REGULARS

By attending the State Bar's Annual Meeting in Monterey next month, attorneys can both visit some of the area's attractions and bone up on the newest developments in their legal practices.

Several thousand lawyers are expected to attend this year's Oct. 1-4 convention, somewhat modified from earlier years but still offering more than 18 hours of MCLE credit for attendees.

Because of the bar's financial problems, the conference is completely self-funded this year, and no member dues will be spent to put on the annual event. Had it been cancelled, the bar would have been charged some $420,000 in cancellation fees.

Highlights include an expected appearance by gubernatorial candidates Lt. Gov. Gray Davis and Attorney General Dan Lungren at the 24th annual California Women Lawyers dinner Thursday, Oct. 1.

The candidates are slated to share their vision of California in the 21st century. (Reservations for the $85 per person dinner must be made through CWL at 916/441-3703.)

Earlier in the day, attorney Jack Ford, NBC legal correspondent and host of the weekend Today Show, will kick off the convention with a luncheon address about legal newsmakers.

MCLE courses get underway that afternoon and continue through Sunday morning. During the four-day meeting, more than 120 continuing legal education courses will be offered in dozens of interest areas as well as mandatory sub-fields like ethics and substance abuse.

Sponsors include 15 State Bar sections, and the faculty consists of legal professionals, educators, psychologists and other experts.

Meetings and classes will be held at the Hyatt Regency Monterey, the DoubleTree Hotel at Fisher-man's Wharf, the Monterey Marriott Hotel and the Monterey Plaza.

The Conference of Delegates convenes Friday through Sunday at the Hyatt, and begins with its annual breakfast for delegation chairs Friday morning.

Stuart Varney, a founding member of CNN's award-winning business team, will address a luncheon hosted Friday by the bar's business law section. As host of Business Day and Business Asia, Varney cuts through the jargon to make complex economic issues accessible and interesting.

The annual President's Reception will be held at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Friday evening from 7:30 to 10 p.m., and will be highlighted by the presentation of the President's Pro Bono Service Awards.

This year's winners include nine individuals, two law firms and two retired attorneys.

This ticketed event ($40 for adults, $15 for children) opens the entire aquarium to State Bar guests, including the new Outer Bay wing, which features a million-gallon indoor ocean with sea turtles, sharks, tuna and giant ocean sunfish.

“The Inside Story: Behind the Scenes at the Monterey Bay Aquarium” is a new exhibit giving visitors a look behind the exhibit walls and fish tanks to show how biologists and aquarists build new exhibits and maintain existing displays.

Saturday's events begin with a 5K run/walk along Monterey's scenic bayside recreation trail. A $25 entry fee includes a t-shirt and light refreshments.

Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer will deliver the annual Morrison Address at the Bench and Bar luncheon Saturday. A distinguished and dynamic lawyer and former Mich-igan Supreme Court justice, Archer has been named one of the 100 most powerful attorneys in the United States by the National Law Journal and one of the country's 25 most dynamic mayors by Newsweek.

California Chief Justice Ronald George is expected to give his annual State of the Judiciary address, and the winner of the prestigious Loren Miller Legal Services Award also will be honored Saturday.

The day concludes with the State Bar dinner dance, featuring the Bill Hopkins Rock'n Orchestra.

In addition to the ticketed events and MCLE courses, law school alumni events and local bar association receptions are scheduled.

For most attendees, MCLE credit is the draw. Topics this year cover a wide array of practice areas, as well as issues such as technology, time management, writing skills, fees, avoiding stress and how to make an effective presentation.

Thursday's offerings begin with a repeat of last year's popular “Time Management for Attorneys” course, with one and one-half hours of law practice management credit. Other courses include “Office Management Skills for Attorneys,” “Could a Psychologist Help my Case?” and classes concerning products liability, Article 2B of the Uniform Commer-cial Code and Medi-Cal planning.

Friday's classes address family law legislation, bankruptcy, recent ethics cases, the Workplace Violence Safety Act, copyright issues, cyberspace law, and class action lawsuits, among others.

In addition, there are offerings about taking depositions effectively, writing well, computer technology, and “Litigating a High-Profile Case in Federal Court: Life in the Federal Fishbowl.”

Developments in legal fields including insurance, sexual orientation, corporate governance, family law, probate and trust law, conflicts of interest, immigration, taxation, appellate and real property law will be discussed Saturday. In addition, numerous courses with practical applications will be offered, including advice on trial preparation, jury selection, opening arguments, and rainmaking.

The California Association of Black Lawyers will hold a mock trial in the case of Paula Jones v. William Jefferson Clinton.

The convention closes Sunday with 15 more courses.

The Conference of Delegates, whose political activities were a focus of Gov. Pete Wilson's veto last fall of the bar's funding bill, will confer for three days and consider more than 100 resolutions.

One day will be set aside to finalize the formation of a new forum, independent of the mandatory bar.

The conference is expected to meet with California Association of Large Bars (CALB) and the Future of the Profession (FOP) group to discuss formation of a new voluntary bar association.

A single registration fee admits participants to all educational programs.

Pre-registration for most lawyers is $225 through Sept. 8, and $300 after that date or on-site.

The Annual Meeting “Preview,” containing a schedule of events and complete listings of all course offerings, is available on the State Bar's web site (www.calbar.org) and by fax retrieval (415/561-8838).

The Preview contains course descriptions of more than 120 educational programs, as well as information about special events, pre-registration and hotel registration forms.