Before the Courts

GEORGE COREY AND NANCY DE ITA RECEIVE SAN MATEO COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION AWARDS. On Oct. 4., the Diversity Committee of the San Mateo County Bar Association presented its award-winning 10th Annual Speaker Series at which it honored two Peninsula attorneys. George Corey received the Les Williams Diversity Award for demonstrating a meaningful and consistent commitment to increasing and maintaining diversity in San Mateo County at all levels of the legal profession. Corey exemplifies the Diversity Committee’s goal of promoting equality in the San Mateo County Bench and Bar for all underrepresented minorities and other groups. A San Mateo County resident for over 50 years, Corey served as mayor of the city of San Bruno from 1972-73, and served on the San Bruno City Council and the North San Mateo County Council of Cities. In the civic forum, Corey served as a director of numerous community service and non-profit organizations, most recently as a director of Shelter Network, a local organization that focuses on providing housing and support services to homeless families on the Peninsula. Corey also founded Peninsula Bank of Commerce, a $500 million institution, chairing its board of directors for 17 years. The Les Williams Diversity Award is named in honor of Les Williams, an attorney who was a member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. Williams, a member of the private defender program for many years, gained the respect of all through his quiet dignity and gentle demeanor in the pursuit of justice. Nancy De Ita, the San Mateo County Bar Association’s 10th woman president, received a special award for overseeing both the creation of the Diversity Committee and the development of the annual speaker’s event. Since its inception in 2009, the Diversity Task Force’s efforts have helped significantly increase membership and participation in the SMCBA, particularly of minority attorneys, and the task force has been notable for attracting marquee speakers to address the legal community. In 2010, the board of directors elevated the task force to committee status, and the organization is now known as the SMCBA Diversity Committee. In 2013, the SMCBA Diversity Committee was the proud recipient of the California State Bar Diversity Award.

DIVERSITY SPEAKER AVAILABLE. The San Mateo County Bar Association’s Diversity Committee encourages and promotes equality and diversity on the bench and the bar for all underrepresented minorities. Its goals include working with local public schools, colleges and law schools to encourage a diverse base of students to become attorneys who will ultimately practice in San Mateo County. If you would like someone to speak at your school regarding diversity, please contact Deborah Kemper, Executive Director of the San Mateo County Bar Association, at DeborahK@smcba.org.