The Justice & Diversity Center, Fenwick & West and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC): San Francisco Bay Area Chapter held a free legal clinic for ten nonprofit organizations that serve low-income communities. Fenwick & West generously hosted the clinic…
Attorneys and Judge Visit Local Middle School to Talk to LGBT Youth
On February 17, attorneys Dominic Campodonico and Peter Catalanotti spoke on a panel with San Francisco Superior Court Judge Linda Colfax to the Aptos Middle School in San Francisco as part of The Bar Association of San Francisco’s LGBT Youth…
Destination Law School Panelists Inspire and Encourage Undergrads to Consider a Career in Law
More than 40 students attended a highly engaging Destination Law School panel presentation at Laney College on March 1. Panelists included Andrew Bozant, Farella Braun + Martel; Antonio Ingram, Morrison & Foerster; and Cameron Lue-Sang, Associate Director of Admissions, Golden…
The Top Three Unauthorized Practice of Law Scenarios for Paralegals to Avoid
Below are three situations that i commonly see throughout the United States that may result in Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL) investigations. There are very experienced paralegals who have developed good relationships with their clients, and sometimes the clients will forget the…
Financial Literacy and the Business of Running a Law Firm
In March 2004, the United States Senate passed Resolution 316 proclaiming April “National Financial Literacy Month.” The idea is to bring focus to personal and business finances and recognize where there are lapses in current and future financial planning. When…
When to Call It Quits: Mediation Doesn’t Serve All Clients
As a mediator, I like to think that alternative dispute resolution is the best kind of conflict resolution for most disputes (call me biased!). But, occasionally, a case comes through the door that should not be in mediation and would…
BASF Executive Director Honored Twice in March
The Bar Association of San Francisco’s (BASF) Executive Director Yolanda Jackson was recently honored as San Francisco Assembly District 17 Woman of the Year. Jackson was selected for this award by District 17 Supervisor David Chiu. According to Chiu, “Yolanda…
Your Ethics Are Implicated by Mediation Confidentiality
In 2014, this Legal Ethics Corner column provided readers with “Some Thoughts On Issues Raised, But Not Resolved, by Cassel v. Superior Court.” Those issues remain unresolved, but some are closer to resolution than before. You may recall that the…
Lowell High School Emerges as San Francisco County Mock Trial Champs
A student at Central Coast University on a track and field scholarship was facing a felony charge of murder for the homicide of a campus security guard. The student raised the affirmative defense of defense of another in order to…
Judges Honor and Thank Attorneys Who Represent Federal Court Litigants Pro Bono
The Justice & Diversity Center (JDC) and the Northern District Court of California recently recognized volunteers of the Federal Pro Bono Project, who provided pro bono representation to pro se litigants in federal court. The project offers a wide range…
Tenacious Attorney Fights for Six Low-Income Tenants in the Mission
The Justice & Diversity Center (JDC) is pleased to recognize as our Volunteer of the Month David Tchack, who works with the Eviction Defense and Housing Negotiation Projects. Tchack consistently takes cases for monolingual Spanish-speaking clients facing eviction and the…
Navigating the 2016 Talent Market
In today’s talent market, finding and retaining qualified employees can be challenging. In a 2015 survey, nearly 30% of U.S. companies reported experiencing a candidate shortage. This shortage is expected to continue through 2016; a recent survey revealed that 61%…