All California lawyers owe a duty of competence and confidentiality to their clients. California Rules of Professional Conduct (“CRPC”), Rules 3-110 and 3-100. As the Legal Ethics Corner of the BASF Bulletin previously noted, “competence in the digital milieu is…
Having it Your Way: Parental Alienation
Paul Anka, the ’50s pop star who rose to fame with such hits as “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” and “Lonely Boy,” and who penned one of Frank Sinatra’s biggest hits, “My Way,” definitely had it his way in…
Joint Accounts and Parental Abuse
Joint Account Money May Not Be Yours Maria Higgins added her stepson, W. Clive Higgins, as the joint account holder on her checking and savings accounts. Later, Clive transferred some of Maria’s other accounts into accounts he owned with his…
Legal Writing Tip: Counter the “Rambo” Writer with a “Deflating Opener”
What should you do if your opponent, in her opposing brief, insults your arguments, or attacks your integrity in making them? What should you do if your opponent accuses you (by name, or not) of “disingenuity” and “misrepresentation,” or relies…
Meet the San Francisco Superior Court Judges Community Event Held in August
The Barristers Club Board of Directors, San Francisco Superior Court Presiding Judge Teri Jackson and Third Baptist Church Pastor Amos Brown hosted a Meet the Judges event on August 27. The event, which was sponsored by Morrison & Foerster, gathered…
Working Remotely is Possible for the Small Firm Owner
I’m on a last-minute flight back to San Francisco from Mexico due to an unexpected and fast-approaching hurricane. I’ve got a very important mediation in a couple of days, and just can’t risk being “stranded on a beach in Mexico”…
Risk Management Tip: Ethical Walls Can Protect Against Disqualifying Conflicts
Conflicts of interest might disqualify an entire law firm from representing clients who are adverse to each other in unrelated matters. Proposed amendments to the California Rules of Professional Conduct would allow the use of an ethical wall in certain…
Former Scholarship Recipient Receives Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship
Congratulation to 2011 Bay Area Minority Law Student Scholarship recipient Antonio Ingram. He is the first UC Berkeley School of Law, Boalt Hall grad to receive a Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship. This particular fellowship requires applicants to have a law…
Increase in Immigration Enforcement Actions
The Northern California Rapid Response Network (NCRRN) is aware of an increase in immigration enfohttp://www.sfbar.org/newsroom/2017/rapidresponse.sfbar.orgrcement actions throughout the region. This includes an increase in reports of arrests in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as surrounding regions, including at…
Reception Honors Scholarship Recipients and Donors
Four 2017 Bay Area Minority Law Student Scholarship recipients were honored during a reception on September 7 at Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass. Each student was introduced by the donor of their scholarship, then students told of their journey to…
Keker Van Nest & Peters Wins 2017 Hooplaw Basketball Tournament
Thank you to all the teams who came out to play in the 2017 Hooplaw Basketball Tournament on Saturday, August 26 – Sunday, August 27 and congratulation to Keker Van Nest & Peters – 2017 tournament winners. Thank you to…
Justice & Diversity Center Helps Nonprofit Give Thousands of Californians a Second Chance
After 28 years in prison, Joel was now on the dean’s list at the local community college and owned a small antiques business with his wife, Brenda. This success story nearly ended, though, when Joel was threatened with more jail…