Seattle, WA, Feb. 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children is pleased to announce the appointment of James Rishwain, Jr. as Chair of its Board of Trustees. Rishwain has served on the board of National CASA/GAL since 2016, serving as head of the Governance Committee before accepting the role of board chair.
“I am thrilled to announce Jim’s appointment as chair of our board of trustees,” says National CASA/GAL’s Chief Executive Officer Tara Perry. “Jim’s leadership, vision and experience will help us achieve our goals of reducing the number of children in foster care and having a CASA/GAL volunteer for every child who needs one.” She adds, “I’m so grateful for his efforts to lead our new strategic plan that will carry us through 2030.”
Rishwain is also enthusiastic about taking the reins as board leader. “The mission of National CASA/GAL is close to my heart,” says Rishwain. “Serving in a role that helps children who have experienced abuse or neglect is the most important service I can offer, and I’m honored to be in a position to lend my efforts to such a worthy cause.”
Rishwain is a decorated partner of the international law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, where he served as Firm Chair from 2006-2016 and currently leads the firm’s Real Estate and Construction Industry Group. He is also a preeminent legal adviser to global market leaders, Fortune 100 companies, real estate companies, professional service firms, family offices and corporate boards.
Rishwain’ s real estate transaction work earned him distinction as the California Lawyer of the Year in 2004.
In addition to serving on the board of Trustees of National CASA/GAL, Rishwain serves on numerous boards of for profit, civic and charitable organizations, advising them on their strategic growth and development plans. Rishwain is active in many organizations in the City of Los Angeles, including those with respect to sports and entertainment, schools, parks and homeowners’ associations, and energy and infrastructure.
An active proponent of diversity in the legal profession, Rishwain holds a CEO Diversity Leadership Award from Diversity Best Practices. He is a member of the Advisory Council on Women Business Collaborative and in each of his years as firm chair, Pillsbury was named as a Working Mother Best Company, and was among the Top 10 best companies in the United States.
He also serves as the Los Angeles Unified School District’s lead counsel, handling many of the district’s most important matters, including a program to re-open schools for 700,000 students and 75,000 staff during the COVID pandemic, as well as handling matters related to its $1 billion facilities development.
Most recently, Rishwain served as Chair of the Host Committee for the 2023 College Football Playoffs National Championship Game and served as legal secretary and counsel for the Committee of Arts and Music in support of the passage of California Proposition 28, which provides funding for arts and music in California public schools.
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About the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem Association for Children
The National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children, together with its 939 state and local member programs, supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy so that every child who has experienced abuse or neglect in the United States can have a safe, permanent home and the opportunity to thrive. National CASA/GAL offers leadership and support to the network of programs and leads its continued growth. CASA/GAL volunteers and staff work every day to help change a child’s story. To learn more, visit nationalcasagal.org or follow National CASA/GAL on Facebook or Twitter.
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