SAN FRANCISCO, November 1, 2026: Queen's Bench Bar Association of the San Francisco Bay Area named three members as its 2026 Merit Award recipients. The Hon. Ruth S. Astle (Ret.), who led Queen's Bench as President in 1984, receives the Lifetime Achievement Award. Alexandra Sepolen of Stross Wess Cutcher & Levin LLP receives the Service Award. My Kim Ong of Jackson Lewis P.C. receives the Rookie Award.
The recipients will be honored at the Queen's Bench Annual Gala, "Stronger Together," on Thursday, November 19, at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco. The Merit Awards recognize members for their achievements and their contributions to Queen's Bench, the legal profession, and the Bay Area legal community.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Hon. Ruth S. Astle (Ret.)
Administrative Law Judge (Ret.), Office of Administrative Hearings; Queen's Bench President, 1984
The Lifetime Achievement Award honors a member's outstanding contributions and achievements over a distinguished career in the law. Judge Astle served the State of California for three decades and retired in 2015 as an Administrative Law Judge with the Office of Administrative Hearings in Oakland. She is a co-author of CEB's California Administrative Hearing Practice, a standard reference for practitioners. She led Queen's Bench as President in 1984 and continues to serve on its Scholarships Committee, where she helps select the law students honored at the Gala.
Service Award
Alexandra Sepolen
Stross Wess Cutcher & Levin LLP; Queen's Bench Second Vice President, 2026
The Service Award recognizes a member who provides outstanding service to the community and to Queen's Bench. Sepolen is a family law associate at Stross Wess Cutcher & Levin LLP in San Mateo, where she represents clients in complex, high-net-worth family law matters. A subset of her caseload is dedicated to representing vulnerable parents on a reduced-fee basis. Her service to Queen's Bench began as a Law Student Liaison. She received the Rookie Award in 2022, has served as Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, Secretary and Treasurer, and is now Second Vice President. She has served in committee leadership to revitalize leadership pipeline programs and chairs the Women Lawyers' Section of the San Mateo County Bar Association and the Amicus Briefs Committee of California Women Lawyers.
Rookie Award
My Kim Ong
Jackson Lewis P.C.; Queen's Bench Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, 2026
The Rookie Award goes to a new member who demonstrates talent, leadership, and dedication to Queen's Bench during her first year of membership. In her first year, Ong joined the Board of Directors as Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, became Editor-in-Chief of the Weekly Digest, and joined the Gala Committee. She is an associate in the San Francisco office of Jackson Lewis P.C., where she handles ERISA disputes and advises employers, plan sponsors, and fiduciaries. She earned her J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law, where she was named Moot Court Advocate of the Year.
2026 Annual Gala
The Gala, "Stronger Together," runs from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 19, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, 5 Embarcadero Center. Professor Karen Musalo, founding director of the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies at UC Law San Francisco, will deliver the keynote. Tickets and sponsorship information are available at queensbench.org/gala.
About Queen's Bench
Founded in 1921 by Bay Area women lawyers shut out of the local bar association, Queen's Bench Bar Association of the San Francisco Bay Area is among the oldest women's bar associations in the United States. Queen's Bench promotes equality and opportunity in the legal profession through advocacy, education, mentorship, and community. Queen's Bench Bar Association is a 501(c)(6) organization, and its sister organization, Queen's Bench Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more at queensbench.org.
