Category Archives: California Lawyer

Calbar CYLA Symposium – May 22, 2015 in L.A.

CYLA Skills 2015So…I'm a little out of order (not a great thing for a lawyer to say, is it?).  It means that I've already posted presentations in June but the CYLA Annual Practical Skills Training Symposium is held in the State Bar offices May 21st in San Francisco and May 22nd in Los Angeles.

Two important thing to know:  1) The programs are different each day, and 2) I'm presenting from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Friday, May 22nd on:

 

New Attorney Skills (Attorney Advertising) 

Ethical Attorney Advertisement and Marketing

"This course will discuss how to advertise your legal services on the Internet. Learn how to design and operate your website, correspond with clients or prospective clients online, and use social media to maximize your business objectives."

I'll also be sticking around from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. for:

Networking Speed Mentoring

"Meet and greet seasoned legal practitioners."

I'm pretty sure "seasoned" is a euphemism for "old"…I'll pretend it means, "experienced".

I hope you can join us.

v-Discovery Insights: CYLA 10 Minute Mentor

CYLA 10MinuteMentorBetter later than never.  At last September's State Bar of California Annual Meeting in San Diego, I and about fourteen other experts recorded videos for the California Young Lawyers Association's kick-off of their "10 Minute Mentor" program.

That was the easy part.  Many of you may not know this, but the Bar is very strict about complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), so the videos couldn't be posted until subtitles were added.

Well…the time has come.  Check out my presentation, "Today's Technologies and Maintaining Client Confidences 101":

 

 

Close, But Still TFARR

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Interesting article in the Los Angeles Times on TFARR.  Of course, nobody knows it as TFARR except those who were on the Task Force.  Still, if you're a law student about to graduate and take the bar exam - or you've passed and are about to be sworn in – you'll want to familiarize yourselves with the evolution of proposed mandatory pro bono requirements in California.

For the record, it's the Task Force on Admissions Regulation Reform

Calbar Proposed Formal Opinion Interim No. 11-0004 (ESI & Discovery): Comment Period Extended!

Emergency HumorousA quick note to let you know that the proposed opinion was revised and resubmitted for public comment with an extended deadline of April 9, 2015 at 5 p.m.  I stress that the opinion is revised because – if you're going to submit comments – you need to review the new version first!

PLEASE NOTE: Publication for public comment is not, and shall not be, construed as a recommendation or approval by the Board of Trustees of the materials published.

Calbar Proposed Formal Opinion Interim No. 12-0006 (Attorney Blogging)

Emergency Humorous

 

The State Bar of California Proposed Formal Opinion Interim No. 12-0006 (Attorney Blogging) has been posted for public comment.  The comment period expires March 23rd, 2015 at 5pm.

PLEASE NOTE: Publication for public comment is not, and shall not be, construed as a recommendation or approval by the Board of Trustees of the materials published.

Co-Chair of the Council of State Bar Sections

Bored-kitty

Geez.  Last year I was much more excited.  This year, my attitude is akin to that old football proverb; when you reach the endzone, act like you've been there before.

Still, for a guy who grew up in Calgary, Canada, it's an honor and privilege to ascend to the position of Co-Chair of the State Bar of California Council of State Bar Sections.  Even better?  My Co-Chair is the very talented Family Law atty Mark Ressa.

I look forward to a very challenging and exciting term ahead!

Calbar Solo Summit 2014: So Much for Cutting Back!

Solo Summit 2014

 

Hi All – hope things are going well with you.  I said I was planning to cut back on presentations, but somehow I was selected to do two programs at the upcoming State Bar of California Solo & Small Firm Summit in Newport Beach (note that's a change from the usual location, Long Beach).  So, without further adieu, here's my schedule:

 

Solo Summit 2014 - Friday

Friday Lunch Program:  11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

(Program 17, June 20th)

Junior Associate to Senior Partner: Confidentiality, Privacy and Technology Governance

Generally speaking, senior attorneys tend to be intimidated by technology. On the other hand, junior attorneys tend not to be intimidated enough!  This program strikes the balance and answers the burning question, “Am I doing enough to protect the privacy and confidentiality of both my practice and my client information?”

MCLE: 1.0 Hour Ethics

[I was awarded one of the coveted plenary sessions for the first time.  Normally, we break into three concurrent MCLE presentations, but the plenary sessions have all 250 attendees.  I'm going to have to be on my toes for this one…]

 

Solo Summit 2014 - Saturday

11:00 a.m. to 12 noon

(Program 32, June 21st)

Leveraging Technology to Beat the Big Guys in the Discovery Game

Panel presentation of the rules and new technologies pertaining to ESI (electronically stored information) that will level the playing field to allow a solo or small firm attorney to “go toe-to-toe” with a large law firm throughout the discovery process — even during the most complex and voluminous litigation. The speakers discuss cutting edge litigation technology advancements which translate to cost savings and more streamlined management of electronically stored information. New technology trends discussed include computer assisted review, analytics, the latest trends with computer forensics and automating litigation hold policies among others.

MCLE: 1.0 Hour Ethics

Hope to see you there!

Don’t IT Tomorrow what you can IT Today: IT Law Today Blawg

Brownstone photoI've been waiting for this for some time.  Robert Brownstone of Fenwick & West (who I've cited many times on this blawg), has finally taken the plunge and launched the blawg, "IT Law Today: News & Updates on the lifecycle of electronic information management".

Folks, if you want to receive top of the line information and resources from one of the best in the business, I recommend you add him to your favorites lists (and while you're at it, follow him on Twitter as well – @eDiscoveryGuru).

You know how stingy I am about promotion on this blog, but this is one of my rare exceptions.  Let me put it this way; when I have an issue that could go one way or the other and I want to chat with someone about the possibilites, Robert is the first person I call!

Make him one of your first stops as well – you will benefit greatly from his knowledge.

Memoirs of the 2013 Calbar Solo Summit

Well, that's another Solo Summit in the bag.  This was my third in a row (Calbar has been presenting them for five years) and although I noticed all of the Bar staff running around with very concerned looks, they probably needn't have been so worried; the conference went very well.

As I've said before, in some ways, I prefer it to the annual meeting because it's more intimate and one can actually pause to talk to the attendees and not always be running somewhere else.  Also, the programs are custom-made for the Solo and Small Firm practitioner in California.

LPMT put on four programs this year; and I attended all of them.  Well, I had to attend at least one, since I was the speaker…

Biased as I may be, I have to say that our group put on some excellent programs.  Of course, the proof will be in the pudding (which for us means when we receive the rating sheets from the attendees in a few weeks).

I was only able to attend for a day-and-a-half this year, but I'll give the same advice as last year: If you want to collect a large amount of CLE credits on pertinent subjects with 300 like-minded attorneys and many networking opportunities, consider attending next year!

The Mobile Lawyer & Professional Responsibility: Friday in Long Beach



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Just a quick reminder that I'm presenting Program #19 at the Calbar Solo and Small Firm Summit in Long Beach, California:

The Mobile
Lawyer & Professional Responsibility: Confidentiality in the Digital Age

Friday, June 21, 2013 
1:15 p.m.-2:15 p.m.

Lawyers
are open for business 24-hours a day. 
They communicate via Twitter & Facebook, on smartphones, tablets
& notebooks – in coffee shops, taxicabs, airports and on airplanes.  This program reviews recent COPRAC opinions
addressing technology
and provides tools to protect confidences and privacy for
both attorney and client.

It's not too late to register and join us!