New Lawyers Section

By Elizabeth Balassone This summer, in the midst of preparing for my first trial, I received a voicemail that was (admittedly) a complete shock:  CYLA Chair Shawtina Ferguson had called to congratulate me as the recipient of the Jack Berman Award of Achievement for commitment to pro bono service.  Learning about Jack Berman was humbling in every sense of the word:  Mr. Berman was an incredible young attorney killed in the 101 California Street shooting.  At the age of 36,… Read more

By Katherine Becker At a recent Ventura County Barristers event, I had the privilege of speaking with a few members of the Ventura County Bench.  I took the opportunity to ask them two questions:  First: If you could give new attorneys one piece of advice, what would it be?  Second: What is the single most common mistake you see new attorneys make in your courtroom?  They provided illuminating tips that all attorneys should keep in mind as they progress through… Read more

By Candice A. Garcia-Rodrigo Every young lawyer comes out of law school with the hopes of making a difference in the justice system and their local communities. Studying case law and black letter law informs the young attorney that there are rules to abide by, for which there are consequences if not followed. What professors fail to mention to these young attorneys with altruistic and inspiring visions is that the most important part of practicing law is to “CYA.” That… Read more

By Danielle Stephens and Justin Borrowdale Transactional attorneys play a key role in guiding their clients through various aspects of the sale of a business.  Many clients operate their business from property that they do not own, but instead lease from a third party.  In that case, when your client is preparing sell its business, you will need to contemplate how to transfer your client’s rights and obligations under the lease to the new business owner and limit any future… Read more

By Aastha Madaan California young and new lawyers, as the ABA YLD Representative to Southern California, it is my pleasure to share with you some valuable resources provided by the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD).  First and foremost, if you are a member of the American Bar Association, your membership to the ABA YLD is complementary, so take advantage of the free membership and use the numerous resources geared to young lawyers.  ABA YLD’s program on Paying… Read more

July 1, 2016 By Lauren Wood Just as stories of finding gold and striking it rich reached the forty-niners’ ears back in 1848 during the California gold rush, news of the many opportunities that marijuana law can bring is spreading like wildfire.  Whether you are a new lawyer, an experienced lawyer looking to change career paths, or even a lawyer looking to explore an untapped market, the “Green Rush” is your new frontier. With the recent passage of Proposition 64… Read more

By Omar Anorga, The Anorga Law Firm, Inc. From time to time, litigators will be faced with the hurdle of having to introduce and admit foreign language testimony at trial. The initial thought of doing so may seem daunting but it should not be since introducing and admitting foreign testimony is fundamentally the same as doing so for non-foreign testimony except for an interpretation and translation component. With the increase of California’s cultural diversity, sooner or later litigators will likely… Read more

By Justin Borrowdale, Diepenbrock, Elkin Gleason LLP While no two transactions are the same, many commercial real estate purchases (or sales, depending on which side of the transaction you are on) follow a similar structure. While clients are sometimes hesitant to involve their attorney as the transaction process is developing, early involvement typically makes representation, and the entire transaction, go more smoothly for the client. Clients are understandably hesitant to involve lawyers because we can be expensive and clients often… Read more

By Christina E. Cortino, Esq., Law Office of Christina E. Cortino Using social media as a busy legal professional may seem like a daunting undertaking. Platforms such as Twitter require frequent postings to maintain and gain followers, while Facebook and Instagram are geared towards personal communication rather than professional networking. LinkedIn, however, offers tools attorneys can use to establish a professional presence online, market their expertise, and engage their network and prospective clients. Professional social networking has benefits for all… Read more

By Paul T. Moura, Hunton & Williams LLP For new attorneys, the idea of litigating in the federal court system can be intimidating.  The rules are different, the standards can be tougher and the stakes can be higher.  A plaintiff gets first dibs on where to file a lawsuit, but defendants who prefer to litigate in federal court have various tools at their disposal to remove a case to federal court if certain requirements are met.  As an attorney, your… Read more