CLA eNews

Last month, 200 high school students from the Sacramento area descended upon the Capitol, eager to learn about the legal profession and the legislative process. The students heard from elected officials, attorneys, doctors, and judges. It was a tremendous occasion for the California Lawyers Foundation (CLF), the nonprofit arm of California Lawyers Association (CLA), and its California Law Pathways Collaborative (CPLC) program. Read more

This article highlights the ethics advisory opinions that were issued during 2023 by the State Bar of California’s Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct (COPRAC), the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility (ABA), the San Francisco Bar Association’s Legal Ethics Committee (BASF), the San Diego County Bar Association’s Legal Ethics Committee (SDCBA), and the California Supreme Court’s Committee on Judicial Ethics Opinions (CJEO), as well as recent changes in the California Rules of Professional Conduct, the State Bar Act, and other regulatory law pertaining to attorney professional responsibility and judicial ethics.  Read more

California Lawyers Association’s Environmental, Social and Governance Interest Group released two new episodes of our ESG-in-Law video series. The episodes featured discussions with Susan Maslow and Charity Ryerson. They both cover issues related to human rights in global supply chains.  Read more

During the last weekend in January, the California Lawyers Association’s Board of Representatives completed its long-range planning meeting. The Board started with a recap of the organization since its inception in 2018 as a reminder of all of the excellent progress that has been made since we separated from the State Bar as a result of the mandate in SB 36. From siloed sections, we have built a robust and unified organization. Then, with an eye toward building the future, we took a hard look at how we want to be defined and who we serve. The Board was unanimous in its re-commitment to serve California lawyers through top-quality speakers, cutting-edge issues, timely updates, and proactive advocacy. Read more

February has been called the month of love. Romantics happily look toward creativity or capitalism to celebrate their joy. Cynics note the overuse of the word from loving a person to a song, a meal, a color, or an expression. You get the idea. Those people prefer words like appreciate or enjoy.  Read more

California Lawyers Association (CLA) has launched a Task Force on Artificial Intelligence (AI) that will conclude in the Fall of 2024 with a white paper on suggestions for how the legal profession in California should be regulated and how attorneys should respond, adapt, and learn. The task force also aims to offer insight into where companies can assist the legal industry in the 21st century. Read more

Do you know the entities providing resources for California attorneys and their clients? Attorneys are often unaware of the purpose of some of these entities and the many free resources they offer attorneys and our fellow Californians. Our over 20 years of experience serving as staff, consultants, board members, and volunteers for these organizations has given us a comprehensive understanding of what’s available to you and some resources and services you may not have heard of previously. We hope this short guide will help you access resources for your practice and your network.   Read more

I started hiking in earnest in May 2020, two months after the world, or at least the San Francisco area, came to an abrupt halt due to COVID-19. At that time, hiking was one of the few pandemic-friendly social activities besides sitting in a friend’s backyard six feet away from each other. As some may recall, in May 2020, San Francisco’s mandate extended to outdoor activities. We complied, somewhat begrudgingly, during our hike from Ocean Beach, at the end of Sloat Boulevard, to Mount Davidson, shrouded in fog, of course, and back, via a pitstop at El Toreador, on West Portal, for a steaming hot burrito on a characteristically cold San Francisco night.  Read more

On November 23, 2023, the State Bar of California approved guidelines for generative AI use developed by the State Bar’s Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct. The “Practical Guidance for the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Practice of Law” (“Guidance”) is based on lawyers’ current professional responsibility obligations, including as set forth in the California Rules of Professional Conduct and State Bar Act (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 6000-6043). The Guidance addresses issues arising from the use of generative AI and products in which generative AI is a part. These products range from those freely available to custom-built proprietary applications. The manner in which a lawyer’s professional obligations will apply to the use of generative AI depends on many factors, including the type of product being used, the client, matter, practice area and firm size.  Read more

California Lawyers Association’s Environmental, Social and Governance Interest Group released two new episodes of our ESG-in-Law video series. The episodes featured discussions with Professor Ramona Lampley and Christina Tusan covering litigation risks involving environmental and human rights issues.  Read more