What obligations do judges have in terms of inquiring into a litigant’s ability to pay court fines, fees, bail, or other charges?
In its recent Formal Opinion 491, issued April 29, 2020, the American Bar Association (“Opinion 491”) provided a strong reminder to lawyers that they may not always rely solely upon a client’s word.
Is a lawyer-client relationship necessary for a lawyer to be disciplined for failure to perform legal services competently or for aiding and abetting the unauthorized practice of law?
On February 11, 2020 the State Bar Court of California Review Department in the Matter of Gregory Melvin Haynes upheld the State Bar Hearing Judge's finding that misconduct committed by attorney Haynes found by the federal court to require his disbarment from practicing before the Northern District.
Does discipline in the United States District Court subject a lawyer to State Bar discipline?
Although the San Diego Superior Court is scheduled to reopen for more than emergency services on May 26, 2020, the changes wrought by COVID-19 upon the legal profession will reverberate for the foreseeable future.
LegalMatch.com is and has been a popular online service for some 20 years. It’s days, at least in California, however, may be at risk.
As the legal profession adjusts to the “new normal” while working from home, it is the lawyer’s responsibility to learn how to ethically use new technology and navigate the potential pitfalls to avoid violating the duty of confidentiality.
If a client chooses to pursue a fee dispute with their current or former attorney, the client may compel the attorney to participate in mandatory fee dispute arbitration.
Sometimes, even reviewing just a few aspects of a firm’s operations can indicate areas for improvement. And those facets are not necessarily where you would expect.
