Delivering Justice: April, 2024
Dear Friends of LAE,
We’re launching a quarterly newsletter series titled “Delivering Justice” where we will bring our work to life by regularly highlighting our impact for dedicated supporters like you! Our inspiring staff are on the front lines of defense against the growing threats of injustice facing San Francisco’s seniors and people living with disabilities. Appropriately, for our first newsletter, we’ve decided to profile two of our fantastic staff leaders to provide supporters like you greater insight into LAE’s life-saving work.
Tom Drohan and Mujghan Ahmad are serious people, no doubt. But make no mistake, they’re fun too! Centering joy in their lives appears to be a common theme that drives their professional impact. We sat down with Tom and Mujghan, respectively, to highlight their work and understand what makes them tick. Enjoy!
Tom Drohan, Director of Litigation
30 years of excellence!
What inspired you to go into eviction defense? I interned at LAE during law school and came back after a few other jobs because I love the fact that we are fighting for justice for our clients. With a lot of our cases, the work is rapid-fire, almost akin to an emergency room, and you know very quickly the effect your work has had on someone’s life – saving someone’s home has a huge impact and is a very rewarding win.
What advice would you give to the next generation of lawyers who hope to go into eviction defense? “Stay angry.” What I mean by that is when you see injustice, do work that is motivating, mission-driven, and that makes the world better than you found it. Growing complacent is simply not possible when doing this type of work because you’re always confronted with injustice in need of a remedy.
As you reflect on your 30 years of service, are there any particular success stories that have stuck with you? When clients become empowered as their own advocates through the course of our representation, these are true full-circle success stories because they go on to impact the lives of so many others. I had a case where two elderly sisters, one with a son with disabilities, were being evicted under an antiquated “owner move-in” statute. We took the case to a jury trial and won. One of the sisters went on to become a fierce advocate and helped pass San Francisco’s owner move-in eviction moratorium.
What do you do for fun? I’m a wine-making enthusiast and also play stand-up bass, performing everything from bluegrass and rockabilly to jazz and swing!
Mujghan Ahmad, Staff Attorney
What inspired you to go into foreclosure prevention at LAE? I see housing preservation work as a matter of cultural preservation because in order to truly fight the forces of gentrification and help realize the promise that cities have to offer, our elders must be able to stay in the homes and communities they love.
What advice would you give to other prospective lawyers who hope to go into foreclosure prevention work? Property law and real estate transaction courses in law school are always the hardest. But don’t shy away from this practice area because therein lies the truly rewarding work! Being able to have a life-saving impact, outside of litigation alone, like preserving intergenerational wealth transfer and preventing cycles of displacement, all while using skills like investigation, is truly rewarding.
Are there any particular success stories that have stuck with you? My greatest success stories hinge on finding that one flaw, even when minor or ministerial, in the opposing counsel’s defense or the bank or landlord’s paperwork that ultimately brings justice to my clients. Good old-fashioned investigative skills go a long way in eviction defense.
What do you do for fun? I love a city walk, through Nob Hill or Pac Heights and popping into an art show or museum along the way to satisfy my love of art!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
LAE Bolsters its Financial Security Program with Key Leadership Hire
We’re thrilled to welcome Richard Hurlburt to LAE! Richard’s deep experience in tenant rights, real estate, and foreclosure prevention, will allow LAE to scale our impact even further. Richard will lead our financial security team, focusing on foreclosure defense, debt collection defense, consumer protection, and financial elder abuse prevention.
