The year 2020 has come and gone. We started the year declaring optimistically that 2020 would be the year of ‘perfect vision.’ But between a global pandemic and an exhausting presidential race, the optimism became an afterthought as we were…
Family Court Welcomes New Judges in 2021
The San Francisco Unified Family Court (UFC) is thrilled to welcome two new judges: Judge-elect Maria Evangelista Lopez Judge-elect Maria Evangelista Lopez will join UFC in January 2021 and replace Judge Sharon Reardon in Department 403. Since 2003, Evangelista Lopez…
Family Law Moving Forward
Let me wish you a Happy New Year 2021 and thank you for electing me Chair of the Bar Association of San Francisco’s (BASF) Family Law Section. Many are glad to see 2020 come to a close. The year proved…
Last Chance to Prevent Property Tax Reassessment for the Kids
Effective February 16, 2021, most parent-child gifts of real estate will be subject to reassessment thanks to Proposition 19. Subject to limitations, only the parent’s principal residence or farm will be excluded from reassessment if (and that’s a big if!)…
Can You Handle the Truth?
Attorneys must be honest for the justice system to work and for the system to have any credibility to the general public. To that end, attorneys had a duty of candor under the old California Rules of Professional Conduct (CRPC)…
Evolving ADR: Remote Mediations, Silver Linings and Adapting
As we approach a full year of pandemic-driven shutdown orders, it’s easy to focus on what we miss with online mediation – in-person get togethers. We don’t sit across the table, walk together down hallways, or share a cup of…
Trust Revocation Wordplay
There’s an old saying that remodeling a home is like pulling a loose string on a sweater—go too far, and it all unravels. Robert Cundall, John Martin, and Frances Diaz were neighbors and friends before things fell apart. In 2008,…
Timothy Disregards Dad’s Magic Words
Before he died in 1992, Norbert Eimer set up a family trust. Upon his and his wife’s death, everything was to go to their kids. A Power of Appointment allowed each child to pass on their inheritance to others through…
Know Your AI
Companies across industries are using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and algorithmic decision making (collectively ‘AI’) in their everyday business practices. To ensure legal compliance with their use of AI, companies must understand how their AI works and be able to…
2020: A Year in the Rear View
For many, 2020 has proved to be a year they’d much rather throw in the circular file. But this year was not without some bright moments, especially for the Bar Association of San Francisco’s (BASF) Paralegal Section’s Executive Committee (ExComm).…
Fifth Annual Solo & Small Firm Conference: Larger Than Coronavirus
The Solo and Small Firm Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco will host its fifth annual Solo and Small Firm Conference on January 28, 2021. The conference is planned as a virtual event in light of the various…
We All Need a Little Support: Modifying Support Orders During a Pandemic
On March 4, 2020, when Governor Newsom declared a State of Emergency in California in response to COVID-19, most Californians had no idea what the broad sweeping implications of this pandemic would mean. As months have gone by, households are…