CLA eNews

Working from home orders and quarantine mandates mean that attorneys have had to adapt their practices to a new normal. When the COVID-19 pandemic reached the United States around March of this year, law practices in many areas of the country were forced to go remote. This (sometimes bumpy) transition raised many concerns for lawyers, top among them being how to get paid by their clients. Read more

After the State Bar of California was de-unified, and the brand-new California Lawyers Association (CLA) was created, its inaugural leaders began mulling a big question: how can we best mobilize our 100,000 members to give back to the profession and our communities? Read more

The State Bar of California invites California attorneys to apply to become an apprentice grader for the California Bar Exam. Read more

The American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates has adopted a resolution sponsored by the California Lawyers Association urging governments to pass anti-lynching legislation to “make it clear that such measures have no place in a system dedicated to the fair administration of justice and the rule of law.” Read more

There are certain instances where a lawyer is required to enter into a written fee contract, or engagement agreement, with a client. They include where the client is an individual and the fees and costs are expected to exceed $1,000 (Cal Bus. & Prof. Code § 6148(a)) and where the lawyer takes on the matter under a contingency fee arrangement (id. at § 6147). Read more

Are you curious about the link between plant-based diets and health? Are you looking for ways to incorporate more plant-based foods into your daily meal plans? Our Health and Wellness Committee (HWC) is delighted to share some of its recent research with you. Read more

Volunteers are needed to join California’s Free Legal Answers platform*, a virtual legal advice clinic that answers questions from low income Californians on a variety of employment, housing and family issues caused by COVID-19 and now the recent Northern Californian wildfires. Read more

After the death of George Floyd this spring, we made a commitment on behalf of our members, the profession, and the public to collectively work toward addressing structural racism and discrimination in the 21st century and to ensure justice for all. Read more

History books say the 19th Amendment “gave” women the right to vote. As has been the case with all dramatic expansions of democracy in the United States, it is far more accurate to say that women engaged in a protracted battle and ultimately took the right to vote. Read more

There is no shortage of voices out there offering tips to attorneys who are looking to go out and start their own firm. Unfortunately, with so many lengthy articles, e-books, webinars, and other resources circulating, it can be hard for attorneys to narrow down this information into practical, actionable items they can take to help make their new venture a success. Read more