UPCOMING EVENTS
PAST EVENTS
Over Memorial Day Weekend APD participated in the 28th Annual Tribute to Veterans and Military Families in Arcadia Park! The event was hosted by Supervisor Kathryn Barger and aimed at connecting Veterans and their families with a wide range of community services and service providers. Justice impacted veterans may qualify for specialized reatment courts that provide structured, court-monitored rehabilitation programs designed specifically to support veterans. These collaborative programs include the court, attorneys, the VA, and a specialized treatment team to help veterans access services, address underlying issues, and successfully rehabilitate. More information can be found at Veterans Treatment Courts | Judicial Branch of California
Congratulations to APD attorney Catlin Richards for being recognized for her strong advocay skills at the Atelope Valley Law Day! Catlin secured acquittals in her last two jury trials and successfully argued several 1538.5 motions over the same period! Congrats Catlin on your well-deserved recognition!
APD stands in solidarity with the San Francisco Public Defender's Office and Public Defender Offices nationwide. Public defenders must retain the ability to responsibly manage their caseloads in order to protect their clients’ rights and uphold the Constitution’s promise under the Sixth Amendment that every person facing criminal prosecution receives effective assistance of counsel. #FundPublic Defense
This past summer, APD welcomed 21 outstanding law clerks from 12 law schools into our 2025 Summer Law Clerk Program: American University, Arizona State, Loyola, NYU, Southwestern, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCLA, UC Irvine, UC San Francisco, and USC Law School.
Our law clerks gained hands on experience through courtroom exposure, legal research and motion writing assignments, client interviews, jail visits, mock trials, and one-on-one mentorship from experienced trial attorneys. Several of our summer law clerks also had the opportunity to sit at counsel table and assist the trial attorney during a jury trial!
Thank you to all of our law clerks for your hard work, dedication, and commitment to social justice. We wish you continued success and hope to see you back at APD in the future!
APD Attorneys Named LACBA Defense Attorneys of the Year
On June 5, 2025, APD attorneys Yusun Kang and Vanessa Rownaghi were honored as Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) Defense Attorneys of the Year for their exceptional work in a complex thirteen-count special circumstances homicide trial.
Through their outstanding advocacy, Yusun and Vanessa secured acquittals on 11 of 13 charges, protecting their client from an unjust outcome and the very real possibility that the new District Attorney would pursue the death penalty had the case not been so swiftly and skillfully prepared for trial.
Congratulations to our 2024 Senior Law Clerk Class!
On December 2, 2024, seven of our inaugural Senior Law Clerks were sworn into the California State Bar by Supervising Judge Yvette Verastegui — a former APD attorney and the first ever Latina Supervising Judge at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center. APD is immensely proud of these talented group of lawyers and excited to see the impact they will make in service to our clients and community.
APD at La Verne Law School Career Day
APD attorneys Monique Gregoire-Williams, Stephanie Salceda, and Sara Forrest attended Career Day at La Verne Law School last week to share information about our office and law clerk program with students. If you are interested in learning more about APD’s Law Clerk Program, please email lawclerkinfo@apd.lacounty.gov or visit apd.lacounty.gov/internship for more information
APD Attorneys Partner with Homeless Health Care Los Angeles
APD attorneys recently held a Q&A session with staff at Homeless Health Care Los Angeles (HHCLA) to provide education about their rights and best practices for interacting with law enforcement.
The dedicated staff at HHCLA serve some of the most vulnerable and marginalized members of our community, offering harm reduction services, connections to housing, and critical medical and behavioral health support.
We are inspired by their compassion, kindness, and tireless commitment to those they serve, and we are proud to partner with them in this important work.
Please join us this Saturday, October 19, 2024, at the 19th Annual Taste of Soul Family Festival on Crenshaw Blvd between Stocker and Obama.
The event is the largest free one-day street festival in Southern California! The Taste of Soul Street Festival has great food vendors, live music performances, art installations, health care services, financial resources, and job and networking opportunities!
APD attorneys will be staffing the event and providing expungement services, and information about post-conviction relief.
The event will take place between 10AM-7PM. Additional information can be found at www.tasteofsoulla.com
Congratulations to APD Division Chief Kelly Buck, who was honored as a co-recipient of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s 2024 Defense Attorney of the Year Award for her pioneering work with the Rapid Diversion Program. The Rapid Diversion Program streamlines the process of quickly identifying individuals whose arrests are rooted in mental health issues, removing them from jail and connecting them with essential services. This innovative approach ensures people receive the treatment and support they need, rather than being trapped in a cycle of incarceration.
Congratulations to APD artists David Cho, Firass Halawi, and Emily Rosenfelt, whose work was selected to be part of the Inaugural LACMA LA County Wellness Art Show.
APD attorneys Vanessa Rodriguez and Vianney Moran speak to High School Students at the Boyle Heights STEM Magnet High School Career Day Fair. Vanessa and Vianney told the students what inspired them to pursue a career in public defense and answered questions about the role of a public defender
APD has partnered with the Los Angeles County Public Defender Office, the Los Angeles Superior Court, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, and Mayor Karen Bass, to create a Community Outreach Court here in Skid Row!
March 21st, 2024 was the first official Community Outreach Court held at the ReFresh Spot in Skid Row. The goal is to “lessen the burden of navigating the criminal court process and ensuring that participants have the opportunity to clear eligible bench warrants, expunge eligible convictions, resolve citations and eligible cases misdemeanor cases, and connect participants to reentry and job opportunities” (Los Angeles Superior Court).
The Community Outreach Court will be held on the third Thursday of every month at the ReFresh Spot. Please see the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Press Release for more details.
On February 23, 2024, the Alternate Public Defender’s office participated in Supervisor Janice Hahn’s Veteran’s Resource Fair in San Pedro. Deputy Alternate Public Defenders Puja Makarechi and Nagmeh Shariatmadar, along with APD’s Partners for Justice Client Advocates Daisy Flores, Dafne Gonzales and Lucy McAuliffe, provided Veterans with information on how our office can assist with criminal record clearing and SB 1209 Veteran’s re-sentencing program.
*Group photo with Supervisor Janice Hahn provided by photographer Jonathan Moore*
On September 9th 2023, at UC Davis, the Pacific Juvenile Defender Center recognized APD Attorney Angeles Zaragoza for her outstanding juvenile justice advocacy by bestowing her with the 2023 Defender of the Year Award! Angeles was honored with the award, along with co-recipient, Los Angeles County Public Defender Liz Brunstein.
Angeles has been a statewide leader in juvenile practice and has been instrumental in training and advising attorneys, paralegals and social workers on new policies and programs that more effectively serve our juvenile clients and lead to better case outcomes.
In addition to carrying her own caseload, and helping train and mentor juvenile attorneys, Angeles was appointed to a coveted spot on the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). This body is tasked with investigating and overseeing juvenile halls.
Congratulations, Angeles, and thank you for all that you do on behalf of the juvenile justice community!
APD attorneys participate in an expungement clinic at the Earvin Magic Johnson Community Center. The event was sponsored by Supervisor Holly Mitchell and the newly formed Justice Care and Opportunities Department (JCOD). If you need help with expungement services or post-conviction resources, please reach out to your assigned public defender, or contact our office for more information.
The Mexican American Bar Association Presents:
MEET THE LA COUNTY APD
ERIKA ANZOATEGUI
Wednesday August 23 2023
6 P.M. - 7 P.M.
Via Zoom
On September 23rd, 2022, APD participated in the Homeboy Industries 13th Annual 5K Fundraiser Event. Homeboy Industries provides support to former gang members and previously incarcerated people through gang intervention, rehabilitation, training and employment opportunities, and their successful re-entry program. Thanks to the generosity of APD, and their friends and family members, we managed to raise over $3,800 for Homeboy Industries!
APD joins Public Defenders across the country to stand together in solidarity to avow black lives matter. Public Defender offices in Minneapolis, New Orleans, and from coast to coast, stand together with our brothers and sisters in unity.
APD collaborated with Homeless Health Care to assemble and distribute hygiene kits to those experiencing homelessness in Skid Row. APD attorney Jaymes Sanford and APD investigator Kaylin Nelson paired up with Homeless Health Care Harm Reduction Specialist Alex Carrillo and Substance Abuse Counselor Sylvia Meza to distribute hygiene kits at their ‘Center for Harm Reduction’ located at 512 East 4th St, Los Angeles, 90013.
Homeless Health Care provides a refuge for some of the most marginalized members of our society and the individuals who work there day in, and day out, are the true heroes. Their ‘Harm Reduction Center’ and ‘Refresh Spot’ are located in Skid Row and cater to hundreds of individuals every day.
APD attorney Phil Peng, and proud member of the Skid Row Running Club, team up with the San Quentin ‘1,000 Mile Running Club’ at San Quentin State Prison this past winter (Dec of 2019).
