2024 President’s Message by Stephanie Story

Buon Vino, Buon Amici!

This was the theme that began my presidency of the Italian American Lawyers

Association of Los Angeles [IALA] this year at the San Antonio Winery, which is run by

the Riboli family. This was fitting as I am rooted in my Italian/Mexican roots and value

family over everything. My father’s family comes from Palazzo Adriano, a small town in

Sicily. I am proud of my Sicilian roots, but I also share equal pride in my Mexican

heritage from my mother. I consider IALA to be my extended family, and I am incredibly

proud and honored to have been chosen to lead this incredible organization this year,

as so many have done before me.

I follow in the footsteps of amazing leaders. Angela Zanin led IALA last year with grace,

courage, and aplomb. She presented such events as the Italian-American female

lawyers involved in the Harvey Weinstein trial for March Women’s History Month; the

first Pride Month event featuring a prominent panel of judges; Criminal Law night,

gathering leaders from all over Los Angeles; organized the first “Friendsgiving” with the

Mexican American Bar Association (MABA) and the Latina Lawyers Bar Association

(LLBA), both organizations of which I am also a member; and for Supreme Court night,

she secured the California Supreme Court Justice Patricia Guerrero. Angela certainly

made IALA proud last year, and I will do my best to continue this tradition.

IALA has great events planned for this year, including Garlic & Gaelic, a Bocce ball

tournament, Jazz at the Hollywood Bowl, East Meets West, and panels of interesting

speakers for various events each month. We encourage members and non-members to

come and spend time with us, get to know us, enjoy our programs, and feel as welcome

with IALA as I have since joining.

I have already attended several events with other bar leaders throughout Los Angeles

and have met some wonderful people. I am excited to lead IALA this year and look

forward to working with sister bar associations to come together in celebration of not

only our distinct and diverse backgrounds, but also our common ground of the legal

profession. IALA by itself is an amazing organization; working with other associations

will make IALA even stronger. I hope everyone is looking forward to another great year

for IALA as I am. Thank you for having faith in me to lead this family.

Grazie,

Stephanie E. Story

2024 President, Italian American Lawyers Association of Los Angeles