By Lela Garcia, Legal Intern, Volunteer Lawyers Program, SALA
Every month, Southern Arizona Legal Aid’s (“SALA”) Volunteer Lawyers Program (“VLP”) recognizes a legal professional for their legal volunteerism. The award is a distinct honor. Out of the more than 400 attorneys and paralegals on panel who are willing to volunteer their time, twelve are recognized annually for their dedication to access to justice.
Anna Ceder is the April 2022 Outstanding Volunteer of the Month Award Recipient.
Attorney Ceder aims to erase misconceptions about attorneys in the legal profession. She is characterized by her deep passion to make connections in her community, not only as a professional but also as a companion, and prides herself on giving her clients equal access to justice. These traits make Anna a highly valuable asset of the Volunteer Lawyers Program of Southern Arizona Legal Aid, Inc. and demonstrate why she was chosen as VLP/SALA’s April 2022 Volunteer of the Month Award Recipient.
Anna Ceder is originally from Milton, Washington, but considers herself a Wildcat and Tucson native, as she has resided here for over 25 years. Anna received both her B.A and J.D. from the University of Arizona. After she earned her B.A. in Women’s Studies, Anna found herself interested in trial litigation and insurance law, through working for insurance firms in Tucson and California. These experiences sparked Anna’s interest in attending law school, where she continued her passion for trial litigation. In law school, she was recognized for her success on the National Moot Court Team and was the recipient of the Outstanding Senior Award. Shortly after graduating from the James E. Rogers College of Law, Anna clerked at the Pima County Superior Court and later found herself working in-house for one of the largest insurance companies in the nation. At her current firm, Curl, Glasson & Patrascioiu, P.L.C., Anna continues successfully to practice civil litigation and give back to the community. She also opened a civil alternative dispute resolution practice in 2021.
Anna’s volunteerism with VLP began when she was a law student at the James E. Rogers College of Law. She volunteered in VLP’s guardianship clinics, where she found the work to be most rewarding. Today, Anna continues giving advice and representing clients in obtaining guardianships. She values giving clients and children safe places to live and access to justice. Anna aspires to be an approachable attorney and ally within her community, to lessen the apprehension individuals may have when seeking legal assistance. Her work ethic is demonstrated in many of her cases, where she assures that her clients have a helping hand in any obstacles they may encounter. Anna also extends her dedication to justice and volunteerism as a board member for Step Up to Justice.
When Anna is not working on her professional goals, she enjoys spending time with her loved ones and her three younger daughters. She also enjoys traveling, “glamping” with her family, and cooking!
Southern Arizona Legal Aid, Inc. – Volunteer Lawyers Program is deeply gracious for Anna’s continued volunteerism and dedication to her clients.
For questions or comments about the blog, please contact us at: Connections@sazlegalaid.org
