Diversity Inclusion and Outreach Committee

Cara Ching-Senaha is respected thought leader and an experienced employment lawyer at the tech company, Workday.  An excellent business-minded strategist and collaborator, she has a proven record of partnering across teams and functions to drive company-wide, impactful projects and initiatives from concept to completion to enhance employee engagement, and increase compliance, efficiency and scalability. 

Cara is Co-Chair of the California Lawyers Association Diversity Inclusion and Outreach (DIOr) Committee, which promotes and supports CLA’s deep commitment to diversifying the legal profession and bench to mirror the unique and broad diversity in the State of California and to help ensure access can be achieved by all.  The Committee provides policy recommendations and develops and conducts outreach initiatives to enhance equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of the legal profession, including its membership, leadership, education, and programming.

Cara believes in giving back and contributing to the success of others. She has donated thousands of hours of her own time on a wide range of passion projects, including in a variety of capacities on various boards and committees over the years.

Arezou Bakhtjou is an Iranian-American Attorney and has practiced mainly indigent defense for over a decade. Arezou obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Tehran, Iran and her Law Degree from Orange County, California. She is Fluent in Farsi. Arezou is passionate about justice, gender and racial equality, and human rights, and is a speaker on gender bias in the practice of law and elimination of bias. Some of Arezou’s past and present memberships include: California Attorneys for Criminal Justice Board of Governors and Legislative Committee executive board member, California Lawyer Association Solo and Small Law Firm board member, Alameda County Bar Association Criminal Division (executive board member and Co-Chair), Alameda County Judicial Appointments Evaluation Committee executive board member, Alameda County Lawyer Referral Service and Modest Means Program executive board member.

David McCray is an attorney with the Office of the Solicitor at the U.S. Department of the Interior, based in Sacramento, specializing in environmental law. He brings a wealth of experience in both environmental and transportation law, with a particular focus on advancing transportation initiatives, including the implementation of autonomous and connected vehicle technology.

David served as Assistant Chief Counsel for Caltrans for nine years, and prior to his current role with DOI, he spent many years in private practice, focusing on environmental issues related to project development and litigation.

His distinguished career also includes 21 years of active duty with the U.S. Air Force, where he held key positions such as Chief of the Environmental Litigation and Torts Branch at Headquarters Air Force, and Staff Judge Advocate at Beale AFB, CA. Notably, while serving with the Air Force, he was selected for and completed a two-year special assignment as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney as a litigator with the Environmental Defense Section at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.

David holds a JD from the University of California, Davis, School of Law, an MBA from Golden Gate University, an LL.M. in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from the University of Utah College of Law, and a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Long Beach.

Heather Dadashi is an associate attorney at Bick Law LLP. Prior to joining Bick Law LLP, Heather Dadashi served as an Emmett/Frankel Fellow in Environmental Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law. Heather earned her B.A. in Legal Studies and Psychology from UC Berkeley and her J.D. from UCLA School of Law with a specialization in Environmental Law. During law school, she held legal internships with Los Angeles Waterkeeper, the Natural Resources Law Section of the California Attorney General’s Office, and the California Coastal Commission. She also served as a senior editor for the UCLA Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, a managing editor for the UCLA Journal of International Law and Foreign Policy, and a member of the Moot Court Honors Board.

Jenny S. Yelin is a partner at Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld LLP. She practices complex civil litigation in state and federal courts, with a focus on individual and class action employment law. Ms. Yelin has worked with numerous clients in the public and private sectors to resolve actual or potential civil litigation concerning employment discrimination, wage and hour violations, and other workplace disputes.  She frequently negotiates employment agreements and separation agreements for employees at all levels, including executives. Ms. Yelin also specializes in representing students, faculty members, and staff at higher education institutions in a variety of matters, including Title IX cases, tenure and promotion cases, and disciplinary proceedings.  She also has experience with First Amendment law, complex consumer litigation, public employee pension law, disability access compliance, mandamus actions, and appeals.

Kimberly Leue Bick is the founding and co-managing partner of Bick Law LLP, a women-owned boutique law firm that practices exclusively environmental law. She has practiced environmental law since graduating law school in 1990, including representing businesses in environmental litigation, regulatory compliance, enforcement, and transactions. She has extensive experience helping clients with regulatory issues involving air, water, property, products, and waste. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Kimberly was formally educated as an environmental engineer and worked for several years for McDonnell Douglas Corporation (now Boeing Co.) as one of the company’s primary environmental compliance and Superfund remediation engineers. Kimberly earned her J.D., with distinction from Stanford University, following her M.S. in Civil Engineering and B.S. in Applied Earth Sciences also from Stanford University.

Letitia Moore is a San Francisco attorney with more than 25 years of experience addressing complex environmental, regulatory and land use decisions. Ms. Moore advises local, national and global companies on compliance with federal and California environmental laws and regulations, and on environmental due diligence in business and real estate acquisitions. Ms. Moore’s experience as a senior managing attorney with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Planning Commissioner and Mayor of the City of El Cerrito, gives her a deep understanding of government decision-making, allowing her to offer an insider’s view for her public, private and nonprofit sector clients. Ms. Moore advises on regulatory issues ranging from pesticide, hazardous materials and hazardous waste management to California product and packaging regulations. Ms. Moore is a leader in the California bar and her community, serving on the California Lawyers Association Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, and Environmental Law Section, and on the Boards of the East Bay Leadership Council, the Berkely Law Center for Law, Energy and the Environment, and the Rosie the Riveter Trust, a non-profit partner to the National Park Service.

Mariana Noli is currently serving as one of the members of the DEI committee of the California Lawyers Association (CLA), she is the current DEI liaison of the CLA Intellectual Property Law Section, and one of the founders of the Women’s IP Today non-profit legal organization in California.  She has served as a co-chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion subcommittee of the law firm committee of the International Trademark Association (INTA).  Mariana is a multilingual attorney, born and licensed to practice law in Argentina and California.  First generation immigrant, she relocated to California after accepting a job offer for an IP boutique firm, following her passion for intellectual property and entertainment law.  After practicing at her father’s law firm in Argentina and she moved to southern California to join an international intellectual property boutique firm as a foreign legal counsel in 2003. In 2014, she founded the Noli IP Solutions, PC firm based in north county San Diego. In 2021, she served as President of the Italian American Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (IALA), and is currently the Regional Vice President for the West Coast for the National Italian American Bar Association (NIABA).  As a minority lawyer herself, she has been a passionate advocate for equal opportunities for minority lawyers for over a decade and she believes inclusion is key to any team success.  Written and oral fluency in English and Spanish with the ability to read intermediate Italian. 

Melissa Lelaind is the Vice President of Operations at JAMS. Ms. Lelaind joined JAMS in 2008 as the Business Manager of the Silicon Valley office. She oversees business development, client relations, and operations in the East Bay, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley markets. Prior to JAMS, she worked at a large law firm and the US District Court in the Northern District of California.

Ms. Lelaind is deeply involved in DEI efforts within the organization. She co-leads JAMS DEI advisory group, cochairs JAMS Diversity Outreach Committee, and leads the AAPI employment resource group at JAMS. She is also a member of various affinity bar associations and organizations locally, statewide, and nationally.

She serves on the board of Legal Access of Alameda and the La Raza Lawyers Charitable Foundation. Ms. Lelaind was named Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 2023 Women of Influence.

Michael Iseri is a dedicated attorney, cybersecurity & a.i. specialist, and software engineer with deep-seated expertise in motions, litigation, research, and integrating new technology and system flows. Michael earned his Juris Doctor from the University of California, Irvine School of Law, where he was a Research Editor of the UCI Law Review, a Clinic Researcher for the International Human Rights Clinic, and a Public Interest Fellow.

Michael’s innovative approach combines traditional legal acumen with cutting-edge technological strategies. His involvement with the California Lawyers Association, the State Bar of California, and the American Bar Association’s Litigation Section showcases his legal leadership with numerous presentations and publications on A.I., legal cybersecurity, and diversity initiatives. His most notable roles include Committee of Bar Examiners for the State Bar of California as a California Supreme Court appointee [creating the California Bar Exam]; Privacy Law Group for the State Bar of California [creating the new data privacy license for California attorneys]; DEI Committee for California Lawyers Association; Executive Committee for California Young Lawyers Association; Justice for All (formerly Access to Justice) for American Bar Association; ABA Technology and Information Systems Committee; Young Lawyers Leaders for American Bar Association’s Litigation Section; and ABA Southern California Delegate & FEMA Coordinator.

Outside of legal practice, Michael dedicates his time to programming “Esq. A.I.,” a fully voiced legal A.I. in 65 languages, and a fully voiced map system listing homeless and natural disaster resources throughout California. He also has a personal passion for mentoring other individuals with disabilities, stemming from his experiences with an inability to speak until the third grade and surviving a high school shooting where he was shot in the head.

Sean serves as the managing attorney of Earthjustice’s California Regional Office. Based out of the organization’s Los Angeles office, Sean oversees the California Regional Office’s work fighting for the rights of all to a healthy environment regardless of where in the state they live, to transition California to an equitable zero-emissions future, and to protect the state’s magnificent natural spaces and biodiversity.

Sean came to Earthjustice after two decades on the faculty of UCLA School of Law, where he served most recently as the co-executive director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and co-director of the Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic. At UCLA, he co-directed the Emmett Institute’s research and teaching programs, taught courses in environmental and natural resources law and policy, supervised students and young attorneys in clinical advocacy work, and published academic research. He has been called on as an expert source for print and broadcast media, and a radio, podcast, and conference speaker, on a range of environmental issues.

Sean has been involved in California Lawyers Association leadership since 2003. He is a former Chair and Executive Committee member of the CLA Environmental Law Section and a current Advisor to that section. He is also a former Chair of the CLA-wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and current member of CLA’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Outreach Committee.

After growing up in southern California, Sean attended Yale University and the University of Michigan Law School. Earlier in his career, Sean served as a deputy attorney general with the California Department of Justice, as an attorney in private practice at a small firm, and as a judicial law clerk for Hon. Laughlin E. Waters (Central District of California).

Sharon J. Glancz is an experienced, resourceful and strategic entertainment legal and business affairs executive. She is currently Senior Director, Business and Legal Affairs at NBCUniversal, where in addition to her legal career, she led numerous events for the Women’s Network and co-led the Veterans Network, building an inclusive culture for its global workforce.

Glancz credits her upbringing with the belief that giving back is essential and communities are made better by education, understanding and listening to all voices. This inspires her advocacy as a military-connected community leader. A VA-accredited attorney, she also serves on the Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s Hidden Heroes marketing/communications team; United States Veterans Artists Alliance advisory board; USO Entertainment Advisory Council; and Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Armed Forces Committee.

Active in the community, Glancz volunteers with the Black Entertainment Museum Foundation advisory board; California Lawyers Association’s Diversity, Inclusion and Outreach Committee; and Editorial Board of Los Angeles Lawyer magazine. She is a member of the Television Academy, Holocaust Museum LA, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, National Museum of the American Indian and the Autry Museum of the American West.

A graduate of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, Glancz holds a B.A. in History from UCLA, and she is a member of both the California and Nevada State Bars.

Terrance J. Evans is a Partner in the San Francisco and Los Angeles offices of Duane Morris LLP, where he serves as the Co-Leader of the firm’s Banking and Financial Services Practice. Mr. Evans is also the Co-Chair of the Duane Morris San Francisco Diversity and Inclusion Committee. His practice is focused on representing clients in federal and state trial and appellate courts across the United States including the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Evans also regularly counsels clients regarding racial justice and diversity and inclusion issues. He has led dozens of diversity trainings for judges, lawyers, law students, and members of the community around the United States.

Mr. Evans is the Chair-Elect of the California Lawyers Association (“CLA”), the largest voluntary state bar association in the United States representing the interests of more than 260,000 California lawyers. Mr. Evans is the first person of color and the first Black person in California history elected to this high profile position.  Mr. Evans is also the Director of Region IX of the National Bar Association, the largest Black Bar Association in the world.  Mr. Evans is also Vice President North of the California Association of Black Lawyers (“CABL”), the umbrella organization for all Black bar associations and judicial organizations in California.

Mr. Evans is the Past President of the Charles Houston Bar Association, the oldest Black Bar Association in California.  Mr. Evans is the Co-Founder and Past Chair of the Charles Houston Bar Institute; a foundation that provides scholarships to underprivileged students.  Mr. Evans is also the Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the CLA Racial Justice Committee; Past Chair of the Litigation Section of the California Lawyers Association; Co-Chair of the American Bar Association Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Past Board Member of the Bar Association of San Francisco (“BASF”); Past Member of the BASF Judicial Evaluation Committee; Current Member of the BASF Finance Committee.  Mr. Evans is a Member of the CABL Legislative Committee and Membership Committee. 

In 2016, Mr. Evans was honored by the National Bar Association as one of the top African American attorneys in the USA under age 40.  In 2017, he was honored by the Charles Houston Bar Association for his work promoting diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.  In 2018, Mr. Evans was honored by the Minority Bar Coalition for his contributions to promoting diversity and inclusion throughout California.  In 2019, Mr. Evans was honored by New Dawn Vallejo for his work promoting diversity and inclusion and pro bono legal services.  In 2020, Mr. Evans was recognized by Chambers for his efforts to promote diversity and inclusion throughout the United States.  In 2021, Mr. Evans was honored by the Bar Association of San Francisco and Justice and Diversity Center for his diversity and inclusion work in Northern California and throughout the United States. In 2021, Mr. Evans was also honored by American Lawyer Magazine as a Trail Blazer.

In 2022 and 2023, Mr. Evans was honored by the Los Angeles Times as being one of the foremost leaders on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in the State of California.  In 2022, Mr. Evans was also honored by the Minority Bar Coalition for a second time for his efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the United States. In 2023, Mr. Evans was honored by the National Bar Association as the Regional Director of the Year for his work to promote DEI around the United States and around the world.  In 2024, Mr. Evans received the Cunningham Award from the California Association of Black Lawyers for his efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion and civil rights for all people. Mr. Evans has raised more than $500,000 for scholarships for underprivileged students.  Mr. Evans has also created five annual scholarship that have provided tens of thousands of dollars to under privileged students in the Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native American, and LGBTQ Communities.