Jean-Pierre Francillette
President
Jean-Pierre Francillette graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Toxicology from UC Davis, where he was a recipient of the Chancellor's Award of Merit and was a finalist to receive the V. Glenn Winslow, Jr. Award, which is presented to the Outstanding Graduating Male Student each year. He then went on to attend UC Hastings College of the Law. While in law school, he worked as a summer associate with McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen (now Bingham McCutchen). He also held internship positions with the Environmental Unit of the San Francisco City Attorney's Office and with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX. Following law school graduation and obtaining a Juris Doctor degree, he worked as a law clerk with the Office of the County Counsel for San Joaquin County. Later, he held a position with the law firm of Albietz & Samuel.
Jean-Pierre now works as a staff counsel for the California Department of Health Care Services, representing the Department on personnel, Denti-Cal, Medi-Cal, and other matters at administrative hearings throughout the State. Just prior to this position, he worked as a staff attorney for Sacramento Child Advocates, Inc., where he represented abused children in dependency and juvenile proceedings in Sacramento County Superior Court.
Previously, Jean-Pierre served as the Vice-President of the Wiley W. Manuel Bar Association of Sacramento County (WMBA). He is a member of the Asian/Pacific Bar Association of Sacramento, the La Raza Lawyers of Sacramento, the Sacramento County Bar Association, and the State Bar of California. In addition, he is active in the Wing Chun Kung Fu Association of Sacramento, and he has studied Chinese martial arts for a number of years.
Fredricka McGee
First
Vice-President
Mrs. McGee is currently general counsel to California State Assembly Speaker Fabian Nú?ez and served in the same capacity to former Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa. In 2006 in her capacity as general counsel to Speaker Nú?ez, Ms. McGee advocated for and negotiated the passage of legislation that furthers a vitally important public policy goal in the legal profession: increasing diversity on the bench. Because of Ms. McGee’s efforts, the judicial appointments process will now provide a mechanism for tracking diversity in judicial candidates and appointments to the bench. For the first time in this state’s history, California law now requires that demographic data on judicial candidates be collected and reported to the Legislature on an annual basis. As a result of her work, she was selected the one of California Lawyer's Attorney of the Year and named one of the Daily Journal's Top 100 Lawyers of 2007. She also received the Wiley Manuel Law Foundation's Diversity on the Bench award and the Lawyer of the Year award from California Association of Black Lawyers.
Ms. McGee has a vast background in state politics and has served in various capacities including chief of staff to two former Assemblymembers and as legislative director to the Honorable Cruz Bustamante. She has extensive policy experience from her consultant positions on Assembly Insurance Committee, Assembly Public Safety Committee and Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy. Mrs. McGee has also worked in the third house as legislative counsel to the State Bar of California.
Prior to moving to Sacramento, She served as Sr. District Assistant to the late Congressman Glenn M. Anderson of Long Beach. Ms. McGee also practiced as a defense attorney with Murtaugh, Miller, Meyer & Nelson where she handled personal injury, bankruptcy and employment cases.
Mrs. McGee grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, Darmstadt, Germany and Southern California. She graduated with high honors from Long Beach Polytechnic High School. She earned a Bachelors of Arts in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in Marketing from California State University, Long Beach. She later received her Juris Doctorate degree and was voted the Faculty’s Most Outstanding Student from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.
Mrs. McGee is a member of the California State Bar where she previously volunteered as a Probation Monitor and mentor for the Bar’s Volunteers on Parole program. She has worked with several youth programs, acted as a mock trial judge and taught paralegal courses. She is also the founding president of the Black Youth Leadership Project, Inc., a non-profit organization which offers interactive legislative and debate programs to African American high school students throughout California. She also serves on the Board of the Wiley Manuel Bar Association of Sacramento
Demond Philson
Second Vice-President
Demond L. Philson was born and raised in the Oak Park area in Sacramento, California. As a youth he took exceptional interest in his community by participating in sporting events, local activities, and fundraisers. Mr. Philson attended Sacramento High School and graduated in 1991. At Sacramento High School he participated in various athletic sports such as football, basketball, and track and field. He was the recipient of the Violet Hackett scholarship and was honored by the Sacramento Chapter of Links as a Beautillion based upon both his academic and athletic achievements.
Mr. Philson graduated from Cosumnes River College in 1993 with an Associate of Arts Degree in General Education. Thereafter, Mr. Philson attended the University of California, Davis where he received a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1996. While attending the U.C. Davis he was a member of the football team. As an athlete-scholar he developed an appreciation for discipline, teamwork, and commitment to excellence in education. He went on to earn his J.D. at the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2000.
Mr. Philson worked as a Senior Paralegal at Wulfsberg, Reese, Colvig & Firstman in Oakland, CA, assisting in complex construction litigation matters. Mr. Philson then became an associate with Barry & Randolph, LLP in 2002 and joined the Randolph Cregger & Chalfant team in 2003. At Randolph Cregger & Chalfant he practiced in the areas of public entity defense, litigation of employment and civil rights claims, and railroad litigation, including claims under the Federal Employees Liability Act.
He now works as a staff counsel for the California Department of Health Care Services, representing the Department on personnel matters, state program audit recovery and reimbursement, and other matters at administrative hearings throughout the state. He is a member of the American and California State Bar Associations, and is admitted to practice in various U.S. District Courts and all California State Courts.
Dianne Dobbs
Treasurer
Dianne Dobbs serves as treasurer for both the Wiley Manuel Bar Association and its charitable non-profit, Friends of the Wiley Manuel Bar Association. Dianne is staff counsel for the California Department of Consumer Affairs. In that role, she acts as in-house counsel for various state licensing boards, bureaus, and commissions. She graduated from Golden Gate University School of Law in May of 2001, and was admitted to practice in December of that year. Prior to law school, she earned an undergraduate and an MBA from Holy Names University in Oakland, California, while working full-time as a corporate trainer. Dianne has practiced in the areas of employment law, juvenile dependency, family law, probate law, and business law. She recently accepted a volunteer position on the Conference of Delegates of the California Bar Association, Resolution Committee. Originally, from Jamaica, Dianne enjoys traveling, hiking, biking, and reading. She is married with two stepchildren, and one very adorable granddaughter.
Shirley Johnson
Financial Secretary
Shirley Johnson is an attorney based in Sacramento, CA specializing in State Business and Property Taxes. Shirley graduated from Lorenzo Patino School of Law, Sacramento, where she earned her Juris Doctorate (JD) degree in 1996, and was admitted to the California State Bar in 2000. She is a member of the State Bar of California; and the Real Property Section of the Sacramento County Bar Association.
Mark K. Slaughter
Sargent-at-Arms
Mark Slaughter attended the University of Southern California (Biology) and California State University Northridge (Psychology). Mark's 18 year career with DMV, primarily as a Hearing Officer presiding over administrative hearings for driver license actions, sparked his interest in pursuing a career in law. Mark attended the University of the Pacific, McGeorge, with a concentration in intellectual property. As an attorney Mark worked as Staff Counsel for DMV in administrative law before starting his career as a criminal defense attorney with the Sacramento County Public Defender's Office.
Aimee L. Steele
Member-at-Large
Aimee L. Steele is currently the Supervising Attorney for Parent Advocates of Sacramento and Stanislaus, a civil law firm that represents parents who have had their children removed by Child Protective Services in both Sacramento and Stanislaus counties. In addition to representing parents, she also supervises a staff of 11 attorneys, 2 paralegals and 3 support staff. Ms. Steele also participates in training new Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in their advocacy for dependent children. In 2007 Ms. Steele testified before the Blue Ribbon Commission on Foster Care regarding the importance of court appointed counsel, manageable case loads for attorneys and judges, the need for more attorneys of color in the area of dependency, as well as the need for reasonable salaries for court appointed counsel.
Prior to her employment with Parent Advocates of Sacramento and Stanislaus, Ms. Steele was an associate attorney with Perry & Associates where she represented children in both dependency and delinquency proceedings. She also practiced in the area of bankruptcy.
Ms. Steele is a native of Sacramento. She graduated from Christian Brothers High School in 1995. Ms. Steele earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan in 1999, and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Davis in 2002. While in law school, Ms. Steele interned for various agencies including California Department of Personnel Administration, California Attorney General’s Office, Department of Fair Employment and Housing and Weintraub, Genshlea, Chediak & Sproul. She also externed for Federal Magistrate Judge Elizabeth D. LaPorte of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Ms. Steele is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho, Sorority Inc., and an active member of Faith Fellowship Community Church. She serves as a mentor through the Volunteers in Parole program and coaches an elementary school basketball team.
