Chief Executive Officer

An African proverb says, “Until the lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter.” To that end, women have always been part of history, but their contributions to social, political, and economic constructs, especially in our nation, have often been overlooked and rest in the shadows of their male counterparts. As an attempt to right the wrongs of the storytellers, the essence of Women’s History Month highlights achievements and continues a much-needed discourse regarding gender equity and equality in every field of human endeavor. Read more

Oyango A. Snell, former in-house counsel for the Western States Petroleum Association, was named CEO and Executive Director of CLA last month following a nationwide search. We interviewed him shortly after he started on Dec. 13. Following are some excerpts from the interview. Read more

The California Lawyers Association (CLA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Oyango A. Snell as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Executive Director, effective December 13, 2021. Snell comes to CLA from the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) where he served as the organization’s first in-house general counsel in its 114-year history. CLA was founded in 2018 upon separation by the California State Legislature with the State Bar of California. CLA is a member-driven, mission-focused organization dedicated to the professional advancement of attorneys practicing in the state of California. Read more

We are thrilled to announce the arrival this month of CLA’s new CEO and Executive Director, Oyango A. Snell. He comes to us from the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), where he served as the organization’s first in-house general counsel in its 114-year history. Read more

As I sit in my apartment among boxes to pack, clothes to give away, and a few pieces of furniture that will not be making the journey across the country, the reality that I’m about to say goodbye to my CLA family is beginning to sink in. While it hasn’t always been easy, the adventure has certainly been rewarding. Read more

I am excited to share upcoming changes to our membership and dues structure with you. We have heard time and time again from you, our members, that you want and need more options. Starting this fall, you and prospective members will have two new ways to belong to and engage with our association. Read more

The benefits of CLA membership are numerous and increasing every day. During the pandemic we recognized our members’ need for connection and launched online communities—there’s one for every Section plus a few open to any member. We began Zoom “coffee chats” which have since morphed into CLA-wide evening gatherings called “Coffee, Cocktails and Conversation”. Recent research has led us to an exciting new offering on the horizon—an electronic magazine. Read more

As a new organization, the California Lawyers Association had its work cut out for us the first few years of our existence—establishing ourselves and developing a brand. Read more

In October of 2020, the California Supreme Court approved a Provisional Licensure Program that allows eligible 2019 and 2020 law school graduates to practice as provisionally licensed lawyers under the supervision of fully licensed practitioners. In early 2021, the program was expanded to allow individuals who scored 1390 or higher on a California bar exam administered between July 2015 and February 2020 to participate in the program in lieu of taking the exam again if they complete 300 hours of supervised legal practice under the program. Read more

Having a diverse judiciary comprised of individuals whose experiences give them a window into the lives of the human beings impacted by their rulings is important for many reasons. Read more