Kitty Zeng is a high school student at Balboa High School in San Francisco, where she takes part in Law Academy. Established in 1997 by then Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) President Judge Jeffrey Ross, San Francisco Law Academy…
Utilizing the UIDDA to Navigate Out-of-State Business Records Subpoenas
Preparing and serving out-of-state business records subpoenas can seem like a daunting task to the most experienced California paralegal. Fortunately, the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act (UIDDA), enacted in 2007, can help demystify this task. Use the following steps…
The Countess: Money Can’t Buy You Class or Apparently a Good Divorce Agreement
Countess Luann de Lesseps of “The Real Housewives of New York” has found herself at odds with her ex-husband, Count Alexandre de Lesseps and their adult children, Noel and Victoria, over a home purchased for $3.1 million in 2013. According…
Time To Refresh Your Conflicts Check Procedures
You are a partner in a mid-sized firm. A conflicts check clears before your meeting with prospective client Alice. The meeting is productive and you agree to represent Alice in litigation. During a partner meeting a few weeks later, you…
A Portrait of Asian Americans in the Law: Join Justice Liu for a Discussion with Leading Asian American Lawyers
Please join the Bar Association of San Francisco for a conversation with California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu about the recently released report, A Portrait of Asian Americans in the Law. Co-authored by Justice Liu and published by Yale Law School and the…
BASF Welcomes Tali as Member Benefits Provider
Tali is a voice-driven time-tracking solution powered by Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. With Tali, lawyers can eliminate the administrative burden of time entry by seamlessly tracking time throughout the day using nothing more than their voice. Tali integrates with…
Stop Saying “Split the Baby”
You’ve probably heard a lawyer say “split the baby” to mean “split the difference.” I seem to hear it weekly. If you use the expression, please stop. It’s aesthetically abhorrent and etymologically backward. I started noticing how jarring the phrase…
Immigration Advocates Exploring Further Legal Action Against ICE’s Abrupt Transfers of Detained Immigrants
August 30, 2018 – San Francisco, California – As concerns continue to rise over ICE’s sudden transfer of detained immigrants from the West County Detention Facility, immigrant rights groups have begun taking legal action. In response to these developments, an alliance of…
Organize Your Argument Section Dialectically
What is the meaning of the word, “dialectic?” To the Greek philosopher Plato, it was akin to a dialogue, and closely associated with the Socratic method. He saw it as a medium for arriving at the truth. And that is…
Legal Writing Tip: Begin Each Paragraph with a Topic Sentence
The use of paragraphs is a critical tool in any type of nonfiction writing. In sequencing your paragraphs, you are giving the reader a roadmap to the organization of your ideas. Think of a paragraph as a unit of thought. …
JDC Tax Project Offers New CLE Trainings and Pro Bono Opportunities
The Justice & Diversity Center (JDC) is offering new opportunities to volunteer with our Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic! JDC’s Tax Project has begun offering free CLE trainings for those interested in working with low-income taxpayers. After attending the training, attorneys will…
General Counsel Tip: Protecting Confidential Communications
Many attorneys work at law firms without a full-time in-house counsel. Different attorneys are called upon to serve in a general counsel capacity when issues arise. Over the next few months, we will discuss laws and offer tips to general…