Kathleen Johnston Back - Ventura County Bar Association

22 CITATIONS • NOVEMBER 2008The Legacy of Richard A. Weinstock, A Lawyer for Social JusticeBy M. Carmen RamírezAfriend and mentor to many of us,attorney Richard A. Weinstock left uslast September 28, 2008, when he died athis home after a long and brave battle withcancer.In 1972, Dick became the director of theLegal Aid Association of Ventura County,(later known as Channel Counties LegalServices Association). By 1978, he hadalready established a record of successfullylitigating precedent-setting cases for the mostvulnerable and unpopular members of ourcommunity, challenging the establishment,including corporate interests, growers, thegovernment – as well as the organized baritself.Dick was born in Los Angeles to Hungarianimmigrant parents. He grew up in theSan Fernando Valley, attended UCLA,graduating magna cum laude, and earned hisjuris doctor from Boalt Hall School of Lawin 1964. Not content to be limited to a lawdegree, Dick went on to earn doctorate inConfluent Education at UC Santa Barbarain early 80s, following his directorship atthe legal aid program. Returning to law,he became a Santa Monica city attorney,defending the newly adopted rent controllaw in that city. After a time he openeda law office in Ventura, which he onlyrecently closed. During his entire career,Dick focused on defending the interests ofthe disenfranchised: farm workers, students,mobile home owners, pensioners, victimsof civil rights violations and employmentdiscrimination, including pursuing FirstAmendment cases for his clients.He practiced law for more than 40 years, buthe never let his law practice be an obstacleto thoroughly enjoying life. He loved totravel, and during one of his early trips toEurope, he met his wife Carol, a Canadian.They celebrated their 40th anniversarynot quite three weeks before his passing.Dick always took time to “smell the roses,”enjoying traveling, music, sports, reading,and good friends. Dick and Carol hiked theInca Trail in Peru to Machu Picchu, went tothe Himalayas, visited Vietnam, crossed theSahara and rafted the Colorado River. Hewas famous for encouraging his friends andco-workers to take the time to travel, see theworld, and escape the intensity of lawyeringfor a while. His musical interests includedsinging in the choir at Temple Beth Torahin Ventura, and playing the trumpet andsinging with the Geritones, a volunteer bandthat entertained at senior citizen homes.Following the closing of his practice ashort time ago, Dick and Carol moved toVancouver, British Columbia, where theyplanned to spend half the year, fulfillinga longime wish to live in both the U.S.and Canada. They maintained their homeand their friendships here in VenturaCounty. Their son Tiven and his wife,Brandy, accomplished musicians, now livein Boston.Dick was a very popular teacher at VenturaCollege of Law. He also founded the nonprofitlaw organization, Advocates for CivilJustice, during a time when importantcivil rights matters could not be pursuedby the legal services programs. He alsowas a co-founder of Citizens for PeacefulResolutions, which promotes peace andsocial justice in Ventura County.Many of Dick’s colleagues, interviewed forthis article, named his passion for socialjustice, his even-tempered and generousnature. The author of this article hadthe good fortune of sitting second chairwith him in a lengthy jury trial involvingemployee rights. She can attest that it was agreat pleasure to learn from him even whenthe going got tough.Richard Weinstock will be deeply missedby his family, friends, and colleagues.Donations in his name can be made tothe Center for Constitutional Rights,666 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York, NY10012 (www.ccrjustice.org) or InspireHealth, Integrated Cancer Care, 200-1330W. Eighth Ave., Vancouver, BC V6H4A6Canada, (www.inspirehealth.ca).Carmen Ramírez is Director of CommunityPlanning at Central Coast Alliance United fora Sustainable Economy.