Practice Area Corner Archives

Brangelina, Interrupted

The demise of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s marriage has captured headlines everywhere. Jolie and Pitt (collectively known as “Brangelina”) recently announced the end of their eleven-year relationship (though the marriage was only two years). The pair famously went public…

Estate Planning Corner: Last Chance for Valuation Discount Planning and More

…………….. Valuation Discount Planning The U.S. Treasury Department has proposed regulations that will make it more difficult for families to engage in valuation discount planning as soon as January 1, 2017. This could potentially make this the last opportunity to…

Mediator’s Proposals — Not So Fast!

… When parties and their counsel get antsy early on in a mediation, they often want to cut to the chase. “Can’t you just make a mediator’s proposal?” they ask. This is generally a bad idea for several reasons. First,…

LinkedIn Endorsements: Potential Legal Ethics Problem?

If you are an active LinkedIn user, there’s a good chance that you have received an endorsement by someone without personal knowledge of whether you have the claimed skill. Well-meaning perhaps, but such endorsements of attorneys are potentially misleading…

Skyline College’s Paralegal Clinic: Inspiring Agents for Change

Access to justice for all is a serious issue. The American Bar Association acknowledges that the legal profession fails to adequately address the “major gap between the civil legal needs of low-income people and the legal help that they…

No Limits? Master P Has Children Petition Court

American rapper/actor/reality star/ entrepreneur Master P is finding there is “No Limit” to how long or how expensive his legal battle with ex-wife Sonya Miller will be. His three youngest children, Hercy, Mercy and Itali just wrote emotional letters…

What Hat Am I Wearing? Practical and Ethical Issues for Attorneys Practicing Dual Occupations

Complying with the California Rules of Professional Conduct can be challenging enough for an attorney, but issues can become even more complicated if you are also practicing a dual profession. Engaging in a second occupation may appeal to some…

Bay Area Mediation Services Panelists Bring Wide Spectrum of Skills to the Table

Below you will find a selection of some of BASF’s more than 50 Mediation Services Panelists and their areas of expertise. BASF mediators can assist with almost any type of dispute, whether for a few hours or several days. Gerald…

The Ethics of Advising California Marijuana Businesses

Californians will vote in November on Proposition 64, the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act. Proposition 64 would establish and regulate a commercial marijuana industry. Its provisions include renaming the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation as the…