Jerry L. Chong is a decorated Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War, with over 30 years of legal experience in corporate defense; civil, commercial and tort litigation; complex and highly litigated trials; personal injury and products liability; criminal defense; and consultation. He handles a great range of cases - from vehicle accident to slip and falls to major tort litigation.

He was admitted to the California State Bar in 1976 and is also admitted to practice in U.S. District Court, Eastern and Northern District in California and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Chong received his B.A. from California State University, Sacramento in 1972 and a J.D. in 1975 from the University of California, Davis. He is AV rated, the highest rating for attorney competence and ethics by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, a national compilation of attorneys.

A trailblazer and community leader for over two decades, Mr. Chong has been a founding member of numerous legal, service, community, and advocacy organizations, including the local and national Asian bar associations and the Council of Asian Pacific Islanders Together for Advocacy and Leadership (CAPITAL), which represents over 95 individual Asian Pacific Islander organizations in Sacramento.

Mr. Chong has been involved in the judicial appointment process since the 1980's, working with Governor Deukmeijian, Wilson, and Davis administration. He was one of the founding members of the Unity Bar, which brought together the Asian, Latino, and African American Bar Associations in Sacramento to work together to establish relationships with the Governor's office and influence public policy. Mr. Chong has worked closely with government agencies, elected officials, and private businesses to outreach and advocate for the Asian Pacific Islander, Muslim, and gay and lesbian communities. As legal counsel to 13 community-based organizations, he frequently speaks to the media as the Asian community representative. He has been an instructor at Stanford Law School on trial advocacy, California Continuing Education, and the CAPITAL Case Defense Seminar.

He has received numerous awards for his professional work and community leadership. Most recently, he received the KVIE public television 2005 Local Heroes Award for his public advocacy, service and commitment and Visions in America Award from Comcast and International Channels for successes and contributions of immigrant community leaders in twelve cities across the United States. He also received PG&E Gold Supplier Diversity Award for outstanding service and representation; Trailblazer Award from National Asian Pacific American Bar Association for outstanding achievement and leadership; and Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Sacramento County Bar Association.

Alice W. Wong is a veteran trial attorney with extensive experience in all phases of litigation. Her practice area includes civil and criminal litigation and trials, personal injury, corporate defense, and consultation. She handles early trial resolution, strategic negotiation, and jury trials to verdict. She was named "2006 Distinguished Attorney of the Year" by the Sacramento County Bar Association and "Best Lawyers under 40" by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association in 2004, one of 22 attorneys selected from throughout the country for achieving prominence and distinction in their fields of endeavor and demonstrating a strong commitment to civic and community affairs

Ms. Wong attended the University of California, Berkeley graduating with honors in Mass Communications. She received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where she was Notes Editor for the Hastings Law Journal. She was admitted to the California Bar in 1992.

Ms. Wong has dedicated much of her legal career to public service and community advocacy. As the first Asian American prosecutor assigned to the Homicide Unit of the Sacramento District Attorney's Office, she handled the most complex and serious homicide cases. She was named Prosecutor of the Year by the California Narcotic Officers Association, Region II. She has been an instructor for Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) on domestic violence investigations and search and seizure. She is a frequent speaker and lecturer on domestic violence and community issues for minority, Muslim and faith, gay and lesbian, and law enforcement communities.

Recognizing the importance of community engagement in the justice system, Ms. Wong authored and received a $150,000 federal grant to create and implement the District Attorney's Citizens Academy - which brought together all minority communities and the many components of the justice system. In recognition of her successes in making the justice system more relevant to diverse communities and building public trust and confidence, Ms. Wong received the Excellence in Community Leadership Award for sustained leadership in addressing public policy issues and improving the quality of life in Sacramento Valley from the American Society for Public Administration and the Community Service Award from the Asian Bar Association of Sacramento. The gay and lesbian community presented Ms. Wong with the Building Bridges Award for her commitment and outreach across communities. She is a strong advocate for women's rights and served as Past President for My Sister's House, the first domestic violence shelter for Asian Pacific Islander women and children in Sacramento. My Sister's House named Ms. Wong as their 2006 Civic Leader of the Year.

Ms. Wong currently serves as founding President for the CAPITAL Foundation - a non-profit organization committed to forging community strength through education, collaboration and partnerships. Additional information on the Foundation's projects can be found at: www.capitalfoundation.org.