Presidential Award & post-bar updates

Kimberly Wong: Presidential Award at CAOC

We’re proud to share that Kimberly Wong, Partner and Litigation Manager at Coopers, was presented with a 2024 Presidential Award by the Consumer Attorneys of California.

In Kimberly’s own words: “I was honored to receive the Presidential Award. I’ve spent several years being involved in the women’s caucus leadership on the board. In the plaintiff’s world, particularly personal injury, women are really underrepresented, so I enjoy promoting opportunities and networking for women. I’m part of the leadership, but I can’t take all the credit — it’s a group effort.

“I’m proud of what the women’s caucus has accomplished in the past several years. We’ve created a trial skills seminar at CAOC every year. This year’s was the largest, most inspirational, and most inclusive yet. We’ve also supported and sponsored a couple of bills that have significant impact on women’s rights in the courtroom.”

Kimberly is also passionate about creating a pipeline for diversity in the legal profession. “One thing I appreciate working with Coopers is that we want this to be a teaching firm. One of the long-term goals for the firm is to help start that pipeline with students.”

Congratulations, Kimberly — onward and upward.

Corey Jollie: Post-bar clerk to attorney

We recently caught up with newly minted attorney Corey Jollie, who was understandably “very glad to never have to take the bar again.” Here’s what he had to say.

What got you interested in law?

“Growing up in Southern California, my grandfather (a former reserve police officer), would constantly give me and my brothers lessons on how to protect yourself with, and from, the law. He was a firm believer that knowledge is power, and he made sure to spread the wisdom he had gained.”

How’d you get linked up with Coopers?

“I was introduced to the Coopers through a great mentor of mine, Richard Schoenberger. Then, Miles and I connected over coffee, and the rest is history.”

“A really great thing about the Coopers is that they make the effort to establish and maintain relationships. On either the day before or the day of the bar, Miles and Maryanne reached out to me to wish me luck and to assure me that my worth is not tied to the results of a standardized test. I had not been officially hired at that time, so the fact that they reached out to encourage me meant a great deal. It is little things like that which make me happy to be a part of the team at Coopers.”

What was the most challenging part of the bar for you?

“The uncertainty. For me, it felt like my main goal was to gather data: What subjects might be tested? How well do I analyze the fact patterns for those subjects? How long does it take me to go through the multiple-choice questions?”

“After I took the bar, the uncertainty of whether I passed became my focus. I would like to say to future bar examinees that it is better to not focus on what you cannot change, but, if I am being realistic, no one would listen to that advice. Instead, I recommend taking a walk when things get too overwhelming.”

How did you feel after you got your results?

“Stupefied. When a single moment serves as the culmination of years of studying and effort, years of emotion are unleashed. Mainly, I felt gratitude and pride. I would not have become an attorney had it not been for the mentoring I had along the way.”

Congratulations, Corey. We’re happy to have you aboard.”

A fond farewell: Anthony Hidalgo

When Anthony Hidalgo arrived at Coopers in 2022 as a San Francisco Trial Lawyers’ Summer Fellow, neither he nor those of us at Coopers realized his initial month-long visit would expand into years of collaboration.

We very much enjoyed watching Anthony’s skills develop, benefited from the tremendous work he performed, and were thrilled when he passed the bar. While we are sad to see Anthony go, we understand his decision to accept a position with a national elder abuse firm and wish him nothing but the best.

A few words from Anthony:

“During my time at Coopers, I had the opportunity to work on cases at every stage, from pre-litigation tasks like drafting demands to litigation responsibilities such as preparing discovery. I attended multiple successful mediations and even helped prepare for trial, gaining invaluable experience representing plaintiffs at the highest level. What stood out most to me was the firm’s hands-on mentorship and its unwavering dedication to securing justice for clients. As someone who has personally experienced the tragic loss of family members in accidents caused by others’ negligence, I saw how Coopers strived to achieve the best possible outcomes for those who need it most.”