California Supreme Court opinions are now available, whenever possible, on the court's web site immediately after filing. In addition, oral argument calendars and minutes of the court are available at the Judicial Branch web site: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov. The full text of "slip opinions" of both the Supreme Court and the state Courts of Appeal that have been certified or ordered published are available shortly after filing. Slip opinions are the "as filed" opinions of the court that have not been enhanced and edited for publication in the California Official Reports.

In addition to clerical corrections, opinions on this page are subject to modification and rehearing until final, and Court of Appeal opinions are subject to a grant of review or a depublication order by the Supreme Court.

Opinions generally will be deleted from the web page after 60 days.

In light of recent Supreme Court approval, the State Bar has begun a new accreditation program aimed at bolstering consumer protection by evaluating the organizations that certify legal specialists in California.

Beginning June 1, attorneys who advertise as certified specialists must have certification from the bar's Board of Legal Specialization or from an organization accredited by the bar.

"Not only will this new requirement give consumers a greater measure of assurance, it also adds to the credibility of legal specialists already certified by reputable organizations with high standards," said Richard L. Dombrow, chairman of the Board of Legal Specialization.

In the past, Dombrow said, consumers faced a greater chance of being misled because attorneys could advertise themselves as "certified specialists" simply by naming the certifying entity. However, the certifier was not required to follow any standards.

Meanwhile, attorneys who wish to become certified as a specialist in one of eight areas of practice may take the legal specialist examination next summer.

Offered only once every two years, the exam will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in San Francisco and Los Angeles on August 24. Registration deadline is July 11.

Attorneys will not have another opportunity to take the exam until 1999.

Attorneys may be certified by the bar as specialists in the following areas of law: appellate; criminal; estate planning, trust and probate; family; immigration and nationality; personal and small business bankruptcy; taxation; and workers' compensation. More than 3,000 attorneys in California currently are certified as specialists.

The registration fee for the exam is $200 or $250 for those who wish to type.

To obtain a registration form, contact Lorna Maynard, 451/241-2100; fax 415/241-2180; or e-mail maynardl@ix.netcom.com

The American Bar Association's Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law is initiating a voluntary campaign to assemble the names and addresses of lawyers who have a special interest in disability law by virtue of their legal practice or their own disabilities. The collected information will be used to form a disability lawyer registry and a directory of lawyers, firms, organizations and agencies that specialize in disability law.

This effort marks the first time any national organization has attempted to compile a comprehensive list of disability lawyers. The ABA requests that attorneys who practice disability law and/or who have disabilities provide their names, addresses, phone numbers and areas of concentration, as well as any other pertinent information, to the commission.

For more information, contact the commission at 740 15th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005-1009, 202/662-1570; fax, 202/662-1032; TTY, 202/662-1012; kbleyer@staff.abanet.org; attention Kristi Bleyer, CMPDL.

Individuals interested in the administration of justice are invited to apply for the 1998-99 Judicial Fellows Program. Established in 1973 and patterned after the White House and Congressional Fellowships, the program seeks outstanding individuals from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds who show promise of making a contribution to the judiciary.

Up to four fellows will be chosen to spend a year, beginning in August or September 1998, in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Supreme Court, the Federal Judicial Center, the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, or the United States Sentencing Commission.

Candidates must be familiar with the federal judicial system, have at least one postgraduate degree and two or more years of successful professional experience.

Further information is available from Vanessa M. Yarnall, Administrative Director, Judicial Fellows Program, Supreme Court of the United States, Room 5, Washington, D.C.; 202/479-3415. The application deadline is Nov. 17.

Sole and small firm practitioners are invited to attend an all-day program devoted to addressing such topics as rainmaking, becoming profitable, ethical concerns and technology.

Co-sponsored by the ABA's General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Section and the State Bar, the program will be held July 31 at the Sheraton Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

The program, "Putting the Fun and Profit into Solo and Small Firm Lawyering," offers eight to nine hours of MCLE credit. It is free for attendees at the ABA annual meeting.

For further information, contact Cara Cavallini Shirk at 312/988-5659.

The State Bar is seeking volunteer attorneys to assist in taking over the client files of lawyers whose practice is assumed by the court. Volunteers collect the files and contact the clients.

Under the Business & Professions Code, the bar sometimes intervenes when an attorney dies, resigns or is disciplined, or when an attorney becomes incapable of practicing for other reasons.

When the superior court assumes jurisdiction over an attorney's practice, the bar's chief trial counsel asks local bar associations for volunteers to return the files to clients.

The bar reimburses reasonable secretarial and paralegal costs and other costs incurred by the volunteer upon court approval.

Attorneys who wish to volunteer for the program should contact Lila Erlandson at 415/561-8374.

The Solo and Small Firm Practice Section is seeking experienced attorneys to act as mentors for new and/or inexperienced lawyers in specific fields of law. The mentor is asked to provide a free, half hour consultation to the requesting attorney.

Interested lawyers should send a resume and areas of specialty to the Solo and Small Firm Practice Section at 555 Franklin St., San Francisco 94102; 415/561-8350.

A mentor directory will be published later this year.

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor will be the keynote speaker at an August luncheon during the ABA annual meeting in San Francisco.

Further information is available by calling 1-800/982-3354. Luncheon tickets are $40.

The State Bar Board of Governors will meet May 30-31 at the bar's San Francisco headquarters at 555 Franklin St. Committees will meet Friday, and the full board will meet Saturday.