California Lawyers Association

From Abroad, CLA Continues its Growth and Influence

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November 2022

Jeremy Evans

By CLA President Jeremy M. Evans 

I am writing from Edinburgh, Scotland, having just left London, England, and Cardiff, Wales, for leg one of the California Lawyers Association’s A Week in Legal London program. It is the 34th year of the program, sponsored by the Litigation Section every two years. It is the first time a President has joined the program. 

The Litigation Section, Associate Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer Tricia Horan, and Mosaic Events Management must be commended for their efforts in hosting a wonderful two-week program (2022 is the first time in Scotland). 

The Litigation Section is one of the great 18 sections of the California Lawyers Association. Each section represents a practice area, and it would be an underestimation to say that the sections are rich in diversity, enthusiasm, and wonderful content. The many terrific programs of all the sections can be found on the homepage of our website (CaLawyers.org) under featured webinars and events. 

The California Lawyers Association’s sections, the staff, our members, and our member leaders are the lifeblood of the organization. We thank them for their tireless efforts not only in education but also in advocacy efforts. For example, On October 3, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case involving the application of the attorney-client privilege, which protects the confidentiality of communications between attorneys and their clients. The grant of certiorari was a victory for the California Lawyers Association, which filed an amicus brief on June 1 urging the court to hear the case. This is the most consequential attorney-client privilege case that will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in several decades. A round of applause to the attorneys and staff who worked on the matter. 

While traveling abroad, I have been reminded of the sheer size of California’s economic and legal influence in America and across the globe. We have also been welcomed with open arms as the group learns about international courts, the history of the legal system in the United Kingdom, and comparative law and practices in litigation and transactional work. The United Kingdom’s barristers, solicitors, and clarks (or paralegals) have been wonderful hosts. We are touring and watching ongoing court cases in Oxford, Cambridge, the Old Bailey, the Rolls Building, and the Royal Courts of Justice. The President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom met with us at the high court for a lecture. Lord Wallace hosted us in the Peers Dining Room of the House of Lords, one of the two houses of parliament. Former California Governor and U.S. Senator Pete Wilson joined the group for both legs of the program, highlighting the amazing people involved with participating and organizing. The experiences were some of the most memorable for the group and, indeed, in my lifetime. We hope you can join us in May 2024 for the next Week in Legal London.

We can always learn from experiences, and this and future occasions will be no different. For one, I was struck by the connection between the monarchy and the law versus God, religion, and the law in the United Kingdom and the United States. The personal connections we made and the growth of the California Lawyers Association are unparalleled. 

Stateside, there is an important update regarding the Blue Ribbon Commission on the Future of the Bar Exam. Before going abroad, I participated in the mid-October meeting. A majority of the commissioners did not vote in favor of pursuing a non-exam or alternative pathway. Next up, the commission will consider reciprocity and other out-of-state attorney licensing.

Wishing you all a wonderful upcoming Thanksgiving and holiday season. It is a pleasure to serve faithfully with and for each of you. 

Jeremy M. Evans
President, California Lawyers Association 


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