Education and Experience

Amanda graduated from UC Berkeley in 1999 with a BA in communications.  While at Cal, Amanda was a member of the Women’s Division I Women’s Volleyball team, wrote for the school newspaper, The Daily Californian, and was a member of the Golden Key Honor Society, which recognizes the top 15% of college students.  

Amanda earned her J.D. from UC Hastings College of the Law in 2006.  While at Hastings, Amanda earned the CALI award for excellent achievement in the study of Community Economic Development, an award for the best moot court brief, and interned for Fox Cable Networks in Los Angeles in their Business and Legal Affairs Department. 

Upon admittance to the California Bar in 2006, Amanda practiced personal injury law with a small firm in San Francisco. In 2007, Amanda joined the Danville-based law firm of Gagen, McCoy, McMahon, Koss, Markowitz & Raines, where she spent over 8 years representing clients in a myriad of civil matters, including business transactions and litigation, education law, trademark law, employment disputes, contract formation, and sports matters. 

Admissions

California State Bar

Associations

Contra Costa County Bar Association

Contra Costa County Bar Association, Women’s Section (Board member 2012-2014)

UC Berkeley Alumni Association

Awards and Recognitions

2013 Super Lawyers Rising Star

Education and Experience

Lauren graduated with honors from UC Hastings College of the Law, where she served on the Hastings Law Journal and won several writing awards. She spent a summer clerking for the Federal Public Defender in San Francisco and also served as an extern for Federal District Court Judge Charles R. Breyer.  

Upon admittance to the California Bar in 2003, she practiced criminal and juvenile defense for a small firm in Alameda County, where she represented clients in courtroom proceedings across the Bay Area. Thereafter, she joined the law firm of Gagen McCoy, where she spent more than 11 years representing clients in a variety of matters, including criminal and juvenile defense, civil litigation and student athlete appeals before the California Interscholastic Federation. She continues to represent juveniles and indigent defendants on appeal in state and federal courts. Prior to law school, Lauren worked as a reporter for news outlets including the Associated Press and The Oregonian.

Admissions

California State Bar

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Associations

●     California State Bar Association

●    Contra Costa County Bar Association

●    Contra Costa County Bar Association, Women’s Section (board member 2010-2014)

●    The California Public Defenders Association

●    California Appellate Defense Counsel 

●    California Women Lawyers

●    The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence (pro bono partner)

●    Hastings College of the Law, Alumni Association Board of Governors (2010-2012)

●    UC Hastings Contra Costa Steering Committee

●    Central California Appellate Program 

●    Sixth District Appellate Program 

●    Boys Team Charity – Walnut Creek Chapter

●    Walnut Creek Little League

●    Las Lomas Boosters

●    Walnut Creek Education Foundation

Awards and Recognition

California Rising Star, 2009 and 2010