New Chief Trial Counsel James Towery says that despite a new state law and aggressive prosecution of lawyers who engage in misconduct while handling foreclosure cases, their clients continue to complain. His office will remain focused on those complaints as well as major misappropriation matters, a report that claimed the State Bar isn’t tough enough on prosecutorial misconduct and new initiatives to divert low-level wrongdoing.
Justice Carlos Moreno will depart the Supreme Court this month, leaving behind a legacy of decency and compassion. Court observers said he will be remembered for opinions upholding parental, custody and other rights of same-sex couples.
A task force studying the bar’s governance and public protection efforts heard a wide variety of proposals for improving the bar’s operations.
The board of governors endorsed asking U.S. News & World Report to add a category for diversity to its rankings of U.S. law schools.
The courts scramble to find ways to cut $200 million from their budget without closures or furloughs. Although Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye worries the cutbacks may imperil public safety, the legislative analyst said the courts should be able to cut even more.
The board of governors may eliminate four types of bar dues waivers that meant a revenue loss of $560,000 last year.
Among the recipients of grants to organizations providing legal services and education is the Justice Bus Project, which connects urban law students with rural clients in southern California.