In many ways, the exciting developments of Thomas L.
Berkley Square – which will be home to the North Alameda County Self
Sufficiency Center – are due to the vision and continuing legacy of Mr.
Thomas L. Berkley.
A gifted academic and world-class track and
field athlete, Mr. Berkley graduated from University of California at Los
Angeles in 1938. He later attended both Boalt Hall, and Hastings School of
Law, receiving a Doctorate of Law degree in 1942. With law degree in
hand, he quickly established himself as a champion of the rights of the
underprivileged through his work as an attorney, and later as a successful
entrepreneur.
Shortly after the end of WWII, Mr. Berkley
established the law firm Thomas Berkley & Associates, in Berkeley,
California. In addition to its well earned reputation, TB&A is also
celebrated for being the largest racially integrated, bilingual law firm
in the United States.
Initially comprised of a core team of
attorneys that included Terry Francois, Joseph Kennedy and Clifton White,
scores of talented attorney's would learn the ropes under Mr. Berkley's
leadership and go on to have distinguished law careers around the world.
In 1972 Mr. Berkley purchased a 35,000
square foot building in Oakland and moved his various legal and business
operations to the location at 630 20th Street.
Fluent in Spanish, Mr. Berkley served as
founder, publisher and editor of the Post Newspaper Group, a chain of five
tri-weekly English and Spanish newspapers. This chain included El Mundo,
the largest Spanish newspaper in the state. Mr. Berkley is also credited
for co-founding the West Coast Black Publisher's Association.
In addition to Mr. Berkley's ground
breaking law practice, he was also active in the construction industry as
a developer/builder of commercial and residential projects that included
housing developments, shopping centers, and apartment complexes in
Northern and Central California, and Nevada. In 1955 he created a racially
integrated 250-unit housing development in Las Vegas - aptly named Berkley
Square.
Mr. Berkley served 11 years as a member of
the Board of Commissioners of the Port of Oakland, and two terms as its
President. He was the nation's first African-American to serve as a
commissioner of a major Port. Mr. Berkley would play a pivotal role
in converting the Port of Oakland to a container Port. His
innovative leadership - increased use of container cranes, helping to
revolutionize the manner in which cargo is handled worldwide.
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