The Solo Advisor

The State Bar of California and the Bankruptcy Trustee for the estate of Girardi Keese today filed a proposed stipulation agreement in federal court, which, if approved, will enable the State Bar to access critical records from the Trustee related to the State Bar’s ongoing investigation of its past handling of complaints against former licensee Thomas V. Girardi. Read more

Today the State Bar announced that 1,056 people (33.9 percent of applicants) passed the February 2022 California General Bar Exam—the first in-person exam since February 2020. If those who passed satisfy all other requirements for admission, they will be eligible to be licensed by the State Bar to practice law in California. Read more

Most settlement agreements provide that the entire action shall be dismissed and the court shall retain jurisdiction under Code of Civil Procedure Section 664.6 to enforce the settlement terms. Read more

Fellow Solo & Small Firm practitioners – It’s been a disturbing few weeks here in the trenches of the legal profession. There is drama and potential overturning of legal precedent by the Supreme Court that should worry everyone involved in the legal field. Read more

When the Commission on Judicial Appointments meets on March 22 to consider the appointment of Justice Patricia Guerrero to the California Supreme Court, they will rely on the quiet and thorough work behind the scenes of an important body supported by the State Bar: the Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation (JNE). Read more

At its March 24-25 meeting, the State Bar Board of Trustees set the organization’s direction for the next five years by adopting a strategic plan for 2022-2027. Read more

In civil and criminal cases, police reports are inadmissible when they contain improper multiple hearsay. In Jane IL DOE v. Brightstar Residential Incorporated (Mar. 10, 2022, No. B304084) __ Cal.App.5th __ [2022 WL 714127], the Court of Appeal explained that under proper conditions, statements in a police report can be admissible evidence. Read more

Hello, fellow Solo and Small Firm practitioners! As we enter the second quarter of 2022, we are confronted with wild weather swings (Is it spring? Is it still winter? Read more

The coronavirus has led to inconvenience, case backlogs, and court closures across the nation. Read more

At its meeting on February 25, the State Bar Board of Trustees approved changes to the makeup and charter of the Closing the Justice Gap Working Group, responding to concerns raised by Legislative partners and other stakeholders. Read more