Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association Award Winners!

Founding member and four term President of the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association. He settled a EBGBA lawsuit against County Defender Services, resulting in EBGBA members obtaining indigent criminal defense representation contracts; created and funded EBGBA 501(c)(6) status; devised and presented the EBGBA high school youth program, “What to do if you are stopped by the police.” As Attorney Mentor, Volunteers in Parole: mentored parolees of California Youth Authority. As Member, California Association of Black Lawyers Legislative Committee: devised and presented legal panel discussion on the need for grand jury reform; supported SB227 (H. Mitchell), enacted into California law, precluding grand jury consideration of homicides caused by police officers; drafted AB 797 (A. Weber) mandating local government establishment of independent community-based police review commissions.

Lei-Chala I. Wilson received her Economics degree from SDSU in 1985 and Juris Doctor from U.C.

Davis, King Hall, School of Law. At U.C. Davis, Wilson was the 1989 Western Regional Champion of

the National Trial Competition.

Wilson was a deputy public defender with the Law Offices of the San Diego Public Defender for over

24 years. Wilson handled and argued over 200 motions and preliminary hearings. Wilson tried over 120

jury trials involving misdemeanors, serious/violent felonies, three strike cases, sex offenses, and

homicides.

Wilson is now in private practice primarily focused on criminal defense and has also been retained on

personal injury, labor and employment, and consumer cases. Wilson is certified as a public arbitrator with

FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) and a Hearing Officer for the County of San Diego.

Wilson is a past president of the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association (EBGBA) in 1998, 2006, and 2007 and

was presented with the President’s Award in 1993, 2002, 2008, 2009, the Distinguished Service Award in

1996, 2003 and 2005 and the Thurgood Marshall Award for Legal Excellence in 2001.

Wilson is the current Historian and past President of the California Association of Black Lawyers

(CABL) 2000-2001. CABL presented her with President’s Awards in 1999, 2006, 2007, and 2015

and the David Cunningham Non-Profit Community Service Award in 2009. In April 2025 Wilson

was inducted into the CABL Hall of Fame.

Wilson is a past director of the NBA Region IX and served as the Chair of the NBA Criminal Law &

Juvenile Justice (Section 2005 – 2015, 2017-2021) and received the NBA Presidential Award in 2009 and

in 2018. She has also served on the NBA Legal Education and CLE Committees and participated in

Election/Voter Protection.

Wilson is also a past president of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW), San

Diego Section, NAACP San Diego Branch and a past chair of the California Lawyers Association

(CLA) Criminal Law Section Executive Committee and currently serves as an Advisor and

Education Chair. She had been a delegate for the SDCBA Conference of Delegates for four

years and served on its Judicial Nominations Evaluation Committee for three 2-year terms.

In March 2016, Assemblywoman Dr. Shirley N. Weber named Wilson as the 79th Assembly District Woman

of the Year during the assembly session in Sacramento and in San Diego during a Salute to Women

Leaders. In January 2022 the San Diego Union Tribune (SD-UT) recognized Wilson as a Trailblazing

Phenomenal Woman under Law and Public Policy for the Anniversary of the 19th Amendment.

Wilson has served on over 17 boards to include the above and the California Council of Criminal Justice,

San Diego Mayoral Task Force, ACLU of SD&IC, California Council on Criminal Justice (CCCJ) the CA

Civil Rights Coalition (CCRC) Steering Committee, the San Diego Mediation Center and the San Diego

Public Law Library Foundation.

Wilson has received many other awards and honors. Wilson is a Life Member of the NBA, NBI, CABL,

EBGBA, NAACP, NCNW, Inc, and a member of the BWLLA, SDCBA, CWL and SDBAPAC. Wilson

continues to support and advocate on issues such as privacy, education, legislation, voting and civil rights.

 Vickie E. Turner is a highly respected attorney with four decades of experience in complex litigation. She has led the defense in major product liability, class action, and business litigation cases across California and other western states. Her practice was marked by skillful representation of manufacturers, distributors, and retailers in high-stakes disputes.

Vickie earned her B.S. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 1978 and her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1982. She later served as an adjunct professor at both the University of San Diego School of Law and California Western School of Law, sharing her knowledge with the next generation of legal professionals.

Vickie’s distinguished career includes numerous honors for her professional excellence. She was recognized as the Best Lawyers’ San Diego Product Liability Litigation – Defendants Lawyer of the Year in both 2012 and 2018 and repeatedly listed in The Best Lawyers in America®. She was named among California’s Top Women Litigators by the Los Angeles Daily Journal and earned recognition from San Diego Super Lawyers® as a top product liability defense attorney. Her community impact has also been celebrated by organizations such as Union Bank, KPBS, and the Salvation Army.

Vickie was previously honored with the University of San Diego School of Law Distinguished Alumni Award and the Author E. Hughes Career Achievement Award. Additional accolades include the Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award from the San Diego Trial Lawyers Association, the Outstanding Service to the Legal Profession Award from the San Diego County Bar Association, and the Bernard E. Witkin Award for Excellence in the Practice of Law.

Vickie E. Turner continues to inspire through her leadership roles on several boards, including the National Bar Institute and the University of San Diego School of Law Board of Visitors. She also founded the Turner Dream Foundation and LINKS to STEM, reflecting her enduring commitment to mentorship, education, and community empowerment.

 Dante T. Pride is the Founding Partner of The Pride Law Firm in San Diego and a relentless advocate for individuals confronting powerful institutions. A graduate of Morehouse College and the University of San Diego School of Law, he has handled significant civil-rights cases against law enforcement involving excessive force and police misconduct, as well as employment cases involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination. Many of his cases have received local and national media coverage.

Mr. Pride serves on the Board of Directors of the Center for Community Solutions, San Diego’s rape crisis center and a leading organization supporting survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. He also serves on the Board of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and regularly provides legal commentary for local and national media outlets, including Court TV.

Guided by his belief that knowledge is power, Mr. Pride uses social media to make legal information accessible to the public. Through educational videos addressing the law, civil rights, and current issues, he has built an audience of more than 675,000 Instagram followers at @unclepride1911.

Beyond his professional and community work, Mr. Pride is deeply committed to his family and to being present in the lives of his children. He strives to instill in them the same values that guide his career: courage, discipline, service, and the willingness to stand up for others. Whether in the courtroom, the community, or at home, he is known for taking on difficult fights, challenging injustice, and demanding accountability.

Attorney L. Marcel Stewart has devoted his legal career to the pursuit of justice, the advancement of the legal profession, and the empowerment of future generations of diverse attorneys. A native of California’s Bay Area, his journey reflects a longstanding commitment to excellence, leadership, and service.

A former All-State football player, Stewart earned a scholarship to the University of Oregon, where he was a member of the 1994 Pac-10 Championship team that competed in the Rose Bowl. When an injury brought his collegiate football career to an early end, he redirected his determination toward academics, transferring to the University of California, Davis, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He went on to fulfill his lifelong aspiration of becoming an attorney, graduating from Howard University School of Law in 2001.

Stewart began his legal career in Washington, D.C., practicing business litigation at a major law firm. In 2003, he joined the United States Department of Justice’s Civil Division, Torts Branch, where he served as a trial attorney in the historic federal tobacco litigation. The landmark case challenged decades of deceptive practices by the tobacco industry and resulted in significant court-ordered corrective measures designed to inform and protect the American public.

He subsequently served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the Southern District of California before establishing The Stewart Law Group in 2008. His practice encompasses federal and state criminal defense, medical negligence, and nursing home abuse and neglect.

Throughout his career, Stewart has represented clients in consequential civil and criminal proceedings, including matters involving constitutional protections and complex federal prosecutions. Notably, in Sims v. Stanton, he secured a favorable Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling addressing Fourth Amendment protections against warrantless entry during misdemeanor pursuits, a decision later reversed by the United States Supreme Court. In another significant federal matter, he co-represented a former Department of Homeland Security special agent facing numerous financial crime charges, obtaining favorable rulings that substantially limited the government’s case.

While his courtroom accomplishments reflect his skill and dedication as an advocate, Stewart’s contributions extend well beyond the practice of law. His longstanding service to the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association exemplifies his commitment to strengthening the legal community and advancing opportunities for others. Over the years, he has served as the Association’s pro bono counsel, Chair of Neighborhood Law School, Member-at-Large, Vice President, and two-term President. He also represented the Association for five terms on the California Association of Black Lawyers’ Board of Governors.

Stewart’s leadership has likewise extended to the San Diego County Bar Association, where he served three years on its Board of Directors and as the inaugural Chair of its Division on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, helping advance greater representation and inclusion within the San Diego County legal community. He is also a proud member of the illustrious Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate historically African American Greek-letter fraternity. He embodies the fraternity’s motto: “First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All.”

Yet, among his many contributions, Stewart takes particular pride in the relationships he has cultivated and the opportunities he has helped create for aspiring attorneys. Through mentorship, internships, and professional guidance, he has invested in numerous law students and young lawyers from diverse backgrounds, including African American, Latino, and Afghan communities. For Stewart, service is not simply a professional obligation but a responsibility to ensure that the next generation has access to the guidance, encouragement, and opportunities necessary to thrive.

As he receives the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association’s Dedicated Service Award, Stewart reflects with gratitude on the colleagues, mentors, and community members who have shaped his journey. He extends his heartfelt appreciation to his wife, Amarri, for her love and steadfast support, and to the Association for this meaningful honor.

His career stands as a testament to the enduring impact of advocacy, leadership, and service—and to the belief that a lasting professional legacy is built not only through personal achievement, but through the lives and careers one helps elevate along the way. Stewart embraces the biblical principle: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.” — Luke 12:48 (KJV)