On February 1st, 140 guests, elected officials, and Judges from the Marin County Superior Court celebrated the induction of our 2024 officers and directors at the Spinnaker Restaurant in Sausalito.

It was a rainy, cold evening, the kind of evening that makes you just want to hunker down with a good book and sit by the fire, in the comfiness of your home. Nevertheless,140 guests braved the stormy weather to attend the 2024 Installation Dinner and Legal Scholarship Fundraiser. Guests enjoyed “Thirty-Seven Wines” donated by Brayton Purcell LLP and munched on yummy hors d’oeuvres and a beautiful meal of steak and halibut.
The brief program began with Interim Executive Director Theresa Hurley, who kicked off the brief program by inviting Assemblymember Damon Connolly to present a California Assembly resolution to outgoing President Ahtossa Fullerton. She then asked that the incoming 2024 MCBA President Scott Buell come take the stage to award the Presidents Plaque to 2023 MCBA President Ahtossa Fullerton.

Judge Roy Chernus (ret.) then administered the oath of office to incoming and returning directors and officers. This was followed by a separate swearing in to the new 2024 MCBA President, Scott Buell.

Ann Munene and Chris Locke continued the evening with a presentation and an introduction of the 2024 Legal Education Scholarship recipients: Alejandra Chumbes, Natalie Dybeck, Maxwell Friend, Alexandria Kozak, Nicholas Saloma.

Following the presentation, Judge Roy Chernus (ret.) returned to the stage to begin the Fund-A-Need for the 2024 Legal Education Scholarship. Judge Chernus’s inviting personality encouraged guests to donate to this important need. Guests pledged a generous total of over $30,000 to support the MCBA scholarship fund and next year’s scholars. Thank you to our donors for stepping up to the call for financial support for these amazing law students. This would never have transpired without your generosity.

Congratulations to MCBA’s 2024 Officers and Directors

Officers
President: Scott Buell | Buell Law and Mediation
President-Elect: Kristine Fowler Cirby | Cirby Family Law
Treasurer: Thomas (Tom) M. McInerney | Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Secretary: Neusha N. Ghaedi | DeMartini, Walker & Ghaedi LLP Past President: Ahtossa P. Fullerton | Wasacz, Hilley & Fullerton LLP
Five-Year Past President: Lawrence Strick | Strick Injury Law and Mediation

2024 Directors
Emily Harrington | Maier Law Group LLP
Jeffrey G. Knowles | Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP
Mary A. Stearns | Alternate Defenders, Inc.
Alexander S. Vahdat | Berman Tabacco LLP
David L. Winnett | Liuzzi Murphy Solomon Churton Hale & Winnett LLP

2025 Directors
Robyn B. Christo | Epstein Holtzapple Christo LLP
Morgan H. Daly | Morgan Daly Law Office
Shanti Eagle | Farella Braun + Martel
Lucie C. Hollingsworth | Legal Aid of Marin
Elisha J. Yang | Hanson Bridgett LLP

2026 Directors
Ingrid L. Carbone | Carbone Family Law
Christine O’Hanlon | Marin County Public Defender’s Office
Roni Pomerantz | CA Department of Justice
Maxwell Pritt | Boies Schiller Flexner LLP
Marrianne S. Taleghani | Nixon Peabody LLP

Congratulations to MCBA’s 2024 Scholarship Recipients

Alejandra Chumbes, 3L University of San Francisco School of Law
Natalie Dybeck, 2L University of California, San Francisco School of Law
Alexandria Kozak, 3L Golden Gate University Law School
Maxwell Friend, University of California, Berkeley School of Law
Nicholas Saloma, University of California, San Francisco School of Law

Thank You to the Evening’s Generous Sponsors

Counsel Sponsors
DeMartini Walker & Ghaedi LLP
Epstein Holtzapple Christo LLP
Hanson Bridgett LLP
Marin County Public Defender

Barrister Sponsors
Boris Schiller Flexner LLP
Buell Law and Mediation
Farella Braun + Martel LLP

Advocate Sponsors
Law Office of Kristine Fowler Cirby
Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP
Maier Law Group
McNeil Silveria Rice & Wiley
Nixon Peabody LLP
Resolution Remedies LLC

Wine Sponsor
Thirty-Seven Wines
Donated by Brayton Purcell LLP