Judicial Council, ABA House seek applicants
The State Bar is seeking applicants for one position on the Judicial Council
and for five appointments to the ABA House of Delegates. The Judicial Council
appointment begins Sept. 15, 2003, and expires Sept. 14, 2006. Meetings are
held six to seven times a year with an annual time commitment of about 300 hours
for meetings and assignments.
Members are reimbursed for approved travel by the Judicial Council. In making
the appointments, the bar board of governors will consider the applicants' demonstrated
leadership skills and ability to effectively represent the lawyer perspective
on the council.
In 2003, the terms of five State Bar delegates to the ABA House of Delegates
expire. One of the five seats is the young lawyer representative, who must be
less than 35 years old before his or her term begins on Aug. 12, 2003. The ABA
delegates each serve a two-year term from Aug. 12, 2003, to Aug. 9, 2005. State
Bar delegates may be reappointed but can serve no more than three consecutive
terms. They are expected to attend the ABA Midyear and Annual meetings as well
as participate in conference calls and are required to pay their own travel
expenses. All members are encouraged to become broadly participant in ABA activities
in order to fully represent the interests of California attorneys. The State
Bar seeks applicants who are knowledgeable about the ABA Board of Governors,
who possess leadership and other skills to be successful delegation members,
and/or who have substantial bar experience, especially with the ABA.
Deadline for applications is Jan. 31.
Applications must be submitted to the State Bar's Appointments Office, 180
Howard Street, San Francisco 94105-1639, or by fax 415/538-2255. Further information
is available at the State Bar web site, www.calbar.ca. gov, by selecting links
to Committees and Commissions and to Other Entity Appointments. Applicants may
also contact the appointments office at 415/538-2299.
MCLE deadline looms for Group 2 (last names H-M)
Members of MCLE compliance group 2 (last names H-M) who are not part of an
exempt group must complete 25 hours of continuing legal education by the compliance
deadline of Feb. 1, 2003.
Attorneys who comply after that date may be subject to a $75 fine.
Information about MCLE compliance rules is available at www.cal bar.ca.gov
by clicking on the MCLE link on the right-hand menu.
State Bar dues bills mailed
Dues bills were mailed Nov. 15 to all active and inactive California attorneys.
The dues are authorized by the state legislature and set by the State Bar Board
of Governors.
Dues for active lawyers are $390 for the coming year, and dues for inactive
members remain at $50.
Again this year, attorneys will have the option of contributing to the Foundation
of the State Bar, which suggests donations of $50, and the new Conference of
Delegates of California Bar Associations, which is seeking contributions of
$10. New this year is a request for donations to the California Supreme Court
Histor-ical Society, which is asking for $25 each from the state's lawyers.
Active attorneys can deduct $5 from the dues bill for the bar's lobbying efforts
and $5 for the elimination of bias fund.
Attorneys who earn less than $25,000 from the practice of law can qualify for
a 50 percent reduction, bringing their dues to $195. Those earning between $25,000
and $40,000 are eligible for a 25 percent cut, for a dues bill of $292.50.
The deadline for payment is Feb. 1. Failure to pay will result in a 10 percent
penalty March 15, and an additional 15 percent penalty will be imposed May 15.
Information about the fee bill is available at 415/538-2360.
Bar switches carriers for its malpractice program
In a move which may help ease the malpractice insurance woes of thousands of
California lawyers, the State Bar's Board of Governors approved a change in
the sponsored carrier for its professional liability insurance program.
Arch Insurance Co. has replaced Chicago Insurance Co., a member of the Fireman's
Fund Interstate Insurance Group, as the bar's ap-proved professional liability
insurance carrier.
Attorneys and law firms currently insured through the bar's malpractice insurance
program by Chicago Insurance Co. need not take any action. Applications for
new or renewal policies through brokers or Seabury and Smith will be submitted
to Arch Insurance Co.
The new underwriter brings with it additional capacity to write policies in
California, giving the bar's program the flexibility to insure more members.
Chicago Insurance Co. informed the bar earlier this year that business restructuring
initiatives would limit its ability to accommodate the program's continued growth.
Malpractice insurance premiums have soared in recent months and underwriters
often have restricted special coverage. Arch will continue to offer innovative
policies such as policies for part-time practitioners, as well as tail coverage
for retirees.
California lawyers who buy their malpractice coverage through the State Bar
also will receive additional member benefits, such as free online legal research
and a loss prevention telephone hotline. Arch will continue financial support
for claims avoidance and risk management activities conducted by the State Bar.
Information about the bar's insurance program is available from the program
administrator, Marsh Affinity Group Services, a service of Seabury and Smith,
at 800/343-0132, or the State Bar, 415/538-2507.
District 3 votes to be canvassed this month
Ballots cast in the special election for the open District 3 seat on the State
Bar Board of Governors were to be counted the first week of December, in time
for the winner to join the board at its Dec. 6 meeting.
The candidates are Stephen Barnett, professor at Boalt Hall, Michael Lynn Gabriel
of San Mateo, Michael Schmier of Emeryville and Valerie Kral of Redwood City.
The latter three are sole practitioners.
Lawyers who practice in the district, which includes Alameda, Contra Costa,
San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, had until Nov. 19 to vote for the replacement
for Marie Weiner, who recently joined the San Mateo County Superior Court.
The winner's term will expire in 2004.
Four named to diversion oversight committee
Gov. Davis appointed four new members to the Attorney Diversion and Assistance
Program Oversight Committee last month.
They are James E. Blancarte, 49, of Los Angeles, a partner with the law firm
of Blancarte, Lopez, Sussman & Schwartz; Richard Carrillo, 46, of Port Hueneme,
an investigator since 1984 for the Department of Motor Vehicles; David S. Hobler,
60, of Mill Valley, a trial lawyer for more than 30 years and a facilitator
in chemical dependency treatment; and Dr. Dorothy Tucker of Los Angeles, a police
psychologist with the Los Angeles Police Depart-ment since 1982 who also was
reappointed to the State Bar Board of Governors last month.
The Attorney Diversion and Assistance Program was created to identify and rehabilitate
alcoholic or drug-addicted attorneys or those with mental problems, whose competency
is affected by those problems.
Members of the oversight committee do not receive a salary. Their positions
do not require Senate confirmation.
Applicants sought for legal services board
Attorneys interested in applying for one of three positions on the board of
directors for Legal Services of Northern California (LSNC) are invited to submit
an ap-plication to the State Bar.
Appplicants must reside or practice in one of the three regions with an opening:
Sacramento County, the Mother Lode region (Placer, Nevada, Amador, Calaveras,
El Dorado and Sierra counties) and the Butte region (Butte, Plumas, Glenn, Tehama
and Colusa counties).
LSNC is a non-profit Legal Services Corporation-funded program which provides
legal assistance to low-income residents of 23 northern California counties.
The 36-member board meets five times annually to make policy decisions governing
the program's operations.
The available positions are for three-year terms and the deadline for applications
is Dec. 24.
Applicants should send a letter listing the reasons they should be appointed
along with a resume outlining work experience, community activity and educational
background to Chris Zupanovich, State Bar of California, 180 Howard St., San
Francisco, CA 94105-1639. Questions may be directed to her at 415/538-2534 or
chris.zupanovich@calbar. ca.gov.
ABA seeks nominations for two annual awards
The American Bar Association is seeking nominations for the Thurgood Marshall
Award and the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards.
The Marshall award, presented by the Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities,
honors long-term contributions made by those in the legal profession to advance
civil rights, civil liberties and human rights in the U.S.
Details about the award and the nomination form are online at www. abanet.org/irr
or by calling the section at 202/662-1030. The deadline for submitting nominations
is Jan. 6.
The Margaret Brent award, presented by the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession,
honors outstanding women lawyers who have achieved professional excellence in
their area of specialty and have actively paved the way to success for other
women attorneys.
The nomination form is available at www.abanet/women/nomform. html. More information
is available by contacting the commission at 750 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago,
IL 60611; 312/988-5668; walterj@staff.abanet. org. Nominations must be submitted
by Dec. 13.
New rules for death penalty trial attorneys
The Judicial Council last month approved California's first minimum standards
for attorneys appointed to represent death penalty defendants in state trial
courts. Although many trial courts have local rules or policies governing court-appointed
counsel, the new statewide rules are the first of their kind in California.
The new standards will take effect Jan. 1 as part of rule 4.117 of the California
Rules of Court.
They require that counsel must be appointed only if the court determines the
lawyer has demonstrated the skill, knowledge and proficiency to competently
represent the defendant. The attorney also must meet detailed qualifications,
including at least 10 years of litigation experience in the field of criminal
law, prior experience as lead counsel in specified types of trials and completion
of at least 15 hours of capital case defense training.
More consumer pamphlets available in Spanish
Several of the State Bar's consumer pamphlets have been translated into Spanish
as part of the bar's public service efforts. "Kids and the Law: An A-to-Z Guide
for Parents," a popular booklet which provides basic information about children
and the laws that affect them, is available solely online in both English and
Spanish.
Newly translated into Spanish are "What Should I Know About Hate Crimes?"
"Do I Need Estate Plan-ning?" "Do I Need A Will?" and "Do I Need A Living Trust?"
All the consumer education pamphlets are available in English.
The bar also offers three lengthier guides, "When You Become 18," a "Guide
to Legal Literacy" and "Kids and the Law." All are online, but only "When You
Become 18" is available in print.
All of the bar's pamphlets have been written in an easy-to-understand user-friendly
format designed to assist the average consumer. One pamphlet is available at
no cost; between two and 99 copies are 50 cents each; and 100 copies of the
same pamphlet cost $40.
The order form is available at www.calbar.ca.gov by following the consumer
information link under public services.
MCLE at your desk
The State Bar will sponsor a five-hour teleseminar series the week of Jan.
27-31. The series will be offered from noon-1 p.m. daily and will include two
hours of legal ethics, one hour of bias, one hour of elimination of substance
abuse and one hour of law practice management.
Call 415/538-2508 for details.
|