admin, Author at The Bar Association of San Francisco

Mobilizing for Justice in Our Community

From the Winter 2017 issue of San Francisco Attorney magazine. Click to view fullscreen. community response, Trump administration, Merri Baldwin, Yolanda Jackson, Gloria Chun, Julie Traun, Kelly Dermody, How to be a good Ally, Carole Conn, DACA, Criminal Justice Task…

Risk Management Tip: Understanding Duties to Third Parties, Part 2

An attorney’s primary duty to a client is tempered by the overriding duty in all settings to be truthful. In the transactional setting there is no protection for attorneys from claims by non-clients when an attorney engages in affirmatively deceitful…

Justice & Diversity Center Supervising Attorney Receives 2018 Brosnahan Fellowship Award

The Brosnahan Fellowship award selection committee has named its recipient for 2018: Stephanie Bilinski, Family Law Supervising Attorney at the Justice & Diversity Center (JDC). The fellowship funds a monetary gift to an outstanding JDC employee each year. Bilinski well…

Setting Injustice Right: Tenant’s Wrongful Eviction Generates Half Million Dollars in Damages

In March 2016, SF-Marin Lawyer Referral and Information Services (LRIS) Supervisor, Antonio Hernandez, fielded an incoming call. The caller was a 64-year old artist and maintenance person to a collection of apartments in exchange for rent. He lived on the…

Legal Writing Tip: Heed the Bench’s Preferences

Ross Guberman, the acclaimed legal writing consultant and author of Point Made: How to Write Like the Nation’s Top Advocates and Point Taken: How to Write Like the World’s Greatest Judges, surveyed thousands of judges—ranging from those serving at…

Register Now for Paralegal Studies at City College

The Paralegal/Legal Studies Program at City College of San Francisco (CCSF), in operation since 1973, was granted approval from the American Bar Association (ABA) in August 2017. Designed for working adults, classes are taught in the evenings at its downtown…

JDC Announces Board of Directors for 2018

The Justice & Diversity Center (JDC) of The Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) recently confirmed its 2018 Board of Directors. Malcolm Heinicke, Munger Tolles & Olson, will serve as President; Doris Cheng, Walkup, Melodia, Schoenberger & Kelly, will serve…

BASF Welcomes New Mediators to Mediation Service

Alice Shikina of Shikina Mediation and Arbitration is a certified mediator with a unique background. She has over 20 years of theatre experience, which she brings to her mediation practice. She is a practiced improviser and an excellent people reader.…

Solo and Small Firm Attorney Column: Top Ten Ethical Blunders and How to Avoid Them

Because many ethical blunders in law practice are avoidable, it is important to be aware of common mistakes, and to take affirmative steps to avoid them. While this is true for all attorneys, this is of particular importance for solo…

JDC Volunteer Helps Pro Bono Clients Navigate Complex Tax Laws

Jason Galek is the Justice & Diversity Center (JDC)’s Volunteer of the Month for his service to low-income people facing tax issues. Through JDC’s Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC), Galek represents clients in their cases with the IRS, and also…

From Volunteer to Staff Member, Meet JDC’s New Pro Bono Manager

Meet Jay Lee, JDC’s new Pro Bono Manager and Supervising Attorney for the Community Organization Representation Project (CORP). As Pro Bono Manager, Lee supports and connects attorneys, law students, paralegals, and other volunteers with pro bono opportunities at JDC’s…

Paralegal Section Honors Legal Professionals at Annual Reception

More than 50 members of the legal community attended the December 5 Paralegal Section Holiday Party at Robert Half Legal. The Paralegal Section honored the following individuals: Section Member of the Year: Colleen Dietterle, San Francisco City Attorney’s Office Legal…