Here at the Justice & Diversity Center (JDC), we continue to provide the essential legal services, advocacy, and support that more than 9,000 people in San Francisco rely on each year. In the ten-plus weeks since we have been sheltered-in-place,…
State of the Court: COVID-19 Q&A Presentation with San Francisco Court Leadership
On April 21, the Litigation Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco hosted a virtual State of the Court presentation and Q&A with San Francisco County Superior Court leadership. Presiding Judge Garrett L. Wong, Assistant Presiding Judge Samuel K.…
Join With the Justice and Diversity Center on #GivingTuesdayNow
Today is #GivingTuesdayNow, a new global day of generosity in response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. Here at the Justice & Diversity Center (JDC) of the Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF), we continue to provide the essential…
CA Supreme Court Orders July 2020 Bar Exam Postponed, Moved Online
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court of California ordered that the July bar exam be postponed until September at which time it may be administered online. The decision to postpone the exam was issued on April…
New Attorney Leads JDC’s Family Law Project
The Justice & Diversity Center (JDC) welcomes Antonia More as the new Supervising Attorney to our Family Law Project. Although not entirely new to working with JDC, her new role will see her expand the work she has done serving…
New State And Local Laws Add to Rent and Eviction Control Complexities
In addition to temporary eviction moratoriums, the new Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) and recent amendments to San Francisco legislation create complicated, longer-term issues. State Law AB 1482 creates a rent increase cap, just cause provisions for eviction, and increased…
Dreaming of Becoming a Judge? Apply Now to Be Part of the Judicial Mentorship Program
Have you thought about being a judge? Perhaps it is the reason you entered law school and became a lawyer. If you are an attorney who has been practicing for at least three years, consider applying to the Justice &…
May 2020 Members in the News
Daily Journal Announces Top IP Lawyers in California The following BASF members were recognized by the Daily Journal as 2020’s top intellectual property lawyers: Darin Snyder, O’Melveny & Myers; Ashok Ramani, Davis Polk & Wardwell; Catherine M. Polizzi, Michael Raymond…
A Letter to Our Members: BASF and JDC Continues to Serve and Advocate During the COVID-19 Crisis
To our legal community: Along with all of you, we have been working tirelessly to adjust to rapidly changing work environments and processes, while continuing the essential work on behalf of those we serve. We are inspired by the creativity…
To Be Diligent
The California Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.3 imposes a separate duty on attorneys to be diligent in their representation of clients. Specifically, Rule 1.3 provides: “(a) A lawyer shall not intentionally, repeatedly, recklessly or with gross negligence fail…
The Challenge of Imbalance
Where persons in a marital or nonmarital relationship have relatively equal bargaining power, that balance of power can help them dissolve those relationships amicably and reasonably, without a great deal of assistance from either attorneys or the court. In many…
How Third-Party Contracting Robs Your Clients
As a practical matter, if we get nothing for the case, we eat the costs we advanced. If we get a favorable verdict or settlement, the client’s net is less. Court reporters and clients are getting less Lawyers are…