BASF’s Barristers Club presented its Tara L. Riedley Barristers Choice Award at the 31st Annual Judges Reception on July 16 to Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler, United States District Court, Northern District of California. More than 250 members of the legal…
Bank of the West and Kimberly Taylor Recognized at In-House Counsel Diversity Awards
More than 60 guests attended the In-House Counsel Diversity Awards Reception, hosted by Schiff Hardin on July 29. BASF/JDC Executive Director Yolanda Jackson presented the Individual Award to Kimberly L. Taylor of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and the Company…
Have You Done an Ethics Check on Your Firm Website?
A California attorney’s website must comply with California Rule of Professional Conduct 1-400 and Business and Professions Code sections 6157 through 6159.2. In addition to ensuring your website contains no false or misleading content, check your website for: Must Haves “Advertisement”…
Legal Ethics Corner: Ethical Issues in Compensating Contract Attorneys
The use of contract attorneys is commonplace in the practice of law today. Large law firms and solo practitioners utilize contract attorneys to supplement their own staff resources for transactional and litigation tasks. Despite a general requirement that a client…
10 Rules for Great Marketing Writing
Thank you to Knox Design Strategy and Repechage Group for permission to repost the 10 Rules for Great Marketing Writing. Click on the image below to download a pdf version.
California Recognizes Evidence Extrinsic to Wills
For many years, California courts have prevented heirs from contesting a will based on extrinsic evidence such as letters, handwritten notes and other unofficial documents not included in the estate plan. But last month, the California Supreme Court overturned these…
Governor Brown Signs the Mitchell Bill Banning Grand Juries in Fatal Police Actions
The Bar Association of San Francisco’s Criminal Justice Task Force played a very critical role in getting the Mitchell bill passed. The board voted for BASF to get involved by writing a letter to legislators; by sending task force members to Sacramento…
Date of Separation
A couple cannot be considered separated if they live together in the same home, the California Supreme Court has decided. Sheryl Davis told Keith Davis that she was “through” with their marriage on June 1, 2006; filed for divorce on…
The Justice & Diversity Center Helps Nonprofit Fill Justice Gap for Reentry Individuals
The Justice & Diversity Center’s (JDC) Community Organization Representation Project (CORP) provides free business law services to nonprofit organizations that serve low-income and underserved communities in Northern California. CORP volunteers increase access to justice by helping hundreds of nonprofits every…
Attorney Support Needed as Immigration Court’s “Expedited Dockets” Turns One
July 30, 2015, marked the one-year anniversary of the expedited dockets in San Francisco Immigrant Court. For the last year, in accordance with a memorandum issued by the U.S. Department of Justice, immigration courts nationwide have accelerated the deportation proceedings…
BASF and JDC Welcome New Diversity & Pipeline Programs Manager
BASF and JDC are excited to welcome Elizabeth McGriff as our new Diversity & Pipeline Programs Manager. McGriff, a former trial attorney, comes to BASF/JDC from College Track where she served as the Academic Coaching & Enrichment Program Manager and…
Summer In the City: Diversity Receptions
Summer in the City… where the networking is easy. The Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) recognizes the benefits that minority and LGBTQ law students and young lawyers receive when afforded opportunities to network with other lawyers and successful partners who look like them and/or have similar experiences. Established in…