Ballots mailed for bar board election

Ballots were mailed early this month for four openings on the Board of Governors. A fifth seat -- for District 6 -- went to George W. Porter of Ontario, who ran unopposed. Thirteen candidates are vying for the remaining four seats. (For profiles see, 14 candidates vie for 5 board seats.) The candidates are:

District 4, Marin and San Francisco counties: Arnold Laub and James M. Seff.

District 7, Los Angeles County, Office 1: John Joseph Collins, Arlen Ross Gunner, Ronald R. Silverton and Robert K. Steinberg.

District 7, Los Angeles County, Office 2: Stephen H. Beecher, Howard W. Dicker, Judith A. Gilbert and Patrick J. Manshardt.

District 8, Orange County: Andrew J. Guilford, Howard J. Klein and Richard W. Millar Jr.

There are 23 seats on the Board of Governors. Lawyer members are elected for three-year terms and will assume their offices at the conclusion of the 1996 Annual Meeting in October in Long Beach.

Ballots must be returned by Sept. 6.

For further information, contact Biljanna Sivanov, 415/561-8274.

Conference of Delegates ex-com election set

Candidates for the five open seats on the Conference of Delegates' executive committee must submit their nominating petitions by Aug. 27.

One seat is open in State Bar districts 2, 3 and 4, and two seats are open in district 7.

For more information, contact Jeanett Mulder at 415/561-8844.

Supreme Court drops electronic requirement

Parties who file briefs with the Supreme Court or in a civil case with the Court of Appeal will no longer be required to also file a copy with the Supreme Court on computer disk under an amendment to rule 44 of the California Rules of Court.

The amendment, adopted by the Judicial Council, took effect July 1.

Rule 44 was previously amended to require that as of Jan. 1, 1996, a computer disk be filed in lieu of four additional paper copies of the brief. The copies were to be distributed to the state law library and three other law libraries throughout the state.

The briefs on disk were to be transferred to compact disks to save storage costs and increase the availability of the briefs.

CDs have not been developed, however, so extra paper copies of briefs are once again required.

Bar foundation accepts grant applications

Law-related projects that need partial funding may be eligible for a grant from the Foundation of the State Bar.

Last year, the foundation awarded $120,000 in grants to worthy projects and expects to award more this year.

It began accepting grant applications July 15.

Grant criteria and applications are available from James Pfeiffer, Executive Director, Foundation of the State Bar of California, 555 Franklin St., San Francisco 94102; 415/561-8805. Applications must be received by Sept. 6; grant awards will be announced by the end of October.

Legal Services Corporation solicits grant proposals

The Legal Services Corporation is soliciting grant fund proposals from interested parties who are qualified to provide quality civil legal services to eligible clients.

Federal legislation requires the LSC to utilize a system of competitive bidding for the award of grants and contracts for 1997. Eligibility includes the 50 states, District of Columbia, Guam, Micronesia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The amount of available money has not yet been determined.

Grant proposals must be submitted by Aug. 21.

For further information, contact Merceria L. Ludgood, Director, Office of Program Services, 202/336-8800.

Certifying those who certify legal 'specialists'

A proposed rule change would prohibit attorneys from advertising themselves as certified specialists unless they hold a current certificate issued by the Board of Legal Specialization, or by an entity accredited by the bar to designate specialists.

Rules governing accreditation of specialty certification programs also have been proposed.

The board is recommending that the Supreme Court approve these proposed changes. Currently there are no minimum standards required for certifying entities, and there is nothing to stop them from granting that certification for a fee alone. Consequently, the public could be misled.

For further information, contact Phyllis Culp at 415/241-2118.

Towery names group to reach out to public lawyers

State Bar President Jim Towery appointed a five-member working group to develop a plan for improving outreach to California's public lawyers.

The group, which also will encourage more public lawyer participation in bar activities, includes four of the Board of Governors' public lawyers: Sam Jackson, Ann Ravel, John Stovall and Pauline Weaver.

It will be chaired by Clara Slifkin, a deputy attorney general and chair of the bar's Council of Section Chairs.

Practical training of law students fee change

The Board of Governors has changed the certification fee for the Practical Training of Law Students program. Beginning Oct. 1, the certification fee will increase from $40 to $55, and the $10 recertification fee will be eliminated.

New applications reflecting the new fees will be available in August.

Further information is available from Patricia Edith at 415/241-2141.

New pamphlet for solos, small-firm lawyers

A pamphlet outlining services and benefits provided by the State Bar for solo and small-firm practitioners is now available.

Flying Solo . . . describes programs in four areas: managing a law office; resolving ethical dilemmas or personal challenges; networking with colleagues; and vendor discounts and other money-saving benefits.

Advice on keeping current through publications and the World Wide Web also is provided.

Free copies of the brochure are available by calling Patty Cuellar at 415/561-8257.

State Bar board to meet in San Francisco Sept. 6-7

The State Bar Board of Governors will hold its next meeting Sept. 6-7 at the bar offices in San Francisco. Committees will meet Sept. 6 and the full board will meet at 9 a.m. Sept. 7. An agenda is available from the bar's secretary at 415/561-8200.

The San Francisco office is located at 555 Franklin St.

Canadian bar association hosts law conference

American lawyers with an eye beyond their borders may be interested in attending a law conference sponsored by the Canad-ian Bar Association in Vancouver, B.C.

Thousands of delegates from nearly 50 nations are expected to attend the event, which runs from Aug. 25-29.

Topics will include NAFTA and other trading alliances, competition law, intellectual property and cross-border taxation. Participants can learn what "one country, two systems" will mean for commerce and law in Hong Kong next year.

For more information, contact Margery Tenute at the Canadian Bar Association in Ottawa, Ontario, at 613/237-2925, ext. 157, or fax 613/237-3726.