The State Bar of California seeks active members of the state bar, former members of the judiciary, and members of the public who are interested in volunteering to serve on the 2016 Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation (JNE Commission). The…
The San Francisco Immigrant Legal Defense Collaborative: Bay Area Public Interest Attorneys’ Collective Response to Crisis
The backlog of cases in San Francisco Immigration Court continues to swell, leaving nearly a half million individuals in limbo, some not scheduled for hearings until the year 2018. As the chronically under-staffed and under-resourced immigration court system has been…
Welcoming Gregg Ficks, Incoming Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section Chair
The Bar Association of San Francisco is excited to welcome its 2015 Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section Chair, Gregg Ficks. Gregg is a partner at Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass, where he leads the firm’s Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Practice…
Bike-A-Thon Teams Now Forming: Raise Money to Support Free Legal Services for the City’s Most Vulnerable on June 6
On Saturday, June 6, join us at Crissy Field for the 8th annual Bike-A-Thon/Walk-A-Thon for the Justice & Diversity Center (JDC) of The Bar Association of San Francisco! This event raises funds for JDC’s free legal programs, aiding the homeless…
Five Things You Don’t Know About Michael Sears
Michael Sears is Vice President and Senior Counsel at Bank of the West. Sears has been a BASF member for over a decade, has served on the Executive Committee of the In-House Counsel Subsection and currently serves on the Justice…
Revitalized and Dynamic Solo & Small Firm Section Provides Resources to Colleagues in 2015
This “preview” article begins a series in which the Solo & Small Firm Section (S/SF) will provide content of interest to the S/SF community. The S/SF Section promotes the interests of attorneys who practice as solos and in firms with…
Top Five Reasons to Join the BASF Delegation to the Conference of California Bar Associations in Anaheim
The 2015 Conference of California Bar Associations (CCBA) will be held October 9-11 in Anaheim and serves justice in California by bringing together attorney volunteers from across the state representing diverse backgrounds, experience, and expertise to seek, debate, and promote…
For 37 Volunteers: A Day of Service in San Francisco’s Bayview District
On Saturday, March 28, the Justice & Diversity Center (JDC) brought expert legal advice and social services to more than 30 clients in Bayview-Hunters Point with its monthly Legal Advice & Referral Clinic (LARC). JDC and BASF President Timothy Moppin,…
Does the Duty of Confidentiality Prevent an Attorney from Disclosing a Former Client’s Confidences in a Fee Collection Action?
Occasionally an attorney must sue a former client to collect outstanding fees and costs. Often the evidence critical to the attorney’s claim includes the secrets of the former client. May the attorney reveal those confidences necessary to prosecute the collection…
Is It Time To Appoint a Discovery Referee?
Recently I received the following email: “Since courts are so overwhelmed and setting dates for hearing is now running six months or longer, how does one do motions to compel further responses to interrogatories in a meaningful way? I booked…
BASF’s Newest Section Draws 85 Guests at CLE Seminar for Paralegals featuring Therese Cannon
BASF’s Paralegal Section was launched in January and, to date, there are more than 80 members. I am proud to say that one of the first firms to support this newly created section was my employer, Keker & Van Nest.…
Legal Writing Tip: Write Like a Reporter
Editor’s note: We are excited to welcome attorney/researcher/writer Savannah Blackwell as she takes over the Legal Writing Tips Column. Write for the court like a good news reporter writes for her readers. A reporter attempts to answer all the…