Letter from the Chair of the Forum

By Mellania E. Safarian
Clark Hill LLP

Hello New Lawyers and Law Students! Welcome to the San Diego County Bar Association (“SDCBA”) and the New Lawyer Forum (“NLF”). My name is Mellania Safarian and I am the Chair of NLF. In 2015, the SDCBA introduced NLF which was designed to be a “soft landing spot” or community for new lawyers and law students that would like to connect with other members in their first four years of practice. NLF provides opportunities for new lawyers and law students to engage by enjoying special networking, community service, programming, and social events specifically designed for you. And the best part is that membership is completely free!

Legal Ethics for New Attorneys

The Expansive New Rules on Client Communication

By David C. Carr
Law Office of David C. Carr

Keeping clients informed of developments is one of the most critical information transactions an attorney undertakes. It is at the essence of being an attorney. It isn’t surprising a lack of communication is the single biggest complaint made to the State Bar of California, the government agency that regulates lawyers.

Features

Burnout: A Necessary Part of Lawyers’ Lives?

By Randall Christison
Christison Law Firm

Talking to a lawyer-friend recently, one in practice for many years, I asked how he was. "Working harder; enjoying it less.”  Far from flippant, he was deadly serious. Everything in his voice and body language suggested he was at the end of his rope. I asked what he does after he leaves his office each day: "home to my networked computer.” In essence he’s in the office many hours and telecommutes the rest. I asked about his résumé, down at the bottom, where we put hobbies and personal information, what did he have there?  With a mirthless laugh he responded, "you mean those things I haven’t done in decades? That was a different lifetime.” Maybe more accurately, that "was when I had a life, before the law sucked it out of me."

Dealing with the Grind

By Kevin Hambly
Shinnick & Ryan, LLP

So you studied diligently for the bar, passed, and now you are a new lawyer.  Now, you find yourself experiencing more anxiety and stress in the practice of law.  From a fellow new lawyer to another, here are a few of tips for managing stress.  While these tips are not exhaustive (as simple things like adequate sleep, eating, and proper exercise can also help), hopefully these tips will give you some insight on how at least one lawyer, me, manages stress.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Approval Rate Demystified

By Parisa Ijadi-Maghsoodi
Assistant Director of Public Service, University of San Diego School of Law

To date, 41,221 borrowers applied for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) but only 423 (1%) were approved for federal loan forgiveness. The dismal rate of approval is neither surprising nor should it deter law students and attorneys from relying on loan forgiveness to pursue social justice careers.

Stride, Not Stress, to Success

By Lori Pope
Hurwitz Holt, APLC

Congratulations, you have picked a career where feeling stressed is the baseline on any given day. This stress does not just affect our physical and mental health, but our ability to perform our duty to represent our clients diligently and competently.  As new attorneys, we are learning every day in a field that is constantly changing around us, and we have to constantly adapt while staying on top of our always growing caseload.  Not stressful at all.

Scene At

Have you been "Scene At" the latest events? Check out pics of recent happenings. If you have photos of SDCBA emerging attorney members at recent events, submit them to bar@sdcba.org.