Blog - Page 108 of 174 - The Bar Association of San Francisco

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%…

Volunteers Needed for San Francisco Civil Grand Jury

The San Francisco Superior Court is accepting applications for Civil Grand Jury service for the 2016-2017 term. The Civil Grand Jury usually meets once per week, with additional meetings and interviews scheduled as necessary. Applications and more details about the…

Deciding on the Decider: Tips on Arbitrator Selection

Arbitration can arise in a variety of legal matters facing solo and small firm lawyers, such as in real estate, employment, and construction, or in drafting a dispute resolution provision for client transactions. One of the most important steps in…

Legal Writing Tip: Don’t Distract Readers or Ruin Your Writing with Citations

Despite the efforts of legal writing guru Bryan Garner to promote use of “citational” footnotes, placing citations in the main body of the brief or memo remains the dominant method. And so, for the most part, or at least when…

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