From the Chair

George Floyd’s death has created ripple effects throughout the country. His death, and the nationwide protests asking for justice and for us to live up to our ideals, have started a long conversation that must be had on the serious issues of ensuring that equal protection under the law and the rule of law truly exist for all Americans. The recent events show the critical importance of diversity, inclusion and fairness, and of the CLA’s mission of promoting excellence, diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and fairness in the administration of justice and the rule of law.

The messages from the California Lawyers Association (CLA) President and Chair on these issues may be accessed here.

I also encourage you to read a statement from the CLA’s CEO, Ona Dosunmu, regarding her personal experiences and reflections on these issues.

The CLA Business Law Section (BLS) is committed to fulfilling the CLA’s mission statement and working toward a better future, including by recognizing that diversity makes us stronger. We have worked to create a BLS that represents the diversity of California lawyers. By taking part in the Ninth Circuit Civics Contest presentations at high schools and participating in BLS roadshows at colleges, we engage in outreach to high schools and colleges to encourage a diverse next generation of lawyers and judges. By partnering with the California Minority Counsel Program and other diverse organizations, we establish relationships that make the BLS better and stronger. And by making diversity a key issue throughout the year that is addressed at each BLS Executive Committee meeting, the BLS commits itself to pushing change forward.

I encourage you to get involved in the BLS and its committees to work with us to make meaningful change. Our standing committees meet on a monthly basis and work between meetings to prepare eBulletins on new case law and legislative updates, create educational programming for lawyers, draft proposed legislation, and engage in outreach to their constituencies. The application for BLS standing committees is available here.

More information regarding the BLS and its standing committees is available here.

Thank you for your continued involvement in the BLS and for working with the BLS to create a better future!

Corey R. Weber, Chair
California Lawyers Association Business Law Section
cweber@bg.law