UPDATE (01/02/2014) – The California Supreme Court rules Sergio C. Garcia can be admitted to the state bar. Minami Tamaki LLP was one of the firms representing the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California with respect to the Bar's recommendation to the high Court that Garcia be allowed to become a lawyer. Read the ruling here: http://www.courts.ca.gov/opinions/documents/S202512.PDF

UPDATE (10/5/2013) – Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 1024, allowing undocumented immigrants to be licensed as attorneys in California. The bill was introduced by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez inspired by Sergio Garcia.

Garcia, who was brought to the United States by his undocumented immigrant parents when he was 17 months old, has earned a law degree and passed the California State Bar Examination and moral character check. His application was certified to the California Supreme Court for review. The Court issued an order asking for clarification of several issues related to the practice of law by undocumented immigrants.

Minami Tamaki LLP was one of the firms representing the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California with respect to the Bar's recommendation to the high Court that Garcia be allowed to become a lawyer. The Committee of Bar Examiners' brief argues that state and federal laws permit Sergio Garcia to be licensed as an attorney in California. Also on the brief were Professor Emeritus Bill Ong Hing, attorneys from the State Bar of California, the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and UC Davis School of Law Dean Kevin R. Johnson.

The case is In re Sergio C. Garcia on Admission (S202512).