President - Dean McVay
Dean McVay is a resident of Upland, California, where he has lived since 2000. He is an attorney and a partner with Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith since 2003, in their San Bernardino office, where he practices civil litigation in the Healthcare Practice Group. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of La Verne College of Law in Ontario, where he has taught since 1996.
Mr. McVay is a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Psychology in 1987. He then graduated from Vanderbilt Law School in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1990 and moved to Southern California to begin the practice of law.
Dean volunteers as a Board Member in several local non-profit organizations. He has been a member of the San Bernardino Symphony Board of Directors since 2004 and served as President of the Board from 2017 to 2022. He also serves as a board member of the Western San Bernardino County Bar Association (President, 2012-2013; Board Member 2009-present; Vice President 2023); San Bernardino County Museum Association (President 2017-18; Immediate Past President 2018-19; Vice President 2020-present); Association of California Symphony Orchestras (Board Member; Secretary; Vice President 2019-2021; Conference Chair 2022-2023); Dignity Health Inland Empire Foundation (Board Member and prior Vice-Chair); The Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino (Board Member 2018 to present); University of La Verne Senate (Senator for the College of Law 2020 to present); Ophelia’s Jump Productions (Board Member 2022 to present); and Inland Valley Repertory Theater (Board Member 2022 to present).
Dean received the San Bernardino Symphony’s most prestigious “Golden Baton” Award in 2015. He has also been awarded “Adjunct Professor of the Year” at the University of La Verne College of Law each year from 2011 to 2021, and also received the University-wide “Excellence in Teaching Award” from the University of La Verne in 2004, as well as “Professor of the Year” (from amongst both full time and part-time faculty) from the University of La Verne, College of Law in 2000.
His love of the Arts, classical music and musical performance motivated him to serve with Various local non-profit Arts organizations as his way to “give back” to the community. In his free time, he is a patron of the Southern California Arts scene, and also rescues Cocker Spaniels with various local rescue organizations.
Vice President - EJ Gonzalez
Co-Vice President - Veronica J. Garcia
Veronica J. Garcia (she/her/ella) is a legal aid attorney and Housing Project Group Director at Inland Counties Legal Services, where she leads efforts to prevent displacement and expand housing justice across the Inland Empire. Veronica has spent her career advancing equity through direct legal services, and pro bono partnerships.
Veronica also serves on the Hispanic Bar Association of the Inland Empire and finds value in mentoring future legal professionals from underrepresented backgrounds. As a founding board member of the Pride Bar Association of the Inland Empire, she is committed to building an inclusive legal network that reflects and supports the vibrant communities of the region.
L Orozco (they/them/elle) is a staff attorney with Inland Counties Legal Services' Pro Bono Practice Group. They oversee the agency's LGBTQ+ Services Program, which houses several specialty clinics (e.g., Gender Marker & Name Change, ID Amendment Clinic, and Advance Health Care Directive clinics) geared towards providing LGBTQ+ residents of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties with affirming and culturally competent legal services. They have roughly 5+ years of public-interest related experience working with low-income LGBTQ+ clients both in California and New York. L received their J.D. with a public interest law distinction from Southwestern Law School and their B.A. in Comparative Race & Ethnic Studies from Columbia University.
Treasurer - Linda Guzman
Director at Large - Matthew Kugizaki
Matt Kugizaki is an attorney and the Pro Bono Director at Inland Counties Legal Services, a nonprofit legal services organization serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties, which spans over 27,000 square miles (about the area of South Carolina). Matt oversees ICLS’ pro bono programs, including a Small Business Legal Clinic, Guardianship Project, Expungement Clinic, and LGBTQIA+ Services Project. Matt also works to integrate pro bono volunteers into ICLS’ eight other practice areas and oversees ICLS’ law student internship program. Prior to joining ICLS, Matt worked as a commercial litigator in Southern California, representing corporate clients and nonprofits in complex, high-stakes litigation involving business and contract disputes, employment law, real estate, and other legal matters. Matt earned his J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 2012, and prior to law school he earned his B.S. and M.S. in Statistics from UCLA.
Director at Large - Tu Le
Director at Large - Christopher Marin
Director at Large - Jim Palmer
Jim is an associate attorney at the Law Office of James M. Blucker, specializing in landlord-tenant evictions (representing landlords) and estate planning. A recent bar passer, Jim, has been with the firm for five years, progressing from an intern to a certified clerk and now an attorney.
Jim graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of La Verne College of Law, earning CALI awards in Property I and Property II and placement on the Dean's List. Licensed to practice in California, Jim is committed to delivering results-driven and client-focused legal solutions.
An active member of the Federalist Society, Delta Theta Phi, and the Western San Bernardino County Bar Association, Jim remains engaged in the legal community. In 2024, Jim was a panel speaker at ClioCon24, sharing insights on the Advanced Clio Customer Roundtable. Jim is also a founding member of the newest bar association, Pride Bar Association of the Inland Empire.
In addition to his professional achievements, Jim is proficient in American Sign Language, allowing him to effectively communicate and advocate for clients in the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
Education:
California State University, Northridge, B.A. - Deaf Studies
University of La Verne, J.D. – Juris Doctor
Professional Affiliations:
The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies
Western San Bernardino County Bar Association
Delta Theta Phi"
Director at Large / Judicial Advisor - Honorable Lisa Rogan