200,000 lawyers
and counting
When Danika B. Vittitoe’s name was entered into the State Bar’s database on Jan. 11, there were no fireworks, no sirens screaming, no marching bands playing rousing tunes. But when the membership records clerk pressed the “enter” key on her computer, Vittitoe became the 200,000th lawyer in California, surely some sort of milestone.

New domestic partners law casts a wide net,
raises legal issues
A new law that confers a wide array of marriage-like rights and responsibilities on same-sex couples who register in California as domestic partners cuts across numerous areas of legal practice in the state, affecting virtually every state law, regulation, court rule or decision that confers protections and obligations on spouses.

Law professor’s affirmative action findings prompt
storm of criticism
Critiques and counter-critiques. Buzzing blogs. A first for the Stanford Law Review. A study by UCLA law professor Richard Sander concluding that preferential law school admissions do not ultimately benefit African-Americans has created an uproar among scholars and civil rights advocates across the country.

Bar prosecutor appointed State Bar Court judge
A former Philadelphia police officer who became a State Bar prosecutor is the newest hearing judge on the State Bar Court. Richard A. Platel, 54, was appointed by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and be-comes the first former bar staffer to move to the bar court since 1989.

Active status for ADR neutrals moves forward
Two committees of the State Bar Board of Governors agreed last month, without any discussion to seek public comment on a rule change that will require members who offer private dispute resolution services to be active attorneys. The full board is expected to decide the issue in June, after the comment period ends.

State Bar Foundation awards 39 grants, totaling $395,595
The Foundation of the State Bar announced it has awarded 39 grants to community groups, bar associations, courts and the bar. The total dollar amount of the awards is $395,595.