The Justice & Diversity Center (JDC) welcomes Antonia More as the new Supervising Attorney to our Family Law Project. Although not entirely new to working with JDC, her new role will see her expand the work she has done serving…
CA Supreme Court Orders July 2020 Bar Exam Postponed, Moved Online
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court of California ordered that the July bar exam be postponed until September at which time it may be administered online. The decision to postpone the exam was issued on April…
May 2020 Members in the News
Daily Journal Announces Top IP Lawyers in California The following BASF members were recognized by the Daily Journal as 2020’s top intellectual property lawyers: Darin Snyder, O’Melveny & Myers; Ashok Ramani, Davis Polk & Wardwell; Catherine M. Polizzi, Michael Raymond…
Dreaming of Becoming a Judge? Apply Now to Be Part of the Judicial Mentorship Program
Have you thought about being a judge? Perhaps it is the reason you entered law school and became a lawyer. If you are an attorney who has been practicing for at least three years, consider applying to the Justice &…
New State And Local Laws Add to Rent and Eviction Control Complexities
In addition to temporary eviction moratoriums, the new Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) and recent amendments to San Francisco legislation create complicated, longer-term issues. State Law AB 1482 creates a rent increase cap, just cause provisions for eviction, and increased…
A Letter to Our Members: BASF and JDC Continues to Serve and Advocate During the COVID-19 Crisis
To our legal community: Along with all of you, we have been working tirelessly to adjust to rapidly changing work environments and processes, while continuing the essential work on behalf of those we serve. We are inspired by the creativity…
To Be Diligent
The California Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.3 imposes a separate duty on attorneys to be diligent in their representation of clients. Specifically, Rule 1.3 provides: “(a) A lawyer shall not intentionally, repeatedly, recklessly or with gross negligence fail…
Court Refused to Buy Estate’s Dirty Art Valuation
The Estate of Eva Franzen Kohlman included two Old Master paintings, Village Kermesse with Dance Around the Maypole (“Maypole”) and Orpheus Charming the Animals. Both were filthy on the day of death. The Estate’s expert appraiser, George Wachter, claimed that the dirt…
Utah Sister Has No Standing in Sibling Rivalry
Grethe Jensen had two daughters, Kari in California and Trine in Utah. Kari urged her 89-year-old mother to sell her house and buy a place jointly with Kari in Ventura so that Kari could care for her. Things soon went…
Help Your Neighbors in Need, Support Food From The Bar
Last year, the legal community raised the funds to help provide food for over 1.3 Million meals. Join Food From The Bar this year as we aim to help the Food Bank help even more people who struggle with food…
How Third-Party Contracting Robs Your Clients
As a practical matter, if we get nothing for the case, we eat the costs we advanced. If we get a favorable verdict or settlement, the client’s net is less. Court reporters and clients are getting less Lawyers are…
The Challenge of Imbalance
Where persons in a marital or nonmarital relationship have relatively equal bargaining power, that balance of power can help them dissolve those relationships amicably and reasonably, without a great deal of assistance from either attorneys or the court. In many…