On a recent cool afternoon on Coronado, John L. Pittman III was proudly sporting his Pepperdine Law sweatshirt when he struck up a conversation with a stranger about his legal education.
When I passed the bar in 2009, the economy was in deep recession, and the public defender’s office where I had hoped to work (and most such offices statewide) froze hiring. I hung out my shingle, temporarily, I thought. Thirteen years later, I have always worked for myself, never straying from my mission of defending the criminally accused. I have helped over 150 incarcerated folks, mostly lifers in California prisons, gain their freedom. I’ve guided hundreds more along their journey towards freedom.
Picture this: you are cruising down California Highway 163 on a clear morning with your windows down, music blasting. You are driving to the gym, trying to hype yourself up for a killer workout to kick off the morning. Then, suddenly, you look in your rear-view mirror and see bright red and blue lights flashing. Your heart suddenly drops out of your chest and you quickly lower the music. Many thoughts race through your head: what did you do? What will the police officer say to you? And what can you do to expedite this unpleasant encounter as quickly as possible? The officer starts by asking you, “Do you know why I pulled you over?” You feel pressured to answer quickly and honestly. For most people, these series of questions come rapid-fire before you are sent on your way with a court date for a traffic infraction. The whole encounter feels like a blur, but you go on about your day.
Negotiations and settlements are an everyday occurrence in the legal profession. Tax implications are often overlooked in settlement discussions and negotiations yet often play a large part of the overall settlement.
Veneeta Jaswal has known from a young age that she wanted to be a “laywer,” as she wrote in second grade when asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. It is safe to say that this future litigator would be proud to see what became of her dream.
You did it! Three years of stress. Three years of late nights hopped up on caffeine. Three years of interviews, internships, rejections, and successes.
Heidi is a career advisor at California Western School of Law where she’s helped students and alumni find their career footing for the past seven and some odd years. Jocelyn is a career advisor at the neighboring University of San Diego School of Law and has been helping law students and graduates find career satisfaction for 10+ years. Heidi and Jocelyn used to be actual office neighbors back in the day and would often converse loudly to each other through their shared office wall. They recently got together on a sunny Thursday to talk about the post-grad life. Here are some points they wanted to share with new graduates waiting for bar results — read on to find out where they agreed and disagreed.
One lesson I learned from my parents is that we are put on this planet to help others. Some of the greatest lawyers spent their lives helping others: Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Abraham Lincoln to name a few. Nelson Mandela once said, “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived; it is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
On July 22, 2022, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the San Diego County Bar Association hosted a roundtable titled “What Litigators Want From Their Mediations.” Panelists included Nadia Bermudez, an employment attorney at Klinedinst PC; David G. Greco, a partner at RMO LLP; and Chris Hendricks, a personal injury attorney at Fox Law. The discussion was moderated by Ana M. Sambold of Sambold Law, who is chairwoman of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section.
Justin Isaac is the owner of the Lawyer in Blue Jeans Group, a San Diego-based law firm specializing in estate planning, trust administration and probate administration. The Lawyer in Blue Jeans Group was founded by his father and mentor, Jeff Isaac, 24 years ago. His father coined the term “Blue Jeans Law” to connote affordable legal services without unnecessary legalese.
