A Personal Note from Your CLA President

August 2022

By Jeremy M. Evans

Dear Colleagues,

It is an honor and pleasure to serve with and for each of you. Being President of one of the premier bar associations across America and the world has been one of the true highlights and experiences. All of us in servant leadership know that passion begins the journey of volunteerism and is what drives us to the finish line. 

The California Lawyers Association has some wonderful events that I will highlight for you here. First, in late July, we hosted a California Lawyers Foundation Signature Series event on “How to Become a Judge” with Judge Marissa A. Bejarano, Superior Court of California, County of San Diego; Judge Rupert Byrdsong, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles and current President of the California Judges Association; Luis A. Céspedes, Judicial Appointments Secretary for the California Governor; and Michael Flemming, Deputy Public Defender, and Judicial Candidate. The event was well-attended, highlighting the civics engagement that is important to instill in the next and current generation.  

Annual Meeting Agenda

On September 15-17, 2022, our Annual Meeting will be held at the absolutely beautiful San Diego Hilton Bayfront Hotel. Our Annual Meeting will coincide with the California Judges Association Annual Meeting and provide for great networking, education, connecting with old friends, and exploring all that conference and the City of San Diego have to offer in terms of food, ocean, and culture. Our Annual Meeting will include three attorney keynote speakers for each day of the conference: Sports Agent Leigh Steinberg to open the conference, United Talent Agency Executive Vice President of Growth and Operations Heather Brooks Karatz, and George Washington University Professor Jonathan Turley. The keynotes and programming will be rich with wonderful stories and content, and we truly hope you will join us. 

The hotel sits overlooking the bay and is next door to the Gaslamp District and Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres. The Annual Meeting this year will be extra special, and we set aside time to highlight and award volunteer leaders from across the Great State of California and break bread with emcee Andy Buckley (aka David Wallace) from NBC’s hit series The Office for the first ever Annual Black-Tie Gala. 

Advocacy Update 

The tireless staff, members, and leaders of the California Lawyers Association continue to do great work as we advocate for the legal profession and attorneys across the entire state in the state legislature, inside the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates, and on various commissions and through amicus briefs. As the Blue Ribbon Commission on the Future of the Bar Exam comes to a close, likely in August, Commissioners will make recommendations that will go to the State Bar of California Board of Trustees and eventually the California Supreme Court for the court’s final decision. We will continue to travel around the state to meet each of you and visit fellow bar associations to build relationships and collaborate.  

Incoming Volunteers Lead the Charge

The Annual Meeting will also signify a change in some leadership positions on the California Lawyers Association’s Board of Representatives and Executive Committees for the eighteen different sections. Presidents and vice presidents serve for two years (2021-2023), but there will be a new chair, vice chair, treasurer, and secretary along with the turnover of half of the board in September—so we will look forward to welcoming them soon during a joint swearing-in ceremony with the California Judges Association. 

We will keep our promises of growing our membership, offering new programming, and continuing the great advocacy work on behalf of the profession. We serve in an honorable profession and must maintain the utmost ethics and values in representation and relationships. Thank you for being a member, and I look forward to seeing and talking with you soon.