Ms. Giampaoli’s interest in tenants’ rights began after the rent controlled building in which she resided in San Francisco was sold to an investor and she and her neighbors became the targets of harassment by the new owner. Frustrated by the landlord’s bullying tactics but unwilling to move, Ms. Giampaoli started to research local rent ordinances with the hope of helping herself and her neighbors. Her interest led her to the San Francisco Tenants’ Union, where she became a volunteer counselor. She found her work educating other tenants on their rights and seeing them empowered by the knowledge to be immensely satisfying. But she wanted to do more.

With the singular intent of helping tenants, Ms. Giampaoli made the decision to attend law school and become a tenants’ rights attorney. During her law school career she worked as an intern at the San Francisco Eviction Defense Coalition, as well as for a private practice that specializes in representing tenants with habitability issues.

Since obtaining her license to practice law, Ms. Giampaoli has provided pro bono representation to tenants facing eviction through the Justice and Diversity Center’s Eviction Defense Project run by the San Francisco Bar Association. She has also volunteered her services at the SFBAR’s Consumer Credit Clinic and remains involved with numerous Tenant organizations in both San Francisco and the East Bay.