Practice Area Corner Archives

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.…

Family Law Corner: Will Reality Show Accusations Play a Starring Role in Real Housewife Custody Case?

The Real Housewives franchise that started it all, the “Real Housewives of Orange County” (RHOC), is back in the news again due to cast member Shannon Beador’s impending divorce. RHOC’s undeniable “star,” original cast member Vicki Gunvalson (the “O.G. of…

Risk Management Tip: Understanding Duties to Third Parties, Part 1

The primary duty to a non-client is to be truthful. This month we examine this duty in litigation. Generally, attorneys owe no duty to a non-client. In Goodman v. Kennedy (1976) 18 Cal.3d 335, purchasers alleged they were damaged because…

Estate Planning Corner: The Times, They Are A-Changin'

Court of Appeal Welcomes Women to Generous Men’s College Bob Dylan did not tell school trustees to heed the call that “The Times They Are A-Changin.” But a California Court of Appeal did. Women may now attend Deep Springs…

Solo and Small Firm Corner: Three Simple Ways to Attract Clients

One of the challenging aspects of owning your own firm is finding great clients. The solution is effective marketing that generates high quality leads (and enough of them). This article provides three insights you can use to attract great clients.…

Thomas Crosby Joins BASF’s Bay Area Mediation Service

Meet Thomas Crosby, Crosby Law Group, the newest mediator to join BASF’s Bay Area Mediation Services panel. His areas of experience include: Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Toxic Torts, Professional Malpractice, Construction Disputes, Sexual Harassment, Wrongful Termination, Public Entities, FELA, Family…

Legal Ethics Corner: Is it Ethical to Pay for Testimony or Evidence?

Compensation of witnesses is primarily governed by California Rules of Professional Conduct (“CRPC”), Rule 5-310. Rule 5-310(B) prohibits payment to a witness that is contingent on the content of the testimony or the outcome of the matter. The rationale is…

Hiring Expert Witnesses

By John Allison, J.D., The Coach for Lawyers, LLC Expert witnesses can express opinions about matters within the scope of their expertise. They are indispensable in cases involving medical, scientific or technical issues. Expert witnesses who are able to explain…

Paralegal Section News: November 2017

The Paralegal Section’s third year is coming to a close with a bang! BASF’s first non-attorney section was the brainchild of Director of Continuing Legal Education Raquel Cabading, who recognized a need for support and education for paralegals and other non-attorney…

Author/Mediator Returns to BASF Mediation Services

The Bar Association of San Francisco welcomes Ross McLauran Madden back to its Bay Area Mediation Services panel. A mediator since 1990, Ross Madden has an LLM in Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine University’s Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution, where he…

Seeking Bilingual Spanish Speaking Attorneys with Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts Experience

The San Francisco-Marin Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) is currently seeking bilingual Spanish speaking attorneys with experience in Estate Planning, Wills, and Trusts. If you would like to receive referrals of pre-screened cases in this area of practice the…

Navigating the Legal Workplace to Land Your Dream Job

In May, BASF’s Paralegal Section hosted a CLE presentation titled “Navigating the Legal Workplace” covering a wide range of topics: effective resume writing and interviewing techniques; self-promotion; office politics; and working through implicit biases. Panelists included two members of the…

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