Register for the Queen's Bench Gala About the Gala Queen's Bench Bar Association invites our Past Presidents, members of the judiciary in the Greater Bay Area, our membership, and colleagues to join us for our Gala at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in San Francisco on November 19, 2026. This year, we combined our Past Presidents and Judges Dinner into a black-tie optional event to celebrate the leadership and legacy created by our bar association's prior leadership and judges who serve our community. This Gala also highlights several Queen's Bench programs, including our various scholarship programs, 2026 Merit Award recipients, and our annual auction benefiting the Queen's Bench Foundation. Ticket sales close on November 18, 2026.
2026 Keynote Speaker Karen Musalo
Queen’s Bench is honored to welcome Professor Karen Musalo, a globally recognized leader at the forefront of women’s rights and asylum law. As the Bank of America Foundation Chair in International Law at UC Law San Francisco and founding director of the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Professor Musalo has devoted her career to advancing legal protections for women fleeing gender-based violence. For more than three decades, Professor Musalo has shaped the legal framework recognizing persecution such as female genital cutting and domestic violence as grounds for asylum—transforming how courts understand gender-based claims to refugee protection. Through landmark litigation and scholarship, her work has been instrumental in securing protections for women whose experiences were historically excluded from asylum law. Her advocacy sits at the critical intersection of human rights and immigration, demonstrating how the law can respond to the realities faced by women seeking refuge—and why that work remains urgent today. Join us at the Gala to hear directly from one of the architects of modern gender-based asylum law.
2026 Merit Award Recipients Queen's Bench recognizes select members via our Merit Awards Ceremony. The Merit Awards recognize select members of the bar association for their achievements and contributions to Queen's Bench, the legal profession, and the Bay Area legal community. Awardees are nominated by the Board of Directors and selected by the Awards Committee.
Gala Committee Our Gala committee includes Queen's Bench members who are familiar with our organization's history, traditions, and initiatives highlighted at this year's Gala. Committee members include Past Presidents, prior Merit Award recipients, committee chairs, and members of the Boards of Directors for Queen's Bench Bar Association and our charitable arm, the Queen's Bench Foundation. Gala Committee Co-Chairs Catherine Reagan, 2026 First Vice President Education Committee Co-Chair, and 2021 Rookie Award Recipient Juliane Smith*, 2026 Treasurer Amicus Briefs Committee Co-Chair Gala Committee Members Sara Craig, 2026 President Chair, Conference of Delegates Committee Alexandra Sepolen*, 2026 Second Vice President/ 2026 Foundation Director Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee Chair, Mentorship Committee Co-Chair, and 2022 Rookie Award Recipient Elisha Jussen-Cooke*, 2026 Immediate Past President/2026 Foundation President Domestic and Sexual Violence Committee Chair & 2021 Service Award Recipient My Kim Ong, 2026 Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Kaelyn Romey, 2026 Director Business Development Committee Chair & Events Committee Chair An asterisk (*) indicates that the committee member also serves on the Board of Directors for the Queen's Bench Foundation. Our committee seeks volunteers to assist with day-of event coordination and operations. If you are interested in assisting the Committee, please contact us via the information at the end of this page.
Sponsorships Sponsorship opportunities are still available for this year's Gala. Our sponsors' contributions enable Queen's Bench to host events like the Gala throughout the year and continue various initiatives such as scholarships, mentoring programs, merit-based awards, and MCLEs. Register on our 2026 sponsorship page or review our 2026 Gala sponsorship brochure and email us to become a sponsor. We encourage prospective sponsors to participate in our new Underwriter Program to maximize year-long business development benefits for your firm, company, or organization. We also sincerely thank our current sponsors for their continued support of Queen's Bench Bar Association. 2026 Sponsorship Opportunities Underwriter Sponsors Coming Soon! Counsel Table Sponsors
Media Sponsors
Event-Related Inquiries General inquiries may be directed to the 2026 Gala Committee Chairs at gala@queensbench.org. Sponsorship inquiries may be directed to the 2026 First-Vice President & Treasurer at sponsorships@queensbench.org. |
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