From the Chair

The coronavirus has changed all of our lives temporarily. Many companies and law firms have transitioned to remote operations and most of our kids are engaged in online learning from home or are on a temporary hiatus. CLA in-person events have been postponed and cancelled to ensure the safety of our community, but the Business Law Section (BLS) will continue to provide case and legislative updates through eBulletins, and will continue to provide webinars on cutting edge topics. Upcoming webinars will discuss the impact of the coronavirus on businesses and those webinars will be free of charge. The BLS is more than just an organization, it is a community and a resource and the BLS will continue to serve during these unprecedented events.

As briefly discussed in the January eNews, the BLS participated in the CLA’s annual Legislative Day, which took place on March 4, 2020 in Sacramento. The schedule for the Legislative Day included networking, an awards luncheon and break-out sessions. The annual Legislative Day is a great opportunity for BLS members to meet with legislators and legislative staff members regarding pending and potential legislation impacting businesses in California. We’ll provide a recap from the Legislative Day in next month’s eNews.

Later this year, the BLS looks forward to partnering with other CLA Sections on Meet the Judges programs in several cities. More details will follow.

Several members of the BLS Executive Committee and Standing Committees also participated in February in the Central District Judicial Conference as Lawyer Representatives to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, and helped to plan educational programs for the federal judiciary. The California Lawyers Association (CLA) and the BLS strongly support the independence of the judiciary, fairness in the administration of justice and the rule of law.

Based on recent events, the CLA published a statement on the rule of law and the judiciary, which is available here.

The BLS has some exciting webinars available, including cutting edge and practical issues. The Internet and Privacy Law Committee and Insurance Law Committee presented a webinar on Data Privacy in California Today: An Insurance Perspective on the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The webinar discussed issues including the interaction between the CCPA and state and federal privacy laws. The BLS also featured webinars on Recent Developments in Internet and Privacy Law Affecting California Consumer Financial Service Providers, and practical issues such as the What You Weren’t Taught in Law School series, including getting and retaining clients in an ethical manner and the ins and outs of starting a law practice. You can access all BLS webinars here.

Getting your MCLE through the BLS not only helps you meet your MCLE requirements, it also supports the BLS’ efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, fairness in the administration of justice and the rule of law.

We invite you to apply to join one of the BLS’ standing committees. To learn more about the BLS, to apply to serve as a member or advisor for one of the BLS’ standing committees, or to serve as an editor on the Business Law News (BLN) Editorial Board, go to the BLS website or e-mail me at cweber@bg.law.

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