CLA eNews

f you’re anything like most lawyers, you’ve undoubtedly been working remotely a lot more over the past year than ever before. By all indications, that trend will only continue in 2021 as we face additional pandemic turbulence. That’s why it’s so important to have a full understanding of the ethical implications when lawyers and other law firm employees work remotely. Read more

As a major supporter of pro bono work, the California Lawyers Association is committed to helping foster a statewide culture of pro bono service. Lawyers have more opportunities than ever to help people access justice, and groups across California are always eager for more who want to make a difference. Read more

Every lawyer understands the importance of addressing conflicts. They potentially implicate loyalty and confidentiality issues, and are therefore an important part of addressing fiduciary duties. But even when lawyers are able to identify the existence of a conflict, they sometimes have difficulty in determining how to address it. Read more

Advocacy was one of the main benefits we and others envisioned when we left the State Bar to chart our own course as the voluntary bar association for all California attorneys in 2018. Advocacy for our members, the legal profession, and the public. 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

The year 2020 brought manifest challenges to our membership, our profession, and the nation. Those challenges continue in 2021. Read more

CLA members who completed the association’s first-ever #CLAWellnessChallenge said the experience helped them adopt new mindfulness techniques, integrate healthy habits and generally cope with COVID-19 restrictions. Read more

What are the ethical obligations of an attorney in responding to negative comments posted on social media (Twitter, Yelp, or other channels) by an existing client or former client, particularly if the comments are inaccurate and even if accurate, only portray part of the representation? Read more

Of all the California Lawyers Association pressing priorities, stakeholders agree one in particular has assumed heightened importance amid our country’s tumultuous politics: the civics engagement and outreach initiative. Increasing the civic awareness, knowledge and engagement of Californians is one of CLA’s top goals, and our Civics Engagement and Outreach Committee is constantly thinking of new ways to connect with everyone from elementary school children and other students to community activists, teachers and classroom volunteers. It’s always been a crucial mission, but the fierce political divisiveness and devolving discourse that culminated in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol underscore the urgency even more. Read more

Much ink has been spilled on the attack of the U.S. Capitol by a violent mob on January 6. Some of that commentary underscores the stark contrast between the way the crowd was treated in contrast to the way in which those engaging in Black Lives Matter protests during the summer of 2020 were treated. If we expand our aperture, however, and consider the events of January 6 in the context of U.S. history then we see another pattern—a pattern demonstrating the futility of attempting to separate “Black History” in the United States from U.S. History. Read more