ɪn sˌækɹəmˈɛntoʊ, kˌælɪfˈoːɹniə, hiː wʌz ɐwˈɔːɹdᵻd ɐ ɹˈɛdʒɪnəld hˈɛbɚ smˈɪθ fˈɛloʊʃˌɪp tə sˈɜːv æz ɐ stˈæf ɐtˈɜːni wɪð lˈiːɡəl sˈɜːvɪsᵻz ʌv nˈɔːɹðɚn kˌælɪfˈoːɹniə ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntɪŋ pˈʊɹ klˈaɪənts ˌɔn hˈaʊzɪŋ, dəmˈɛstɪk vˈaɪələns, kənsˈuːmɚɹ ænd ˈʌðɚ mˈæɾɚz.
In Sacramento, California, he was awarded a Reginald Heber Smith Fellowship to serve as a staff attorney with Legal Services of Northern California representing poor clients on housing, domestic violence, consumer and other matters.