Bar's member records go online

The State Bar's membership records are now online. Information about California attorneys -- available to the public -- includes the member's name, address, phone number, fax number and e-mail address if available, undergraduate education and law school, and status (active or not active).

The member information went online Oct. 1 as part of the bar's effort to improve access to information about the state's lawyers.

The bar's membership records department receives an average of 1,000 telephone calls each day, most from callers wanting to know if someone is an attorney, their status and telephone numbers.

The new service is available 24 hours a day and can be reached at http://www.calsb.org. It also is linked to the bar's homepage at http://www.calbar.org.

The membership records office also is trying to augment members' fax numbers. About 33,000 fax numbers now are included in members' records.

Any attorney wishing to have his or her fax number added to the records may send the information to membership records or fax the information to 415/561-8361.

8 new, 2 former members named to Judicial Council

Chief Justice Ronald M. George has appointed eight new members and reappointed two to the Judicial Council of California.

The 21-member agency sets policy for California's 174 courts on issues ranging from funding to jury reform.

The new voting members are: Justice Richard D. Huffman, Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division One (San Diego); Melinda A. Johnson, Presiding Judge, Ventura County Superior Court; Paul Boland, Los Angeles Superior Court; Albert Dover, Presiding Judge, Nevada County Municipal Court; and Brenda Harbin-Forte, Oakland-Piedmont-Emeryville Municipal Court. Boland had been an advisory member of the council representing the California Judges Association.

George also appointed the following non-voting members: Nori Anne Walla, commissioner, Los Angeles Municipal Court; Joseph A. Lane, clerk of the Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District (Los Angeles); Sheila Gonzalez, executive officer, Ventura County Superior and Municipal Courts; Stephen V. Love, county clerk/executive officer of the Santa Clara County Superior Court; and Ronald Overholt, executive officer/clerk, Alameda County Superior Court (reappointed).

Judge William F. McDonald of the Orange County Superior Court will serve as an advisory member as the incoming president of the California Judges Association.

Two State Bar sections change their names

Two of the State Bar's 17 sections have changed their names, effective with the Board of Governors' vote last month.

The General and Solo Practice Section now is called the Solo and Small Firms Section, and the Law Practice Management Section is now the Law Practice Management and Technology Section.

The changes were made to better reflect both the membership and the functions of the sections.

LLP renewal fees set by bar board

Annual renewal fees for limited liability partnerships (LLPs) were set by the Board of Governors at its September meeting.

A two-partner LLP will be required to pay $75 and LLPs with more than two partners will pay $25 for each additional partner up to a maximum fee of $2,500.

The LLP annual renewal late-filing fee will be an additional fee of one-half the annual renewal fee.

The bar's Office of Certification began processing LLP applications Jan. 1, 1996. As of June 26, 415 parterships were registered and an additional 30 register each month.

The office anticipates that all LLPs registered by Jan. 31, 1997, will be required to file an annual renewal by October 1997.

LLPs are entities that are liable like corporations and taxed like partnerships. LLPs are required to register with the California Secretary of State and the State Bar and comply with all bar rules.

The LLP law limits an LLP partner's vicarious liability for partnership obligations.

1996 editions of State Bar publications are available

The 1996 editions of Publication 250 -- California Rules of Professional Conduct and State Bar Act -- and the Handbook on Client Trust Accounting for California Attorneys are now available from the State Bar.

Both publications may be ordered by mail by submitting a check for $8.68 for each volume payable to the State Bar of California. The order should be sent to: Attn: Publication 250 (or Trust Accounting Handbook), Office of Professional Competence, Planning & Development, State Bar of California, 100 Van Ness Ave., 28th Flr., San Francisco 94102-5238.

Walk-in orders will be accepted at the bar's admissions office in San Francisco (555 Franklin St.) and the 4th floor reception at the Los Angeles office (1149 South Hill St.) Cost for books sold on site is $4.50.

For further information, contact Renata Murry, 415/241-2112.

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.

Electronic copies of court briefs not required

Parties who file briefs with the Supreme Court or in a civil case with the Court of Appeal are no longer 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.

Rule change for students facing first-year exam

The Committee of Bar Examiners, acting on legislation which takes effect Jan. 1, will propose amendments to admissions rules to allow students in unaccredited law schools to continue their studies even if they fail the so-called "baby bar exam" on the first attempt.

Under existing rules, those students must pass the first year exam before they can receive any further credit for their law studies.

New pamphlet for solos, small-firm lawyers

A new 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.