Many reasons to celebrate. We hope you’re as excited as we are about the Annual Awards Ceremony & Celebration of Community Service this Wednesday, September 30 at 12:00 p.m. You won’t want to miss this special occasion when we honor and celebrate the 2020 Service Award recipients and the Law Week Poster & Video Contest winners. We’re also thrilled to be joined by special guest, California Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins, and to receive a proclamation from San Diego City Council, presented by San Diego City Council President Georgette Gómez, declaring September 30 as “San Diego County Bar Association Law Day.”
It’s not too late to show your support for the award recipients and contest winners by becoming a $100 “Friend Sponsor.” Your sponsorship will be recognized in the Official Event Program and on the event registration page. The deadline is September 30 at 9:00 a.m. For more information and to secure your spot as a Friend Sponsor, click here.
Judicial Voting Guide. For more than 40 years, the SDCBA’s Judicial Election Evaluation Committee (JEEC) has evaluated candidates in contested judicial elections as a public service because there is very little information on judicial candidates that is readily available to the public. For the upcoming November 3, 2020 general election, there remains one judicial seat on the ballot—San Diego County Superior Court Judge, Office No. 30. The SDCBA has announced its evaluations for the two candidates vying for that open seat in its Judicial Voting Guide, available on our home page. The SDCBA also has been working to educate the voting public about the important roles of judges and about the judicial election. You can watch my interview with NBC7 and read their news write up here. To review the SDCBA’s candidate evaluations for Office No. 30 and to learn more about the JEEC and the evaluation process, click here.
Dialogue on Diversity—a focus on voting rights. Next Wednesday, October 7 at 5:15 p.m.—as ballots will soon begin arriving in your mailboxes for the November 3 election—the SDCBA, along with our Community Partners, is bringing together experts to provide us with historical context and to discuss current topics and challenges in the voting rights arena, both within and outside California. We will be joined in this conversation by California Court of Appeal Justice Eileen Moore, voting rights attorneys Chad Dunn and Mimi Marziani, and San Diego County Registrar Michael Vu. Please join me and Fanny Yu as we moderate the discussion, and hear your questions, at Dialogue on Diversity: Right to Vote! History of Voting Rights, Legal Challenges, and Current Concerns. The event is free and offers 1.0 Elimination of Bias credit. Register here »
Mock Trial—calling all volunteer coaches. Each year, the San Diego County High School Mock Trial Competition helps high school students learn about the American legal system and the rule of law. Attorney Coaches for the 2020-21 season are needed, with orientations occurring on October 1 and 6. Learn more and sign up here »
Over the next few weeks, we have a number of networking, education, and signature events and we hope to see you there:
- September 29, 12:00 p.m. – Appellate Brief Show & Tell (presented by the Appellate Practice Section, appellate specialization CLE available)
- October 1, 5:00 p.m. – Virtual Trivia Night with the Insurance & Bad Faith Law Section
- October 2, 12:00 p.m. – Mediation in Today’s Market — Whether it’s Your 1st, 5th, or 50th Mediation: What to Do to Be Successful (presented by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section with 1.5 CLE credit available)
- October 7, 12:00 p.m. – Breakouts with the Bench: Probate Law (limited spots remain)
Bar Foundation gala—On November 13 at 7:00 p.m., the San Diego County Bar Foundation will host its annual signature event, An Evening in La Jolla. The event raises funds to ensure that foster children and at-risk youth, the sick and disabled, the elderly, immigrants, and domestic violence survivors have access to legal services and a legal system that serves them well. This year, the event will be virtual and includes a wine, beer, or mocktail pairing that will serve up to two people and is delivered directly to you the day of the event. To secure your spot for this popular event, register here »
On Friday, September 25, we announced the continued of the SDCBA’s physical space, yet we shared some great news about engagement of our members. You can read that message here.
Finally, I would like to highlight the recent decision by the San Diego Superior Court to expand e-filing options effective October 1 in Civil and Probate cases. This change is due in part to the issues raised to the court by SDCBA members. To see the full press release, click here »
We honor and appreciate the first Californians, and recognize Native American Day, which was proclaimed by the Governor on September 25. And, for our members who observe Yom Kippur and may not see this today, I hope your holiday was fulfilling and your fast was an easy one.
Johanna Schiavoni
2020 SDCBA President