President’s Message: January 19, 2021

Welcome back to work after Martin Luther King Jr. Day. MLK Day is the only federal holiday where we are encouraged to see it as “a day on, not a day off” and spent in service to improve our communities. Giving back is much harder now during the pandemic, with the balance of working from home, blurred boundaries with “work hours,” e-learning, family obligations, and safety concerns. It can still be done, though! If you’d like an opportunity to serve your community, the virtual Annual High School Mock Trial Competition, led by our San Diego Superior Court, is a great way to do so. These high school students from across the county are incredibly talented, have poured hours into preparation, and would greatly appreciate your time and feedback. Here is an opportunity for us to fan the flame of interest in the law for diverse students. Attorney Scorers are still needed for January 26, 28, February 9 and 17, all at 5:00 p.m. I hope you will join me in service and sign up here.

For those who are new to the SDCBA’s This Week at the Bar, I want to encourage you to scroll, scroll, scroll! Below you will find different sections including Events, Member Benefit Highlight, Featured Articles, Leadership Opportunities, What Members are Talking About, and Of Note. If you don’t scroll, you’ll miss out on great opportunities like a chance to network with the Civil Litigation Section this week or the chance to nominate a deserving person for the 2021 SDCBA Service Awards. You don’t want to miss Past President Kristin Rizzo’s terrific article on Mediation During Separation or Legal Ethics Chair Carole Buckner’s article on Pro Hac Vice Admission. You definitely don’t want to miss the notice that Virtual Appearances are now available via Teams for Motions in Civil IC Departments in our Of Notes section. So, please, scroll, scroll, scroll and make sure you know, and take advantage of, all the ways the SDCBA is here to support you this year!

Yours, 
Renée N.G. Stackhouse
2021 SDCBA President

Reading NowRaising Good Humans (Yes, this is the same as last week! I think I made it through page 1. The struggle is real)
Listening To: Sussudio by Phil Collins 
What are you reading or listening to? Tag us #sdcba