Category: For New Attorneys

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NLD Event Recap: Say Hello to Summer

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NLD Event Recap: Say Hello to Summer

By Elijah Gaglio
Lewis Brisbois

The New Lawyer Division (NLD) had the privilege of collaborating with the Intellectual Property and Civil Litigation Sections to host the “Say Hello to Summer” social networking event. At the event, Taneashia Morrell, Board of Director, Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Division and the Immediate-Past Chair of the Intellectual Property Section, said a few things about collaboration that really stuck with me. She said just like it costs you nothing to be kind to others, it costs nothing to collaborate with others. It reminded me that one of the biggest lessons I learned during my time with the San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA) is that collaboration is a key reason why NLD and the SDCBA are successful.  Read More

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Tips from the Bar: Michelle Mitchell, Esq.

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Tips from the Bar: Michelle Mitchell, Esq.

By Sasha Jamishidi
Bremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara, LLP

Michelle Mitchell is a San Diego-based Trial Attorney at Portfolio Recovery Associates with over 20 years of experience in civil litigation. As a trial attorney, she values the importance of weaving evidence into a story as part of the litigation process, providing a wide range of valuable assets to high-level exposure cases from start to finish.  Read More

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Ethics for New Lawyers: Who is my client? The Scope of Representation and Allocation of Authority Under RPC 1.2

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Ethics for New Lawyers: Who is my client? The Scope of Representation and Allocation of Authority Under RPC 1.2

By Deborah A. Wolfe

Oddly enough, many lawyers forget this very important point somewhere along the way of working on a matter and it can get them into a lot of hot water. It is so important to the practice of law that it is the second of the Rules of Professional Conduct [1](“RPC”) and it requires the practitioner to define the scope of a lawyer’s representation and the allocation of an attorney’s authority to act on behalf of a client.  Read More

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Networking in San Diego: Tips for New and Aspiring Lawyers

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Networking in San Diego: Tips for New and Aspiring Lawyers

By Catharine McGlynn
Wilshire Law Firm, PLC

In the first few years of practicing law, it is easy to focus solely on the hard skills associated with this profession. For most new lawyers, it is essential to focus on developing strong research and writing skills that will serve as a foundation from which to grow. The first few years are an endurance race—for each new task, a new lawyer must spend time learning the facts of the case, the law, the procedure, or the firm’s methods. Only then, can the new lawyer move on to actually completing the task. The learning often takes just as much time as the doing. Of course, you cannot bill the client for the hours you spend learning, so the days stretch well into the evenings. With schedules dictated by looming deadlines, it is often difficult to imagine voluntarily adding any more work to your plate. Many young lawyers are so focused on building the hard skills that they lose out on incorporating soft skills into their legal foundation. Soft skills are not the focus of law school or the bar exam, so they may not get the attention they deserve, but those who devote time and energy to developing those skills early have an advantage. Whether it is client management, communication, teamwork, or networking, soft skills make you a better lawyer. At work, many of these soft skills are reserved for the supervising attorneys, but networking is beneficial and accessible to all attorneys.  Read More

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On the Path to Success

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On the Path to Success

By Lin Nguyen
California Western School of Law 
Class of ‘25

Gomez Trial Attorneys recently hosted an inspiring event, the Shades of Success Summit, at their office on 755 Front St. This unique event was created in collaboration with various aspiring networks and diversity bars of San Diego County. It provided a platform for renowned local attorneys to share their experiences and inspire future law students, current law students, and new attorneys in training. Read More

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Message From the Co-Editor in Chief

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Message From the Co-Editor in Chief

By Lillian Glenister, Esq.
Judicial Law Clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

Hello! My name is Lillian (Lilly) Glenister and I am currently the Co-Editor in Chief of the New Lawyer Division’s (“NLD”) monthly newsletter, For the Record.  I want to thank each of our readers for their continued support, as well as our NLD and San Diego County Bar Association members who have contributed amazing content this year.  Read More

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Ethics for New Lawyers: The Appearance of Impropriety

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Ethics for New Lawyers: The Appearance of Impropriety

By David C. Carr

Recent events have inspired discussion about the concept of the “appearance of impropriety” by both legal ethics lawyers and in the mainstream media. Those events include the motion to disqualify Fani Willis, the District Attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, whose hearing was broadcast live to the nation, and recent news stories concerning the controversial flags flown at the homes of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.  Read More

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Empowering the Innocent: The Third Mission of The Innocence Center

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Empowering the Innocent: The Third Mission of The Innocence Center

By Claudia Salinas
The Innocence Center
Staff Attorney and NLD Vice Chair

The Innocence Center (“TIC”) stands as a beacon of hope and justice, tirelessly working to free innocent individuals from the confines of wrongful imprisonment. This independent non-profit law firm employs cutting-edge technology and innovative strategies, including the use of Artificial Intelligence and automation, to identify and pursue cases of wrongful conviction. Beyond its critical role in freeing the innocent and educating the public about the causes of wrongful convictions, TIC is profoundly committed to supporting their clients as they navigate the daunting process of reentry into society. Read More

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Ethics for New Lawyers: Ethics and the Potential New Client: Recent Developments in Protecting Your Firm from Disqualification

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Ethics for New Lawyers: Ethics and the Potential New Client: Recent Developments in Protecting Your Firm from Disqualification

By Charles V. Berwanger
Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani

The purpose of this article is to highlight Rule of Professional Conduct 1.18 and its provisions regarding a lawyer’s communications with a prospective client, the risks and consequences of disclosing confidential information with resultant disqualification of an attorney, and the means available to prevent the disqualification of that attorney’s firm if the would-be client does not retain the lawyer or law firm. Read More