Biography

Lenore Rae Shefman
Attorney at Law

Lenore is originally from Texas. She is the granddaughter of Benjamin Shefman, attorney at law, and Lillian Shefman. In 1987, Lenore joined the US Coast Guard where she was a search and rescue seaman until her honorable discharge in 1989. After performing search and rescue operations off the Gulf Coast of Texas with the Coast Guard, Lenore attended Texas State University, formerly Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas. In 1993, she graduated with a Bachelors in Social Work. As the first school social worker hired directly by the Austin Independent School District, Lenore developed and implemented an alternative high school-within-a-school, created social and educational programs for urban youth, their families and the local communities of Austin, Texas. She was the Co-Chair of the National Association of Social Workers, Texas Committee for School Social Work, and she was a co-founder of the American Association of School Social Workers.

Lenore relocated to Northern California in 1997. She attended the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law from 1997-2000. She was admitted to the California State Bar on December 4, 2000. Lenore was also admitted to the Northern District of California, Eastern District of California, Ninth Circuit, and in September 2006 was admitted to the Texas State Bar.

During law school, Lenore clerked for the Office of the State Public Defender working to preserve the rights of inmates alive on San Quentin's death row. As a clerk she contributed to several habeas corpus briefs and utilized her background in social work to develop a social history for a client at San Quentin. Whether as a social worker or lawyer, Lenore's work is compelled by a passion for creating change. As a young activist and social worker she challenged the Texas Legislature on social welfare reform laws that were having a disparate impact on teenage mothers attempting to remain in school. Lenore also fought back against discriminatory laws aimed at gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals and groups. Today, Lenore's politics are key to her practice. She fights for the rights of those who are underrepresented in our society. Today Lenore works with plaintiffs who have been injured or harmed by other's negligence and those accused of committing criminal acts. She also volunteers with Project Homeless Connect providing legal assistance to those who have been completely disenfranchised.

Over the past nine years, Lenore has been general counsel for small businesses working on progressive issues throughout the Bay Area. Lenore has provided small business legal solutions to Medical Cannabis Dispensaries, Medical Clinics, Restaurants, Auto-Body Repair Shops, Financial Lending Institutions, Motion Picture Equipment Dealers, and various others.

Lenore is a successful trial lawyer and has proven herself before several California juries. Lenore is an excellent public speaker -- confident and creative before a jury.

For fun, Lenore enjoys mountain biking, endurance bicycle riding, swimming, snow and wakeboarding, motorcycles, scooters, and life outdoors.

Press and Media Links:

AIDS Lifecycle 6:

http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com/?p=2540

Volunteer Legal Services:
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http://www.cccba.org/prof/qmanMay2004.htm

Medical Marijuana:
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