The Commitment to Service Award honors a pro bono law firm who has supported Centro Legal by delivering legal services to our clients, and improving our clients’ lives in impactful ways.
For more than ten years, Andrew has partnered with Centro Legal to not only represent hundreds of tenants in court pro bono, he has led advocacy efforts towards housing systemic change in our community. He is one of three founding members of the Just Cause Eviction Protection Initiative, a grass-roots movement that started as an adjunct committee of the Oakland Tenants’ Union and led to the Just Cause Eviction Ordinance, protecting thousands of tenants in the City of Oakland. Not only does he lead by example, he mentors and supports generations of tenant advocates, including many of our own Tenants’ Rights attorneys.
“Andrew has been fighting for tenants and supporting Centro and our community for decades now. Not only has he led the way with Centro as co-counsel in some of our biggest class action cases, but he is always willing to represent the individual families facing horrible housing conditions or harassment. I can’t even imagine where the tenant community would be without Andrew’s unwavering commitment to justice.” — Jesse Newmark, Litigation Director, Centro Legal
He is a graduate of University of San Francisco School of Law, and UC-Santa Cruz undergraduate. His practice is focused on personal injury and landlord-tenant litigation. For three years, Mr. Wolff served as a City Commissioner on the Oakland Rent Stabilization Board as a tenant representative appointed by then Mayor Elihu Harris. He is currently a member of the Consumer Attorneys of California, East Bay Tenant Bar Association, Alameda County Bar Association, and former Board Member of Housing Rights, Inc.
The Law Offices of Andrew Wolff, PC has obtained multiple judgments and more than 1,500 settlements for clients throughout California. Mr. Wolff has also held landlord-tenant MCLE training for young lawyers, and was a guest lecturer in a course at Golden Gate University regarding landlord-tenant litigation. In 2017, Mr. Wolff was awarded the prestigious Guardian of Justice Award by the Alameda County Bar Association.
Mr. Wolff has practiced law for twenty years, and has extensive experience in all phases of landlord-tenant and personal injury litigation. He is well known in the non-profit community, and regularly volunteers on behalf of low income people. Mr. Wolff cares deeply about the people he represents, and the underlying issues involved in personal injury and landlord-tenant litigation. He feels strongly about achieving success for his clients. Mr. Wolff provides personal attention and quality legal consultation to his clients.
Catalyst for Change Award recognizes our community partners who stand side by side with Centro Legal to create social impact in the community.
This year we honor the community members behind the Oakland Unified School District’s Refugee and Newcomers program and Hayward Unified School District’s Newcomer Services program, including Qoc’avib Revolorio, Nathaniel Dunstan, Laurel Thayer, Lucinda Matias, Maria Aguilar, Ivone Hernandez, Carolina Fortin, Josie Garcia, and Sabrina Aranda.
For the last ten years, Centro Legal has partnered with the Refugee and Newcomers program at Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and the Newcomer Services program at Hayward Unified School District (HUSD) to respond to the urgent legal needs of the large numbers of unaccompanied undocumented minors and migrant families arriving in Oakland. Together, we launched school-based legal clinics to provide free immigration legal consultations and representation to students and families. Our partnership continues to support immigrant youth and families in securing safety, stability, and opportunities to thrive through coordinated legal, academic, and social service support.
“Centro’s partnership with the OUSD Refugee and Newcomers program and the HUSD Newcomer Services program is a tremendous gift to our clients and our community. We work together every day: Centro offers consultations, trainings, and full-scope representation to families and unaccompanied minors in Oakland and Hayward schools, and our school-district partner honorees make this all possible by identifying families in need, offering us space, resources, and information, and making sure to help meet all the non-legal needs of the newcomer families and youth in their districts. Our school-district partners do it all with kindness, patience, and deep knowledge. I learn something new from them every day and I couldn’t be more grateful for their enduring partnership and friendship with Centro.
— Isaac Flegel-Mishlove, Skadden Fellow & Staff Attorney, Immigrants’ Rights
Join me next month to celebrate the OUSD Refugee and Newcomers team and HUSD Newcomer Services team! I am excited, and hope you will be there. Get your tickets today!
Note:
There are currently around 2,500 unaccompanied undocumented minors (UUMs) within Oakland Unified School District, and around 30 new UUMs enroll each month. A similar effect in Hayward. Overall, we have had enormous success, securing relief from deportation for 100% of our unaccompanied minor clients. Through our school based legal services, we help 100% of UUMs apply for a work permit which supports them on pathways to careers.
The Leaders in Liberation Award honors the mutual aid and advocacy efforts our community is paving.
Centro Legal recognizes the necessary work our community of advocates, clients, and partners do to ensure a just world for everyone. By working together, we change the trajectories of how we best serve our community, advocating for policy change and better laws.
This year we honor the FCI Dublin Survivors, who have courageously stood up and fought against the profound injustices experienced while incarcerated at a federal women’s prison in Dublin, California.
“We have learned time and time again from FCI Dublin survivors that: true liberation will not come from the courts; cages hold no place in our futures; and solutions are founded in community. For years, survivors abuse at FCI Dublin have practiced a “tomorrow” we should all desire to inhabit, founded in deep care for one another as carceral and legal systems fail by design, and demonstrated through their powerful reclamation of their stories, defense of their personhood, and brave and resilient leadership in this movement towards liberation and justice.”
— Emily Almendarez, Senior Paralegal, Immigrants’ Rights
Join me along with Maria, Valeria, and Cristaal who will be receiving the award, in representation of more than 140 survivors of prison staff abuse and retaliation fighting for justice at FCI Dublin.
