NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 12, 2012 CONTACTS: Paula Pearlman, Disability Rights Legal Center 213-736-8362 Michelle Uzeta, Disability Rights Legal Center 213-736-1477 Michelle Uzeta Joins DRLC as Legal Director LOS ANGELESMichelle Uzeta has joined the Disability Rights Legal Center as Legal Director. During her nineteen years as an attorney, Ms. Uzeta has proven to be a skilled litigator, dedicated advocate and strong leader for people with disabilities and others facing discrimination. As Legal Director, Ms. Uzeta will oversee the litigation of high impact lawsuits, as well as representation of individuals facing discrimination. She will draw on her experience as counsel with a private disability rights firm; Litigation Director with Southern California Housing Rights Center and Associate Managing Attorney with Disability Rights California, where she handled cases raising claims under the Americans With Disabilities Act, Section 504, FHAA and related state laws. During her impressive career, Ms. Uzeta litigated groundbreaking cases to further the rights of people with disabilities, such as Lydia Zerne et al. v. Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, et al., challenging Los Angeles Emergency Shelter Systems refusal to serve homeless individuals with disabilities using service animals; Nadine Flores, et al., vs. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority, et al., challenging capacity constraints in the ADA paratransit system; Maher v. The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, challenging public housing authoritys failure to accommodate Section 8 applicants and inadequate Section 504 grievance process; J.G. v. OPARC, a California Corporation, challenging termination of a developmentally disabled individuals participation in adult day care; Clayton Turner v. City of Fresno et al., challenging the citys failure to install curb ramps while re-surfacing streets; and Grogan et al. v. U.S. Postal Service, challenging Post Offices failure to remove architectural barriers. Michelle's passion for our work and our clients, along with her wealth of knowledge and experience that she brings to her role as Legal Director, will advance legal and policy issues that are critical to the disability rights movement, states Paula Pearlman, Executive Director. "We are very excited to welcome her to the DRLC." In addition to her role as a litigator, Ms. Uzeta will be actively involved with the DRLCs clinical program for law student externs, and management of attorneys and administrative staff. The DRLC is affiliated with Loyola Law School Los Angeles, where Ms. Uzeta will co-teach disability rights law. Ms. Uzeta has lectured on the legal rights of people with disabilities to public accommodations, fair housing and employment at the CA RespectABILITY Conference, National Disability Rights Network TASC Annual Conference, California Bar Association and other engagements. Her writing on legal
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DISABILITY RIGHTS LEGAL CENTER March 12, 2012 Page 2 of 2 issues has appeared in numerous publications, including Journal of Access Services. Through her teaching at the law school and management of legal externs and staff attorneys, Ms. Uzeta will mentor the next generation of disability rights leaders. Ms. Uzetas passion for the DRLCs mission stems from her years of experience representing people who are vulnerable and facing discrimination. Disability Rights Legal Center has a long history of successfully championing the rights of people with disabilities through its fearless and pioneering work, and I look forward to continuing that mission, stated Ms. Uzeta. She is a member of the State Bar of California, State Bar of Hawaii, and Disability Rights Bar Association. She is a graduate of Stanford University and earned her Juris Doctorate from King Hall School of Law at the University of California, Davis. ### Founded in 1975, the Disability Rights Legal Center is a national nonprofit organization that champions the rights of people with disabilities through advocacy, education and litigation. For more information about the DRLC visit the Centers website at www.DisabilityRightsLegalCenter.org