| Five seats open on bar board Nominating
petitions are available for five open seats on the State Bar's 23-member board of
governors. The openings are in District 4, Marin and San Francisco counties; District 6,
Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties; District
7, Los Angeles County (offices 1 and 2); and District 8, Orange County.
Any active bar member who maintains his or her principal office for the practice of law
within the district with a vacancy is eligible to run for a seat on the board. Lawyer
members are elected for three years and will assume their offices at the conclusion of the
1999 annual meeting in Long Beach.
July 2 is the last day to file nominating petitions.
The California Young Lawyers Association also will elect district representatives.
Because the group did not hold an election last year, 10 seats are open in districts 2, 3,
4, 6, 7 and 8. Some have two-year terms, others three years.
For nominating papers or further information about the CYLA, contact Ann Wassam at
415/561-8240.
For nominating petitions or information about the State Bar board of governors, contact
Biljanna Sivanov at 415/561-8274.
State Bar seeking delegates to ABA House
The State Bar is seeking applicants for three to five appointments as State Bar
delegates to the American Bar Association House of Delegates.
Each delegate serves a two-year term; terms commence at the close of the ABA Annual
Meeting (Aug. 11). One of the five appointments will be a young lawyer representative, who
must be less than 35 years when the term begins.
Delegates are expected to attend the mid-year and annual ABA meetings and, on occasion,
to participate in conference calls prior to these meetings. Delegates are required to pay
their own travel expenses.
Delegates are eligible for reappointment, and there is no restriction on the number of
terms a delegate may serve as long as he or she remains eligible. In making the
appointments, the bar's board of governors will consider each applicant's participation in
ABA activities, working knowledge of the ABA House of Delegates and understanding of the
current issues before that body. The board of governors will consider the appointments at
its June 25-26 meeting in Los Angeles.
The deadline to apply is Friday, June 11. Applicants must submit a letter of
application containing a statement regarding their ABA and local bar activities and a
resume. Please submit the application to: Office of the Secretary, Attn: ABA Appointments,
State Bar of California, 555 Franklin St., San Francisco 94102-4498.
Faxed copies are acceptable. The fax number is 415/561-8875.
State Bar to appoint two to Judicial Council
The State Bar is seeking lawyer applicants for two positions on the Judicial Council.
The appointment term for the first position commences immediately upon appointment and
expires Sept. 14, 2002; the term for the second position will commence on Sept. 15, 1999,
and expire on Sept. 14, 2002.
The Judicial Council is a state constitutional agency that provides policy direction to
the courts, the governor and the legislature concerning court practice, procedure and
administration. The council consists of 21 members - the chief justice, 14 judges
appointed by the chief justice, a member of the Assembly, a member of the Senate, and four
lawyer members appointed by the State Bar. The four bar members are appointed to staggered
terms, with each term lasting three years.
The time commitment is approximately 300 hours a year for meetings and assignments.
Meetings are held six to seven times a year and generally are scheduled for two days,
either Wednesday-Thursday or Thursday-Friday. Usually, one three-day strategic planning
meeting is held each year.
Council members are reimbursed for their travel expenses by the Judicial Council in
accordance with the reimbursement schedule for state employees. The orientation for new
members usually is held at the council's August meeting.
In making the appointments, the board will consider each applicant's demonstrated
leadership skills and ability to effectively represent the lawyer perspective on the
Judicial Council. The board will make the appointments at its June 25-26 meeting in Los
Angeles.
Those interested in applying should submit a letter of application and resume to the
State Bar. The deadline to apply is June 11.
The application materials should be sent to the Office of the Secretary, Attn: Judicial
Council Appointments, State Bar of California, 555 Franklin St., San Francisco 94102-4498.
Faxed copies are acceptable. The fax number is 415/561-8875.
ADR committee seeks members for 1999-2000
The State Bar's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee is seeking applications
for appointment to the committee for the 1999-2000 year.
Applicants should contact Ellen Miller at: ADR Committee Inquiries, c/o E. Miller, 2380
Greenbriar Drive, Suite E, San Diego 91915, or by e-mail at emmiller@ix.netcom.com.
Attorney counseling program reactivated
The Lawyers Personal Assistance Program (LPAP), which provides crisis counseling and
treatment referral for attorneys with stress, chemical dependence and related
difficulties, has renewed its contracts with The Other Bar and the Center for Human
Resources/West.
As a result of funding difficulties during the past year, LPAP was cut by more than 70
percent. However, part of the special assessment ordered by the Supreme Court is being
used to reinstate about 65 percent of the program.
The Other Bar, which assists attorneys suffering from alcohol-related problems, can be
reached through its president, Richard Ewaniszyk, at 619/245-7332.
The Center for Human Resources/
West assists attorneys and their families with stress, depression, burn-out and
chemical dependency issues. The number is 1-800/341-0572.
New rule adopted to reform jury system
The Judicial Council last month approved a rule of court to implement a
one-day/one-trial jury system throughout the state. The program is designed to streamline
jury service by reducing the time jurors must wait to be chosen for jury duty.
Under the one-day/one-trial system, jurors need only appear or be on call for one day
unless they are selected for trial. If not chosen, they will have satisfied their
obligation for a year.
The new rule requires every trial court in California to adopt a one-day/one-trial
system by Jan. 1, 2000, unless a county court system can demonstrate "good
cause" that it would be impractical to do so. Twenty-four California counties already
have created such a program.
Bar foundation receives $100,000 donation
MBNA America donated $100,000 to the Foundation of the State Bar last month to support
the foundation's scholarship program. MBNA began its support of the program in 1991, and
now provides 90 percent of the money given to law students by the foundation.
Between 1991 and 1998, the foundation distributed 131 scholarships - totalling $468,500
- to students at 20 California law schools.
Conference of Delegates creates a web site
The State Bar's Conference of Delegates, whose members address a wide array of legal
issues, has created its own web site: www.ca-cod.com.
In addition to names and addresses of executive committee members, the site lists all
resolutions pending before the conference, the State Bar rules relating to its operations,
and a meeting schedule.
Domestic violence group seeking volunteers
The executive committee of the State Bar Family Law Section is seeking volunteers for a
new standing committee on domestic violence.
Interested individuals may contact John DeRonde Jr. at 707/429-8700 (northern
California) or Tracey Jensen at 714/541-1010 (southern California).
Board to meet June 25-26
The State Bar Board of Gover-nors will hold its next meeting June 25-26 in downtown Los
Angeles at the bar's offices at 1149 South Hill St.
Pro bono nominations
The deadline for submitting names for three categories of State Bar pro bono awards is
July 15. For information, contact Theresa Raglen at 415/561-8219. |
