgins.com.
Interested in Court-Appointed Appeals? Join CCAP’s Panel!
• Expand your practice with support from Central California Appellate Program (CCAP). We offer case assignments in criminal, juvenile, dependency & mental health appeals in the 3rd & 5th Districts.
• Get free training, guidance, and prompt compensation processing.
• Take as many or as few cases as you like.
• Sign up to receive summaries of recently published cases.
Learn more & apply at www.capcentral.org
2026 MEMBERSHIP APPLIC ATION
SCBA Membership and Section dues are not deductible as charitable
for
However, such dues may be deductible as a business expense. Consult your tax advisor
RENEWAL
Please consider a donation to the following:
$50.00 Sacramento County Bar Foundation $________________ (or other amount)
$50.00 Capitol Pro Bono $________________ (or other amount)
$50.00 Sacramento Law Library $________________ (or other amount)
SCBA DUES | Select one. Attorney member type is based on the admission date/year listed with the State Bar of CA. All dues are on a calendar-year basis from 01/01/26 to 12/31/26.
$50.00 1st year of admission to the State Bar of California
$125.00 2nd to 5th year - Practicing for 2 to 5 years
$225.00 6th to 9th year - Practicing for 6 to 9 years
$250.00 10+ years - Practicing for 10+ years
Check here for a 25% discount if you receive the low-income fee waiver when you pay your State Bar dues.
$450.00 All-Inclusive Membership
• Membership in two sections
• Attendance to all events of chosen sections*
• Attendance to the SCBA Bench Bar Reception, the SCBA Annual Meeting, and other specially designated programs
*Does not include boot camps, retreats, or any other special event sponsored by the section
$175.00 Associate Non-lawyer
$90.00 Retired Status & Inactive Status Requires attorney to be listed as inactive or retired on calbar.ca.gov
$70.00 Family Law Support CCRCs and other Family Law Professionals (enrollment into the Family Law Section)
$45.00 Legal Support Membership For Paralegals, Legal Secretaries and Legal Document Assistants
FREE Student Membership Currently Enrolled Law Student Where are you enrolled? _______________________
FREE Honorary Membership Justices, Judges, and Subordinate Judicial Officers currently serving on the bench
SECTIONS & DIVISIONS
$25.00 Administrative Law
$25.00 Alternative Dispute Resolution
$25.00 Appellate Law
$25.00 Bankruptcy and Commercial Law
$25.00 Business Law
$25.00 Cannabis Law
$25.00 Civil Litigation
$25.00 Construction Law
$25.00 Criminal Law
$25.00 Environmental Law
$25.00 Family Law
$25.00 Health Care
$25.00 Immigration Law
$25.00 Intellectual Property
$25.00 Labor and Employment Law
$25.00 Probate and Estate Planning
$25.00 Public Law
$25.00 Real Property
$25.00 Tax Law
$25.00 Workers’ Compensation
FREE Barristers’ Division
Open to any SCBA member who is under the age of 35 and/or who has been in practice fewer than five years.
FREE Solo/Small Practice Division
Open to any SCBA member who is part of a law firm with four or fewer attorneys.
Please contact me about:
The SCBA Delegation to the Conference of California Bar Associations. The SCBA Mandatory Fee Arbitration Program.
