With possible immigration law changes on the horizon, law
enforcement officials worry about a spike in fraud aimed at immigrants seeking
legal advice.
Using the landmark U.S. Supreme Court Gideon v. Wainwright case as a backdrop, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye urged lawmakers in Sacramento last month to restore funding to the judicial branch – or risk jeopardizing access to justice in California. Her State of the Judiciary address came just days before the 50th anniversary of the case, which guaranteed that all criminal defendants have a lawyer, regardless of their ability to pay for one.
Concerned that the Minimum Continuing Legal Education
requirements for attorneys might need to be updated, a State Bar Board of
Trustees panel will hold public hearings on the subject April 18 in Los Angeles
and May 8 in San Francisco.
Attorneys licensed in California may soon have another
option when it comes to finding health insurance. The State Bar’s Committee on
Group Insurance Programs is spearheading a program to connect them with vetted
insurance brokers who can advise them of their options.
Attorneys who encounter a fee dispute with a client should
be aware that the State Bar has come out with an updated version of the Notice
of Client’s Right to Fee Arbitration form.