Contra Costa Lawyer - Contra Costa County Bar Association

Mr. Acuña knows that he not only helps
the individual with whom he meets. Helping
seniors helps alleviate the fears and
worries related to facing end-of-life challenges
for the whole family. Frank recalls
some of the most troubling obstacles
families face: "How do I take care of mom
and dad when the hospital won’t talk to
me? The doctors won’t talk to me because
they’re afraid of liability for violating
privacy rights. How do I help mom and
dad pay their bills when the bank won’t
talk to me?”
With respect to volunteer work, and
doing Pro Bono legal work, Frank likes
to point out that attorneys have a special
opportunity and obligation to give back
to their communities: “When you are a
lawyer – truthfully – you are a member
of a very privileged part of this society.
You understand how the game is played.
You can manipulate the game. You have
that special knowledge. With that comes
an obligation and that obligation goes
beyond doing it for a fee. You have got
to give something back. This doesn’t
necessarily just apply to attorneys – I
think everybody has an obligation to make
this a better place.”
Youngman, Ericsson & Low, LLP
1981 North Broadway • Suite 300
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Tax Lawyers.
As with so many of our Pro Bono
champions, this is not Frank’s only volunteer
work. Before entering law school,
Frank worked as a Junior High School
teacher. Going back to his teaching background,
he still enjoys working with kids,
coaching soccer and working with junior
High school youth clubs. “It makes Walnut
Creek a better place to live and it
gives the kids a better experience.”
When Frank is not working or volunteering,
he enjoys spending time with his
family, especially his morning hikes in the
Walnut Creek Open Space with his wife
and their two border collies.
The Contra Costa Bar Association, The
Law Center and Contra Costa Senior Legal
Services would like to acknowledge Frank
Acuña for his dedication to providing Pro
Bono legal work. For those readers who
have not yet made or fulfilled their own
Pro Bono commitment for 2010, Frank
Acuña helps us recognize some of the
many ways in which attorneys can assist
indigent parties and assist their families
in navigating through very difficult and
emotional issues. For further information
on how you can make and fulfill your Pro
Bono commitment, please contact Craig
Nevin at cnevin@LawNRS.com. u
Frank R. Acuña, Managing Partner, at the
Northern California Business & Real Estate
Group of Kimball, Tirey & St. John, LLP, specializes
in estate planning, probate, inheritance
contests, and wealth transfer issues. Formerly
known as Acuña & Casas, P.C., Frank Acuña's
business joined forces with Kimball, Tirey & St.
John, LLP of the Northern California Business
& Real Estate Group to provides a broad spectrum
of services for individual property owners and
small business owners.
(925) 930-6000
Pro Bono
How Pro
Bono
Benefits you:
Increase your visibility in
the legal and general communities
| Gain valuable
legal experience & expertise
| Give back to the
community | Earn good
PR, possibly even State
Bar awards and recognition
| Increase respect for
and appreciation of our
profession | Expand your
network of contacts | Add
valuable community service
commitments to your
resumé
How to Get
Involved:
Find out more at
www.cccba.org under
build-your-practice/
pro-bono
Call Michele Vasta
Education & Programs Coordinator
/ Section Liaison
at
(925) 370-2548 or
mvasta@cccba.org
Contra Costa Lawyer 29