2024 CMCP Diversity Award Honorees

February 4, 2025, California – The California Minority Counsel Program (CMCP) recently elected new board members to support its mission to promote diversity in the legal profession by providing attorneys of color with access and opportunities for business and professional development.  Executive Director Tracey Broadhead shared, “These exceptional individuals offer a broad spectrum of expertise and diverse capabilities that perfectly complement CMCP’s dedication to excellence and inclusivity. Their enthusiasm for our mission, coupled with their established success in their respective areas, makes them invaluable assets to our leadership team. In partnership with our existing board members, we will unite our efforts to steer our strategic goals and create a meaningful and lasting influence on the legal community we serve.”  New members elected to serve a three-year term (2025-2027):   *Peter Griffin, Partner at Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP, represents clients in all aspects of litigation, from drafting and responding to complaints through trial/arbitration and post-trial practice.   His work as a business and real estate litigator includes providing counsel on disputes between partners, shareholders, and corporate directors/officers, commercial landlords and tenants, and buyers and sellers of real estate. He has substantial experience with federal receiverships and construction matters, as well as extensive experience in employment litigation.  A highly responsive and knowledgeable advocate, Peter has represented clients in jury trials and argued before federal and state courts throughout California. His recent successes include obtaining a 12-0 jury verdict in a partnership dispute, a judgment for an architecture firm in a bench trial over a contractual dispute, and a substantial arbitration award in a commercial landlord-tenant dispute.  Peter was a walk-on football player at Stanford University, where he earned a scholarship. He also had a successful career in technology working for a Silicon Valley software company prior to attending law school. Peter currently serves as Co-Chair of the Allen Matkins Diversity & Inclusion Committee.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________  *Alejandro (“Alex”) Moreno is a partner in the Business Trial Practice Group and the Office Managing Partner of Sheppard Mullin‘s San Diego office.   Alex practices general business and commercial litigation in state and federal courts. He is also experienced in private dispute resolution and arbitration, including mass arbitration and FINRA arbitration, and has succeeded on behalf of his clients after full arbitration and brokered favorable pre-arbitration settlements. Alex also handles appeals in the California Court of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit.  Alex represents clients in the banking and finance, real estate, mortgage, cannabis, hospitality, technology and telecommunications, restaurant and franchise, energy and extraction, and healthcare industries. He defends consumer class actions, securities litigation and shareholder derivative suits, mass arbitration, cross-border litigation, and litigation for high-net-worth individuals and companies with a need for Spanish speaking counsel.  Alex lived for two decades in Mexico and Spain and applies his familiarity with Latin American culture to successfully solve legal disputes for Latin American clients. For example, he has successfully resolved labor disputes involving primarily Spanish speaking workforces. Alex has also led and organized fact gathering investigations for U.S. companies with factories in Latin America.  A prolific writer, Alex regularly contributes to various legal blogs discussing developments in the law affecting public companies, issuers of securities, banking and finance regulations, the enforceability of arbitration agreements and class action waivers, and companies with business in Latin America.  As part of his pro bono work, Alex has successfully resolved guardianship and immigration matters. He also regularly advises charities and public interest groups on regulatory and dispute resolution matters.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________  *Stephanie Roberts, Partner, at Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP, is a results-oriented, ardent attorney who handles all aspects of litigation, from drafting and responding to complaints through discovery, trial, and post-trial practice. She is passionate about achieving the best possible outcome for her clients and she leverages this enthusiasm with her practical, problem-solving approach to anticipate and resolve issues early.  Stephanie is a real estate litigator whose experience encompasses nearly every type of real estate related dispute, including disputes concerning financing projects, construction defects, easement disputes, taxation disputes, and disputes between commercial landlords and tenants, and buyers and sellers of real estate. She also has extensive experience litigating complex business disputes and employment matters.  Stephanie also has significant trial experience. Most recently, she second chaired a four-week jury trial regarding the scope and limitations on easements which resulted in a complete defense verdict. Stephanie was the lead associate in an eight-week malpractice trial that also resulted in a complete defense verdict for her client, a law firm, who was being sued for over $200 million in damages for purported misconduct, fraud, and civil RICO violations. Stephanie also helped secure a favorable jury verdict on behalf of a multinational oil and gas company against breach of contract and other related claims.  _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________  *Quyen Ta, Partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, serves as lead counsel in numerous consumer class action matters in state and federal courts. She regularly handles litigation involving statutes as varied as California’s Business & Professions Code Sections 17200 and 17500, Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Ms. Ta has defeated billions of dollars in consumer claims through favorable settlements, dispositive and class decertification motions, and many other strategies.  Her practice also includes advising on complex business and civil disputes before U.S. state and federal courts, as well as domestic and international arbitral tribunals, on behalf of clients in the energy, financial services, life sciences and health care, manufacturing, technology and other sectors.  Ms. Ta has achieved trial victories and successful settlements in intellectual property, trade secrets and employment mobility cases related to semiconductor, integrated circuit, microlending and mobile device technology. She also has obtained defense verdicts and secured other resolutions in matters involving significant claims of breaches of contract and confidentiality and alleged violations of the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute.  She is chair of California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Bay Area Judicial Advisory Selection Committee.  Ms. Ta has been named a Top 100 Lawyer, a Top Woman Lawyer and a Top Trade Secrets Lawyer in California by…

August 29, 2024, San Francisco, CA   – The California Minority Counsel Program (CMCP) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 CMCP Diversity Awards. These prestigious awards recognize outstanding contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal profession. This year’s honorees have demonstrated exceptional leadership, commitment to fostering inclusive environments, and dedication to advancing the careers of underrepresented legal professionals.  Tracey Broadhead, Executive Director of CMCP, expressed her enthusiasm for the honorees: “This year’s award recipients embody the core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion that CMCP champions. Their unwavering commitment to advancing diversity in the legal profession is truly inspiring, and we are honored to recognize their achievements. They are not only leaders in their respective fields but also advocates of a more equitable and inclusive future for all.”  2024 CMCP Diversity Award Winners  These awards will be presented at the Recognition Luncheon at the 2024 CMCP Annual Business Conference Celebrating CMCP’s 35th Anniversary on September 13, 2024. The CMCP Annual Business Conference brings together industry leaders, legal professionals, and diversity advocates to celebrate these accomplishments and discuss the continued progress toward a more inclusive legal industry.  For more information about the awards or to attend the ceremony, please contact Leah Weatherspoon at comms@cmcp.org.  About California Minority Counsel Program (CMCP)  The California Minority Counsel Program (CMCP) promotes diversity in the legal profession by providing attorneys of color with access to decision-makers in the legal industry and business community. CMCP helps build relationships that advance the careers of attorneys of color, while also providing resources to law firms and corporations to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion.  ### 

CMCP (California Minority Counsel Program) is delighted to introduce its newly elected board members, a formidable group of accomplished professionals selected for their exemplary leadership and expertise, embodying the values and goals of CMCP.