Malika Wright-Brown was sworn in as a lawyer and became a member of the California Bar in 2006. She has been a criminal defense attorney for the last four years and has taken more than 20 cases to jury trial. During this time, a significant portion of her clients were non-citizens with immigration issues. She developed a deep understanding of immigration rights defending these individuals.
While attending Santa Clara Law School, Ms. Wright-Brown participated in numerous programs. One of the most important in shaping her criminal defense career was The Northern California Innocence Project, where she interviewed wrongfully convicted individuals and worked on their cases. Ms. Wright-Brown also went to El Salvador with one of her law school classes to study the impact civil war had on their legal system.
Ms. Wright-Brown studied comparative law at Oxford University in England during her time at Santa Clara Law School.
Ms. Wright-Brown was a law clerk with Equal Rights Advocates in San Francisco where she worked on civil class action suits and educated the public about gender discrimination. Ms. Wright-Brown was also a volunteer at the Katharine and George Alexander Community Law Center where she interviewed and advised low-income clients on employment rights, wage and hour disputes, employment discrimination, and unemployment benefits.
While at Santa Clara Law School, Ms. Wright-Brown received a certificate in Public Interest and Social Justice and a Pro Bono Plaque for her dedication to volunteering. She also received a Dean’s Fellowship Scholarship.
Prior to entering law school, Ms. Wright-Brown went to Mills College in Oakland, California where she developed her lifelong commitment to volunteering and social justice.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Professional Memberships
- The State Bar of California
- The Bar Association of San Francisco
- The California Public Defenders Association