The Labor and Employment Law Section of the California Lawyers Association, and the California Lawyers Foundation are committed to fostering the career growth of persons of color, women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and members of other underrepresented groups who are interested in practicing labor and employment law in areas that support and promote the goal of diversity in the labor and employment law field. We are pleased to announce a bar stipend for outstanding law students and graduates enrolled at a California or ABA accredited law school in California with a demonstrated commitment to labor and employment law. The bar stipend may be used towards the expenses related to preparation for the California Bar Examination, including but not limited to examination and preparation course fees.
2025 Bar Studies Scholarship Recipients
Alexis Moore is dedicated to using her legal education to challenge white supremacy and colonialism, particularly in our modern day workplace. A recent graduate of UCLA School of Law with a specialization in Critical Race Studies, she is eager to apply her expertise in advocating for employees. Alexis is also honored to receive the California Lawyers Association Bar Scholarship and looks forward to engaging with CLA’s community of employment lawyers.
Alondra Gonzalez received her BA from USC, where she studied Spanish and International Relations. To pursue her law school education, Alondra became a UCLA Law Fellow and attended Loyola Law School. At Loyola Law School, she held the position of Production Editor of the International and Comparative Law Review. She was also involved in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights Project.
Alondra is a dedicated advocate driven by her passion for making the law more accessible to everyone, especially those who are disadvantaged. During law school, Alondra honed her advocacy skills as a law clerk with the non-profit Kids in Need of Defense, where she helped unaccompanied minors navigate the complex immigration systems. Alondra spent her second summer and second year of law school as a Law Clerk at Southern California Edison. Upon graduating, Alondra plans to work exclusively as a plaintiff employment attorney on wage and hour and discrimination cases.
Alyssa May Gonzaga is a proud Filipina-Ilokana who grew up in Quezon City, Philippines until immigrating to San Diego, California in 2004. She is the first in her family to attend college in the United States, graduating from UC Berkeley in 2019, and is now the first to graduate from law school. Alyssa became passionate about workers’ rights through volunteering with the Filipino Migrant Center during her gap years, where she witnessed the injustices that low-wage Filipino workers faced in California. At UC Irvine School of Law, Alyssa has dedicated herself to enriching her passion for employment law both inside and outside the classroom, completing over 200 hours of pro bono services for various projects such as the Workers’ Rights Clinic, UNITE Here! Local 11 Workers’ Rights Project, and UC Union Grievance Assistance Project. In the coming Fall, Alyssa will be continuing her workers’ rights career as the Foundation for Inclusion, Advocacy, and Resources Fellow (FAIR Fellow), where she will be working with Legal Aid At Work and a CELA-affiliated firm for 2025-2027.
Bianca Montes (she/her) is a recent graduate of University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. During her time as a law student, she interned at the National Labor Relations Board, the SF Public Defender’s Office, and participated in UC Law SF’s Workers’ Rights Clinic. After taking the bar, she is eager to continue advocating for low wage workers. She is from Oxnard, CA.
Alexis Melo Chavez holds a B.A. in Political Science with a focus on Public Service, Sociology, and Neurology/Physiology and Behavior Science from UC Davis, along with a Minor in Spanish. Currently pursuing a Juris Doctor (J.D.) at Santa Clara University School of Law, where his legal interests center on Intellectual Property, Corporate Transactions, and Employment Law. Alexis is also a CIPP candidate and has earned certifications in Transactional Law, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Labor & Employment Law, and Corporate Law. With a strong foundation in both the sciences and the law, Alexis is dedicated to leveraging legal expertise to drive impactful solutions in the corporate and intellectual property sectors.
David Toppelberg is a third-year student at Stanford Law School, with a focus on local and state government, the labor movement, workers’ rights, and antitrust. Before law school, he served in the Newsom administration, advancing policies to reduce drug prices and expand health care access for low-income and minority Californians. At Stanford, David was co-president of the Stanford Latinx Law Students Association, co-director of the Workers’ Rights Pro Bono Project, vice-president of Stanford Law & Political Economy, and a research assistant to Professor Michelle Anderson. He contributed to innovative litigation efforts at the Santa Clara County Counsel’s Office; represented low-wage Spanish-speaking clients at Legal Aid at Work during his 1L summer; and worked at the union-side law firm Altshuler Berzon during his 2L summer. He also externed at the Governor’s Office with the Legal Affairs team. After graduation, David is very excited to join UNITE HERE Local 11 for a yearlong fellowship before clerking at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding, dancing with friends, and motorcycle-camping around California.
Herbert Paschal is a graduating law student at Southwestern Law School with a
background in service and small business ownership. His firsthand experiences with worker
exploitation sparked a deep interest in labor and employment law. Originally from rural Virginia and now based in Los Angeles, Herbert has been active in student leadership and mentorship. He looks forward to sitting for the California Bar in July 2025 and hopes to build a career advocating for fairness and justice in the workplace.
Jet Harbeck graduated from UCLA Law with High Pro Bono Distinction in May 2025, as part of the David J. Epstein Public Interest Law & Policy (PILP) Program and the Critical Race Studies (CRS) Program. Throughout law school, they pursued public interest legal advocacy work at the intersection of workers’ rights and LGBTQ+ rights. These experiences ranged from taking employment discrimination law courses to externing at the EEOC’s Legal Unit in Los Angeles and a plaintiff-side employment law firm that specializes in gender discrimination and harassment cases, as well as running their school’s legal name & gender change clinic and interning for the Transgender Law Center. Their experience helping clients navigate both the legal and bureaucratic barriers to accessing identity documents through the pro bono clinic, as well as their own experience navigating the workplace as a transgender person, only further informs their choice to pursue a legal career at the intersection of worker justice and transgender rights after graduation.
Itzel Burgos is a first-generation student from Lynwood, CA. She completed the SCALE two-year accelerated program at Southwestern Law School. Before law school, Itzel was a JusticeCorp member at the Compton Courthouse, worked in an employment law firm representing workers, and served as a government benefits worker. At Southwestern, she completed the Labor and Employment Law concentration and was a board member for the Labor and Employment Law Association. She was a full-time intern for the U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of General Counsel, working on disability law cases in the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Legal Unit, working on class actions on behalf of Los Angeles workers. After law school, Itzel is determined to use her legal education to advocate for workers’ rights and ensure that the legal system is accessible to all workers.
María Watson is a first-generation law school graduate from an immigrant family. As a bilingual public school teacher and member of the Chicago Teachers Union for seven years, she saw the importance of labor and organizing to achieve better outcomes for workers and their families. During law school, María worked with Centro Legal de la Raza’s Workers Rights Project, Legal Aid at Work, and engaged in death penalty defense work. She is an incoming Christopher M. Patti Legal Fellow with the U.C. Office of the President.
My name is Sean John, and I’m a proud Los Angeles native who grew up in Koreatown. I attended UC Irvine for undergrad before pursuing my legal education at UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). Before starting law school, I had the opportunity to work at a firm specializing in labor and employment law. During my time there, I worked on a range of cases that exposed me to the profound impact that strong labor protections can have on individuals and communities.
Growing up, I witnessed firsthand how often working-class individuals, such as friends and family, were taken advantage of in the workplace. These experiences fueled my decision to pursue a legal career focused on ensuring that no one is left vulnerable or without a voice. I entered law school with the goal of becoming an advocate for fairness and dignity in the workplace, and I remain deeply committed to that mission today.
Victor Torres is an aspiring plaintiff-side employment law litigator dedicated to leveraging his experiences and skills to ensure that all workers enjoy the dignity of work. While at UC Law, San Francisco, Victor served as a production editor for the Environmental Law Journal and worked as a legal counselor at Legal Aid at Work through UC Law SF’s Workers’ Rights Clinic, where he discovered his passion for employment law. Prior to attending law school, Victor worked in the California State Senate for five years as a Senate fellow, legislative aide, and interim legislative director, where he focused on healthcare, criminal justice reform, environmental issues, and local government policy. Victor was motivated to pursue a policy career after working as an independent contractor delivering horchata and other Mexican aguas to local businesses in the Southern San Joaquin Valley, which highlighted the precarious nature of contracting work and deepened his appreciation for the protections afforded to employees.
Victor graduated from UC Irvine in 2016 with a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a minor in Chicano Latino Studies. He is the eldest of three children and grew up in a household where Ballet Folkloríco (Mexican traditional dance) continues to be a significant aspect of his life.
2024 Scholarship Recipients
Alexandria Morones, a native of Southern California, recently completed her 3L year at Santa Clara University School of Law and is currently preparing for the July 2024 bar exam. She realized her passion for employment law after taking an employment discrimination class during her 2L year at Santa Clara. Since then, she has participated in numerous Workers’ Rights and legal aid clinics providing free legal assistance to California workers. After passing the bar, she is eager to use her experience to make meaningful contributions to the field of labor and employment law.
My name is Antonio Alexander. I was born and raised in Birmingham, AL. Since my childhood, I have had a passion for sports, which has steered me in the direction of wanting to become a sports agent. I hold two Bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing and Psychology. I hold a Master’s degree in Sport’s and Fitness Management and I recently acquired my Juris Doctorate in hopes for a better fit in the sports agent position. However, after completion of law school I have gained much interest in IP and Employment law with hopes after I sit for the bar, that I may pursue a career in these field.
Athena Arana
Jane Balkoski (she/her) recently graduated from Berkeley Law. She was a member of the Berkeley Journal of Employment and Labor Law, the Plaintiffs’ Law Association, and the Wage Justice Clinic. She also worked as a legal research and writing tutor and interned with the California Supreme Court and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. Prior to law school, Jane was a barista for three years, then a paralegal at a plaintiffs’ firm. She grew up in San Francisco.
Jessica Dimas is a recent graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law. As a student, she served as a law clerk at Legal Aid at Work with the Work and Family Program and interned at a plaintiff-side employment law firm. Prior to law school, Jessica held several positions at Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland, first as an immigration paralegal and then coordinating the Workers’ Rights Helpline and Immigrant Relief Fund projects through the pandemic. Her time in Chiapas, Mexico as a Fulbright scholar further informed her interest in workers’ rights advocacy. Jessica is passionate about uplifting community voices and propelling intersectional equity.
Former Business Owner, Public Official, and Oregonian, Kate Bonifas has found a new home in Southern California and cannot wait to begin this next chapter of life in a legal career. She is fascinated with the deeply personal nature of Labor and Employment Law, as the issues at hand relate directly to people’s daily lives and livelihood, and to their ability to live within our society as contributing members. Her experience since beginning Law School includes a year as a Certified Legal Intern with the San Diego Public Defender’s Office, a year as the Legislative and Policy Intern with the California Innocence Coalition, a Research position with Professor Jessica Fink on the change in reasonableness standard for Title VII cases post “MeToo,” Clerking at The Dixon Firm, and her current position Clerking with Clarkson Law Firm. She has received a Distinguished Advocate award for her first year Appellate Argument, as well as top of the class awards for Academic Excellence in Criminal Law; her Scholarly Writing in Crimmigration, which discussed the intersection of the California Racial Justice Act and the Federal Immigration System; and for her paper in Aet Law which explored the contrast between the constitutional protection of expressive freedoms, and the regulation of bodily and personal intimate autonomy.
Manny Cruz is a recent graduate from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree in May 2024. During law school, Manny clerked at various law firms, advocating for aggrieved employees on the plaintiff side and engaging in defense work to preserve the legitimacy of plaintiff claims. This summer, Manny is preparing for the Bar Exam and will begin his legal career at Olivarez Madruga Law Organization LLP in August 2024. As a first-generation law student, Manny will continue to honor his commitment to advocating for equitable treatment within the workplace and promoting diversity in the legal community. Manny is honored to have received a scholarship from The Labor and Employment Law Section of the California Lawyers Foundation and looks forward to using his legal degree to make a positive impact.
My name is Nathalie Alvarez and I am a recent graduate of Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. I am a first generation Mexican American, and was the first person in my family to go to college. Since the spring semester of my 2L year, I have been working at a Plaintiff’s employment law firm called Koul Law Firm, APC. I am passionate about labor and employment law, specifically cases concerning wage and hour violations. I hope that through practicing employment law, I can advocate for those in my community and help other underrepresented communities. I will be sitting for the California Bar this upcoming July, and look forward to my future legal career.
Olivia Totten received her J.D. with a concentration in Employment and Labor Law from the University of San Diego School of Law in May 2024. She is a Law Clerk at Van Dermyden Makus, a firm dedicated to providing neutral workplace investigations. There, she assists in investigations regarding employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and misconduct. Olivia’s law school experience as co-chair of the Name and Gender-Marker Change Clinic and board member of Pride Law influence her investigations regarding LGBTQ+ matters. After taking the California Bar Exam in July 2024, she will return to Van Dermyden Makus to begin her legal career.
Roxana Martinez Lopez was raised in Koreatown, Los Angeles, in a low-income indigenous Oaxacan community that shaped her views on access to opportunity and legal resources. She attended Southwestern Law School’s Part-Time Evening Program while working full-time throughout her four years there. Roxana graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Political Science and Chicana/o Studies and a Minor in Labor and Workplace Studies. Before attending law school, Roxana worked in labor union community organizing, immigration law, and workers’ rights. As a law student, she continued to engage in opportunities that taught her how to advocate for and provide resources to low-income workers. Roxana is optimistic that, with the assistance of this scholarship, she can thrive during her California Bar Exam preparation and in her pursuit of labor and employment law. With support from organizations and communities like CLA, she feels empowered to continue advocating for underserved BIPOC working communities.
Sabrina Medler graduated from UCLA School of Law this May, with specializations in the law school’s Public Interest Law & Policy and Critical Race Studies programs. During law school, Medler pursued direct legal services for low-income domestic violence survivors; impact litigation and policy advocacy at the ACLU SoCal’s LGBTQ, Gender, and Reproductive Justice Project; worker collective action through UNITE HERE Local 11; civil litigation concerning workplace harassment, discrimination, and retaliation at the plaintiff firms Haeggquist & Eck and Allred, Maroko, & Goldberg; and government representation of low-income workers at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. After taking the California Bar Exam, Medler will return to the plaintiff firm Allred, Maroko, & Goldberg, pursuing a career as a civil rights and employment attorney, and holding institutions such as workplaces, schools, and government entities responsible for unlawful infringement of basic liberties.
Samia Syed earned her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School in 2024. She is a first generation law student and the daughter of Pakistani immigrants from Orange County, California. Samia’s interest in and dedication to Labor and Employment law stems from her passion for civil rights advocacy. While in law school, she participated in internships with the US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the California Attorney General’s Worker Rights and Fair Labor Section. At GW Law, Samia served as a mentor with the Law Association for Women and Mock Trial Skills Board. Samia enjoys de-stressing from work through kickboxing, driving down PCH, and spending time with her puppy. Samia is honored to receive the 2024 Summer Bar Studies Scholarship from the California Lawyers Association, and looks forward to beginning her post-graduate legal career with the National Labor Relations Board Honors Program this fall in Los Angeles California.
Urepanny Morales. Originally from Salinas, CA, and a UCLA alumnus, I am a recent graduate from the University of California, Davis School of Law. During my time at law school, I was involved in the wage claim clinic, the business law journal, the Latinx Law Student Association, and the Arriba Las Vegas worker center. After taking the California bar in July, I plan to continue my work in plaintiff-side labor and employment.
Raised in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Victoria Chan is an advocate for workers’ rights. Prior to law school, she spent nearly six years as a Senior Community Advocate for Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus, where she empowered and represented low-wage and immigrant workers on issues including wage and hour, unemployment insurance, and workplace health and safety. During law school, Victoria worked at the California Labor Commissioner’s Office, Golden Gate University (GGU) Law’s Women’s Employment Rights Clinic, and Levy Vinick Burrell Hyams LLP. Additionally, Victoria externed for the Hon. Michelle Tong of the San Francisco Superior Court. After graduating with honors from GGU Law in May 2024, Victoria will be working at Legal Aid at Work as the 2024 – 2026 Foundation for Advocacy Inclusion and Resources Fellow.