David A. Lash ’77, J.D. ’80

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A lawyer dedicated to the achievements and well-being of others, David Lash has spent much of his legal career making valuable contributions to pro bono law as well as community organizations. This dedication to community welfare is exemplified by his work as executive director of Bet Tzedek (House of Justice) Legal Services, a public service firm that provides free representation to poor, elderly and disabled residents of Los Angeles County. After joining Bet Tzedek, Lash quickly grew into an exceptional administrator, fundraiser and powerful advocate and spokesperson for the disadvantaged, working tirelessly to expand upon and create new firm programs. As the executive director he worked to grow and create programs that involved securing reparations and money for Holocaust survivors; enabling poor children to be adopted by family members rather than be placed in institutional settings; and ensuring that low-income workers obtain the wages due to them.

Under Lash’s stewardship, Bet Tzedek grew to become one of the largest and most successful nonprofit law firms in the United States, annually representing more than 10,000 clients of every religious and ethnic background. Lash expanded and professionalized its 55-person staff and increased fundraising revenue by more than 60%, helping Bet Tzedek reach a more diverse group of volunteers and supporters than ever before. Former colleague Stanley Kandel ’66 affirms Lash’s passion for social work, championing his “warm, generous heart, (and) sense of fairness” in producing great results. “To have accomplished so much already in his life,” Kandel asserts, “is an indication of the fire that burns within Mr. Lash.”

Lash’s dedication to vulnerable members of society continues in his current position as a litigation attorney at O’Melveny & Myers, where he works as managing counsel for its nationwide pro bono program – a position created specially for him in recognition of his unique background and amalgam of experiences. He has been recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in California by the Los Angeles Daily Journal and has received a citation from the U.S. House of Representatives for his work on behalf of the poor.

In addition to his legal career, Lash has performed extensive community service with institutions including the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, the Harriett Buhai Center, the UCLA Moot Court Program and the Jewish Federation Council. He was appointed by the Los Angeles City Council to serve on the Fairfax Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative Board of Directors, and is a columnist for “In the Public Interest,” a public interest law column he developed for the Los Angeles Daily Journal.