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California Women Lawyers Honor Lilys McCoy

October 7, 2013

San Diego attorney Lilys McCoy, who is the Director of the Solo Practice Concentration and Lawyer Incubator Program at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, will be honored on Thursday, Oct. 10, by the California Women Lawyers (CWL) as one of its “2012-2013 Women of Achievement.” The award will be presented to Professor McCoy during the CWL’s 39th annual dinner, which is the formal headline event of the California State Bar Annual Conference taking place in San Jose this week.

The recognition as a ‘Woman of Achievement’ is given to women lawyers for their accomplishments and contributions to the profession and community this past year. Founded in 1974, CWL is the only statewide bar association dedicated to promoting the advancement of women in the profession of law and society. This year, CWL is honoring 16 women lawyers, ranging from judges, to general counsels, to partners in law firms.

“We are thrilled to recognize you this year for all your work as a Director at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, focusing on solo practices, and for your community service and volunteer work with numerous organizations in San Diego,” said CWL President Eliza Rodrigues in a congratulatory email to McCoy.

McCoy came to Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2012 to direct the law school’s new Solo Practitioner Concentration, which teaches students the ethical, business and entrepreneurial aspects of opening a law office, and the Lawyer Incubator Program, which operates as the Center for Solo Practitioners in downtown San Diego to support recent TJSL graduates who provide affordable legal services to people who are under served by the legal profession. A partner with McCoy, Turnage & Robertson since 2003, McCoy has been a civil litigator since 1994 and has been dedicated to representing plaintiffs in consumer protection cases. 

Recognized by her peers this year as one of the San Diego Daily Transcript’s “Top Attorneys in Academics,” McCoy has been active in various community organizations. The former Chair of the Conference of California Bar Associations, she was instrumental in getting AB 1183 signed into law earlier this year. She drafted the resolution, which clarifies the deadline for filing motions to compel further response to recovery requests. “California Women Lawyers is an organization that I have admired for many years,” said McCoy. “Their work to advance the status of women in the law has been integral to the success of women lawyers throughout California, especially those seeking leadership positions such as judgeships. I am honored and humbled to be receiving recognition from such a fine organization.”

McCoy is among an impressive list of California women attorneys being honored by CWL as “2012-2013 Women of Achievement” that includes:

  • Hon. Patricia Bamattre-Manoukian – Associate Justice, Sixth District Court of Appeal
  • Hon. Nicole Bershon – Appointed to Los Angeles County Superior Court
  • Andrea Carlise – Partner, Patton Woolen Carlise LLP
  • Aileen Casanave – General Counsel and Vice President of Business Development, Crimp Cabling Concepts
  • Patricia Egan Daehnke – President, Los Angeles County Bar Association
  • Hon. Teresa Estrada-Mullaney, retired – Superior Court of San Luis Obispo County
  • Elizabeth Franklin – Executive Director and Associate General Counsel, Global Employment and Immigration, Maxim Integrated
  • Ruth Kahn – Partner, Steptoe & Johnson, LLP
  • Hon. Joan Dempsey Klein – Presiding Justice, Division Three, Second District Court of Appeal
  • Jackie Lacey – Los Angeles County District Attorney
  • Claire Lipschultz – Director of Public Advocacy, National Council of Jewish Women, Sacramento Section
  • Lilys D. McCoy – Director, Center for Solo Practitioners and Solo Practice Concentration, Thomas Jefferson School of Law
  • Hon. Beverly Reid O’Connell – U.S. District Court Judge for the Central District of California
  • Lori E. Pegg – Assistant County Counsel, Santa Clara County Office of the County Counsel, appointed to Santa Clara County Superior Court
  • Hon. Paula S. Rosenstein – San Diego County Superior Court
  • Wendy Tucker – Partner, Sedgwick LLP