On the warm evening of April 26th, the Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) hosted the first Meet Your Environmental Regulators Reception in three years. We had over 100 guests join the Reception, including representatives of many environmental regulatory agencies:…
Nondisparagement and Confidentiality Provisions in Employee Severance Agreements
Both locally and nationally, a growing trend continues that disfavors confidentiality, nondisclosure, and nondisparagement provisions in settlement agreements and releases – even if such terms are part of a bargained-for-exchange between the parties. Most recently on February 21, 2023, the…
New Year, New Rules: What You Need to Know About CTAPP
Following high-profile scandals involving misuse and misappropriation of client trust funds, the California State Bar implemented the Client Trust Account Protection Program, or CTAPP – a series of new rules governing the handling of funds and reporting compliance. In the…
Significant New Laws Governing the Workplace in California
California has a robust set of laws governing the workplace. The laws continue to evolve and 2023 is no different. What follows is a review of significant new laws that will affect most workplaces starting January 1, 2023. AB 1041…
Use it or Lose It: Take Advantage of Your Annual Insurance Risk Management Budget
California lawyers should have professional liability insurance to avoid paying damages and expenses out of pocket if a claim is asserted against them. Those who do not have insurance must disclose that fact to each client in writing at the…
December Client Spotlight: The Family Law Project
This month, the Justice & Diversity Center is sharing a story from the Family Law Project concerning their client’s journey towards dissolving their marriage and establishing custody of their child. Five days after son her was born, the client experienced…
Meet the Justices of the First District at the View From the Bench Conference
On November 4, the BASF Appellate Section is hosting an all-day, in-person CLE event, presenting panels including 12 of Justices of the First District Court of Appeal, and our special lunch guest California Supreme Court Justice Carol Corrigan. The Justices…
Lateral Lawyer Imputation of Former Client Conflicts
Lawyers are on the move more than ever. An important aspect of any lateral movement, for both the moving lawyer and the firm to which the lawyer is headed, is assessing the possibility of conflicts of interest. See California Rules…
Combatting Implicit Bias in the Legal Profession
Since 1989, the California Rules of Professional Conduct (CRPC) have included prohibitions against discriminatory behavior in the practice of law. (See former CRPC 2-400, “Prohibited Discriminatory Conduct in a Law Practice.”) In 2018, as part of the California State Bar’s…
Insurance For Lawyers in California. What to Know in the Current Marketplace.
Depending on how you operate your law practice, some insurance may be mandatory. Do you have employees? If so, you are required to carry Worker’s Compensation Insurance. Have a commercial lease? You likely are required by your landlord to carry…
Court Protects Narcotics Anonymous Trust From Rebels
Since 1953, Narcotics Anonymous has maintained a Fellowship for which the sole membership requirement is a “desire to stop using.” After 40 years, the Fellowship created a revocable charitable trust to help manage its literature, along with other intellectual property…
Rules of Professional Conduct & Prospective Clients
In late 2018 California, for the first time, specifically set forth the duties lawyers owe to potential clients by the inclusion of Rule 1.18 in the new Rules of Professional Conduct. Under the new rule, a lawyer owes the same…