2008 Awards Benefit 17 Future Public Interest Lawyers

San Francisco — May 13, 2008 — The California Bar Foundation today announced multi-year gifts from Reed Smith LLP and Sidley Austin LLP in support of the Foundation's Rosenthal Bar Exam Scholarship Program. Scholarship awards to outstanding graduating California law school students who intend to pursue public interest law careers have been named after the two participating firms.

The Rosenthal Bar Exam Scholarship is one of the few scholarship programs in the country specifically aimed at providing Bar exam-related support for aspiring public interest lawyers, who often graduate from law school with upwards of $100,000 in student loans. Because they lack the financial support of a private law firm employer, the exam fee, the cost of a bar review course, and living expenses while studying for the exam can add thousands of dollars to their debt burden.

"Our firm is thrilled to support the California Bar Foundation's Scholarship Program and outstanding law school graduates, who are committed to giving back to their communities," said Theodore T. Ting, a partner at Reed Smith and a member of the Foundation's Board of Directors. "This sort of investment in the justice system will benefit the public for years to come."

"Just as we do by providing pro bono legal services, our firm shows its commitment to the community by supporting the Foundation's efforts to champion full and equal access to the justice system," said Theodore N. Miller, Vice Chair of Sidley's Management Committee. "The Foundation's Scholarship Program provides much needed financial support and recognition to recent law school graduates dedicated to critically important public service work, who will help ensure that all Californians, regardless of their ability to pay, have access to justice."

This year, the Foundation is distributing Bar Exam Scholarships to 17 students from nine California law schools. Nominated by their law schools, the recipients demonstrate a commitment to public service, academic excellence, and financial need. With the support of Reed Smith and Sidley, which have together committed a total of $30,000 to the program over three years, the Foundation is awarding the recipients $1,000 scholarships to assist with the costs of taking the California Bar Exam. The top five recipients also receive California BAR/BRI Law Review Bar Exam review courses valued at more than $3,000 each.

Since 1997, the Foundation has awarded more than $70,000 in cash awards and bar review courses to more than 200 graduates of 21 California law schools. A recent survey conducted by the Foundation indicated that more than two-thirds of tracked scholarship alumni continue to practice public interest law, often for legal aid agencies, public interest law firms, public defender and district attorney offices, and other nonprofit and government agencies.

"The Foundation is committed to supporting the next generation of public interest lawyers as they take this final step in becoming members of the California Bar," said Scott Wylie, the Foundation's president. "These students — who have advocated for low-wage workers, worked on international human rights projects, interned at public defender offices, and volunteered at a variety of legal aid organizations — are amazing and inspiring. We are grateful to have Reed Smith and Sidley as partners as we applaud these Scholarship winners' accomplishments and support their decision to pursue public interest careers."

The Foundation launched the Rosenthal Bar Exam Scholarship in 1997 in memory of Imelda Rosenthal, a Guatemalan immigrant, small businesswoman, and tireless community volunteer. Foundation Past President Herb Rosenthal and his wife, Margarita, continue to support the program with a generous annual contribution. In addition, for the past three years, BAR/BRI of California has provided the Foundation with discounted bar review courses for the top winners.

The complete list of 2008 Rosenthal Bar Exam Scholarship winners, by law school, is as follows:

Loyola Law School
Joshua Adams
Renee DeLellis
Jessica DeWitt*

New College of California School of Law
Karma M. Quick

Santa Clara University School of Law
Nicole Clemens

Stanford Law School
Brian Bilford
Nancy Caroline Glass*
Alexis Rickher
Michael Roney

University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (Boalt Hall)
Meghan Angela Corman* — Reed Smith Scholar
Angela Hollowell-Fuentes

University of California, Davis, School of Law (King Hall) Nicholas W. Vidargas

University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law
Claudia L. Peña* — Sidley Austin LLP Scholar
Fabian Rentería*

University of San Francisco School of Law
Fernanda Bustamante

University of Southern California Gould School of Law Jean Marie Doherty
Lindsay Toczylowski

* Received California Bar/Bri Law Review Bar Exam review course in addition to $1,000 cash award.

About the California Bar Foundation The California Bar Foundation is committed to building a better justice system for all Californians. We champion full and equal access to the justice system, invest in the next generation of California lawyers, educate Californians about their rights and responsibilities under the law, and promote philanthropy throughout the legal community. A nonprofit founded in 1990 and affiliated with the State Bar of California, the Foundation annually awards grants to California organizations conducting innovative law-related projects and scholarships to outstanding California law students. For more information, please visit our website at www.calbarfoundation.org.

Media Contact
Leslie Hatamiya
Executive Director
(415) 856-0780 ext. 303
lhatamiya@calbarfoundation.org