CLA eNews

A sound mind is one of the most important tools an attorney has, which is required to properly advocate for clients, manage large workloads, and handle multiple deadlines.  Read more

Malpractice claims are most often made against solo practitioners and small firms, comprised of two to five attorneys, many of whom do not carry malpractice insurance. In 2019, the State Bar of California (State Bar) reported[1] that 39% of solo attorneys—an estimated 13,000 solo attorneys—and 12% of small firms surveyed did not have malpractice insurance. In the same year, the American Bar Association's (ABA) Profile of Legal Malpractice Claims Report[2] found that these two segments have the most malpractice claims (32% and 30%, respectively). So why would the firms most at risk of claims not have insurance? Read more

In the global legal arena, the symbolic kickoff of the legal year serves as a platform for legal professionals to gather, reflect, and discuss pivotal issues shaping the future of the legal profession.  Read more

California Lawyers Association (CLA) is pleased to honor California Senator Susan Rubio with CLA’s Legislator of the Year Award and acknowledge her extraordinary service since being elected to the California Senate in 2018. Read more

As I approach 60 days as the new Chief Executive Officer for California Lawyers Association and its Foundation, I want to share some observations and thoughts. I am grateful to our leadership, volunteers, members, and staff for welcoming me with sincerity, integrity, and commitment. We are a large organization with great responsibility, and you have ushered me into this role with enthusiasm and a willingness to look toward possibilities. Read more

An important benefit of being a member of California Lawyers Association is having access to a remarkable range of resources to help you better serve your clients and your communities. Our sections provide many of CLA’s most successful programs. Read more

On February 16, 2024, AB 2989 (Wallis) was introduced. The legislation would exempt an attorney licensed under the State Bar Act from the requirement of being licensed under the Talent Agencies Act (TAA). California Lawyers Association (CLA) sponsored the legislation and will work on getting it enacted this year.  Read more

Last month, 200 high school students from the Sacramento area descended upon the Capitol, eager to learn about the legal profession and the legislative process. The students heard from elected officials, attorneys, doctors, and judges. It was a tremendous occasion for the California Lawyers Foundation (CLF), the nonprofit arm of California Lawyers Association (CLA), and its California Law Pathways Collaborative (CPLC) program. Read more

This article highlights the ethics advisory opinions that were issued during 2023 by the State Bar of California’s Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct (COPRAC), the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility (ABA), the San Francisco Bar Association’s Legal Ethics Committee (BASF), the San Diego County Bar Association’s Legal Ethics Committee (SDCBA), and the California Supreme Court’s Committee on Judicial Ethics Opinions (CJEO), as well as recent changes in the California Rules of Professional Conduct, the State Bar Act, and other regulatory law pertaining to attorney professional responsibility and judicial ethics.  Read more

California Lawyers Association’s Environmental, Social and Governance Interest Group released two new episodes of our ESG-in-Law video series. The episodes featured discussions with Susan Maslow and Charity Ryerson. They both cover issues related to human rights in global supply chains.  Read more