Categories : Legal EthicsTags :

The New “Snitch Rule” in California

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By Irean Z. Swan

A couple of weeks ago, on June 22, 2023, the Supreme Court of California unanimously approved the new Rules of Professional Conduct rule 8.3, or better known as the “snitch rule.” Before June 22, 2023, California was the only state that did not adopt the “snitch rule” in the ABA Model Rule 8.3, or a version of this rule.  The Court’s decision was based on one of two alternatives (they picked Alternative Two), which my colleague on the Legal Ethics Committee, Mallory H. Chase, discussed in this article. Read More

Categories : WellnessTags :

Fuel for Thought: How Energy Management Affects Your Engagement and Enjoyment

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By Marta Manus

Now more than ever, our attention is pulled in a thousand different directions throughout the day, and it’s easy to mindlessly move through each day. We all have a finite level of energy. Think of your energy as a magnetic field that informs your perspective in every aspect of your life. It is the lens through which you view the world and your perspective and attitude. Understanding how your energy affects your engagement in life and how you show up is key to being more productive, increasing your overall wellbeing, and being more effective and engaged in your personal and professional life. You may not be in control of the external things that are going on in your life, but you can change the energy, or perspective, with which you experience these things. This is where your power lies. Your power lies in your ability to change the lens through which you experience life. Read More

Categories : Legal EthicsTags :

Not Enough Money

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By Mitchell L. Lathrop

Howard Horror (“Howard”)1 was busily representing four very important clients in a lawsuit, Evers et al. v. Jones Company. The Evers case arose because Jones Company had the audacity to fire Howard’s clients for excessive talking while on the job and the unauthorized accessing of sensitive communications between the Jones Company CEO and its lead outside counsel, Josephine Smith. Howard’s clients had learned that Jones Company was in financial difficulty, but Howard was not worried because Jones Company had employment practices liability (EPL) insurance. Even his clients’ signing of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Jones Company wasn’t cause for concern. After all, the information they gave Howard was extremely valuable for use in the Evers case. Read More

Categories : WellnessTags :

Imposter Syndrome or Systemic Racism at Work?

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By Tatiana Kline

I am fascinated by the concept of imposter syndrome. I frequently do meditations on combating imposter syndrome and took an Insight Timer course on overcoming it. This concept was introduced in 1978 in an article titled “The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention” by Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes. Imposter syndrome refers to people who doubt their achievements, despite being accomplished. There is a real fear that they will be found out as a fraud and their achievements were based on luck and not hard work and skill. Read More

Categories : WellnessTags :

STOP

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By Heidi Weaver

Usually when I read an article or attend an event in the Wellness space, I come away with a to-do list of helpful action items that I have every intention of trying to implement in my busy life to improve my wellbeing. But we all know that adding stuff to your to-do list can be overwhelming, which can of course have a deleterious effect on your health and wellness. Read More

Categories : Current TopicsTags :

Making Antiracism a Core Value in Academic Institutions

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By Taneashia Morrell

Within and outside our academic walls, it is essential that educators and administrators (1) create a culture of academic health, equity, and equality that empowers all students, especially those populations who have historically been marginalized and oppressed; and (2) uproot the manifestations of racism that are visible and invisible in our academic institutions. Read More

Categories : Legal EthicsTags :

When Zealous Advocacy Goes Too Far

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By Irean Z. Swan

The idea of zealous advocacy is not a foreign concept to an attorney. In fact, the preamble to the  Model Rules provides that “[a]s advocate, a lawyer zealously asserts the client’s position under the rules of the adversary system.” But when does zealous advocacy exceed the bounds of the law and cross the line into actionable conduct such as extortion? The Second District Court of Appeal recently examined this question again in the case of Geragos v. Abelyan (2023) 88 Cal.App.5th 1005. Read More