Message from the Chair

By Jack Goodchild

A Time for Resolution

I take this opportunity to wish the members of our extended community a very happy and healthy New Year! 

As Chair of the California Lawyers Association Workers’ Compensation Executive Committee I hereby express our best wishes to the community and our mutual wish for a special and productive New Year! In line with our expressed interests in improving the reputation and quality of our area of practice, we have planned a year chock full of excellent educational events, community outreach , coordination with other sections, assistance to the appellate courts and of course our pride and joy the continuation of our excellent publications the E-New and the Workers’ Compensation Quarterly.

As I expressed in my last article, it is incumbent upon all of us to evaluate the roles we play in the health of our system and in creating the reputation we all share. I am hopeful that we will all in some way resolve to make this year a special one that represents the beginning of a turn around in the public and legal perception of the system in which we are all involved.

We can do this in little ways as well as big. Examples of little things that add up quickly are: Courtesy to everyone’s proper dress in accord with respect for ourselves and the system in which we practice and making a habit out of being properly prepared and educated to handle the appearances in which we are involved. These, so called “little things” add up quickly to become “big things” that immediately affect the way in which we are perceived.

And then are there are really big things such as: Recognizing and reporting fraud where ever we perceive that it exists,  Acting as : “Officers of the Court” and not as “hired guns” and perhaps most importantly, remembering always that we are only as good as or word and living by it ,striving always to act in an ethical and professional manner.

We will be meeting in January and our plans for education for the year should be finalized at that time. I will report the final schedule in my next article. Make your plans to attend our presentation and webinars when every you are able, I believe you will find the quality and substance of our programming to be exemplary and well worth your time and money.

And again, I want to remind everyone that we are your committee and we seek your feedback and input and participation. Please feel free reach out to me or any one else on our committee. My email is Jgoodchild@goodchildlaw.com. And as always, we are eager to consider your submissions for publication in the Quarterly or E-News.