Berman & Riedel, LLP Paralegal, Valerie Ramirez and members of several professional legal organizations in San Diego presented the 5th Annual Couture for a Cause charity fundraiser. The event was held on October 4 at the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park and included a silent auction and fashion show. The Honorary Emcee of this year’s fashion show was Attorney Craig Higgs of Higgs, Fletcher & Mack, LLP.
Proceeds from the event benefit two local charities: Voices for Children, which provides legal representation for abused, neglected and abandoned minor children who are Dependents of the San Diego County Court System; and STAR/PAL, whose mission is to empower underserved youth by engaging them with law enforcement and other community partners.
As a representative and board member for the San Diego Paralegal Association, Valerie worked with a steering committee of nine members from various professional legal organizations including the San Diego Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators, Association of Corporate Counsel San Diego Chapter, Southern California Chapter of the Legal Marketing Association, Lawyers Club of San Diego, San Diego Paralegal Association, San Diego Legal Secretaries Association, South Asian Bar Association, and the Mother Attorney Mentoring Association of San Diego. The steering committee worked together to procure donations for silent auction items, secure corporate sponsorships, and obtain clothing from fashion designers Ron Stuart and Chico’s to use in the show.
Berman & Riedel, LLP Partners William M. Berman and U. Kelley Riedel (Berman) attended the event along with over 175 attendees from the extended legal community, enjoying delicious cuisine & beverages provided by local caterer, The French Gourmet, as well as the opportunity to connect with colleagues and friends. Attorneys and legal professionals walked the runway in the latest fashions, including fellow Plaintiffs’ Attorneys Robert Hamparyan, Esq. and John Gomez, Esq .
During intermission of the fashion show, two young women shared personal accounts of their experiences with Voices for Children and STAR/PAL. Their stories of domestic violence and troubled youth were heart-wrenching, but both were able to find positive influences in their lives from the caring mentors and programs provided by Voices for Children and STAR/PAL . Both women spoke of their hopes, dreams and plans for the future, and their stories put real faces on these important charities to show how valuable their work is to our San Diego youth.
Due to the generosity of the San Diego legal community, Couture for a Cause 2012 was a huge success, raising over $19,000 for Voices for Children and STAR/PAL. It was truly a FUNdraiser for a worthy cause, and Berman & Riedel, LLP, was honored to be a part of such a special event.
