A.S.K. - Attorneys Sharing Knowledge

Free Legal Presentations

Jacquelyn D. Ruffin

The Attorneys Sharing Knowledge (“A.S.K.”) program was developed and implemented out of the vision of VCBA’s 2022 Past President, Jacquelyn Ruffin, to increase community outreach, as she shared in her February 2022 Presidents Message. Through the ASK program, lawyers, judges, and other legal professionals may contribute to the fulfilment of VCBA’s mission to “improve access to legal services for all people in Ventura County”. These groups of legal professionals provide free legal presentations to underserved parts of our community at large, and educational talks to the broader community at large.

VCBA ASK’s first event was a free presentation in collaboration with the Museum of Ventura County on January 26, 2022, wherein a panel of attorneys educated a wide range of artists on their rights and protecting their work, rooted in intellectual property and copyright law. ASK will continue to host free community presentations on various legal topics that commonly affect the public.

Additionally, VCBA ASK offers educational, substantive law talks to students of all grade levels and backgrounds, especially high school students from underserved populations. This particular series commenced on March 25, 2022 with “So You’re Turning 18?” (SYT18?) presentations at Pacifica High School. SYT18 presentations inform youth about the implications of turning 18 from a legal perspective (including employment law, immigration law, criminal law, voting rights, and other matters).

ASK also aims to inspire students who are statistically underrepresented to consider a career in law through informal panel discussions. With this goal in mind, ASK volunteers have delivered free presentations to students about careers in the legal field, pathways to becoming an attorney, insight as to how the work of attorneys in various practice areas may differ from one another, and general legal rights.

The ASK program already has a growing list of volunteers. Presentations have reached over 1,370+ youth and have been offered at:

Pacifica High School • Juan Soria Middle School • Odyssey High School • Anacapa Middle School
Ocean View Middle School • Museum of Ventura County • Cal Lutheran Upward Bound TRIO program
OUHSD Oxnard Performing Arts Student Career Expo • Oxnard High School

ASK looks forward to collaborating with additional schools, school districts, nonprofits, and community organizations on future events. The ASK program is spearheaded by VCBA Board’s Community Outreach Committee.