Publish By: Elissa Lasserre | Date: 2026-08-23 | Posted in: What's New this Summer

Hello Friends!

Recently, NBLC hosted its annual Summer Give Back at beautiful McNear’s Beach Park in Marin County. Under the sunshine and ocean breeze, our community came together for an old‑fashioned Seafood Boil — a celebration of connection, belonging, and the power of new beginnings.

As part of the gathering, guests were invited to anonymously answer one of four reflection questions. Their words were heartfelt, honest, and deeply moving. Here are just a few of the responses that remind us why reintegration work matters:

What does a second chance mean to you? A second chance is knowing God is not done with me and my future is bigger than my plans.

Share a word of encouragement for someone starting fresh. All things will pass. It may seem like a big problem at the moment but it will eventually pass. What feels heavy today will one day become a lesson that made our soul stronger.

Share a word of encouragement for someone starting fresh. All things will pass. It may seem like a big problem at the moment but it will eventually pass. What feels heavy today will one day become a lesson that made our soul stronger.

What is one personal victory you are proud of this year? I am proud of my continued sobriety.

What gives you hope for the future? The future gives me hope for the future. The second chance given to me won’t be wasted!

These reflections capture the heart of NBLC’s mission: real people, real resilience, and real transformation. Every story shared at McNear’s Beach Park was a reminder that healing happens in community — and that when people are given support, dignity, and opportunity, they rise.

We extend our deepest gratitude to Marin County Parks for providing a beautiful space where people could gather and feel seen, and to Steve Cook’s Stuff for feeding our community with care and generosity.

As we look ahead, NBLC remains committed to creating spaces where hope is nurtured, voices are heard, and new chapters can begin. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this year’s Summer Give Back a celebration of strength, renewal, and the belief that every person deserves a chance to thrive.

Here’s to the journeys still unfolding and the futures being rebuilt — one courageous step at a time.

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Elissa Lasserre

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Elisa Lasserre

Ms. Lasserre attended law school at Southern California Institute of Law.  She worked fulltime in a law office during the day and attended law school at night.  In 1995, she graduated law school at the top of her class and earned several awards of merit in Evidence and Trial Advocacy.  Immediately after graduating, she sat for the California State Bar and began practicing law.

Although her passion from her early days as a court clerk was criminal law, Ms. Lasserre’s early experience as an attorney was in the area of complex civil litigation.  During this time, she litigated cases involving millions of dollars in damages.  This experience taught her the invaluable skills of case evaluation, written and oral argument and court preparedness.

In 2003, she left civil litigation to pursue her passion as a criminal defense attorney.  She opened her own criminal defense practice where she began representing indigent juvenile and adult defendants by court appointment.

In 2005, Ms. Lasserre was offered the position of Bay Area Staff Attorney for the Cochran Firm-Criminal Defense Division.  It was an honor to be considered for this position as Johnnie was a brilliant litigator and inspiration to those in the trenches practicing criminal defense. She accepted the position and represented Cochran Firm clients throughout the bay area.   The Cochran Firm – Criminal Defense Division dissolved in 2006 due to Johnnie’s untimely passing.

Ms. Lasserre immediately re-opened her criminal law practice and continued to represent indigent defendants in criminal and juvenile proceedings.  Over the years, she has represented defendants charged with many different crimes including driving under the influence, drug possession and sales, theft, domestic violence, serious and violent felonies, strike offenses, assault, gang violence, sex crimes and attempted murder.  She has also been appellate counsel on several cases including a life-sentence rape case.

After years of watching people’s lives negatively defined by involvement in the criminal justice system, Ms. Lasserre decided to focus her efforts on helping clients assess and redefine their lives.  In late 2015, Ms. Lasserre founded the New Beginnings Law Center.  The Center’s focus is to help clients diminish the effects of a criminal record thereby increasing self-worth and lowering recidivism rates.