VM Recommends - Bay Area Edition
This month’s VM Recommends brings us selections from our Bay Area Managing Partner, Nikki Hall.
What are your current book and podcast recommendations?
I recently read Lady Justice by Dahlia Lithwick and found it very inspiring. It tells the story of a group of attorneys from diverse backgrounds striving to create social justice on a multitude of legal fronts. For example, it recounts the experience of attorneys who challenged the Muslim travel ban that was issued in 2017 and the many attorneys and other citizens who converged on airports around the country to lend their services to refugees from Muslim countries who were seeking asylum in the United States. It also tells the story of an attorney who sued Nazi sympathizers who engaged in violent activity in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017, as well as taking legal action to defend whistleblowers in a series of #MeToo lawsuits. Accounts of attorneys taking action to enhance voting and reproductive rights is also covered. I was inspired by the work of the attorneys showcased in the book, because I believe it serves as an important reminder that lawyers have the ability, and one might argue an obligation, to use their skills to fight against injustice and advance the cause of social justice.
For those more interested in adding new podcasts to your collection, and who are interested in the U.S. Supreme Court, I recommend the Amicus podcast (hosted by Dahlia Lithwick) and Strict Scrutiny podcast hosted by three Constitutional law professors. If you are a Supreme Court nerd like me, you will love the deep dives into the very important cases before the Supreme Court that will impact citizens of this country for generations.
What is your favorite place to visit in the San Francisco Bay Area?
When I am seeking to recharge, I often visit Point Reyes National Seashore in West Marin County, as well as the quaint small towns that you pass on the way to Point Reyes, such as Larkspur, San Anselmo, Fairfax, and Point Reyes Station, just to name a few. Point Reyes National Seashore is less than 40 miles from San Francisco but feels a world away. Contained within this hidden gem of a national park are beautiful, rugged beaches, a historic lighthouse, elk reserve, countless hiking trails, ranches from the 1800s that are still in operation, and opportunities to whale watch and view elephant seals, birds, and other wildlife. I have been to Point Reyes many times since moving to the Bay Area more than 30 years ago and always come away feeling refreshed and renewed.
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