Jun. 17, 2011

The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California on Thursday honored several California attorneys and law firms at its 17th annual Law Luncheon in downtown Los Angeles. The Courageous Advocacy Award went to Jacob Kreilkamp, Sarala Nagala, Laura Smolowe, Marina Torres and Joseph Ybarra of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP for their work challenging a gang injunction in Orange County. The Equal Justice Advocacy Award went to Asel Aliyasova, Theresa Buckley, Antonia Stamenova-Dancheva, Shawn Lichaa, Alexa Lawson-Remer, Damion Robinson and Michael Steinberg of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP for their work on behalf of immigration detainees with mental disabilities. The Religious Liberty Award went to Jonathan Gordon, Cassandra Hooks and Leib Lerner of Alston + Bird LLP, for their work on behalf of a Sikh inmate challenging state prison regulations banning beards longer than half an inch. The Education Advocacy Award went to Saro Balian, Doug Beteta, Jack Londen and Dan Marmalefsky of Morrison & Foerster LLP for their work on behalf of public school students charged with school fees. The Medical Privacy Award went to Jennifer Brockett and Aleah Yung Schutze of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP for their work challenging Cal OSHA’s attempt to obtain private HIV testing results. And the Social Justice Award went Sean Gates, Hailly Korman, Dale Larson, Jack Londen and Miriam Vogel of Morrison & Foerster LLP for their work on behalf of low-income and minority families fighting disproportionate budget cuts and teacher layoffs at their public schools.