The Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino celebrated three attorneys, a legislator and an associate justice for expanding judicial access at their March 4 dinner. The society presented the Access to Justice awards to late attorneys Mitchell I. Roth and Florentino Garza, attorney Derek Raynes, Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes and Fourth District Court of Appeal Associate Justice Richard Fields.
Late attorney Mitchell I. Roth
Roth, the son of a New Jersey lawyer, served for 25 years on the Western San Bernardino County Bar Association‘s board of directors, while finding time to attend more than 400 Bruce Springsteen concerts, according to the LASSB. Roth died in December.
Roth would say he has the easiest job in the world, because “I get to protect the underdog, and all I have to do is the right thing,” remembered fellow recipient Raynes.
“My brother Mitch lived life boldly, bravely and passionately,” said his sister Bonnie Roth, who accepted the award in his memory.
Roth served as a conduit between the bench and the bar, said Joyce Holcomb, the president of the LASSB.
“He truly was that cog in the wheel for justice for people who were self-represented,” Holcomb said.
Late attorney Florentino “Tino” Garza
Garza, the son of migrant farmworkers, was both a pillar of the legal community and an example of the gentleman lawyer. He was an inspiration for other Latinos to go to law school, and he gave strength to people who were scared to go to court, Holcomb said.
Garza was a diplomat of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a fellow and past president of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a member of the Witkin Legal Institute, a member of the UCLA Foundation Board of Trustees and a past president of the San Bernardino County Bar Association. He helped Spain establish an American style jury-trial system, and has been inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame.
“He would always be there for those who don’t have a voice, and he would always give representation to those who didn’t have any,” said Debra Davis, LASSB chief of staff.
Attorney Derek S. Raynes
Raynes, a partner at Raynes | Erickson for eight years before he moved to Vermont in 2021, donated near-countless volunteer hours to the Legal Aid Society, including as the LASSB’s treasurer and vice president. He also volunteered as program director and secretary for the Joseph B. Campbell American Inn of Court, as a director on the board for the San Bernardino County Bar Association and as a coach for the Redlands High School Mock Trial team. He now serves as the director of payment reform for OneCare Vermont, an accountable care organization that combines resources from health care providers.
“He grew up to be a leader of leaders,” said attorney William Shapiro Sr., who has known Raynes since Raynes was a child.
Raynes thanked the LASSB, his wife Rachael for her support, and his law firm for allowing him to volunteer so much time.
Assemblywoman Eloise Gómez Reyes
Attorney Michael Scafiddi said Gómez Reyes has a phenomenal record on passing legislation that expands justice, including AB 2147, which allows convicted felons who participate in California Conservation Corps’ firefighting programs to clear their criminal records. She volunteered with the Legal Aid Society for 30 years, and served on its board for 10 years.
“Eloise’s legislation is changing lives every day, and I thank her so much for that,” Scafiddi said.
“The first place I volunteered was the IELLA (Inland Empire Latino Lawyers Association Inc.). Every time I went there, Eloise Reyes was there,” said Pablo Ramirez, LASSB executive director. “If you needed an attorney to show up for the low-income community, she was the first one there. She expanded the veteran programs. When there were not volunteers, she was there. She’s out there, boots on the ground. Today she’s out there passing legislation that helps our community.”
Gómez Reyes, whom Garza hired early in her career, said he was her hero.
“He taught me so much, not only about civility but also about giving back to the community,” Gómez Reyes said.
“It’s our obligation [to give back]. It’s not maybe, if we feel like it, it’s our obligation. My mother, she’s the one who taught me that,” Gómez Reyes said.
Associate Justice Richard T. Fields
Associate Justice Carol Codrington, who introduced Fields’ award, said Fields overcame multiple barriers as the first black bench officer.
Fields began his legal career with legal aid societies through the National Poverty Law Fellowship, he said.
“I worked with some of the best people I ever worked with, in legal services,” he said.
Fields recounted his experience with his first client: a mentally disabled client who was dropped from social aid. Fields drove to her house in The Jungle in Los Angeles in 1978, and picked her up in his 1978 Corolla liftback to take her to a psychologist. On their way over, Fields knew he made it when she said, “Mr. Fields? I thank God for you, Mr. Fields,” before thanking him again, erroneously, “Mr. Greene? I thank God for you, Mr. Greene,” before thanking him again, erroneously, “Dr. Greene? I thank God for you, Dr. Greene.”
He was able to get a verdict for her and she truly was grateful to him.
As presiding judge at San Bernardino Superior Court, Fields used a nearby elementary school to continue civil trials when the court was too backed up to hold all proceedings at the courthouse, and sent employees out to court visitors to make sure they were not wasting their time in the wrong line into the courthouse.
The party
The event was at capacity, with dinner to guests at tables on the front lawn of the historic Kimberly Crest, a French Chateau-style Victorian mansion constructed in Redlands in 1897. The theme was The Great Gatsby, and attendees wore flapper dresses, fur coats, newsboy hats and bowties.
Proceeds from the silent and live auctions benefit the work of LAS.
Major sponsors were the Law Offices of William D. Shapiro, Fullerton, Lemann, Schaefer and Dominick, Rizio Lipinsky Law Firm, P.C., Law Offices of Michael Scaffidi, Law Offices of Joyce M. Holcomb, The Myers Law Group and Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP.
Holcomb chaired the event committee, which comprised Ramirez, Scafiddi, Shapiro, Susie Carrillo, Michele Daly, Nancy Foster, Connie S. Johnson, Dean McVay, Darlene Scafiddi and Sue Shapiro.
The Legal Aid Society was founded in 1958, and provides legal services to impoverished civil litigants with the goal of expanding access to justice.
Special thanks to Dean McVay of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, CI&S Investigations, Pablo Ramirez of LASSB and Karla Quebec of Positive Impact for sharing photos with Follow Our Courts.
