Gerald Marcus Fellowship
Hanson Bridgett has long been committed to the principles of diversity. In 2002, Hanson Bridgett launched the Gerald D. Marcus Fellowship Fund at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (Boalt Hall).
The Marcus Fund was established to further Hanson Bridgett's enduring commitment to promoting diversity within the legal profession. The fellowships are awarded to law students on the basis of financial need with priority given to underrepresented minorities.
The fellowships honor Gerald D. Marcus to recognize his contributions over the last 50 years to the promotion of diversity in the legal field. A 1941 graduate of Boalt, Mr. Marcus is one of the founding partners of Hanson Bridgett and a long-time champion in the promotion of equal opportunity and diversity within the legal profession.
Thus far, The Marcus Fund has received $325,000 in contributions and pledges. The goal set for the Fund is to reach $500,000. This goal would generate income sufficient to award a three-year Gerald Marcus Fellowship to one entering law student each year. Both internal Hanson Bridgett employees and external contributors have supported this cause and we are hopeful that we will continue to broaden future support for The Marcus Fund.
RECIPIENTS
Catherine Vel — 2006 Fellow
Catherine Vel is a first year law student at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall) and a graduate of the University of California, Irvine. Originally from Kenya, Catherine is the only child of a single mother and a large extended family.
As a child, Catherine walked barefoot several kilometers, on an empty stomach, to school. If she arrived late, the schoolmaster would beat her legs with a heavy stick. She had difficulty studying at home because her house had no electricity and she had to conserve the oil in their oil lamps. Her family lost their land and house several times as the government took their property and moved them to new locations without compensating them for all the expenses of rebuilding their house.
At a young age, Catherine's grandmother taught her that education was the key to helping her family. Catherine read during all her spare time: sitting in the classroom; at recess; while the other students played. One of her teachers began lending her books above her grade level so she could increase her skills. School became a haven for her hopes and an incubator for her imaginings. She dreamed of a government that could empower people while limiting its own power. That dream gave birth to her passion for the common law.
In high school Catherine expanded her horizons while working with the Young Christian Society. She was brought face to face with children infected with AIDS. This experience developed her interest in international law and how the world might explore the relationship between human rights and the intellectual property laws of pharmaceutical companies.
Catherine decided to go to school in the United States due to the high quality of the education and the opportunities available there. She worked 40 hours a week at night to pay for school and support her family in Kenya. Through her hard work she was able to help purchase land for her family away from government interference.
Harboring back to her earlier interest in international law, at Boalt she has become a member of the Berkeley Journal of International Law. She says she hopes this pursuit will give her a better overview of that wide-raging field and help her decide what her eventual legal focus might be.
"I don't think I would have been where I am today if it were not for the kindness and generosity of people like you," Catherine said in accepting the Marcus Fellowship. "I promise to make the best of this opportunity by doing my best in law school. Additionally, I hope to use my legal education in the future to help make the world a better place, especially for people who are underrepresented in society."
Monique Liburd — 2005 Fellow
Monique Liburd is a first year law student at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall) and a graduate of California State University, Northridge. Monique is originally from St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. As a child, Monique, her mother and sibling fled to the U.S. to escape a domestic violence situation. They spent two years trekking through homeless and battered women's shelters in various states before relocating to Hawaii and Los Angeles. As the eldest child Monique had to assume many parental and home responsibilities, however, she always excelled at school and even skipped a grade in junior high.
At 14 years of age, Monique's mother ordered her out of her home and she was placed into the California Foster Care system. Monique's African-American foster family served as a positive force in her life, encouraged the connection to her Afro-Caribbean/West-Indian heritage, and provided her with a stable parental structure. She continued to excel academically and was awarded five scholarships and accepted to six universities. Monique graduated from high school with honors at the age of 15 and went straight to California State University, Northridge. During college, she worked full-time as a physician liaison at Centinela Hospital Medical Center.
Monique emancipated from the California Foster Care system at 16 years of age. The court required her to prove that she was capable of supporting herself, to attend counseling sessions to show that reunification with her mother was unnecessary and that she was psychologically capable of self-sufficiency, and most importantly, to convince the court that independence was the best option for her. Through this, Monique learned that attorneys as dedicated, effective and competent as the attorney who helped with her emancipation are a rarity, and she became interested in the legal profession. Monique graduated with honors at the age of 19 with a B.A. in Psychology.
Monique is interested in intellectual property law. She is a member of the Law Students of African Descent at Boalt and hopes to contribute to areas of the law that will advance juveniles, families and victims of domestic violence.
Dawniell Fareria — 2004 Fellow
Dawniell Fareria is a second year law student at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall) and a graduate of Cal State Hayward. As a Mexican-Portuguese-Samoan and a parent, Dawniell Fareria knows about life's challenges. Since 2001, Dawniell has been a full-time mom, a full-time student and a full-time employee. There are many people out there who are counting on her to succeed-and Dawniell does not plan to disappoint.
Dawniell was the first member of her immediate family to attend college. Two years after her son was born, Dawniell returned to school to complete her undergrad degree. She originally planned to pursue a career in teaching, however after returning to school she was open to other specialties, including law. She took an undergrad course on Law and Society, which really sparked her mind. Dawniell actively participated in each week's discussion so much that the judge who was teaching the course pulled her aside to ask if she had considered law school. His encouragement along with her desire to change policy, rather than to simply help support it, led her to apply to Boalt Hall.
While attending classes full-time, Dawniell works at the Contra Costa County Department of Child Support Services preparing cases for pending court hearings. Being a caseworker has affirmed her decision to become a lawyer-Dawniell believes that every case is an opportunity for her to advocate fairness and make a difference in people's lives, especially for children. Dawniell plans to take this belief in helping people to a deeper level. She is interested in practicing health law, with a focus on increasing access to healthcare in America.
C. Kawezya Hutchinson — 2003 Fellow
C. Kawezya Hutchinson is a third year law student at the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law and a graduate of the University of Oregon. Kawezya was born in Zambia, Africa to a Zambian mother and American father. She moved to Eugene, Oregon when she was three years old. Her mother gave her the name Kawezya, which in the Lungu language translates to "bring it back." To Kawezya, this means that whatever she learns or gains in life, she will bring it back to take care of her family and the greater community. Kawezya applied that belief to her time at the University of Oregon where she explored interests in student government, multicultural issues and the arts.
This belief also motivated Kawezya in pursuit of a legal career. Kawezya's first real experience with law ultimately affirmed that her decision to graduate early and go straight to law school was the right one. In July 2002 she was accepted as a student at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Summer School Academy in Geneva, Switzerland where she and 30 other students, law students, and professionals from all over the world trained in intellectual property (IP) law. Her WIPO experience largely shaped her interest in pursuing the intellectual property field and increased her confidence in applying to law school. For now, Kawezya is interested in the IP field but will also explore the many areas of the law that Boalt has to offer.
Nora Preciado — 2002 Fellow
Nora Preciado, the first recipient of the Gerald D. Marcus Fellowship, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law in 2005. Currently, Nora is participating in a two-year Equal Justice Works fellowship at the ACLU of Southern California that focuses on ensuring that non-English speakers have meaningful access to vital government services, particularly in the area of health care. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Davis.
Nora immigrated to the United States from Mexico at age of 13, unable to speak English. She worked hard to learn English and excelled academically and as a result she was awarded a scholarship to attend community college. She was later accepted at UC Berkeley and UCLA, but was unable to transfer because her immigration status was unresolved. Nora took advantage of this time by enrolling in a wide range of subjects at the community college and contributing to school and community events. Finally in 2000, she was given permanent residency and after being accepted at UC Berkeley, UCLA and UC Davis, Nora decided to transfer to UC Davis.
Nora is the first person in her family to pursue a professional degree. Her desire to become an attorney comes from her need to give back to the community. Being a minority and an immigrant has allowed Nora to see the unique obstacles faced by people in her community. Moreover, her experiences have encouraged her to study the laws that have affected many of her friends and family. During law school Nora interned at the National ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, and MALDEF, and was a judicial extern for federal district court judge Marilyn Hall Patel. Nora was also named to the California Law Review.
