Proposed Formal Opinion Interim No. 09-0001B considers: May
an attorney disclose client confidences to her own attorney to evaluate a
wrongful discharge action against her former firm and, in pursuing her claim,
may she or her attorney publicly disclose those client confidences?
SOURCE: |
State Bar Standing Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct |
DEADLINE: |
April 30
|
CONTACT: |
Angela Marlaud
180 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-538-2116
415-538-2171(fax)
angela.marlaud@calbar.ca.gov |
Pursuant to Article 13, Arbitration of Attorney’s Fees
(Business and Professions Code section 6200, et seq.), the Board of Trustees is
charged with establishing, maintaining and administering a system and procedure
for the arbitration of disputes concerning fees, costs, or both, charged by
attorneys for their professional services. The statutory scheme for Mandatory
Fee Arbitration provides for fee arbitration services sponsored by local bar
associations. (Bus. & Prof. Code, §6200, subd (d).) The Board of Governors
adopts and reviews the local bars’ rules of procedure “...to insure
that they provide for a fair impartial, and speedy hearing and award.”
(Ibid.) Today, mandatory fee arbitration is available through 40 local bar
association programs in addition to the State Bar’s MFA program.
SOURCE: |
Committee on Regulation, Admissions and Discipline Oversight |
DEADLINE: |
April 20 |
CONTACT: |
Susan Carlson
180 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-538-2335 (fax)
Susan.carlson@calbar.ca.gov |
The Mandatory Fee Arbitration process is designed to be a quicker,
cheaper and less formal venue for resolving fee disputes between attorneys and
clients. It is a consumer protection program that benefits the citizens of
California and members of the State Bar. The less formal nature of Mandatory
Fee Arbitration is designed to help clients feel more comfortable with the
process. Discovery is not allowed and no rules of evidence are applicable.
Clients aren’t required to be well-versed in legal procedure in order to
have their matter heard in a fair and impartial manner.
SOURCE: |
Committee on Regulation, Admissions and Discipline Oversight |
DEADLINE: |
April 20 |
CONTACT: |
Susan Carlson
180 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-538-2335 (fax)
Susan.carlson@calbar.ca.gov |