On March 6, 2020, we made the difficult decision to close the Bar Center for the safety of our staff and our members. That same week, I pulled my son out of day care with the intent to keep him home for two weeks to flatten the curve. Our Bar Center remains closed, and my son’s daycare permanently closed in the summer.
This morning, the realization that it has been a year — a year!! — since this pandemic started to change our lives hit hard. I have never cooked at home like I did in the last year. My appliances may be even more tired than I am given the number of dishes and the sheer volume of laundry it seems that I do. I miss hugging people. I miss walking downtown in the sunlight and hearing the guy on the corner playing the sax. I miss being able to walk out of the house and come back without obsessing that I may be bringing something into the house that could kill my grandmother. Across the spectrum, our lives have changed.
With the end in sight, sometimes the continued journey seems a little harder. So, as we start a new month, I want to focus on the wins:
Our courts have re-started jury trials and jurors are showing up!
Civil lawyers can use MS Teams now and don’t have to pay for Court Call! (#sorrynotsorry, CourtCall … and yes, you can still use CourtCall if you like it better, don’t worry.)
SDCBA member Stephen Hogan won the free upgrade to an SDCBA Patron Membership for filling out the Membership Survey. (And I absolutely want to thank everyone who took the time to submit their thoughts to us.)
The Awards Committee met and selected the 2021 Service Award recipients, who will be announced shortly — spoiler alert: They are ah-mazing!
Join me today in thinking of four things that are a win for you. It doesn’t matter if they are big or small; take the time to be grateful. It changes everything.
As SDCBA Honorary Member and City of Carlsbad Council Member Teresa Acosta said today when I was meeting with her, “Choose positivity and optimism!”
If you are struggling with choosing positivity, you aren’t alone. Visit our SDCBA Wellness page for some ideas that might help, like free meditation from UCSD. If you are struggling more than that, (800) 273-8255 is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. It is available 24 hours, in English and in Spanish. They also have coping tips for emotional distress related to COVID-19.
Yours, Renée N.G. Stackhouse 2021 SDCBA President
Reading now: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown Listening to: “Rent” Soundtrack What are you reading or listening to? Tag us #sdlaw #sdcba
COVID-19 Updates
The SDCBA Bar Center will remain closed until further notice. We are closely monitoring the situation to determine when we can reopen. Meanwhile, all in-person events and meetings during this time – both at the Bar Center and off-site – are being conducted virtually.
Updates from Courts Across California: To view updates from state and federal trial and appellate courts across the state, click here »
Legal Community Updates and Resources: For related news and helpful articles from the community at large, click here »
A Look Ahead at Bar-Wide Events
Please visit our calendar for more section events and other programming.
March 25: Save the Date — Judicial Reception, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
March 26: Save the Date — Leadership Speaker Series: Governance Essentials for Leaders: Agendas, Minutes and Robert’s Rules - Oh My! 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
For questions, concerns, or just to say hello, feel free to contact Jill at jepstein@sdcba.org.
Events This Week
CLE events are highlighted in red
Thu, March
4
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
FREE Webinar
Roundtable: How to Get Into Intellectual Property Practice
with Any Background
Join the Intellectual Property Law Section for a discussion on various areas of IP law that can be practiced with or without a technical background, as well as tips on how to become an IP attorney. Everyone will have an opportunity to participate in the discussion.
Fri, March
5
9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
FREE Webinar
Real Property Law Section
Breakfast Roundtable
Join fellow Real Property Law Section members for a discussion of current events and trends in real property law. Topics will include 2020-2021 COVID-related eviction and foreclosure prevention legislation, property tax reassessment exemption, and more.
Next Week
Mon, March
8
5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
FREE Webinar
Exchange on Equity Roundtable: Money Talks
Join us for our monthly Exchange on Equity event to learn how to be a financial activist for economic empowerment. Expert panelists will lead us through different ways to leverage our own financial resources to combat racial inequities by supporting diversity-owned businesses.
Tue, March
9
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
FREE Webinar / Tech Tuesday Series
Tech Tuesday: Understanding
and Using Digital Signatures
As we continue to work from home, digital signatures have become increasingly important. Join Technology and Practice Management Advisor Adriana Linares as she discusses different ways to obtain digital signatures from clients and other parties, as well as how to protect yourself and clients using these signatures.
Tue, March
9
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
CLE Webinar
Opening Statements with Renowned Trial Attorneys
Join the Civil Litigation Section and expert trial attorneys, Don Rushing and James Brosnahan, as they discuss the purpose of an opening statement and how to develop the most effective opening statement.
Wed, March
10
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
FREE Webinar / Wellness Wednesday Series
Wellness Wednesday:
Mindful Meditation Series
Come learn and practice a breath-based meditation technique. Each monthly session includes a guided meditation by facilitator Amy Lepine, a practicing attorney and meditation enthusiast.
Thu, March
11
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Virtual Meeting
Virtual New Lawyer Division
Happy Hour: Trivia Night
Join fellow New Lawyer Division members for our first event of the year — a fun night of hosted trivia and socializing.
Fri, March
12
12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
CLE Webinar
The Effects of COVID-19 on Landlord/Tenant Law
Join the Real Property Law Section and three prominent San Diego housing/real estate attorneys as they present the ever-changing eviction moratoriums in CA as well as those issued by the Federal government. You will hear the perspectives of both landlord and tenant counsel, as well as from one of Legal Aid's lead housing attorneys.
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Featured Articles
Helpful information from the SDCBA
Black Women’s Contributions to the American Economy are Magic
By Kim Carter
Since the 1600s, Black women have worked harder and, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, they have had the highest labor force participation of any other group of women at 62.5%. Read »
Practicing Law with Purpose in a Pandemic
By Marta Manus
When the world as we know it is stripped away and each day brings a new challenge, we are presented with the opportunity to decide how we want to spend our time and how we practice law. Read »
In Case You Missed It...
View recordings of recent popular SDCBA events
Asset Protection Planning (1.0 Estate Specialization Credit and 1.0 General Self-Study Credit) This webinar discusses how to keep your assets from plaintiffs, creditors, and federal government agencies. It also reviews planning strategies and solutions, including planning with community property, use of domestic and offshore business entities, domestic and foreign trusts, equity strips, private retirement plans, and many others. Watch a recording of the webinar here.
Get Unlimited CLE Access
The all-new SDCBA CLE Annual Pass gives you unlimited access to all on-demand and live SDCBA CLEs for just $100. Purchase your pass by visiting your Member Profile. Then, check out all of our custom-crafted CLEs in the SDCBA CLE Center™.
Leadership Opportunities
Superior Court of California Seeks Attorneys for Juvenile Dependency Panel
The Superior Court of California, County of Orange is currently accepting applications for the Court's Juvenile Dependency Attorney Panel. Interested attorneys, reach out to Christina Tran via email.
The USAO Central District of CA Seeks Law Student Volunteers
The USAO Central District of California, Criminal and National Securities Division, is seeking externs to assist attorneys with legal research, drafting legal memoranda and appellate briefs, and assisting in trial preparation. Externs will be given the opportunity to attend trials and other court proceedings and participate in law enforcement training exercises. The deadline to apply for fall is March 15. Learn more here.
The State Bar of California Seeks Committee Volunteers
Each year, the State Bar of California offers opportunities to apply for appointment to serve on a number of committees that support the work of the State Bar, including appointments for the JNE Commission. People from all backgrounds representing different legal specialties, professional experience, and California’s multicultural population are encouraged to apply for appointment. Learn more and apply for appointment here. Applications are due March 19, 2021.
Of Note
Women in Blue: A Conversation About Gender, Race & Violence in American Policing (co-sponsored by the SDCBA)
Join filmmaker Deirdre Fishel, Dr. Michele Goodwin, and Katherine Spillar for a discussion about the documentary Women in Blue, which explores the virtually unseen angle of women officers fighting to reform the Minneapolis Police Department. The discussion will take place March 23 from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Once you register for the event, you will receive a link to view the 88 minute documentary. Register here.
UCSD Center for Mindfulness — Free Meditations UC San Diego, Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion, and the Center for Mindfulness have developed some easy-to-access resources to help create a sense of "equanimity," including free, live practice sessions. Click here to see past and future mindfulness practice sessions.
Proposed Revised State Bar Rule 4.90 Regarding Testing Accommodations
The State Bar seeks public comment for proposed revisions to a rule governing the procedures for requesting review of a staff decision to deny or partially grant testing accommodations. Learn more and submit comments here. The deadline to submit is March 12, 2021.
SDCBA Lawyer Referral Service Now Available Online 24/7 The SDCBA's Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) is now available to San Diego County and Imperial Valley consumers 24 hours a day with a new online tool. Learn more about joining LRIS here.
The SDCBA’s Job Board has lots of great opportunities, including:
Vice President and Assistant General Counsel
Senior Associate/Of Counsel
Litigation Mid-Level Associate
Members can log in to access our full job board here.
