CLA eNews

The Minority Bar Coalition last month honored the CLA’s Letitia Moore with a unity award for her work to advance diversity in the legal profession. Read more

A comprehensive set of new Rules of Professional Conduct was approved by the California Supreme Court last year and went into effect on November 1, 2018. The new rules can be found on the State Bar’s website under Current Rules of Professional Conduct. Read more

As the second-largest bar association in the nation—with more than 60,000 members of our Sections and 50,000 members of the California Young Lawyers Association (CYLA)—the California Lawyers Association has already demonstrated that we represent the interests and aspirations of the legal profession of this state. Read more

You know it’s late in the year when you begin scheduling things on your calendar for “early in the New Year” or “after the holidays.” I’ve reached the point where I’m counting the few precious days I’ll actually be in the office to work between now and year-end. Read more

California Lawyers Association (“CLA”) is proud to announce that Judge Carol S. Brosnahan of Alameda County Superior Court is the recipient of its 2019 Aranda Access to Justice Award. The award, now in its 20th year, is presented in partnership with the California Judges Association and the Judicial Council. The award will be given to Judge Brosnahan at the Judicial Council’s November 14, 2019 meeting. Read more

Legal Talk Network, a podcast producer for legal professionals with hosts from well-known organizations and brands in legal, was at the CLA Annual Meeting in Monterey last month. Read more

At his swearing-in ceremony last month, new California Lawyers Association President Emilio Varanini said when he thinks about the importance of lawyers and judges to our democracy he looks to the experience of his wife. Joanna grew up in China during the Cultural Revolution. When her teacher explained that all the intellectuals were being sent to the countryside, 8-year-old Joanna dared to ask a question about what would happen to the peasants. As a result, she was taken out of… Read more

In a traditional transaction, California lawyers receive U.S. dollars in exchange for providing legal services. But it is not unheard of to see transactions where lawyers are compensated in different ways. Most typically, alternate payments come through the provision of goods. But, of course, there are other options. And perhaps the most recent trend is toward the use of cryptocurrency. Read more

Ruthe Catolico Ashley receives the Civic Engagement Award at the CLA Annual Meeting Ruthe Catolico Ashley was in a San Francisco Department store this summer when she heard a voice calling, “Mrs. Ashley, Mrs. Ashley.” “I turned around and there’s a beautiful young black woman walking toward me. I said, ‘Myra is that you?’” That’s when Ashley learned that Myra, her former student at the Law Academy at DeAnza High School, had graduated from college and was headed for law… Read more

It is bittersweet to be writing our last CLA eNews column, as the inaugural President and Chairman of the Board. Our terms end a few days after the upcoming CLA Annual Meeting in Monterey (we hope you'll join us!). It has been our true pleasure and honor to serve. And what a ride it has been! So please allow us a moment to reminisce, as well as to congratulate and welcome the new CLA leaders — President Emilio Varanini, Board Chairman Chip Wilkins, Vice President Jeremy Evans, Vice Chairman of the Board Betty Williams, Secretary Sarah Rief, and Treasurer Ryan Baron. The organization continues to be in great hands. Read more