Komunidad 7: Pathways

Saturday, February 28, 2026

@ Gibson, Dunn, & Crutcher - One Embarcadero Center, Ste. 2600, San Francisco, CA 94111

Komunidad is a conference for Pilipinx American Law Students.

This year’s conference, like previous iterations, is a joint collaboration between FBANC and Fil-Am student organizations at law schools in Northern California (Berkeley; UC Law San Francisco; USF; Santa Clara; and UC Davis).

Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Angelica Cortez. This will be the seventh year FBANC hosts Komunidad, which aims to serve current and aspiring law students.

Thank you to all our attorney and law student volunteers!

Komunidad is presented as a fully in-person event!!

KOMUNIDAD SCHEDULE (all times PST) - SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Location: Gibson, Dunn, & Crutcher - One Embarcadero Center, Ste. 2600, San Francisco, CA 94111

9:00am: Doors Open for Check-In & Light Breakfast

9:45am: Opening Remarks

10:00am - Roots & Routes: Share Your “Who” & “Why,'“ Led by Bay Area PALS Coalition

  • Faith Magbero (UC Berkeley)

  • Angelene Obedeza (UC Davis)

  • Kaitlyn Jude Psaylon (UC Law SF)

11:00am: Keynote Presentation and Discussion with Dr. Angelica Cortez (Founder & CEO of LEAD Filipino)

11:45pm: Lunch

12:45pm: Kwento & Counsel: Speed Networking with Attorneys, Led by Bay Area PALS Coalition

  • Abigail DeLeon (Santa Clara Law)

  • Franchesa Buendia (Santa Clara Law)

  • Nina David (USF)

2:00pm: Attorney Panel: Early Attorneys in Their Careers, Led by Bay Area PALS Coalition

Panelists: Raniele Reyes, Marjan Abubo, Melanie Yabut Violan

  • Therese Anne Caedo (USF School of Law)

  •  Nate Teng (UC Davis)

  • Isaiah Uson (McGeorge School of Law)

3:00pm: FBANC Foundation Scholarship Reception, Led by Bay Area PALS Coalition

  • Arren Kyle DeLos Santos (UC Law SF)

  • Isabella McHugh (Santa Clara Law)

  • Krystle Malixi (UC Berkeley)

Further information below:

Questions? Contact FBANC Mentorship Co-Chairs Nicolette Rae Bencito (nicolettbencito@fbanc.org) and Vanalee Cayabyab (vanaleecayabyab@fbanc.org)

Bay Area PALS Coalition

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Angelica Cortez

Founder & CEO of LEAD Filipino

Dr. Angelica Cortez (she/her) is an award-winning activist, nonprofit executive, and Founder and CEO of LEAD Filipino, a national organization that advances the civic leadership and cultural power of Filipino Americans.

A second generation Filipina American, with roots in the San Francisco Bay Area, and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Dr. Cortez holds 15 years of public policy and advocacy experience, where her interests continue to blend culture, community organizing, and political action.  

Previously, she held senior executive roles with trade associations and nonprofit agencies across California, where she most recently served as the inaugural Senior Vice President of Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion for Pacific Clinics. 

Dr. Cortez has spoken on topics of Filipino and Asian American Pacific Islander [AAPI] civic empowerment and advancement at the White House, with Fortune 500 companies, and at college campuses across the country. She serves on the boards of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund Campaign Board, Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS), San Jose Spotlight, and Sacred Heart Community Service. She holds her Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California. She splits her time between San Jose and San Antonio, two major LEAD Filipino operating hubs.

Attorney Panelists

Raniele Reyes

  • Raniele Reyes (he/him) was raised in Kapolei, Hawaiʻi and moved to San Francisco to pursue his Juris Doctor at the University of San Francisco School of Law after graduating from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Filipino Language and Culture. He graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2025, where he served as Co-President of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association and Pilipinx-American Law Students, as well as Co-Chair of the Public Interest Law Foundation.

    He is admitted to practice in California, where he represents individuals, contractors, and title insurers and their insureds in real property and title insurance matters.

Melanie Yabut Violan

  • Melanie Yabut Violan is an Attorney at Candelaria LLP and assists both the Family Law Practice and the Trusts and Estates Practice. In each practice area, Melanie seeks to provide our clients with thorough and thoughtful legal advice as they navigate through the process. Melanie is proud to be a part of Candelaria LLP, as it was chosen as the Alameda County Bar Association's 2025 Firm of the Year. 

    Melanie was born and raised in the Bay Area. Melanie graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a Bachelor's degree in Legal Studies and earned her Juris Doctorate from John F. Kennedy University College of Law, with Dean's List and Honors recognition. She is a first-generation lawyer. In law school, Melanie was involved in the Law School Association, received Witkin Awards for Professional Responsibility, Criminal Law, and Constitutional Law, and earned a Public Interest Certificate. The Contra Costa County Bar Association (CCCBA) Women’s Section awarded her with the Honorable Patricia Herron and the Honorable Ellen James Scholarship for her outstanding community work and academic excellence.

    Prior to law school, Melanie worked as a Paralegal in several areas of law including employment law, immigration law, and labor law. Since passing the bar, Melanie has gained experience in family law, estate planning, trust administration, conservatorships, guardianships, and probate matters.

    Melanie is very involved in local and affinity bar associations. Melanie is an active member of the CCCBA, the Alameda County Bar Association (ACBA), the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California (FBANC), and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Solano County (APABA).

    Melanie served on the 2024-2025 FBANC Board as Legal Clinics Co-Director and Women’s Committee Co-Chair. In the Legal Clinics role, Melanie facilitated the partnership between FBANC and other organizations to provide legal clinics to serve the needs of the community. Melanie is now serving as a Membership Director and Women’s Committee Co-Chair on the current FBANC Board of Directors for the 2025-2026 year. Melanie also serves on the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Solano County as a Board Member.

    Melanie has had speaking engagements through the CCCBA and avidly participates in panels which assist pre-law students in learning about the law school process and experience as an AAPI attorney. As a prior Mock Trial member, Melanie also enjoys being a judge for Contra Costa County high school mock trial students to encourage more students to join the legal profession. Melanie is also an active Volunteer Attorney for the ACBA Shriver Project which assists low-income individuals in child custody and visitation matters.

    Melanie has been consistently recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in Family Law and Estate Planning, a recognition received by only the top 2.5% of attorneys in California.

Marjan Abubo

  • Marjan Abubo is an Associate Attorney at Redwood Public Law, where he represents public agencies on a wide variety of litigation and advisory matters. Marjan is a 2022 graduate of UC Davis School of Law (King Hall), where he obtained a certificate in environmental and natural resources law and earned the public interest/public service distinction. While at King Hall, he served as the President of the King Hall Negotiations Team and Editor-in-Chief of Environs, UC Davis' Environmental Law and Policy Journal. Prior to his current role, he worked at a municipal law firm advising public agencies on land use and public governance, as well as a boutique firm handling plaintiff-side CEQA, water, and land use litigation.

    After completing his undergraduate education at UCLA, Marjan served as a CivicSpark (now CivicWell) fellow working in Southern California. He is interested in the way law, policy, and local action shape the built environment. When he is not lawyering, Marjan enjoys running with this dog, rock-climbing, and renovating his home.

Komunidad Planning Committee

Previous Komunidad Conferences

If you would like to see videos, information, and photos from earlier Komunidad Conferences between 2020 and 2024:

Click here for:

  • Inagural Komunidad (2020)

  • Komunidad 2: Pagdiriwang (2021)

  • Komunidad 3: Know History; Know Self (2022)

Click here for:

  • Komunidad 4: FBANC for All (2023)

Click here for:

  • Komunidad 5: Be the Change (2024)

Click here for:

  • Komunidad 6: Looking Back, Moving Forward (2025)

Thanks so much for your interest in Komunidad!