Distinguished Lawyer Memorial Honoree

Anthony Medina

At his very young age of 36, Anthony Michael Medina redefined the practice of law in San Diego county. 

Anthony dedicated his professional life to helping his community and the underserved. Anthony’s commitment to helping people, his zealous representation of clients, and his unwavering desire to do the right thing made him one-of-a-kind.  

Anthony’s legal experience stemmed from his internships and clerkships with the ACLU, the California Innocence Project, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the La Raza Centro Legal in San Francisco.  Most important, as a native San Diegan Anthony embedded himself in his community and understood the working class and underserved population’s monetary and legal struggles.  The aggregate of his experiences both motivated and convinced Anthony to create a mechanism to provide affordable legal representation: People’s Legal Services; San Diego’s first and only sliding scale, non-profit sliding, law firm, centrally located in downtown San Diego. 

Anthony was an extraordinary attorney, who built an organization that represents and practices the principles Anthony believed in as a person – fairness, compassion, trustworthiness, action, and access to justice.  Anthony was an equally exceptional friend, mentor, and supporter of new attorneys, up-and-commers, entrepreneurs, and dreamers. 

Anthony is deeply admired in the legal community for his creative solutions, commitment to helping the underrepresented, zealous advocacy, and his unwavering desire to always do the right thing.  Anthony’s efforts and his legacy are integral to PLS’ success in closing the “justice gap.”  Attorneys everywhere can draw inspiration from Anthony.  If there’s a problem in your community: scrutinize it, delve into it, build up your toolbox and network, and execute a solution that redefines the practice of law.