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Voice Writing: A Game Changer for Court Reporting

Shorthand was invented by Sumerian scribes, who captured speech by writing logo-syllabic cuneiform on clay tablets with a reed stylus. Since then, shorthand methods have evolved into writing with pen on paper; steno machine; and speaking into a steno mask.…

July 1, 2024: Upcoming Deadline for Employers to Put in Place Workplace Violence Prevention Plans

Under SB 553, enacted in 2023, all California employers — with some limited exceptions — must have a workplace violence prevention plan in place by July 1, 2024. Cal/OSHA has issued FAQs and other information about workplace violence and has…

Using AI In Legal Work: COPRAC’s Tips On Confidentiality And Competence

As AI technology continues to advance, providing greater efficiency and the ability to process extensive amounts of data, legal professionals are increasingly tempted to utilize Generative AI as a convenient shortcut for drafting legal motions and pleadings. However, lawyers must…

Ethical Duties in Handling Appeals: 2024 Edition

In pursuing an appeal on behalf of a client, a California lawyer must meet the requirements of the California Rules of Professional Conduct (“CRPC”) and the State Bar Act. The following summarizes some of those requirements and recent developments. Fundamentally,…

Using AI In Legal Work: COPRAC’s Tips On Confidentiality And Competence

Argue in the Alternative

Sometimes the best way to organize your points is with an “even if” structure. Let’s say you are starting to write a brief and you have come up with the list of reasons why your side should prevail. You know…

April 2024 Members in the News

Partner at MoFo featured in Wall Street Journal Susan Mac Cormac, partner at Morrison Foerster specializing in ESG + Sustainability, commented in a recent Wall Street Journal article on the financial implications of the SEC’s new climate disclosure rules for…

What are the State Bar of California’s new MCLE course requirements?

Beginning with the compliance period ending January 31, 2025, licensees are required to also complete and report compliance on the following new subfields: Competence credit (two hours required) At least one hour focused on prevention and detection education that addresses…

How to Ethically Prepare a Witness

I offer this short primer on the ethics of preparing a witness as a teaser trailer to this year’s annual Legal Ethics Lessons Learned from Fictional Attorneys CLE, to be presented by the Ethics Committee of The Bar Association of…

March 2024 Members in the News

Hanson Bridgett Recognized by World Trademark Review 1000 2024 Leader Circle Firm, Hanson Bridgett, has been recently honored by World Trademark Review (WTR) for the seventh consecutive year in their WTR 1000 rankings. Firms are eligible for a WTR listing…

Join the Planning Committee for the 40th Annual Judges Reception

Join the Planning Committee for the 40th Annual Judges Reception! Each year, the Barristers Club hosts the Judges Reception to honor locally based state and federal judges. The event provides Barristers (law students and attorneys in their first ten years…

For the sake of writing in plain English, at the very least, banish these words and phrases

In the first chapter of Plain English for Lawyers (5th ed. 2005), Richard C. Wydick states simply the premise of his book: “Good legal writing should not differ, without good reason, from ordinary, well-written English.” Bryan A. Garner makes the…

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