Sinking comfortably into one of the upholstered chairs in his office at McClellan Air Force Base, Michael Frayne stretched out his legs and nodded toward the window where sunlight streamed in. "The first winter out here was so exciting, no snow!" the Ohio native exclaimed, grinning. Frayne, a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, joined the Navy for a four-year hitch in the early 70s, serving as an interpreter. He came to California with the Air Force in 1982 to work in logistics. He graduated from McGeorge in 1995. "I started an MBA program but didn't really enjoy it," he confided. "I like the law very much. There's an elegance to it, and it has a very significant meaning for us that's immediately relevant because whatever the case, there's a real-life drama involved."

He learned about these dramas when he began volunteering with VLSP right after being admitted to the bar. One of his more memorable cases involved a woman in her mid-20s with three small children. "She was in an abusive relationship. She had no high school education and hadn't worked. Her old man split. He was involved with drugs and she had no money, no family in the area," Frayne explained. Suddenly sitting up and leaning forward, Frayne shook his head as he recalled the details. "The husband had a lawyer, and the hearing was three days off when VLSP contacted me. The woman was struggling just to survive, to feed her kids. To be able to stop the steam rolling at the hearing and craft a settlement was quite a charge. It was a joy to be able to help her and see her off on her new life," he continued. "She was very grateful. She had so much positive energy. She was never late to a meeting, though she had to bring her kids with her and take the bus. She was making plans for herself and her kids. She went back to Texas to be with family," Frayne added, smiling as he relaxed against the back of his chair again.

Married and the father of two, Frayne's life has been dominated by work and family responsibilities, yet he volunteers for many community service organizations. Just for VLSP alone, he donated more than 100 hours in 1999 on 21 cases referred to him. In addition, he also volunteers at the Family Law Pro Per Clinic, with a commitment to serve on emergency standby. "I think we can all make a difference," he reflected. "It makes you feel good to volunteer, and it's important work."