A task force researching the preparedness of newly minted
California attorneys got a grim reality check last month from an out-of-state
law professor: Practical skills may not help students overcome the bleakest
job market in decades.
California Supreme Court observer J. Clark Kelso said this year's term was all about delineating the boundaries in the law, making the fine distinctions that can make all the difference in a common law lawyer's case. In his annual review, Kelso explores the court's decisions involving criminal law, victim restitution, personal injury damages and employer liability.
Monterey, known for its breathtaking coastline, world-class
aquarium and rich cultural history, will once again play host to the State
Bar’s Annual Meeting this year. Attendees of the 85th Annual Meeting,
Oct. 11-14, will have plenty of opportunities to soak up knowledge thanks to an
education agenda packed with 142 seminars, allowing for up to 18.5 hours worth
of MCLE credit and legal specialization.
A number of California attorneys are being recognized for providing free legal services to those who cannot afford to pay for them. Among them are individuals who helped free an innocent man from prison, saved a family's home from foreclosure and came to the rescue of victims of rape and other crimes.
High-profile
attorney Rickey Brian Oxman, who once represented pop icon Michael Jackson in his child molestation trial,
was disbarred. His wife and law partner, Maureen Patricia Jaroscak, was
suspended for 18 months.
Legal ethics expert Diane Karpman writes about some of the more interesting proposals that came out of the August 2012 American Bar Association House of Delegates meeting. The proposed changes to the model rules of conduct reflect the impact that technology and globalization have had on the practice of law.