Agenda

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C. 32

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Mark Peterson, District Attorney
Date:	November 8, 2016

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

2016 Lawyers For America Training Program with University of California Hastings College of Law

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 11/08/2016

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Cherie Mathisen

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: November 8, 2016
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the District Attorney, or designee, to execute two Agreements with The University of California Hastings College of the Law and Lawyers for America, a nonprofit corporation, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $96,000 for stipends for two (2) attorneys interning at the District Attorney’s Office through the Lawyers for America Program for the period August 1, 2016, through August 31, 2017.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The stipend for each of the two (2) attorneys from Lawyers for America is $48,000. The total cost will not exceed $96,000.

BACKGROUND:

The Lawyers for America Program is a two-year program which aims to improve the lawyering skills of new lawyers while expanding the availability of legal services for those who cannot afford to hire lawyers and for the public by providing two-year work experiences in the public and nonprofit sectors.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

During the first year of the Program, the selected Fellows complete an Externship at the District Attorney’s Office. During the second year of the program, the Fellows leave to study for and take the bar examination. Then, the Fellows return to the District Attorney’s Office for a paid Fellowship. The Fellows will be licensed attorneys for the second year of the Fellowship and carry a full caseload as line prosecutors in the District Attorney’s Office. The Office will benefit from alleviating the existing workload, while giving potential employees advanced training in the area of criminal prosecution. The Fellows will gain important litigation experience and insight into the practice of criminal prosecution.

The form of the contract has been approved by County Counsel.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

The agreements will not be executed, and the District Attorney's Office would not be able to participate in the Lawyers for America program.