Indian
Legal Services seeking attorneys for board
The
State Bar of California is seeking applications from attorneys interested in
serving on the board of directors of California Indian Legal Services (CILS), a nonprofit that provides
legal assistance to rural residents who can’t afford a lawyer.
The
term begins Dec. 1, 2016
and lasts three years, with the
successful candidate eligible for re-appointment for an additional term.
Applicants
must be State Bar members, support the purposes of the Legal Services
Corporation Act and have an interest in and knowledge of the delivery of quality
legal services to people who are poor. Applications will be initially reviewed
by the CILS Board of Directors.
Apply
by letter, including a resume outlining work experience, community activity and
educational background. Send materials to Louisa Ayrapetyan, the State Bar of
California, Office of Legal Services, 180 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA
94105. For questions, contact Ayrapetyan at 415-538-2534 or louisa.ayrapetyan@calbar.ca.gov
Legal
ethics and technology resource page is online
The general Ethics Information page on the State Bar
website has an area dedicated to attorney ethics ― a collection of
resources that address professional responsibility issues raised by the use of
websites, email, chat rooms and other technologies. The resources include
advisory ethics opinions, articles and MCLE programs.
Most of the resources are internal links to other pages on the
bar’s website and some are external links to local or specialty bar
associations. The page is organized both by the type of resource (ethics
opinion, article, etc.) and by subject matter (law firm websites, electronic
files, social networking, etc.).
The resources focus on providing basic legal research leads on
how the rules apply to new technologies rather than specific law office
systems, hardware or software options. For the latter, see the resources in the
State Bar’s Law Practice Management & Technology
Section.
Register a law corporation
Law corporations are required to register with both the
California Secretary of State and the State Bar of California under
Corporations Code Section 13404. Registration requirements are set forth in
Business & Professions Code Sections 6160 and 6161.
Rules and application materials are available on the State Bar
website. Information required to register a law corporation includes:
- Proof of registration with the Secretary of State
- Submission of bylaws and a sample share certificate containing
the appropriate restrictions on share ownership
- A completed application that reports all the attorneys who are
associated with the corporation
- Submission of the Guarantee for Claims in the appropriate amount
- A Declaration of Compliance with Rule 1-400
Limited Liability Partnerships providing legal services are also
required to register with the State Bar. If not registered, attorneys should be
particularly aware of California Corporations Code Section 16306(f), which
specifically removes the protection from liability for claims based upon legal
work.
Before registering with the Secretary of State, be sure to check
with the State Bar to determine if the entity name complies with rules and has
not already been registered. Additional information is available at the Law Corporations page, LLP page or the Law Office Management page. For
questions or help, send an email to LLP@calbar.ca.gov.
Create a
surrogacy agreement
A sample “Agreement to Close Law Practice in the Future” is
available on the State Bar website for
attorneys who want to plan for the possibility they will not be able to
continue to work. The sample agreement, available to all lawyers, spells out
the responsibilities of the primary attorney and his or her successor in the
case of death or incapacity.
If a lawyer designates a successor using the new sample
contract, the designated surrogate goes to court for appointment as the
practice administrator who can take control and dispose of the practice. A
lengthy list of duties is part of the contract and includes the ability to open
mail, become a signatory on bank accounts, notify clients and transfer files,
pay bills and handle funds and accept the original attorney’s clients and
cases. The practice administrator also would have the power to sell the
practice.
Feeling
stressed? The Lawyer Assistance Program can help
Attorneys struggling to cope with the stress of a challenging
economic environment, a health issue or a difficult employment situation are
invited to contact the Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP),
which now offers new support programs in addition to its traditional help with
substance abuse and depression. Support is offered for issues like stress,
relationship and personal problems, grief and anxiety.
The LAP is designed for attorneys who might wish to participate
in a weekly group with other lawyers and would like the support of a mental
health professional (group facilitator) or a trained peer counselor who is
familiar with attorneys’ particular challenges.
The LAP also offers a free Orientation and Assessment (O&A)
to any attorney who wants professional assistance to cope with personal or work
problems, substance abuse, health or mental health issues. The O&A provides
a confidential assessment completed by one of the LAP clinicians located
throughout the state. Referrals to outside resources and an opportunity to
participate in a LAP group for a short period of time also are provided. There
is no fee for this service.
Interested attorneys should call 877-LAP-4-HELP (877-527-4435)
or contact LAP@calbar.ca.gov. All calls are confidential.