I am very honored to announce that our own Luis Céspedes has been appointed as the Judicial Appointments Secretary in the Office of the Governor.
 
We are thrilled because Luis has been a fixture in our community and a civil rights leader in the Sacramento region. Luis co-founded Unity Bar, an annual event to promote diversity and unity in Sacramento’s legal community. He also co-founded our bar association. Luis has also been a regular resource to the Sacramento community on key legal issues, including the rights of immigrants. Luis worked with Mayor Steinberg to initiate the FUEL network, a project that provided legal assistance to immigrants and their families who face a risk of separation due to increased immigration enforcement from the current Presidential administration. Luis was named the Distinguished Attorney of the Year by the Sacramento Bar Association in 2018. He also regularly appears on the local news to inform the public on civil rights issues. Luis is a trusted leader on civil rights matters and his reputation amongst his peers and the judiciary is of the highest regard.
 
These are not the most important points, however. Luis’ greatest quality is his integrity. He is selfless and humble. He has been a mentor to many of us and does not ask for anything in return. Luis’ motivation has been to inspire others to better our society and ensure all persons have a fair opportunity to succeed. The number of lives Luis has touched is countless. I have heard clients, lawyers, state and federal judges, and others all express gratitude how Luis has touched their lives and helped them become better as a person and in their profession.
 
Congratulations Luis. We know you will do exceptional work on behalf of the Governor’s office in this position!
 
Below is a link to Governor Newsom’s press release on the appointment:

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/12/10/governor-newsom-announces-appointment-of-luis-cespedes-as-judicial-appointments-secretary/

Para leer las noticias en español:

https://laopinion.com/2020/12/10/gobernador-newsom-designa-a-hispano-como-secretario-de-nombramientos-judiciales/
 
George Acero, CRBA Board Chair

CRBA is seeking applications for our 2020 Unity Bar Scholarship.  To be eligible for the scholarship, at the time of application, students must be currently enrolled and in good standing in any year of law school at: Lincoln Law School, McGeorge School of Law, or UC Davis School of Law. Please see the attached document for additional information and to access the application. The deadline to apply is September 14th at 5:00 p.m. For any questions, please contact Erandi Zamora-Graziano at erandizamora@gmail.com. 

Please distribute widely!