New year. New activities. New voices. One resolution.
Many events are planned this year that offer ways for you to give back to the community
January is the time when we all make lofty resolutions. Lose those extra pounds. Balance work and personal life. Win that big case.
Orange County and Los Angeles Trial Lawyers’ Charities have just one resolution every year – we will make a difference in our communities. As we begin 2024, we have already planned opportunities for you to help us keep it.
For OCTLC, we have already planned an ocean cleanup, Habitat for Humanity build, Beyond Blindness Helping Teachers Day, Second Harvest Food Bank food-sorting, Colette’s Children’s Home hygiene kit help, Lynn House welcome bags for new residents, Disney Children’s Hospital of Orange County Walk in the Park, and so much more.
LATLC’s monthly volunteer projects begin in a few weeks with food distribution at MEND (Meet Each Need with Dignity) and end in December with the fantastic “Comfort & Joy” holiday giving event. (If you were not able to participate last month, check our website for photos and videos of that incredible day.) In between, LATLC volunteers will host such popular annual activities like Valentine’s Day bingo party with seniors at the LA LGBT Center, Mother’s Day with Bresee Youth Foundation, KidSave projects to help foster teens find “forever homes,” and our Women’s Empowerment Day with Clare|Matrix.
OCTLC and LATLC have already started planning this spring’s joint Great Tryke Giveaway where we both present adaptive tricycles to local children with disabilities. Not only will there be the incredible parade and fun activities with the families, but we will assemble 1,000 toiletry kits for organizations in our two communities.
You can support these activities by becoming honorary board members of our organizations, sponsoring our fundraisers, or making automatic monthly donations as part of LATLC’s new Jewel Circle Program.
OCTLC’s fundraisers include the Bob Simon Roast on April 20 at the Westin South Coast Plaza, and the Annual Luau set for September 14 at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach.
LATLC will start the year with our 3-on-3 basketball tournament (February 25) to raise the funds for the Great Tryke Giveaway. In April, LATLC hosts our fabulous casino night in Hollywood, and our golf tournament is set for September 23.
We are most excited about the new “voices” at both of our organizations.
Chandra Spencer joins the LATLC Executive Committee as secretary, with the addition of four new board members: Angela Belty, Christina Coleman, Christian Contreras, and Harry Nalbandyan.
Atticus Wegman and Darren Campbell join the OCTLC leadership as new officers.
But the “voices” we really want to hear are from you. Volunteer with us. Support us. Learn more about us at LATLC.org and OCTLC.org.
This is one 2024 resolution that is very easy to keep – making a difference in our community.
Michelle M. West
Michelle Marie West is a partner with the law firm of Robinson Calcagnie in Newport Beach, California where she has practiced for 18 years. Her law practice is devoted to obtaining recovery for individuals who are catastrophically injured due to defective products, including vehicles, tires, skylights, machinery, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. She also handles dangerous-condition cases, trucking cases, premises liability matters, sexual assault, and bullying cases on behalf of injured victims and survivors. Ms. West has been nominated as a Top 100 Southern California Superlawyer multiple times, Top 50 Orange County Superlawyer, and Top 50 Women Southern California Superlawyer, as well as being recognized by Best Lawyers. She is on the Board of the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Charities, Past President of the Western Trial Lawyers Association and currently serves as President of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Charities.
In her free time‚ Ms. West enjoys weightlifting, traveling, marathons (completing over 100) as well as participating in ultra-distance running events, cycling events, and triathlons, and has completed over 10 full Ironman® triathlons. She competes in the Badwater Ultramarathon running event to raise money for charity and has finished the event five times.
Bradley S. Wallace
The founder of The Wallace Firm, PC and a highly accomplished trial lawyer, Bradley S. Wallace has tried jury trials throughout California and his results speak for themselves. In 2017, Bradley Wallace was inducted as one of the youngest members of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). Born and raised in Los Angeles, Bradley Wallace currently serves on the 2024 Board of Directors for Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC). Mr. Wallace was recently selected as a “2024 Southern California Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers Magazine for the fifth consecutive year, after seven (7) consecutive selections as a “Southern California Rising Star” dating back to 2013. Bradley Wallace currently serves as President of the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers’ Charities, a non-profit founded and run by Plaintiff Trial Attorneys committed to giving back to the greater Los Angeles community.
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