Dan Arriola '11

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Dan Arriola '11 was named one of the “40 Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40” by the National LGBT Bar Association. Arriola is recognized along with eight other recipients from California, and is the only 2021 award recipient from the California Central Valley.

Arriola grew up in the City of Tracy, earned his B.A. in political science and received his J.D. in 2014 from the USC Gould School of Law. Arriola was sworn in as a lawyer in December 2014, then became one of the youngest lawyers in the state to launch his own criminal defense law practice.

In 2015, Arriola accepted a position as Deputy District Attorney of San Joaquin County, becoming the first openly LGBT person of color to become a prosecutor in San Joaquin County. Arriola also served as the first-ever community prosecutor in the county, a position tasked with implementing innovative “progressive prosecution” strategies to address community concerns.

Arriola was elected to the Tracy City Council in 2018, and became the first openly LGBT elected official in the history of the City of Tracy. As a Councilmember, Arriola has championed various progressive policy initiatives including: the first-ever Homelessness Strategic Plan; the legalization of commercial cannabis; the first affordable housing development in over 20 years; the first-ever code of ethics for elected officials; joining EBCE to procure city-wide green renewable energy; authoring the “Equity & Empowerment Initiative” to address social equity and justice reform in the city; and officially recognizing LGBT Pride Month and raising the Pride Flag for the first time ever.

The National LGBT Bar Association is a national association of lawyers, judges and other legal professionals, law students, activists, and affiliated lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender legal organizations. The LGBT Bar promotes justice in and through the legal profession for the LGBTQ+ community in all its diversity. Each year, the LGBT Bar recognizes LGBTQ+ legal professionals under the age of 40 who have distinguished themselves in their field and have demonstrated a profound commitment to LGBTQ+ equality.