CLA eNews

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

We would be remiss if we didn’t take this opportunity to thank Ona Alston Dosunmu for all she has done to help launch CLA and successfully navigate our association through a challenging pandemic year. Read more

One of the things we hear regularly from the thousands of lawyers we work with is that there is increasing pressure to reduce costs for clients — and that sentiment has become more common in the last year. But lowering fees rarely seems like a sustainable solution for firms who are also trying to manage increasing costs and new challenges. What’s a lawyer to do? Read more

Having the right technology is critical to running an efficient and effective law practice today. If you’re like most attorneys, you probably find yourself or your staff spending too much time on administrative tasks or reconciling information from various systems in order to get your work done. What if you could spend more time doing the work you actually enjoy and making your clients happy rather than just juggling your caseload? The answer: use the right practice management software. Read more

In the middle of my second year of law school, I ended up at the ER with severe stomach pain. I knew that my body had been out of balance for a while. I was working full time while attending law school in the evening. I had 30 minutes to eat a rush meal at the school cafeteria before going to class. Read more

How often do we receive a call from a prospective client, only to learn that we cannot accept the representation because we have a conflict of interest? In some cases, the prospective representation may be for a longstanding client, but a conflict of interest involving another client nonetheless may preclude us from taking on the new matter. In that circumstance, our instinct is to want to do something for the client or prospective client. 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

At CLA, we’re always on the lookout for ways to further our mission by collaborating with like-minded groups. We’re especially grateful for our partnership with the California Judges Association (CJA). The bench and bar must work together to strengthen the rule of law, advance the fair administration of justice, and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession. Read more

In late January 2020, I had surgery to reattach a tendon in the arch of my foot. Unbeknownst to me, I was getting a head start on sheltering in place before we all found ourselves at home. After being on bed rest, and moving very little for six weeks, I was finally able to venture out on my knee scooter and head back to the office. I was easing back into a normal routine and had started physical therapy. Read more

Hopefully, this article is utterly irrelevant to you. In this month’s Ethics Spotlight, I turn the spotlight on the California State Bar disciplinary process. This article briefly discusses the various bases for which discipline can be imposed and then describes the process, from the filing of a complaint through the order imposing discipline. Read more