Jose

Padilla

Nominated by David de la Tour

"Jose Padilla served as a long-term executive director of California Rural Legal Services (CRLA). He provided ongoing vision and leadership to an ever-growing and highly complex recipient. As CRLA receives both some LSC basic field funding, and also the entire LSC migrant funding for the state, the program was continually assessing its service delivery, so as to touch and serve many isolated and marginalized client populations.

Jose Padilla also served the overall legal service effort as his program creatively explored what was possible, while staying clearly within the LSC restrictions.  Under his leadership, CRLA became a leading legal firm, capable of handling significant, sometimes unpopular, and often highly complex poverty law issues. There have been times when his commitment to CRLA to provide representation for unpopular issues and clients, exacted a significant price. He may be the only LSC executive director to have been subpoenaed by Congress, approximately three decades ago, to appear at a Congressional oversight hearing. During this time period, Mr. Padilla developed some serious health issues, based on the depth and breadth of criticism of his program. In the end, he was correct, as no non-compliance was identified. I was an LSC compliance attorney at that time, assigned to review related complaints against CRLA, and whether CRLA impact litigation was compliant with the law.  It was compliant The CRLA director had ensured that adequate supporting documentation was available showing CRLA's work as within the law.

CRLA's significant casework continued through his time as executive director, with a wide array of active cases continuing up to his retirement in 2023. He was also known for his grounded humanity, respect for others, and a passion to improve the lives of those persons living in poverty at the edges of our society."