Blog
2018 Annual Dinner
Friday, September 28th, 2018
The 2018 JRCLS-OC annual dinner was held on September 28, 2018 at the Irvine Marriott. 
2018 J. Reuben Clark Award
The 2018 J. Reuben Clark Award was presented to Kelly O'Reilly.
Kelly O'Reilly is a founding partner with Wilner & O’Reilly, APLC, and is a nationally recognized immigration attorney. Trained by the Immigration Service, Mr. O’Reilly is a former District Adjudications Officer for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service in Los Angeles and Orange County. Mr. O’Reilly was selected to participate on a federal panel that was given charge to create imaginative solutions to various complex problems facing the Immigration Service. As a result, many of those solutions remain in effect and are used by today’s Immigration Service employees. Having represented celebrities, athletes and businessmen, Mr. O’Reilly is most at home helping families achieve their American dream. His unusual success rates stem from his empathetic understanding of his client’s situation and his undeterred determination to make sure each and every client achieves his or her immigration goals.
Keynote Speaker
Honorable Kent A. Jordan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit was the keynote speaker.
Judge Jordan spoke about the importance of doing one's duty and pressing on when faced with challenged and the unknown. He relayed a story about Adraham Davenport who served in the Connecticut legislature during the American Revolution. During an abnormal darkening of the sky, many feared that the Last Judgement was at hand. Davenport is quoted as saying:
Lance Smemoe was honored as the outgoing chair of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society - Orange County Chapter, and Jennifer H. Wilsom was announced as the chair for the 2018-2019 year.
Gratitude was expressed to the following outgoing board members: Leilani L. Jones and Benjamin C. Deming. New board members Brett G. London, Stan A. Mortensen, and Jullie Smith were recognized.