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…
January 2021 CLE Bulletin and Webcast Replay
January 2021 CLE Bulletin Upcoming Conferences and Events from the Bar Association of San Francisco The Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Section presents PROPOSITION 19: Advanced Topics What Property Tax Laws it Changed, and What To Do Now Date Thursday,…
In Memoriam: Mary Jo Christensen Shartsis
Born August 10, 1942, died January 2, 2021, from Alzheimer’s. A woman of great intelligence, beauty, and style, Mary Jo’s life was a testament to the American Dream. Raised with two sisters by her single mother in South Gate, California,…
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,…
Barristers 2020: Year in Review
As I look back on 2020, it makes me think of how bar associations have always held a very special space in my heart. When I was growing up in Hawaii, my mom spent thirteen years as executive director of…
Pandemic Forces Courts and Lawyers to Reimagine Proceedings
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Anne-Christine Massullo had pre-qualified over two hundred prospective jurors in anticipation of the court’s first in-person civil jury trial since the coronavirus pandemic. She used a tape measure to make sure all twelve jurors and…
Checking in with Nemo
This year, with all its challenges, has also given us an opportunity to pause and look back on the many people and stories from San Francisco Attorney magazine that have inspired and engaged. In 2017, Kathleen Guthrie Woods introduced us to Nemo,…
Leaving San Francisco: Living on the Edge of the Mystery
After ten years in San Francisco, I gave up my apartment to go on the road, indefinitely. One morning a few months back, I was sitting on my rooftop writing about the importance of paying attention to what sits beneath…
Airstreaming Live in 2020
This year, with all its challenges, has also given us an opportunity to pause and look back on the many people and stories from San Francisco Attorney magazine that have inspired and engaged. Jennifer Smythe and Gary Dubrovsky, a married couple who…
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…
Mental Illness: Laws We Need to Know
Book by Baron Miller Reviewed by Katie Danielson According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, in 2018 47.6 million U.S. adults experienced mental illness, 9.2 million U.S. adults experiencing mental illness had co-occurring substance abuse issues. As many as…