Mission: Commission — Kevin Benedicto on Public Service Beyond the Courtroom
Benedicto & Simonovich LLP was proud to take part in this year's Pistahan Parade and Festival, the 33rd annual celebration of Filipino community, culture, and cuisine in San Francisco, held at Yerba Buena Gardens as SOMA Pilipinas marked its 10th anniversary.
In addition to a panel on artificial intelligence earlier in the day, our founding partner, Kevin Benedicto, returned to the festival's Innovation Pavilion for a second conversation: "Mission: Commission — What It Takes to Be Appointed and Make an Impact on Commissions." Kevin was joined by Jason Chan of the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus Institute (moderator), Franklin Ricarte of the Immigrant Rights Commission, Gabbie Listana of the Youth Commission, and Daly City Councilmember Juslyn Manalo.
Drawing on Service to the San Francisco Police Commission
Kevin spoke from his own experience serving on the San Francisco Police Commission, sharing what the appointment process actually looks like, how to build the record and relationships that make an applicant competitive, and — once appointed — how to translate a seat on a commission into real, lasting impact for the community it serves.
For many attendees, the practical value of the panel was in demystifying a process that can otherwise seem opaque: how commission openings are identified, what appointing authorities look for, and how service on a board, commission, or task force can be a meaningful complement to a career, not a departure from it.
Why This Matters to Our Firm
At Benedicto & Simonovich LLP, we believe that strong legal representation and active civic engagement go hand in hand. Kevin's service on the San Francisco Police Commission reflects a firm-wide commitment to showing up for the communities we serve — not only through litigation, but through public service, mentorship, and civic leadership.
We're grateful to Pistahan, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and our fellow panelists for a candid and encouraging conversation. If this year's discussion inspired even a few attendees to pursue their own path toward commission or board service, it will have done exactly what it set out to do.
Benedicto & Simonovich LLP is a boutique litigation firm based in San Francisco and Los Angeles, representing clients in complex disputes, internal and external investigations, and matters involving emerging technologies.