California Bar Journal
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 2000
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California Bar Journal

The State Bar of California


REGULARS

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Front Page - February 2000
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News Briefs
Appeal court denies bar's petition to reverse Brosterhous
Fee bill introduced
Bar fee arb program gears up
David Bryson, Loren Miller recipient, dies at 58
Board to name one to Judicial Council
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You Need to Know
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Opinion
From the President - For our system to work, we need to be involved
Let's let public lawyers take a seat at the table
The illusion of a cosmetic fix
Letters to the Editor
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MCLE Self-Study
The Supreme Court and the ADA
Self-Assessment Test
MCLE Calendar of Events
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Appointments
Access commission seeks members for 2 positions
Apply to serve on a bar committee
Bar seeks applicants for ABA delegates
Judge evaluation positions open
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Discipline
Ethics Byte - 'Rampant' conflicts in a new economy
Attorney suspected of soliciting murder of bar prosecutor
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Legal Tech - If the hype is right, ASPs are H-O-T
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Public Comment

APPOINTMENTS

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Judge evaluation positions open
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Active members of the State Bar, former members of the judiciary, and members of the public who are interested in volunteering to serve on the 2000-2001 Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation (JNE Commis-sion) may now apply for an appointment. The JNE Commission, established pursuant to Government Code Section 12011.5, evaluates all candidates who are under consideration for a judicial appointment by the governor. It is composed of attorneys and public members (i.e., those who are not lawyers or who are not admitted to practice in California) who represent a broad cross-section of California’s diverse legal profession and general population. Appointed by the State Bar’s Board of Governors, the volunteer commission cannot nominate or appoint judges; it does, however, thoroughly investigate candidates for judicial appointment while maintaining a code of strict confidentiality. Commissioners serve terms of approximately one-year and may serve up to three consecutive terms. The terms of the 2000-2001 JNE Commission will commence June 1, 2000, and will expire May 31, 2001.

Qualifications. The State Bar seeks applications from public members and attorneys whose background, skills and experience would enable them to assess candidates for judicial appointment in a thorough, objective and professional manner and to provide timely and well-written reports.  It is preferred that the public members not be lawyers, but an attorney who works in another field and who is not admitted in California may be considered for appointment as a public member. The attorney members serving on the commission must be active members in good standing. Particular consideration will be given to attorney applicants who have substantial litigation, trial and/or appellate experience. The commission membership may include one or more former members of the judiciary, with a preference for those with appellate backgrounds. Those who apply must be available to attend a two-day orientation meeting to be held in June or July 2000 and must be able to commit at least 35-40 hours each month or approximately 55 working days per year. This time commitment includes 20-24 meeting days and 20-35 days to complete assignments. The commission’s meetings generally are monthly, lasting two days (Friday and Saturday) and alternate between San Francisco and Los Angeles. At least one meeting will be three days.

Application. 1) Complete and submit the State Bar 2000-2001 application form for committee appointments (available below).

2) In your application statement describe any experience you have with interviewing professional applicants. If a lawyer, please also describe briefly any courtroom or appellate experience that you have had in the past five years. If you are not a lawyer, please include a description of your professional experience, how you believe your experience will enable you to perform as a JNE commissioner, and any experience (other than personal) that you have had with the judicial system.

3) With your application, include at least one letter of recommendation that can attest to your qualifications to serve on the JNE Commission.

Deadline: Submit your application by Monday, Feb. 14, 2000, to the Office of the Secretary, State Bar of California, 180 Howard, San Francisco, CA 94105-1639.