State Bar circulates four issues

Proposed amendments to rules 1110, 1223, 1224, 1230, 1233 and 1234 of the Rules of Practice of the State Bar Court would (1) absent permission of the court, limit the length of briefs in the hearing department to 15 pages; (2) require the parties to submit a list of proposed trial exhibits in a separate document, along with the pretrial statement; (3) require the personal attendance of the respondent attorney and trial counsel for both parties at the settlement conference; (4) require the parties to meet and confer prior to the settlement conference; and (5) require the parties to lodge a settlement conference statement with the court at least five days prior to the settlement conference.

SOURCE: State Bar Court executive committee

DEADLINE: March 4

CONTACT: Sabrina Johnson, State Bar Court, 100 Van Ness Ave., 28th Flr., San Francisco 94102-5238; 415/241-2019

Proposed revisions to Article II of the Rules and Regulations of the State Bar which would: (1) allow nominating petitions to be sent to the bar by facsimile; (2) require that biographical statements submitted by board candidates include any public record of discipline; (3) renumber existing sections to provide greater clarity; (4) provide that ballots sent to the bar must be postmarked no later than the last day to vote; (5) provide that the secretary of the bar or his or her designee shall retain custody of the ballots after they are cast and until they are canvassed; and (6) provide that the canvassing board need only be convened when the number of ballots that do not conform to the rules would affect the outcome.

SOURCE: Office of the Secretary and State Bar Board Legal Committee

DEADLINE: March 10

CONTACT: Biljanna Sivanov, Office of the Secretary, 555 Franklin St., San Francisco 94102-4498; 415/561-8263

Amend rule 300 of the Rules of Procedure of the State Bar to clarify the requirements for interlocutory review and the authority of the review department to summarily deny interlocutory review requests in appropriate circumstances.

SOURCE: State Bar Court executive committee

DEADLINE: March 11

CONTACT: Sabrina Johnson, State Bar Court, 100 Van Ness Ave., 28th Flr., San Francisco 94102-5238; 415/241-2019

Guidelines and Minimum Standards would be amended to require fee arbitration programs who mediate these disputes to (1) require the parties to enter into an agreement to mediate, and (2) provide the parties with a notice of the right to enforce the agreement. The proposals also recommend approval of an Agreement to Mediate and a Notice of Rights After Mediation.

SOURCE: State Bar Committee on Mandatory Fee Arbitration

DEADLINE: April 28

CONTACT: Linda L. Harrington, 100 Van Ness Ave., 28th Flr., San Francisco 94102-5238; 415/241-2020

State Bar circulates four issues

Proposed amendments to rules 1110, 1223, 1224, 1230, 1233 and 1234 of the Rules of Practice of the State Bar Court would (1) absent permission of the court, limit the length of briefs in the hearing department to 15 pages; (2) require the parties to submit a list of proposed trial exhibits in a separate document, along with the pretrial statement; (3) require the personal attendance of the respondent attorney and trial counsel for both parties at the settlement conference; (4) require the parties to meet and confer prior to the settlement conference; and (5) require the parties to lodge a settlement conference statement with the court at least five days prior to the settlement conference.

SOURCE: State Bar Court executive committee

DEADLINE: March 4

CONTACT: Sabrina Johnson, State Bar Court, 100 Van Ness Ave., 28th Flr., San Francisco 94102-5238; 415/241-2019

Proposed revisions to Article II of the Rules and Regulations of the State Bar which would: (1) allow nominating petitions to be sent to the bar by facsimile; (2) require that biographical statements submitted by board candidates include any public record of discipline; (3) renumber existing sections to provide greater clarity; (4) provide that ballots sent to the bar must be postmarked no later than the last day to vote; (5) provide that the secretary of the bar or his or her designee shall retain custody of the ballots after they are cast and until they are canvassed; and (6) provide that the canvassing board need only be convened when the number of ballots that do not conform to the rules would affect the outcome.

SOURCE: Office of the Secretary and State Bar Board Legal Committee

DEADLINE: March 10

CONTACT: Biljanna Sivanov, Office of the Secretary, 555 Franklin St., San Francisco 94102-4498; 415/561-8263

Amend rule 300 of the Rules of Procedure of the State Bar to clarify the requirements for interlocutory review and the authority of the review department to summarily deny interlocutory review requests in appropriate circumstances.

SOURCE: State Bar Court executive committee

DEADLINE: March 11

CONTACT: Sabrina Johnson, State Bar Court, 100 Van Ness Ave., 28th Flr., San Francisco 94102-5238; 415/241-2019

Guidelines and Minimum Standards would be amended to require fee arbitration programs who mediate these disputes to (1) require the parties to enter into an agreement to mediate, and (2) provide the parties with a notice of the right to enforce the agreement. The proposals also recommend approval of an Agreement to Mediate and a Notice of Rights After Mediation.

SOURCE: State Bar Committee on Mandatory Fee Arbitration

DEADLINE: April 28

CONTACT: Linda L. Harrington, 100 Van Ness Ave., 28th Flr., San Francisco 94102-5238; 415/241-2020