Eric Bull
Office Manager
Eric attended West Virginia University where he studied Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing. His experience includes stints with Folger Levin & Khan LLP, Nabisco Inc, and Applied Solutions. Eric loves gardening and antiques. Email Eric here

Maisha Simmons Cole, Esq.
Outreach Attorney
Maisha received her B.A. in Political Science from U.C. Berkeley in 1998 and her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of Law in 2001. At Hastings, she was involved in the Civil Justice and Mediation clinics as well as the Black Law Student Association. She has experience working with people with disabilities, as well as experience in government benefits, landlord/tenant law, and employment law. Prior to joining ALRP, Maisha was a coordinator at the Making Waves Education Program, and worked with youth and their families to support their education goals. Email Maisha at: maisha@alrp.org

Ted Garey, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Ted received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia in 2002 and his J.D. from the University of Hastings, College of Law in 2009, and was admitted to practice law in California later that year.  While at Hastings, Ted served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Hastings International & Comparative Law Review and was involved in the Civil Justice Clinic, representing low-income clients with wage and hour and disability issues.  Ted worked as a Law Clerk at ALRP for two semesters while in law school, and also has small-firm litigation experience in many areas of civil law.  Ted is an active member of BALIF and enjoys traveling in his spare time. Email Ted at ted@alrp.org. 

Bill Hirsh, Esq.
Executive Director
Bill has more than nineteen years of experience in community-based nonprofit organizations ranging from alternative mental health programs to legal services for the mentally and developmentally disabled. After graduating from law school, Bill served as a welfare rights attorney and helped organize homeless San Francisco residents. He served as Directing Attorney for the Mental Health Advocacy Project of the Santa Clara County Bar Association Law Foundation and as the President of the Board of Directors of San Francisco's Patients' Rights Advocacy Services, Inc. Before joining ALRP in March of 2000, Bill directed the Mental Health Association of San Francisco, where he coordinated a broad-based public policy advocacy effort to increase affordable and supportive housing for people with mental health disabilities. In 2006, Bill was appointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom to the city's Long Term Care Coordinating Council where he works to ensure that seniors and adults with disabilities can access the services they need. He has also taken a leadership role in the HIV/AIDS Provider Network (HAPN), working to ensure that San Francisco's model of care for HIV/AIDS services continues to meet the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. Bill recently was honored for his outstanding contributions to the disability community by the Mayor's Office on Disability and the Independent Living Resource Center of San Francisco. Send Bill an e-mail.

Diana Hughes, Esq.
Staff Attorney
Diana received her B.A. in English from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2005 and her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of Law in 2009.  While at Hastings, she was an extern for Judge Charles R. Breyer of the Northern District of California and was one of the editors of the Hastings Women's Law Journal.  She is currently working at ALRP on a year-long fellowship from Dewey & LeBoeuf, LLP.  In her free time Diana is an avid tennis player. Email Diana at dianah@alrp.org.

Sara Paul Malan, Esq.
Housing Attorney
Sara received her B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. She received her J.D. in 2001 from the University of San Francisco School of Law and was admitted to the Bar in December 2001.While in law school at USF, Sara participated in the civil litigation clinic, which provided her the opportunity to defend tenants in unlawful detainer actions.Throughout law school Sara focused on public interest law, working as a law clerk for Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and Bay Area Legal Aid.She also volunteered with the Cooperative Restraining Order Clinic.Since law school, Sara has worked in a small firm setting, gaining litigation experience on a wide variety of civil actions throughout the Bay Area.Email Sara at sara@alrp.org

Jim McBride
Director of Development
Jim brings to ALRP more than twenty five years of marketing, communications and fundraising experience. Prior to coming to ALRP, Jim served as Director of Marketing for The Ideas Group, an integrated communications firm, in addition to positions with Poppe Tyson Interactive, Breene Kerr Productions and Design Media. Jim's non-profit experience includes stints with UCSF AIDS Health Project and Shanti Project. Jim received a degree in marketing from the Pennsylvania State University and a Development Director certification from the University of San Francisco's Institute for Non Profit Management. Jim also holds a Certified Business Communicator designation from the Business Marketing Association (BMA), where he served on the National Board of Directors as Vice President of Visual Communications as well as on the local Board of the Northern California Chapter. Jim currently serves on the Diversity Task Force of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and on the Advisory Board of Upwardly Global. E-mail Jim.

Ayako Miyashita, Esq.
Staff Attorney - HIV Consumer Advocacy Project
Ayako received her B.A. in Community Studies from U.C. Santa Cruz and received her J.D. from U.C. Berkeley School of Law in 2009.  While at Boalt Hall, Ayako was involved with the Asian American Law Journal, one of only two journals in the country that is dedicated to Asian American jurisprudence.  She also spent a year volunteering as a law clerk for the East Bay Community Law Center, serving HIV-positive clients with immigration matters.  When Ayako is not busy with work, she is busy keeping up with family, friends, and good eats in the Bay Area and beyond. Email Ayako at ayako@alrp.org.

Ana Montano, Esq.
Immigration Attorney

Human rights and community service is in Ana Montano’s blood------Having come of age within the dynamic social and political environment of San Francisco’s Mission District, Ana affirmed her life-long commitment to support the under-represented.  Through her work as a public interest attorney she has effected constructive change in the lives of the poor, people living with HIV/AIDS, the elderly, and the LGBT community. She attended the University of California, Hastings College of Law, was an extern for Judge Joseph Grodin at the California Court of Appeals 1^st District, and active in La Raza Lawyers Association. In addition to her social justice work, Montano’s legal savvy is balanced by a deeply-rooted passion for the visual arts. She was the managing curator for the Laney College Art Gallery, in Oakland, as well as her own gallery, ‘ArtBeat’.  She produced a photo-documentary exhibit on folk arts of El Salvador and several videos on Latino artists. “After all”, says Montano, “Healthy communities thrive not only on justice, but also on imagination and creativity.” Email Ana at ana@alrp.org

Amy Orgain, Esq.
Insurance Attorney
Amy received her B.A. in Philosophy from Mills College in Oakland, California in 2000 and her J.D. from the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington in 2007 with a health law concentration track. Prior to attending law school, Amy worked as a cook at several vegetarian restaurants and as a baker at Arizmendi Bakery in San Francisco.   During law school, Amy was active in the Children and Youth Advocacy clinic, where she was an advocate for foster youth. She also volunteered for numerous legal aid organizations, including the Homeless Advocacy Project and the Legal Aid Society of San Bernadino.  Since graduating Amy has worked as a law clerk at ALRP and a writer and researcher for a legal self-help website. Email Amy at amy@alrp.org.

Jaime Rush, Esq.
Housing Attorney
Jaime received her B.A. in Sociology from Wesleyan University and received her J.D. from University of California, Hastings College of Law in 2005. She was admitted to the California Bar later that year. During law school, Jaime was an extern for Phyllis Hamilton of the Northern District of California Court, and she was also a member of the Hastings Communications and Entertainment Law Journal. Since graduating, Jaime has worked as a Housing Law Clerk at ALRP, and also as a contract attorney with a small tenant advocacy practice in San Francisco. Email Jaime at jaime@alrp.org.

Jennifer Schuster
Volunteer Coordinator

Jennifer attended Dartmouth College where she studied Government and Women’s and Gender Studies. Jennifer served as Vice President of the College Democrats and President of Gender Sexuality XYZ, the student organization serving LGBTQA-identified students. Prior to joining ALRP, Jennifer worked as a Development Associate at Out & Equal Workplace Advocates. She has also interned at The Beck Law Group, P.C. and Project Inform. At ALRP, Jennifer recruits, trains, and coordinates ALRP's volunteer panel of attorneys, as well as volunteers for all ALRP fundraising events and office administration needs. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys running, reading The New York Times, and playing Scrabble. Email Jennifer at jennifer@alrp.org