CLA eNews

Famous filmmaker and publicist Ava DuVernay said when talking about her film Selma, “When we’re talking about diversity, it’s not a box to check…this reality must be deeply felt and valued by us all.” And I couldn't agree more. Read more

On March 9, 2023, a sold-out audience gathered at the Hotel Zelos for the Sixth Annual “Celebrating Women in Competition Law in California” panel presentation and networking event. The attendees spanned all age groups—from law students to young lawyers to experienced practitioners—and all sectors, including the plaintiff side, defense side, in-house, and government. The co-creators and co-chairs, Jill M. Manning* and Kate Patchen,** kicked off the event. Read more

While not an episode of Schoolhouse Rock!, California Lawyers Association’s recent foray into the judicial process could be the premise for the catchy after-school cartoon. The Ninth Circuit case of In re Grand Jury[2] provided an opportunity for the Taxation Section on behalf of CLA to draft three amicus briefs that eventually culminated in oral argument before the United States Supreme Court (the “Supreme Court”), truly a government lesson on how a case reaches the Marble Palace. For CLA, it proved to be an excellent vehicle to advocate for an issue of particular importance to its members and the clients they represent concerning one of the oldest legal tenants: the attorney-client privilege.  Read more

Sacramento news station Fox40 interviewed California Lawyers Association President Jeremy M. Evans in March to discuss the pending sentencing of Paul Flores for the murder of Kristin Smart. Flores was found guilty last year of murdering a California Polytechnic State University classmate in a case that had gone unsolved for a quarter century. Read more

California Lawyers Association will use recent findings from an attorney well-being research project to design strategies to help lawyers address suicide risk factors and improve their overall health. Read more

California Lawyers Association Vice President Betty Williams addressed a reception for new lawyers hosted by the San Joaquin County Bar Association and the Bank of Stockton in March. Read more

On February 10, 2023, at the City Club in beautiful downtown Los Angeles, California Lawyers Association hosted an exclusive luncheon and reception for Mary Smith, the incoming President of the American Bar Association. Smith is a member of the Cherokee Nation and is the first female Native American president of the ABA.   Read more

In honor of Women’s History Month, California Lawyers Association (CLA) celebrates the many women who give their time and energy to our association. Their incredible work—for CLA and their professional careers—inspires us.  Read more

My sisters have beautiful stories to tell. Growing up with five older sisters, three older brothers, and two wonderful parents, mom and dad, who just celebrated 50 years of marriage, was, to say the least, an amazing experience. My mother, jokingly, often told me growing up that had I been the first, I would have been the last! Learning from these experiences was one of the better lessons learned in life. Read more

Even if the answer is no, that’s okay! Because there are many tested strategies for engaging your communities—professional and personal alike—in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training. Read more