CLA

The California Supreme Court recently ordered the approval of new Rule of Professional Conduct 8.3 (Reporting Professional Misconduct), sometimes referred to (perhaps derogatorily) as the “snitch rule,” which went into effect on August 1, 2023. In addition, the California Legislature recently passed, and Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law, state Senate Bill No. 40 (the annual State Bar licensing fee bill), which (among other things) added new Section 6090.8 to the California Business and Professions Code, effective January 1, 2024. Read more

California Lawyers Association hosted 90 fifth-grade students and their teachers from Harborside Elementary School at a Civic Education Luncheon during CLA’s Annual Meeting in San Diego on September 22, 2023. The students were joined by over 40 judges and attorneys, who generously volunteered their time to engage with them in a fun and interactive civics program called “No Animals Allowed.” Read more

This month the California Lawyers Association (CLA) is launching its first-ever association-wide annual theme: Building the Future. And what better way to build our future than to give back. Read more

Hello! As some know, I am the new chair of the Intellectual Property (IP) Law Section. My goals as chair are community, engagement, and value. In support of the first two, and perhaps the last one as well, I hosted our first virtual Office Hours with the Chair on October 6, 2023, noon–1 p.m. Pacific. For those who joined, thank you! It was great to see many familiar faces and some new ones as well, with members Zooming in from California (of course!), New York, and Italy, among other places, I am sure. Office Hours will be held on the first Friday of each month, from noon–1 p.m. Pacific, except in November, when we will have our Annual IP Institute. Read more

Sponsoring a law student to attend the 2023 CLA Annual Meeting conference was an enlightening and rewarding experience. It allowed me to support the education and professional development of a future legal professional and shed light on the significance of law school outreach programs and the broader community of organizations engaged in similar activities.  Read more

Please fill out this form to offer a comment at the upcoming CLA Board of Representatives meeting. Read more

The Criminal Law Section of California Lawyers Association (CLA) is proud to present the Annual Trial Skills Update Seminar in Oakland on Saturday, November 4, 2023. Read more

View the PDF version. October 25, 2023 Board of TrusteesThe State Bar of California180 Howard StreetSan Francisco, CA 94105 Re:      Proposal for a Portfolio Bar Examination Dear Trustees of the State Bar of California: California Lawyers Association (CLA) submits these comments in response to the recommendation to adopt a Portfolio Bar Examination (PBE) as an alternative pathway to licensure to practice law in California. 1. Background  CLA has evaluated several different proposals from the State Bar to adopt an alternative… Read more

Jazz and The Blues are about a lot of things, including struggle, culture, bias, inclusion, change, and resilience. Each of those concepts are critical to understanding and combatting bias in the practice of law.  Join the CLE Performer, Stuart Teicher, Esq., as he connects the world of jazz and the blues to diversity and inclusion in the legal world. Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (October 20, 2023): The Intellectual Property Section of California Lawyers Association (CLA) is hosting its 47th Annual IP Institute event in San Diego on November 2-4, 2023. The event is one of the nation’s premiere IP conferences, offering access to top industry leaders and sessions. The event is attended by members of both large and small leading California IP law firms, various in-house legal counsels, members of the judiciary, and academic professionals practicing in the areas of patents, trademarks,… Read more