Barristers Column — June 2026
By Sharon Ramirez
Sharon Ramirez
7th Annual Judicial Reception
On Thursday, May 14, the Barristers hosted our 7th Annual Judicial Reception at the beautiful Grier Pavilion at Riverside City Hall. This year’s reception was one of our most well-attended events to date, bringing together judges, attorneys, law students, and members of the legal community for an evening centered on recognition, connection, and celebration.
This year, we had the incredible honor of recognizing Judge Sophia Choi as our Judicial Officer of the Year and Steven Harmon as our Attorney of the Year. Judge Choi’s unwavering commitment to public service and the Riverside community reflects the very best of our profession. Likewise, Steven Harmon’s decades-long commitment to criminal defense and mentorship have shaped generations of attorneys throughout our legal community. Honoring both of these outstanding leaders in the presence of our legal community was truly special.
The evening featured live jazz music, raffle prizes, a magician, great food and drinks, and, most importantly, the opportunity for members of our legal community to come together and reconnect as colleagues and friends. From young attorneys and law students to seasoned practitioners and members of the bench, the reception reflected the strength and camaraderie of the Riverside legal community.
Events like these do not happen without a tremendous team effort. Thank you to our Barristers board and everyone who contributed their time and energy to making this year’s reception such a success.
A special thank you to our sponsors. Your support allows Barristers to continue creating meaningful events and opportunities for young attorneys throughout Riverside County and the Inland Empire. We are deeply grateful for your partnership and commitment to our legal community.
Platinum Sponsors
Costa Vista Chiropractic
Integrated Medical Center
Kenny Ramirez Law Firm
Law Offices of Harlan B. Kistler
Maasumi Headache and Spine Care
Riverside County Bar Association
Rizio Lipinsky Heiting
Gold Sponsors
Alleviate Institute of Spine and Pain
Consumer Attorneys of Inland Empire
Herrera Law
Imani Injury Firm
Lord & Booker, APC
Varner & Brandt
Silver Sponsors
Aitken Aitken Cohn
HCN Bank
JAMS
Proceed
Stream Kim Hicks Wrage & Alfaro, PC
Bronze Sponsors
Cal-Lawyer
Doctors on Liens
Focus Litigation Solutions
Latina Lawyers Bar Association
Bar Sponsor
Moving Forward Legal Services, LLC
Raffle Sponsor
Veritext Legal Solutions
Past Events Recap: Barristers Happy Hour and New Attorney Academy Graduation Celebration – May 15, 2026
The celebrations continued the very next day as RCBA Barristers hosted a Happy Hour and New Attorney Academy Graduation Celebration. Congratulations once again to the graduating class of the 2025-26 New Attorney Academy! The program continues to provide invaluable guidance, mentorship, and practical insight for newer attorneys entering the profession, and we are proud to celebrate the accomplishments of this year’s class. A special thank you to Greg Rizio and Robyn Lewis for dedicating their time, leadership, and experience to teaching and mentoring participants throughout the program. Following the graduation celebration, graduates and other Barrister members gathered at Lake Alice Trading Co. and enjoyed appetizers, arcade games, raffle prizes, and each other’s company! We hope to see our graduates at future Barrister events! Big thank you to Maasumi Headache and Spine Care for sponsoring the appetizers.
Upcoming Events. You’re Invited!
Summer has arrived and we have plenty of events lined up!
- Summer Golf Social – Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Van Buren Golf Center, appetizers, golf bays and golf balls sponsored by Stream Kim Hicks Wrage Alfaro, PC
- Barristers June Happy Hour and 2026-2027 Board Elections – Thursday, June 25, 2026, Mixer at 5:00 p.m., Elections at 5:30 p.m., Presidential Lounge at the Mission Inn, appetizers sponsored by Herrera Law
- Wine Tasting with the Barristers – Saturday, June 27, 2026, 9:15 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Temecula, RSVP by June 20, purchase your ticket here: https://rcbabarristerswinetasting.eventbrite.com
- Barristers July Happy Hour – Thursday, July 16, 2026, starting at 5:30pm, Killer Queens, appetizers sponsored by Varner & Brandt
- CLE with Riverside DA Mike Hestrin and Riverside PD Steven Harmon – Thursday, July 23, 2026, 5:30-7:00 p.m., RCBA Building, stayed tuned for RSVP information
We are always happy to hear suggestions and ideas for events you are interested in seeing from Barristers. Please feel free to reach out! My contact information is below.
Barristers Board Spotlight: Amanda Perez, 2025-2026 Member-at-Large
Next up is Amanda!
Amanda is an associate attorney at Reid & Hellyer, APC, where her main area of practice is business litigation. This is her second year serving on the Barristers Board as a member-at-large. She is also a member of the San Diego Inn of Court and the Federalist Society. In her spare time, she enjoys watching College gymnastics competitions, walking her dog, Alfalfa, and staying apprised of constitutional law issues. She was a competitive gymnast from the age of 4 to 21 and was the Western National Uneven Bar Champion at the age of 17. Amanda was a national competitor all the way to college, where she was a part of the Sacramento State Women’s Gymnastics team for three years.
If you're interested in learning more about Barristers or you would like to attend one of our events, I am more than happy to connect with you and introduce you to our amazing members. Feel free to email me at sramirez@ramirezlaw.com.
Sharon P. Ramirez is an attorney with Kenny Ramirez Law Firm located in San Bernardino, where she practices catastrophic personal injury. Sharon can be reached at sramirez@ramirezlaw.com.