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Editor’s note: This article was originally published in the May/June issue of NALP Bulletin+, a monthly digital magazine by the National Association of Law Placement Inc. It is reprinted here with permission. By Patrick Krill As we near the halfway point of 2023, I have both good news and bad news related to mental health and well-being in the legal profession. The good news is that over the last eight years, meaningful efforts to prioritize mental health have been underway… Read more

It’s hard to believe, but my law partner and I have had our small practice since 2005. We did not come by our firm in the typical fashion, hanging up our shingle from scratch. Instead, we inherited our firm from a preeminent trial attorney who decided to retire from private practice to public service. So we had a lease, office furniture, computers, and even a few clients, along with a large amount of debt on the books. It was a fair trade-off, but we still had our work cut out for us. Read more

Remember when you were a child? You had passions and dreams. Just because you have a career does not mean you have to give up on those exciting endeavors. Set goals and combine your career with those aspirations. Your career is best when it reflects your passions and dreams.  Read more

Law practice management software (LPMS) is growing at an accelerated rate among law firms looking to improve business competitiveness, productivity, and profitability. According to the American Bar Association (ABA) 2022 Tech Report, the adoption growth of LPMS is clear—with a notable increase in solo and small firms.  Read more

CLA member leaders (i.e., Committee/Section Officers and Appointed Members) are invited to a virtual workshop to review CLA’s revised Appointment Policies and Procedures (eff. 01/19/2023). Leaders of CLA’s DEI Committee will discuss how the policy affects your Sections/Committees, offer insight into how the DEI Committee can provide support, and answer any questions fellow member leaders may have. Read more

1 Hour MCLE; 1 Legal Ethics Our panel of ethicists who are also active litigators will discuss some recent ethics opinions, rules and cases of importance to litigators.  We will consider when demand letters cross the line and become extortion, joint representation, receipt of evidence from former employees, ethical obligations prior to taking a default, advising clients of the risks of litigation before filing, witness perjury, sanctions, settling before withdrawal and withdrawal from representation. Speakers: Alison Buchanan, Carole Buckner, and… Read more

The California Lawyers Association (CLA) submits these comments in response to the request for input on alternatives for a proposed new Rule of Professional Conduct, rule 8.3. In our comments below, we address (1) issues that are common to both Alternative 1 and Alternative 2; (2) issues that are unique to each Alternative; and (3) overarching concerns, as addressed in CLA’s February 17, 2023 letter on the initial proposal for new rule 8.3, which remain unresolved by the revised proposal.  Read more

Coinciding with the start of Mental Health Awareness Month and Well-Being Week in Law, the California Lawyers Association (CLA) has declared that the time for attorney wellness is now. CLA is the nation’s largest voluntary bar association representing nearly 80,000 attorneys. Read more

Some F-words get a bad rap, if you know what I mean. But I am here to tell you about one of the best F-words that I know. It’s foundation, as in the California Lawyers Foundation (CLF). Read more

The month of May invites many reasons to celebrate—Mother’s Day, graduations, warmer weather, and summer vacations knocking at the backdoor. May also invites the opportunity to celebrate personal wellness—something that many of us forget, let alone celebrate.  Read more