By Alison Schlick
The San Diego County Bar Association’s Animal Law Section and Environmental Law/Land Use Section teamed up with I Love a Clean San Diego to clean De Anza Cove in Mission Bay Park from the “trash fence” to the water, finding and disposing of more than 64 pounds of trash including recycling which was recycled.
By Deborah Wolfe
This relatively new Rule has generated much controversy and colloquy since it was approved by the California Supreme Court, effective August 1, 2023. It [CB1] unquestionably was instituted in the wake of former member of the bar Thomas Girardi’s theft of his clients’ money and the lack of oversight or reporting of the theft by Girardi’s associates in his law practice.
By Mitchell L. Lathrop
Sometimes the relationship between client and counsel becomes so difficult and fraught with misunderstandings that counsel wants to depart from the situation. Sometimes also, the departure may not be as easy as counsel hoped. For example, Rule 1.2 of the Rules of Professional Conduct requires that “subject to rule 1.2.1, a lawyer shall abide by a client’s decisions concerning the objectives of representation and, as required by rule 1.4, shall reasonably consult with the client as to the means by which they are to be pursued.” At the same time, counsel cannot assist in or advise the violation of a law[1] and must use reasonable diligence in representing the client.[2] So what happens when the attorney-client relationship has deteriorated to the point where the lawyer feels he or she must get out?
By Jen Sterling
As the oftentimes lone vegan in the office, I’ve had many coworkers tell me they’re interested in incorporating more plant-based eating into their lives, but that it’s just too hard and too confusing — they don’t know where to start. Countless times, I’ve heard the “but where will I get my protein?” concern. With this brief overview, I hope to not only provide a simple template for incorporating this nutrient-dense way of eating into your busy life, but also offer inspiration from my own journey.
By: Alara T. Chilton
As a lawyer, you may question the prudence of representing someone with whom you are romantically involved. Even if the relationship is going well, and you are confident in your competence to handle the representation, you may be concerned about the ethical considerations. Upon conducting some research you discover:
By: Angela Medrano
The fourth Friday of this month, we celebrate California Native American Day. The date has been well known among the California Tribal community for decades — commemorated with community events and closed Tribal government offices. The day was first recognized in 1939 when Governor Culbert Olson dedicated October 1st as “Indian Day.” Twenty-nine years later in 1968, Governor Ronald Reagan declared the fourth of September as “California Indian Day.” It was not until another 30 years, that the day became an official State holiday under Governor Pete Wilson. Then in 2021, legislation passed marking the date as an official judicial holiday.
By David C. Carr
A lot of business before the State Bar Court consists of dealing with lawyers convicted of crimes. It is an area that does not receive a lot of attention from the public or even lawyers. These so-called “C” cases (after the letter that appears in the middle of the case designation after the year) travel down a different procedural path than “O” cases, cases that result from complaints filed with the Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) of the State Bar, or other information acquired by the OCTC that leads to the opening of an investigation.
By Heidi Weaver
The dictionary definition of “a walk in the park” is “something that is easy to do.” So why did I build this activity up in my mind as a big, time-consuming commitment? By way of context, there is a beautiful, green, shady park in my neighborhood that I always say I will go to, but hardly ever do. This is silly seeing as I live so close to this park that when live bands play there on hot summer nights, I can hear the music from my front porch. I even end up walking past it on my way to practically everywhere else in the neighborhood. When I do, I usually turn my head and gaze off longingly in the direction of the people enjoying themselves. There they are mere feet away, doing blissful park things like picnicking on a blanket, balancing on a tree tightrope, throwing a frisbee, pushing a toddler on a swing, or laying on the grass doing absolutely nothing. Watching these fortunate park souls, I always think to myself, one of these days I really need to carve out some time to go to the park.
By Katie Parker
During a Zoom hearing last week in federal court in the Northern District of California, the judge blasted statements by one team of attorneys as “certainly at risk of being misleading” and described the tactics used as “pretty low-grade lawyering.” Bonnie Eslinger, ‘Low-Grade Lawyering’: Quinn Emanual Attys Draw Judge’s Ire, Law360.com (July 27, 2024, 12:01 AM), https://www.law360.com/articles/1862818. The court directed further inquiry into the falsity of the attorneys’ statements in order to determine whether to impose sanctions. At issue is what information an expert witness had received and when he had received it for purposes of determining whether a supplemental expert report was appropriate. Regardless of whether sanctions are ultimately imposed in that case, public rebukes like these are a stark reminder of our “duty of candor to the tribunal” and a good opportunity to brush up on some of the rule’s nuances.
By: Marta Manus
There is no such thing as work/life balance. We must create balance within. In our fast-paced world, the way we manage our actions, time, and energy profoundly impacts our sense of balance. Every action we take—whether deliberate or unintentional—can either contribute to a balanced life or lead us further away from it. The further away we get from balance, the more likely we are to burnout. Burnout is partly caused by an imbalance in our energetic state of being, experienced by feelings of extreme overwhelm, exhaustion, and disillusionment. When we go through our days working on things that are misaligned with our core values, we can fall out of the inner balance. Balancing life requires more than just checking off tasks; it involves a conscious effort to align actions with our values and goals.
