CAALA’s Political & Legislative Affairs Committee

We need team members on this important committee as we fight for the civil justice system

2026 April

The Political & Legislative Affairs Committee engages CAALA members in advancing pro-consumer and civil justice advocacy through legislative and community outreach. In close coordination with the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) and the American Association for Justice (AAJ), the Committee identifies, proposes, and supports legislation that protects the rights of consumers and enhances access to justice, while opposing measures that promote tort reform or undermine the civil justice system. Members build and maintain relationships with legislators, local bar associations, and community organizations to strengthen CAALA’s role as a leader in promoting fairness, accountability, and equal access to the courts.

CAALA Legislative Affairs - Grassroots team

The Legislative Affairs Committee exists to bring structure, accountability, and shared purpose to all grassroots activity conducted on behalf of CAALA in conjunction with CAOC and the issues we champion. Modeled on proven organizing frameworks – most notably those used in labor organizing – it creates a coordinated system that strengthens CAALA and CAOC’s reach and impact across the state. The committee enables CAALA to track grassroots engagement more accurately, identify gaps or under‑resourced regions, and deploy organizers strategically and efficiently when action is needed. 

If you are interested in serving as a team member, please reach contact CAALA’s staff liaison for the Political & Legislative Affairs Committee, Kwedi Moore – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Member descriptions and commitments 

Grassroots regional captains 

Regional captains will help to organize, strategize, and support the grassroots activities in their given region. In addition to the above, the baseline commitment for regional captains looks like: 

• Attending most CAALA Grassroots Committee meetings 
• Regular tracking of regional grassroots data and reporting it to the CAALA grassroots manager
• Acting as a mentor and sounding board for grassroots team members
• Flagging any issues to chair and to CAALA grassroots manager
• Strategizing how to best support grassroots growth in region
• Leading by example how grassroots relationships can look, including how an organizer can take “ownership” of their district organizing
• Attending CAOC’s Justice Day

Participation as a Grassroots regional captain is estimated at a high average of 3-4 hours per month. Captains should have pre-existing, well-tended relationships with legislators.

Grassroots team members 

At the core of the grassroots committee are its grassroots team members: people who have committed to forming relationships with legislators and who can advocate to them on behalf of consumers and the civil justice system. Becoming a grassroots team member involves creating sustained relationships with legislators; this is a long-term commitment, which likely will last beyond the term limits of any given legislator, as they often will go on to other political positions. The best, most effective grassroots relationships become genuine connections between people that form into respectful friendships. The baseline commitment for grassroots team members looks like:

An in-person connection with each legislator once per quarter/4x per year 

Attending at least two events that are put on by the legislator or that you have invited the legislator to per year

A trajectory of personal connection, where the quarterly connections could eventually be less formal, such as coffee or a cookout 

Becoming a point-person for legislative issues, including holding more formal, educational meetings Commitment to data hygiene (responding to and reporting activity back to captains)

Participation in regional and/or statewide grassroots meetings

Usually attending CAOC’s Justice Day

Among other things, the gold standard for a grassroots team member’s activity would include actions like bringing new grassroots members into organizing and connecting with regional organizations that can serve as coalition partners. 

Participation as a Grassroots team member is estimated at a high average of two hours per month.