Legal Aid of San Bernardino honored San Bernardino Superior Presiding Judge Lisa Rogan and attorneys Justin King and Pamela Edwards-Swift Feb. 27.
The three honorees received Access to Justice Awards at Legal Aid’s annual dinner held in Redlands’ Fox Event Center.
“Tonight we come together as a community with a shared vision that is to improve our community at large,” said Joyce Holcomb, mistress of ceremonies and Legal Aid president.
Lisa Rogan
Rogan, a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputy-turned Pomona police sergeant-turned supervising prosecutor, joined the bench in 2013.
She served as supervising judge for each of the court’s departments, and was elevated to presiding judge in January 2024.
Her committee work is a long list. She serves on Judicial Council of California’s Trail Court Executive and Planning Committee, Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee and Fiscal Planning Subcommittee, the Appellate Advisory Committee, Security Advisory Committee and the Traffic Advisory Committee, and the governor’s Judicial Selection Advisory Committee.
She has taught as an adjunct torts and appeals professor at La Verne College of Law. Court
Executive Officer Annabelle Romero introduced Rogan as a dedicated challenge solver.
“She does not turn away from problems. She runs toward them,” Romero said. Rogan fights to keep San Bernardino Superior Court’s state funding, and is always fighting the right fight, Romero said. “She never, and I mean never, accepts that it cannot be done.”
Accepting the award, Rogan said that access to justice is more than navigating a Byzantine legal system. It means work from law students and attorneys like Pamela-Swift, King and Michael Scafiddi. She thanked her fellow judges and Romero for their work, and thanked her husband, Kevin Rogan, for his constant support.
“I am so fortunate. I stand in this room before the best,” Rogan said.
Justin King
King, of his own law office, brings tort cases against insurance companies and public institutions.
His office has been named to Best Law Firms in America by Best Lawyers. Super Lawyers named him a Rising Star, and placed him in the top 5% of attorneys nationwide. National Trial Lawyers named him as a top 100 civil plaintiff lawyer in 2016. He is president of the San Bernardino County Bar Association, and past-president of the Western San Bernardino County Bar Association.
He is on the Board of Directors for the Consumer Attorneys of California (Inland Empire).
Attorney Bill Shapiro, introducing King, said that service to others is in King’s DNA. He does everything he can to give everyone a fair day in court, Shapiro said.
“I wanted that guy to succeed like a banshee—and he is,” Shapiro said.
King said Legal Aid’s work to make the courthouse open to everyone regardless of means is critical to San Bernardino County.
“Ultimately there is no higher calling than what these folks at Legal Aid do, day-in and day-out,” King said.
Pamela Edwards-Swift
Edwards-Swift, of her own office, focuses on family law matters.
She has been named a Super Lawyer every year since 2010. Since retiring, she is a part-time mediator.
She volunteers with Olive Crest, 100 Women Who Care and the settlement officer program through the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Edwards-Swift was the No. 1 volunteer for Legal Aid under Holcomb’s program. In 2024, she dedicated 176 hours to volunteering. That, Holcomb said, is the equivalent of $80,000 under her hourly rate.
Holcomb said Edwards-Swift was an inspiration to her as one of the few female trial attorneys in the county who also had a family. Edwards-Swift said it was not that hard.
“It really isn’t—I am really shocked to hear that I donated that many hours. It is not very tough, guys. It’s really not that big of a deal. So please volunteer your time,” Edwards-Swift said. The Legal Aid staff does the real heavy work on the cases, Edwards-Swift continued.
She thanked Legal Aid staff Pablo Ramirez and Tetta Frank for their work around the clock. She thanked her family, and her parents for setting an example of volunteerism in neighborly assistance, Little League and Girl Scouts.
“They taught the real value of what it takes to give back—and it’s not that much,” Edwards-Swift said.
Legal Aid
Legal Aid’s staff of 45 supported 8,000 households and 24,000 individuals, their program boasted.
Thirty-three percent of their assistance was for housing stability, 23% for protection from domestic abuse, 13% in family law aid, 17% in guardianships and conservatories, and 13% in miscellaneous aid. Seventy-three percent of their clients were women. Fifty-eight percent of their clients were Hispanic, 21% were Black, and 14% were white. Thirty percent of their clients had limited English skills, 22% were disabled, 19% were seniors and 3% were veterans.
Legal Aid also thanked the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians for awarding them the Yawa’ Award for justice.
“’Yawa’ means to act how we believe. We act because access to justice is not a privilege, it is a right,” said Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino’s executive director Pablo Ramirez.
Ramirez encouraged attorneys to volunteer to Legal Aid.
“We cannot close the justice gap alone. We have to come together,” Ramirez said. “Navigating our legal is system is impossible to do alone. Behind every case, behind every number, is a person.”
The nonprofit played video testimonies from clients. One client, a Chinese immigrant, spoke to their support against a physically abusive husband who took her kids from her.
“I do not have money. I do not have nobody. I have no friends,” she said.
Legal Aid took on her case no charge, hired an interpreter, and won her a court order to regain custody over her children.
“I am very happy and our lives are very stable. We no longer have to worry about being hit,” she said.
Another client thanked Legal Aid for winning her a restraining order against her abuser.
“Legal Aid was able to help me, and finally I feel free,” she said.
Ramirez praised Legal Aid’s staff as dedicated—but human.
Tino Garza scholarship
Legal Aid awarded law student Deia Davis with the Florentino Garza Fellowship. San Bernardino Superior Judge Thomas Garza, Tino’s son, spoke.
“(Tino) was always interested in helping the disadvantaged, and always believed in justice and civility,” Thomas Garza said. Tino wanted to promote democracy by being inclusive. He showed that through his actions. Through this scholarship, Williams can help others, Thomas said.
He ended by thanking attorney David Myers for providing funding for the scholarship. Myers said he had never met Tino, but know him through the lives he touched.
“I encourage you to live a life like Tino Garza. A life where people talk fondly of you when you are not around,” Myers said.
He ended by promoting inclusion in Tino’s memory.
“Inclusion is what will makes this country great. It is what always made this country great. I will make no apologies for saying that,” he said.
Bar Association turns 150
The gala was co-hosted by the San Bernardino County Bar Association as the first monthly celebration for their 150th years of existence. The association boasts of being the longest continuous running bar association in the state. The SBCBA is planning a top golf event April 10, a Kaufman Campbell Award Dinner for Judicial Excellence May 8, a 66ers’ Baseball Night on June 12, a night at the Redlands Bowl in July, a night at the San Bernardino County Museum Aug. 14, a golf tournament in September’s casino night Oct. 9, a gathering at attorney Bill Shapiro’s House in November, and a 150th Anniversary Gala Event Dec. 11.
Auctions
The event included both a live auction and a silent auction. Included in the live auction was a vacation in Puerta Vallarta and dugout seats in both Dodger Stadium and Petco Park. The silent auction included beauty baskets, University of La Verne School of Law merch, a Mary Frances Designer Purse, a 2.05 karat lab-grown diamond, tickets to the touring production of the play “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” tickets to the Magic Castle, and a ride-along with private investigator Barrister Professional Services.
Teenage soul band Nojac performed.
