New Lawyers Section

By Aastha Madaan A monolingual Spanish-speaking single mother. A young professional who recently emigrated from India. A victim of domestic violence from the pro bono clinic. These are just a few clients that I have assisted in my practice over the last few months. In an increasingly diverse society, cultural competency is becoming imperative to the practice of law.  According to the National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC), cultural competence “embraces the principles of equal access and non-discriminatory practices in… Read more

By Jeena Cho Reprinted from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeena-cho/stop-training-lawyers-to-be-jerks_b_6598160.html (originally posted on February 3, 2015) with permission of the author. As I reflect back on my 10+ years of law practice, I received plenty of advice — some I followed, some I ignored. Often, the advice was good and helpful. Other advice that I thought was good turned out to be bad. I wanted to share one particular piece of advice I regretted taking. When I was a young lawyer, I was invited… Read more

By Taylor Friedlander Being a lawyer isn’t easy, and neither is the sheer feat of becoming one—particularly in California. Low bar passage rates are one hurdle—the challenges of finding a job are another. In 2013, California had approximately 2.5 law school graduates for every legal job,and according to the Georgetown University Law Center, the legal market is seeing only marginal improvements in 2015.The question plaguing the minds of many young graduates is how they will secure a job, given the… Read more

by Katherine Tong Chinese companies often face questions regarding their legal obligations when actions arise in the U.S. involving products they manufactured. Attorneys advising Chinese companies on their legal obligations with respect to lawsuits in the U.S. must advise their clients on both the U.S. discovery process, which can be alien to Chinese companies, and the requirements under the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil or Commercial Matters (Hague Convention). Similarly, U.S. attorneys seeking discovery from… Read more

Q: WHAT TYPES OF CASES DO ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES (ALJS) TYPICALLY HEAR? A: A wide variety, depending on if the matter is state or federal. Some states, like California, have a central panel of administrative law judges with general jurisdiction over many agencies. The cases they hear include professional license discipline, disability appeals and teacher dismissals. Federal administrative law judges are employed by one agency and preside over matters for that agency only; like the Social Security Administration, the Securities… Read more

I sat down with newly appointed Commissioner Michele Castillo to get her “tips from the bench.” Commissioner Castillo manages and presides over a high-volume family law courtroom, hearing matters involving child custody and visitation, child support, spousal support, domestic violence, civil harassment, workplace violence restraining orders, and emergency protective orders. Q. WHAT IS THE COMMON MISTAKE YOU SEE NEW LAWYERS MAKE, AND WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE TO PREVENT IT? A. Very common I see attorneys not being procedurally prepared. … Read more

A Question-and-Answer Session with Judge Joan P. Weber of the San Diego County Superior Court and 2014–2015 President of the California Judges Association, as told to Alex Calero What is the number one mistake you see new lawyers make in the courtroom?The number one mistake new lawyers make in the courtroom is inadequate preparation.  Remember this may well be your first appearance in front of this particular judge.  You want to make a good impression by being fully conversant on… Read more

Roey Z. Rahmil Despite continued improvement in the legal job market, competition for many entry-level and lateral positions remains fierce. While the resumé is only one part of a typical job application, it is likely the document that potential employers will review first; their impressions of a job candidate’s resumé will likely color their evaluation of the rest of that candidate’s application materials. The following tips for improving your resumé, collected from senior hiring attorneys and young lawyers alike, can… Read more

Kyle W. Nageotte Over 80% of California’s new lawyers enter the workforce with some kind of student loan debt.  This debt, which in many cases is in excess of $100,000, can be crippling on a young attorney’s finances, and significantly influences the profession’s ability to provide legal services to California’s diverse population. While discussing student loan debt may be uncomfortable, it’s important for new attorneys to do their research, make a plan, and act swiftly to ensure they receive the… Read more

Renee Ross When I was in law school, no one taught me what networking was or how to do it. But I figured, if I wanted to “network,” I should attend some of those networking events and maybe I would meet someone who would help me find a job. But it was a trip to the dog park where I learned that networking is not about who you meet or whether these events will help lead you to a job… Read more