Message from the Board — May 2025

Hello friends,

As I write my first “Message from the Board” as co-editor-in-chief of For The Record, I’m reflecting on the power of journalism and the importance of making your voice heard. My own journey began in my bedroom with a dot-matrix printer, churning out “The Alternative” when my high school newspaper wouldn’t publish stories that mattered to students. That early experience taught me that when something is important, you sometimes have to create your own platform to share it. That lesson — that words can spark change — has stayed with me, guiding my path from my bedroom newsroom, to editing a newspaper with a 50,000 daily circulation, to opening my own law office where I try to balance the rights of landlords and tenants.

This month, the impact of our work truly resonated with me when I volunteered with a dozen other New Lawyer Division members at the 41st Annual Children’s Book Party at Balboa Park. As a child, The Emperor’s New Clothes taught me that it takes courage to say what everyone else is afraid to admit, a lesson that has stayed with me and steadies me when I speak up to demand justice. Watching kids light up as they received their own books reminded me how a single story can open new worlds and inspire lifelong change. Moments like these reaffirm why our commitment to service, both inside and outside the courtroom, is so meaningful.

This month, our Division has continued to show up for each other and our community. We celebrated Law Day and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, joined the Annual Awards Ceremony & Celebration of Community Service, and participated in the Anti-Racist Book Club. Looking ahead, I hope to see many of you at the June 3 New Attorney Swearing-In Ceremony where we’ll welcome new faces to the Division. Each of these events is a reminder of the power of community and the opportunities we have to learn, serve, and grow together.

Whether you’re attending your first event or your fiftieth, I encourage you to step up and share your story. Journalism taught me that every voice matters, and as lawyers, our voices can make a difference, not just for our clients, but for each other and our community.

See you at the next event — and if you have a story you want told, our inbox is always open.

All my best,
Stephanie S. Germani, Esq.