California Bar Journal
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 1999
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LETTERS

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Traditional bar should go the way of the dodo bird

As a retired solo practitioner of 18 years, I was quite heartened by Ray Marshall's December 1998 article. He expressed a refreshing breath of candor and flexibility, terms that have been sadly missing over the last few years. Hopefully, the word is out that business as usual is no longer acceptable.

The so-called traditional bar should go the way of the dodo bird. The political portion of the bar must be made a separate entity from the official part. The official bar should be limited to expressing a political opinion when it pertains to improving the legal system but not to improving society in general.

The official bar should not be able to take a position before the legislature or the general public that the California Supreme Court could not also assert. It should be administered by a professional administrator, who would be appointed and supervised by the Supreme Court.

The political bar should be voluntary and be administered by the bar president and his staff.

Bruce W. Busch
Rocklin

Cheaper quarters would mean lower dues

My question is: Why can't the bar relocate to a less expensive locality and save us all substantial sums of money? I mean really huge sums annually, maybe $10 million or so.

With affordable housing and lower cost of living, the bar would have no trouble attracting qualified attorneys and staff to run the bar in a new, thrifty location. Really, just why does the bar need some of the most expensive office space in the world to conduct business?

Does the New York bar run its offices out of Fifth Ave. in Manhat-tan? I don't think so. Try Albany.

Anybody for Ventura, Oceanside, Escondido or Palm Springs?

Robert Malcolm Forbes Jr.
Cathedral City

The editor votes for Palm Springs.

Taking a page from the judo federation

The bar might take an idea that the United States Judo Federation (USJF) uses: it issues rank registration and member renewal stickers which the member attaches to the plastic card they carry.

Each year after paying membership dues, one gets a sticker to attach to a plastic card the member keeps.

It would seem there could be the issuance of a one-time plastic card with a magnetic strip. From then on a new sticker each year. Perhaps this would save the bar both time and money.

Doris C. Armour
Santa Ana

Time to stop stream of students entering law

In light of developments with the State Bar, perhaps this is a good time for our profession to examine the plight of new lawyers. The profession can no longer tolerate an endless stream of students entering law school. Prospective law students need to be made aware of these desperate employment conditions

Tracy Barrett
San Francisco