Contra Costa Lawyer - January 2020 The Bar Association Issue by CCCBA - Contra Costa Lawyer

Contra Costa

Lawyer Volume 33, Number 1 | January 2020

The Magical World of 2020 Board President Oliver Greenwood

The Bar Association Issue

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Contra Costa 2020 BOARD of DIRECTORS Oliver Greenwood President Nicole Mills President-Elect Mika Domingo Secretary Dorian Peters Treasurer James Wu Past President Gina Boer David Erb Mark LeHocky David Marchiano Ericka McKenna Cary McReynolds

Craig Nevin David Pearson Michael Pierson David Ratner Summer Selleck Qiana Washington

CCCBA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Theresa Hurley | 925.370.2548 | thurley@cccba.org CCCBA main office 925.686.6900 | www.cccba.org

Lawyer Volume 33, Number 1 | January 2020

The official publication of the

features

Welcome to the New Board President, Oliver Greenwood, by Carole Lucido. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Welcome to the Board of Directors David Ratner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Mark LeHocky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The Justice James J. Marchiano Distinguished Service Award, by David Marchiano. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Barbara Arsedo Carole Lucido

New CCCBA Website, by Ericka McKenna and Carole Lucido. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Jennifer Comages Anne K. Wolf

News from the Lawyer Referral Service, by Barbara Arsedo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

LRIS & Moderate Means Director Communications Director Membership Director Education & Events Director

Emily Day

Systems and Operations Director

Contra Costa Lawyer CO-EDITORS EDITORIAL BOARD Samantha Sepehr David Arietta 925.287.3540 925.472.8000

Marcus Brown Ann Battin

925.482.8950 510.234-2808

Meet Your Section Leaders & the CCCBA Sections, by Anne Wolf. . . . . . . . . . . 13 Member Benefits, Special Discounts for CCCBA Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

NEWS & UPDATES 9

PHOTOS: Year in Review

11 Thank you to Volunteers

BOARD LIAISON Matthew Cody Nicole Mills 916.718.8938 925.351.3171 Perry Novak COURT LIAISON 925.746.7278 Kate Bieker Marta Vanegas

PHOTOS: MCLE Spectacular, 25th Anniversary

PHOTOS: Holiday Party 2019

Year End Financial Report

DESIGN Andrew Verriere Carole Lucido 925.317.9113 925.370.2542 Lorraine Walsh ADVERTISING 925.932.7014 R.W. Walker Co. Christina Weed

PHOTOS: Bar Babies

Members Celebrating 50 Years in Practice

New Members

2020 Education Series: Your Law Practice Roadmap

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The Contra Costa Lawyer (ISSN 1063-4444) is published 11 times in 2020 – five times onlineonly – by the Contra Costa County Bar Association (CCCBA), 2300 Clayton Road, Suite 520, Concord, CA 94520. Annual subscription of $25 is included in the membership dues. Periodical postage paid at Concord, CA. POSTMASTER: send address change to the Contra Costa Lawyer, 2300 Clayton Road, Suite 520, Concord, CA 94520. The Lawyer welcomes and encourages articles and letters from readers. Please send them to contracostalawyer@ cccba.org. The CCCBA reserves the right to edit articles and letters sent in for publication. All editorial material, including editorial comment, appearing herein represents the views of the respective authors and does not necessarily carry the endorsement of the CCCBA or the Board of Directors. Likewise, the publication of any advertisement is not to be construed as an endorsement of the product or service offered unless it is specifically stated in the ad that there is such approval or endorsement.

34 Sustaining Firms 41

Lunar New Year

Classified Advertising

41 Advertiser Index 42

In Memoriam

What You Missed in the December Issue

43-46 Calendar 47

Officer Installation Lunch & Diversity Awards, January 31

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

WELCOME

Board President Oliver Greenwood by Carole Lucido, Communications Director As the 85th President of the CCCBA, Oliver Greenwood has some very big shoes to fill. For most people, it might be difficult to stand out among this distinguished list of pillars of the legal community, but Oliver Greenwood has found his own distinct way to be memorable in his practice of law.

His Background Greenwood was born at Travis Air Force Base. After high school, he signed up for the infantry at age 18 and joined the Marines. Between 1991 and 1995, he was a machine gunner serving in Somalia. After the service, he returned to the Bay Area and enrolled in Diablo Valley College. He was going to school and working as a waiter when he purchased a book, Mark Wilson’s Complete Guide to Magic. It was not too long after that he met Rick Allen who was working as a magician. Greenwood took to magic quickly and mastered card tricks and slight of hand. Allen needed someone to help him set up for his shows and to carry his gear. Greenwood helped Allen set up for shows all over the Bay Area. As Greenwood watched and learned, Allen mentored him and eventually gave him the opportunity to do magic as part of the show. Before long Allen started booking Greenwood for shows of his own. He went by his first and middle names, 4

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Oliver Alexander, because he would be listed first in the Yellow Pages. Greenwood was busy with gigs of his own at public and corporate events, birthday parties and shows for up to 1000 people for big name clients like Harley Davidson and at impressive venues like the Olympic Club. It turned out to be a great way to finance his college education. By then Greenwood was attending UC Berkeley as a History major. One of his friends, attorney Robert Kosloff encouraged him to go into law. He was also inspired witnessing his father Stephen Greenwood attending law school later in in life. Greenwood had planned to pursue a PhD in history, but job prospects were slim. He decided to look into a law career and started work as a paralegal in Guardianship, Probate and Estate Planning. He thought to himself, “This is different than I thought!” So he took his friend’s advice and enrolled in law school at Golden Gate University. Once he passed the bar he started working for Robert Kosloff and after a couple of years the two became law partners at Kosloff and Greenwood. They worked together for seven years before Kosloff retired. After that, he partnered up with Oliver Bray for a few years (Bray & Greenwood) and now works on his own, at the Law Offices of Oliver Greenwood. He’s still doing magic. You may see him in the hallway of the courthouse,

always ready to do a 15-minute show most everywhere he goes. He started incorporating magic into the practice of law when he took his first court-appointed cases, representing minors in guardianship cases. There were often home visits ordered by Commissioner Don Green or Judge Sugiyama. “When I arrive at their house wearing a suit and looking out of place, first I try to break the ice and often end up watching tv or playing video games with the kids,” he said. “My goal is to make sure they are comfortable and can relate to me. As I listen to their heartbreaking stories, I am assessing their situation. I take off my lawyer hat, take off my life hat, and try to assess the family to see if there is love in the home. Kids will tell you the truth, once they trust you,” he said. “I usually end the visits by showing them some magic tricks. Magic makes me memorable,” he added.

The CCCBA Greenwood has been a member of the CCCBA since 2005. Initially he joined the Criminal Conflicts Panel and then joined to CCP Committee. When he saw that there were openings on the CCCBA Board of Directors four years ago, he “decided to throw my hat into the ring,” he said. “Besides, when Oliver Bray rotated off the board, he told me there was an unwritten rule that there should

always be an Oliver on the CCCBA Board,” he quipped. “There is always a need for leadership,” he added seriously. “I am always interested in helping out and stepping forward.”

Goals as CCCBA President “I want to do a lot for the health of the CCCBA membership,” he said. “It doesn’t take a lot to incorporate health, wellness and meditation into your workday and its simple enough to share with the members.” Wellness is important to him. Greenwood gets out most every morning and walks his dog for approximately two miles. The oxygen helps to clear the head, he said.

“There is always a need for balance in the practice of law. It can be overwhelming. There is so much pressure that goes with the practice of law. We tend to minimize it, but people can burn out,” he said. He would like to organize a hiking group for the CCCBA. On January 25, Greenwood will walk with the Solo and Small Firm section around the Lafayette Reservoir. It’s part of the section’s new Wellness Initiative. His goals also include the health of the CCCBA itself. “This year the state bar is raising dues, I want to make sure CCCBA members get value from their membership,” he said.

“

There is always a need for balance in the practice of law. Family

Oliver Greenwood is married and lives in Pleasant Hill with his wife Ann and their three teenage children, Olivia, Gus and Lex. He is the head commissioner and a board member of the Pleasant Hill Baseball Association, a coach for CYO basketball, a referee for soccer and an umpire for youth softball and baseball leagues. CCCBA has had many distinguished presidents over the years and Oliver Greenwood is sure to make his mark as a bar president and a magician who will pull many benefits out of his hat for CCCBA members. We are in for a magical year!

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CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

Welcome to the Board David Ratner has been trying civil cases since 1974. He has been involved in approximately 300 jury trials, most as first chair. David spent most of his career as a New York lawyer. From 1998 to 2015 David was the managing partner of Morelli Ratner, PLLC a firm representing plaintiffs in personal injury, medical malpractice, mass tort pharmaceutical and employment discrimination actions. Several of David’s employment cases received notoriety and a great deal of press coverage. The firm litigated the first sexual harassment case against Bill O’Reilly, (Mackris v. O’Reilly), obtained the largest individual sexual assault verdict in a single plaintiff case (Alford v. Aaron’s --$95 million) and his most recent verdict was the seventh largest intentional tort verdict in New York in this century (Bouveng v. New York Global Group--$18 million).

David

Ratner

David was appointed to leadership positions on Plaintiffs’ Steering Committees in several mass torts, including Chantix, Bextra/Celebrex in New York, Bausch & Lomb Contact Lens Solution where he was lead trial lawyer, and Testosterone Replacement Therapy. David served on the Board of Directors of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and was Editor in Chief of the Association’s magazine for eight years. In 2011 David purchased a house in Walnut Creek. He spent five years traveling to and from New York each month. Finally, when that got really old, David left his firm, took the California bar exam, passed and opened a practice here. David represents employees in a wide variety of workplace disputes including sexual harassment, gender discrimination, wrongful termination, and age and disability matters. He also represents individuals who are denied access to places of public accommodation in violation of federal and California law. Not one to shy away from high profile cases, David recently filed a case on behalf of a transgender man against Rosario Dawson and her family alleging that his client was a victim of transgender discrimination and assault. David also tries cases in the Bay Area with and for other law firms. David will be the 2020 president of the CCCBA Employment Section, He is part of the leadership team of the Senior Section and a member or CCCBA’s Membership Committee. He is a member of several other California bar associations as well as a Super Lawyer, member of ABOTA and was named as a LawDragon 500 top lawyer. David is on the Executive Board of his synagogue, Congregation B’nai Tikvah of Walnut Creek. His wife, Claire Bernardo is a Contra Costa County Master Gardner. He has three sons, Gabriel, Lee and Dale. Lee and Dale are lawyers practicing in the Bay Area.

JANUARY 2020

Mark

LeHocky

Mark LeHocky is a mediator and arbitrator with ADR Services, Inc. and has long ties to Contra Costa County. Mark previously served as general counsel to two public companies and before that, spent twenty years litigating business, intellectual property, employment claims and class actions for clients ranging from individuals and small businesses to large companies.

Mark was born in Western Pennsylvania. A few years later, his family moved to Los Angeles where he would attend UCLA, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in political science. After completing law school at UC Berkeley, Mark joined a small SF firm known for complex litigation, and his wife Joyce Blair – also an attorney –- joined the Contra Costa DA’s office. Mark later created another law firm with friends equally interested in high quality work and work life balance. By then, Mark and Joyce had moved to Orinda to raise their two daughters and have stayed there ever since. In addition to coaching his daughters’ soccer teams, Mark served as president of the Orinda Youth Association, helping to run their youth sports programs, and more recently coached the Miramonte High School Women’s Varsity Tennis Team. Roughly 15 years into his litigation practice, Mark was asked by the federal court in San Francisco to serve as an appointed mediator. Combining that work with his private ADR practice, Mark recently celebrated 20 years as a mediator and has repeatedly been voted a Best Lawyer in America for Mediation by Best Lawyers©. In 2000, Dreyer’s Ice Cream, Inc. hired Mark as their general counsel, where he managed all things legal, including its merger negotiations with Nestlé, S.A. and the successful resolution of the FTC’s antitrust challenge to that merger. Then, as part of Nestlé’s senior legal team, Mark trained Nestlé international lawyers on litigation management and best ADR practices. In 2007, Mark became general counsel to Ross Stores, Inc., headquartered in Pleasanton, where he again managed all legal matters until retiring in 2012 to focus solely on ADR work and teaching. Since then, he has taught mediation advocacy at UC Davis’ School of Law and today teaches at UC Berkeley’s Haas Graduate School of Business on the intersection of law, risk management and business decision-making. Having just served as Chair of the CCCBA ADR Section, Mark looks forward to helping the CCCBA expand its outreach. His free time often involves tennis, bike trips (Croatia and Sicily most recently), painting and keeping up with four-legged family members. CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

The Justice James J. MARCHIANO DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD by David Marchiano

Division 1.

I am honored and privileged

The inaugural award will be given out at 2020’s Bar Fund event to a CCCBA member who volunteers his or her time, either in a legal or non-legal capacity, to improve the circumstances of others and changes lives for the better in our community. To be considered for the award, a member can self-nominate or be nominated by someone else. Applications will be available by early spring and due next summer.

to announce a new Distinguished Service Award, named after the Honorable James J. Marchiano, in recognition of his many contributions to our local community, his selfless leadership, and in helping make our world a better place. Justice Marchiano served as a Contra Costa County trial court judge and, more recently, Presiding Justice of the First District Court of Appeal.

We also will have an honor roll where any CCCBA member who volunteers 50 or more hours in a year will be recognized at the Bar Fund event next year. The reporting period is September 1, 2019 through August 30, 2020, so start tracking your hours. A member can record his or her hours easily by downloading a spreadsheet on the Pro Bono page of the new CCCBA website.

David and Justice James J. Marchiano (Ret.)

The Pro Bono Committee started this award for two main reasons: 1) to inspire members to provide not only traditional pro bono legal services but also non-law-related community service, and 2) to honor and continue Justice Marchiano’ s legacy of service to the community. Many of our members are already involved in many great organizations and causes. It will be inspiring to learn about their experiences helping others and the differences they make – both small and big – in the lives of others. I also hope that, by recognizing these individuals, they know we appreciate their service. I also hope to create a friendly competition among members where they will want to see their name on the honor roll list and be motivated to contribute time and hit (or exceed) the 50-hour annual target. As attorneys, we have the knowledge, training, and skill set to improve the lives of others and make a difference. I encourage everyone to make it a goal in 2020 to contribute your many talents by touching the life of at least one person in need.

JANUARY 2020

2019 Year In Review

Department 17 Judges Barry Goode (ret), with Wendy Coats and JamesTembat at the Installation Lunch in January. James Wu and Jim Yu at the Lunar New Year Celebration in February.

Women’s Section Board members at the Women’s Section Wine Tasting Fundraiser in April

Theresa Hurley, Carolyn Cain, James Wu, Mika Domingo and Steve Steinberg at the All Section Summer Mixer in June.

Qiana Washington, Anne Wolf and Judge Wendy Coats at Judges Night in August.

Judge Steve Austin with Tori Rhyne and Judge Wade Rhyne at Comedy Night in May.

Ariel and Derrick Lee and their baby at the first Family Fun Day in July.

Mike Pierson and Marie Quashnock at the East County Happy Hour in March.

Nicole Mills, Janelle Goulart, David Ratner and Amrieka Takhar at the CCCBA Happy Hour in Concord in May.

Judge Anita Santos and fellow panelists at the Racial Reconciliation Forum in June.

Dorian Peters with students from Center for Youth Development through Law at the Bar Fund Benefit in September. CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

New CCCBA Website by Ericka McKenna and Carole Lucido

On October 23, 2019, the CCCBA launched its brand new website, logo and branding! Did you know that the CCCBA’s last website contained well over 200 pages of content? In today’s world where communication generally happens via quick e-mails, texts full of emojis, or tweets of 160 characters or less, 200+ pages of robust, singlespaced content is just too much. But, many different people visit the CCCBA website for different reasons. Members of our community who are looking for a lawyer visit our website to find a lawyer through our Lawyer Referral Service. Attorneys looking to attend a networking or educational event visit our site to view the calendar and register for events. So, our website does need to have a lot of different features. When we realized that our website needed to be updated, we knew that we were undertaking an enormous task! The process of redesigning CCCBA’s website actually began in 2017. After getting approval from the CCCBA Board of Directors, a website committee was formed. The committee consisted of Ericka McKenna (leader), James Wu, Natasha Chee, Dorian Peters, David Erb, Oliver Greenwood, Laura Ramsey, Summer Selleck, and CCCBA staff Theresa Hurley, Barbara Arsedo, Emily Day and Carole Lucido. We want to thank each and every one of you! Messaging was a prime focus because the website committee wanted to reinforce the values and mission of the CCCBA throughout 10

JANUARY 2020

the site. Other goals were to reduce the amount of text on the site, make information easier to find, and make it user friendly and modern with the latest tech. At the kickoff meeting for the website, the committee came up with a unique way to get a handle on key messaging for the new site. Do you remember Mad Libs, the silly fill-in-the-blank game? Consider this: If CCCBA were a [food/celebrity/brand of car/or animal] it would be [name] because of [descriptive words].

If CCCBA were a celebrity, it would be Tom Hanks, because he’s relatable, consistent and a leader in his field. If CCCBA were a car, it would be a minivan, because it brings people together, is reliable and trustworthy. Although the committee really wanted to say the CCCBA reminded them of a Tesla or a bald eagle, it ended up with more friendly nouns like Tom Hanks, a minivan, Mr. Rogers and a golden retriever. The firm selected to build the website was Great Believer from Brooklyn, New York. We decided to partner with Great Believer because they had rebuilt websites for nonprofit associations incorporating design, function and technology. Their focus was in using analytics and interviewing key user groups in an effort to truly understand the audience and deliver the information it seeks.

The Process Because of the daunting and lengthy task involved in overhauling a website of our size, two website subcommittees were formed. First, the User Experience subcommittee dealt with the site architecture and organization of the content. Members of the User Experience subcommittee were: Ericka McKenna, James Wu, David Erb, Dorian Peters, Steve Steinberg, Theresa Hurley, Emily Day, Barbara Arsedo and Carole Lucido. Great Believer reviewed all of the pages on the site and reorganized them based on early meetings (including the Mad Libs). The committee looked at the website structure and fine tuned Great Believer’s work, along with providing input on content strategy and copy writing. The Design Phase came next. These subcommittee members looked at the colors, graphics, icons and page layouts. It also worked on copywriting to best elicit feedback and interaction with website users. Members of the Design subcommittee were: Ericka McKenna, James Wu, Natasha Chee, Oliver Greenwood, Laura Ramsey, Summer Selleck, Theresa Hurley, Emily Day, Barbara Arsedo and Carole Lucido. In the process of redesigning CCCBA’s site, two rounds of user testing were employed, during the User Experience phase and the Design phase. See the list of members who helped with this

The Logo

initially chose. A second round of color schemes and page layouts was designed and even the committee was much happier with the final outcome.

During the website redesign process, the CCCBA logo was considered. Did you know that the CCCBA’s old logo came about as a result of a contest, in which members were encouraged to submit ideas? That logo was designed some 20+ years ago. The committee decided that a “logo refresh” would help us blend the new website with a new image of the CCCBA. The image of Mt. Diablo would still be used, but in a fresh, inviting and versatile new way.

Another challenge was in blending the functionality of the CCCBA membership database with the new site. Intellinx, the maker of our database program ITOD, was instrumental to the process. They worked along side the team at Great Believer to seamlessly transition from the CCCBA website to the secure site that maintains users contact information, communications preferences and MCLE records, and the now new security functionality that encrypts saved credit card numbers.

Challenges

Going forward

important aspect of the website redesign. We truly appreciate your help!

A curveball came during the second round of user testing. The test users did not like the colors and the page layouts the committee

Another benefit of the new website is that it can be maintained by CCCBA staff members Carole

Lucido and Emily Day. If you have a suggestion to improve a page (or two or ten!), please let either Carole or Emily know about it. It is a living site and keeping it up to date is an important priority. We look forward to your feedback and we hope you find the new site useful!

User Testers (rounds 1 and 2) Thomas Appel Ryan Apperson Matt Cody Eliza Duggan Matt Cody Bill Hickey Rebecca Jones Magdalena Kochanski Ariel Lee Matt Malone David Marchiano Kate Mignani Inga Miller

Nicole Mills Craig Nevin Mona Nia Perry Novak Courtney O’Hagan Mike Pierson Dan Pocklington Carey Rowan Jeremy Seymour Joe Wolch Anne Wolf Julie Woods Ann Wrixon

We would like to express our gratitude to the many CCCBA members who generously give their time and talent to assist the CCC community with their legal issues.

How to Establish a Conservatorship Workshop

Family Law Workshop

Konstantine Demiris – The Demiris Law Firm PC Douglas Housman – Law Offices of Cain, Cain & Housman

Amy Alvis – Alvis Quashnock & Associates David Lederman – Law Offices of David Lederman

Civil Litigation Pro Per Clinic

Immigration Law Workshop Marco Garzon – Argumedo Garzon Law Group Flavio Carvalho – Matian Firm Victoria Argumedo – Argumedo Garzon Law Group Alexandra Wilson - Family Justice Center Anna Luz Vazquez – Law Office of Ana Luz Vazquez Peggy Bristol-Wright – Law Office of Peggy Bristol- Wright

Geoffery Steele – Steele Law Group Vahishta Falahati – Falahati Law APC Samantha Sepehr – Schofield Law Group Justin Schnitzler – Ring Hunter Holland & Schenone, LLP

Bankruptcy Clinic Jen Lee – Jen Lee Law Daniel Vaughan – Law Office of Daniel S. Vaughan

We are always in need of volunteers for our clinics & workshops. Please contact Anne K. Wolf at awolf@cccba.org or (925) 370-2540 to learn more! CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

News from the Lawyer Referral & Information Service

By Barbara Arsedo, LRIS & Moderate Means Programs Director First and foremost, I would like to thank all of our LRIS and Moderate Means attorneys, as well as our LRIS Committee for all of their hard work in 2019. The past year has brought some great changes to our LRIS. Our new website was launched this past October, making requests for referrals online much easier for clients. We have already seen an increase in the referral requests using the online request form.

Coming Soon New After-Hours Referral Feature! We are excited to announce a new feature for the Lawyer Referral Service that will roll out in 2020. This new feature will automate the lawyer referral process so clients in need of an attorney will receive the name and contact information of a qualified, pre-screened attorney directly from the website. The State Bar of California and the California Supreme Court recently approved this new procedure, and the CCCBA will be introducing it for after-hours access this year. A poll of CCCBA LRIS member attorneys has shown that many of our members would be interested in participating in this service so the roll out will happen as soon as the technology is in place on the website. The CCCBA Lawyer Referral Service prides itself on personal service, and will continue to offer

JANUARY 2020

referrals over the telephone during business hours. However, for nights and weekends, we plan to offer this new automated service through the website. It will allow easier access for the public to use our service. Referrals will be available 24 hours a day, seven days per week! A client will input their contact information on the Find a Lawyer screen and describe the nature of their problem, pay the $35 fee online and then be given the contact information for an attorney appropriate for their situation. The client will contact the attorney directly to schedule the appointment. These referrals will be monitored by LRIS staff members who will follow up with the attorney after the appointment to learn the status of the referral.

We Can Help You Get More Business! The LRIS and the Moderate Means programs are always looking for attorneys to participate in our Referral Service. If you would like to become a member of the Lawyer Referral and Information Service and receive referrals of pre-screened clients in a particular area of law, simply contact our office at (925) 686-6900 x 2. We are especially in need of attorneys in both the West County and East County areas (and a BIG thank you to four East County attorneys who recently signed up for the LRIS).

Our Moderate Means program is in need of attorneys in the areas of Family Law, Immigration and Elder Law. Moderate Means attorneys agree to take on cases at a lower fee and deposit, to help those clients who could not otherwise be able to afford the services of a qualified attorney. A bonus of participating in this program is that the CCCBA LRIS does not collect any percentage fees from you for these cases. If you have any questions about either of these programs, please contact me at (925) 370-2544 or barsedo@cccba. org. Lastly, I want to thank our dedicated LRIS Staff, who are the main contact for our clients looking for a consultation with an attorney. Emily Day, Jennifer Comages, Jennifer Spalding and Anne Wolf are instrumental in providing our clients with excellent services day in and day out. Barbara Arsedo is the Lawyer Referral & Information Service and Moderate Means Director. She celebrated 12 years with the CCCBA this month. She is a regular speaker at the annual ABA Conference for Lawyer Referral Services.

Meet Your 2020

CCCBA Section Leaders

the CCCBA Sections For the latest on each section, please refer to the website at www.cccba.org/for-attorneys/cccba-sections/

ADR Section Robert B. Jacobs has practiced real estate, business and construction law in the East Bay for 30 years. In 2016 he added a mediation component to his practice and he now frequently serves as mediator. He finds that the facilitative skills he developed in three decades of litigation serve him well in his work as a mediator.

Why did you become a lawyer? “During high school I enjoyed participating on the debate team. At college I majored in English. Practicing law looked like an ideal blend of the advocacy of debate and the reading, writing and researching I enjoyed as an English major.” The Alternative Dispute Resolution Section (ADR) Litigators resolve cases – either by trial or settlement. Lots of continuing legal education materials prepare lawyers to try cases, but as a practical matter most cases settle. The ADR Section works hard to improve the quality of ADR processes and the effective use of ADR by organizing programs from top notch presenters who help attendees develop their negotiation, settlement and ADR skills.

Section members include both lawyers and non-lawyers. Many section members serve as mediators, arbitrators and neutral case evaluators, but membership is open to all persons who are interested in developing their negotiation, settlement and ADR skills.

Appellate Section Gary Watt serves as Chair of Hanson Bridgett’s Appellate Practice. He is a State Bar approved Certified Appellate Specialist, handling writs and appeals in all of the California appellate courts, including the California Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. His practice also includes dispositive motions such as SLAPP, summary judgment, and post-trial motions. His appellate experience gives him unique insights into complex cases and esoteric disputes. He excels at issue spotting and arrives at thoughtful solutions to business problems. The Appellate Section – formed in 1991, focuses on continuing education and the improvement of appellate advocacy. Members include

attorneys whose practice is devoted to appeals and writs as well as trial lawyers interested in enriching their understanding of the appellate process and issues. The section hosts periodic MCLE seminars. Seminar speakers have included appellate court justices, appellate and Supreme Court research attorneys, and attorneys with special expertise in appeals, writs, and post-trial motions. The Appellate Section welcomes all lawyers and law students to join and attend programs. Many programs have broad appeal to litigators and are presented in partnership with the Litigation Section. The section has been approved as a provider of appellate specialty MCLE credits, an extra benefit for attorneys who are, or are seeking to become, certified appellate specialists.

Bankruptcy Law Section David Arietta is a dual certified specialist in bankruptcy law and estate planning, trust and probate law, the only attorney in

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California to be certified by the State Bar of California in both areas of law. David has over 25 years of experience representing consumers and businesses in all aspects of bankruptcy law and over the years, he expanded his practice to include estate planning and probate law. He lives in Walnut Creek and spends his free time managing and working on a family vineyard in Mendocino County.

Why did you become a lawyer? “After graduating from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley I felt the need for something more than just entering the finance and accounting world. Law would give me the flexibility to address a wide array of issues, including real estate law. UC Davis Law School exposed me to much more than the core subjects as I participated in the prison law clinic. Today I still work on a ‘clinic’ as I run the Wills Clinic at the Walnut Creek Senior Center.” The Bankruptcy Law Section is comprised of attorneys who represent debtors and/or creditors in bankruptcy cases. The purpose of the section is to provide a forum of fellowship and learning concerning topics of interest for attorneys who practice in bankruptcy court and also for those attorneys who practice in state court. The section typically meets three to five times each year, usually for MCLE programs held at lunchtime at the CCCBA office conference room. At these luncheons, speakers discuss topics of interest to the bankruptcy bar. Speakers have included bankruptcy judges, bankruptcy trustees and private practice attorneys in the area.

Barristers Section Rebecca Jones is a family law attorney with Wapnick Family Law in Walnut Creek. She is entering her fifth year of practice, as well as preparing for her upcoming role as a professor in both the Legal Studies and Juris Doctor programs at John F. Kennedy University. She values the opportunity to help guide good people through one of the hardest times in their lives. When not practicing, Rebecca is also an active member of the Junior League of Oakland East Bay. In her down time, she enjoys time with her husband, two cats and friends.

Why did you become a lawyer? “I became a lawyer because I really love ‘Legally Blonde’ and I knew it was important to me to spend my life helping others.” The Barristers/Young Lawyers Section provides recently-admitted attorneys with networking, education, and mentoring opportunities. All CCCBA members with fewer than ten years of practice are automatically members of the section and are welcome to attend the meetings of the section’s board to become more involved. The goal of the section is to build a network within the bar association, develop familiarity with all aspects of the legal field and to help new attorneys with their burgeoning legal careers. The section helps its members develop a deep understanding of what other lawyers do, a strong social and referral network no matter where their practice takes them, and a genuine commitment to advancing the profession. The Barristers Section creates MCLE events targeted to recently-admitted

attorneys, engages in charitable endeavors and organizes social events that allow new lawyers to grow their network of peers, potential mentors, and judicial officers.

Business Law Section Jeff Micklas is the principal of the Law Offices of M. Jeffrey Micklas. He has represented business interests and creditors in civil litigation and bankruptcy throughout California for over 40 years. He provides legal services with respect to reviewing and drafting of contracts in such areas as leases, landlord-tenant, and real estate. He has served as a mediator, settlement mentor, and a judge pro tem, as well as a legal research attorney for the CCC Superior Court. He has been an administrative law judge for the State of California and taught busines law at Contra Costa College.

Why did you become a lawyer? “Why I wanted to become an attorney does not come down to one reason but rather is more fluid. When becoming a major league baseball player and president of the United States did not seem attainable, I looked at other possibilities. TV shows and movies that featured lawyers, or teachers, or people affecting positive change in society always seemed to draw my interest. I also enjoyed reading, writing and researching. Combining all this with the desire to have a mentally -challenging job that I could do for a long time pushed me towards the legal field.” The Business Law Section – Business lawyers (whether outside counsel or in-house counsel) are among the most important members of a business team. They

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Continued from page 15 work with all key members of the enterprise to provide a wide range of strategic and legal insights to address and resolve routine as well as thorny matters facing entrepreneurs and developed business. The Business Law Section’s mission is to provide up-to-date information on issues facing business lawyers in our competitive climate, to provide continuing legal education to attorneys in California, and to provide opportunities for networking in our growing East Bay legal community. We present programs to members of the Bar Association addressing corporate formation, corporate reporting, due diligence, publicofferings, compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley, protection of intangible corporate property (trade secrets, patents, copyrights and trademarks) and other issues of current topical importance. We hope to assist our members in the development and support of their practices in business and corporation law. We would greatly appreciate hearing from you about specific areas that are important to you and your clients.

Criminal Law Section Joseph Tully began his career at the Fresno County Public Defender’s Office in 1999 and has been practicing criminal law ever since. He is a certified specialist in criminal law and is a fierce advocate for the accused. A founding partner of Tully & Weiss Attorneys at Law, he has been highly successful in jury trials up and down the state. He is also a legal author having authored an e-book on California Domestic Violence charges and the Amazon 16

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best seller, “California: State of Collusion.”

Why did you become a lawyer? “I really can’t say why I became a lawyer; I have no specific memory or event in my life where I thought, ‘I’m going to be a lawyer!’ I’ve always been passionate, I’ve always cared about justice and equality, and I read lots of comic books growing up, seeing mythical heroes fight against injustice no matter what the odds, regardless of any reward. Law was the occupation that allowed me the opportunity to be who I am, and I am grateful each day for the chance to work my hardest to be a part of doing some good in the world.” The Criminal Law Section hosts lunchtime MCLE meetings in Martinez, where it provides continuing education on such topics as new statutes, case law, and technology. Speakers include judges, attorneys, expert witnesses, and county administrators. Programs provide information specific to practicing law in our county courts. These meetings provide a relaxed environment within which to learn from the talented legal resources available in our county, to get to know other lawyers, and to make valuable contacts. The goal of this section is to provide information that can be of practical assistance to criminal defense attorneys in motions and trial practice and case management. The section often sponsors an issue of the Contra Costa Lawyer, which gives members a chance to write articles and be published.

East County Section Marie Quashnock, in over 30 years in private practice, has developed extensive experience representing individuals, startups, busi-

nesses, and public entities across a multitude of industries. In her transactional experience, Marie has advised real estate clients on a wide range of transactions, including sales contracts, lease arrangements and debt and equity financing. Marie also developed a specialty in intellectual property law, having prosecuted hundreds of trademark registrations with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on behalf of her clients. Marie possesses broad civil litigation experience in a variety of areas, focusing primarily on real estate and business litigation. Marie was named a Super Lawyer by Northern California Super Lawyer Magazine for two consecutive years, 2009 and 2010. Marie is a former section leader of the Real Estate Section and has been a partner at Alvis Quashnock and Associates in Brentwood since March 2013.

Why did you become a lawyer? “I became a lawyer because of my fierce desire to help individuals and business with their legal problems and to further the public good. I also enjoy intellectually stimulating work, of which there is no shortage in the legal profession.” The East County Section was formed to serve the needs of Contra Costa County Bar Association members who either live or practice in East Contra Costa County. Members who live and or practice in the East County have historically been required to travel to Martinez and Walnut Creek to attend CCCBA events. This section brings continuing education, social and membership events closer to Pittsburg, Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood and Discovery Bay. The goal of the section is to provide members a sense of community, assist them in building their practice, provide valuable continuing education and cultivate social interactions among its members. Membership is

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Continued from page 16 open to practicing attorneys, business professionals and law students. The East County Section hosts a monthly lunch mixer where members share resources and information while networking with their contemporaries. The section also hosts MCLE events throughout the year.

Elder Law Section Douglas W. Housman is a partner at the Law Offices of Cain, Cain & Housman practicing in the areas of Conservatorships, Trust Administrations, Estate Planning, Elder Abuse, Decedent’s Estates, and Litigation. He is

a lifelong resident of Benicia where he resides with his wife and 3-yearold son. In his spare time he enjoys exercising, specifically playing basketball and running ultramarathons.

Why did you become a lawyer? “I ask myself that question every day! And just about every day I have a new and different answer!” The Elder Law Section presents programs that help keep attorneys informed about Elder Law issues and also presents a monthly Conservatorship Workshop as a joint project with the Superior Court. Generally, there are two areas of practice of Elder Law. The first is transactional work, closely related to estate planning, which often focuses on eligibility for various benefits, such as Medi-Cal. The second is litigation, including conservatorship proceedings, financial elder abuse and physical elder abuse/neglect. In addition,

Elder Law often overlaps with other practice areas when a client, or interested party, is over the age of 65. Given the breadth of what is, or can become, an Elder Law issue, and the increasing portion of the aging population, many practitioners can benefit from what the Elder Law Section offers. People interested in joining the section board should contact Douglas Housman.

Employment Law Section David Ratner is a new California lawyer (admitted in 2017) but an old lawyer (admitted in New York in 1974). David is a trial lawyer who has been involved in approximately 300 jury trials, most as first chair. He was the managing partner of Morelli

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Why did you become a lawyer? “The glib answer is I didn’t want to be a doctor and I loved Perry Mason. I did not know what type of lawyer I wanted to be until my first job at which I argued an appeal my second week and tried a case my third. I then knew that I was more comfortable in court than in an office and relished the competition of litigation.” The Employment Law Section includes members representing both employee and employer/management interests, as well as in-house counsel, neutral investigators, mediators and law school students. Through continuing education events on pertinent issues facing employment law practitioners, networking events, and sponsoring non-profit legal aid workshops, the Employment Law Section hopes to be a resource for its members and local community. Those involved in employment law or interested in employment law are invited to

participate in the Employment Law Section. To become a member or learn more about this section, please contact David.

Estate Planning & Probate Section Kathryn Korn founded the Korn Law Group in 1997, focusing on issues surrounding the elderly and disabled after facing several legal obstacles following her father’s battle with dementia. Her firm focuses on estate planning, trust and estate administration, advising estate fiduciaries, conservatorships, special needs trusts, elder law issues and litigation in all these areas. In addition, Kathryn is an advanced mediator in trust, estate, conservatorship and probate disputes.

Why did you become a lawyer? “I became a lawyer to help people.” The Estate Planning & Probate Section was established in 1993. Membership is open to practicing attorneys, private professional fiduciaries, accounting practitioners, trust officers, and law students. Section members and non-members are invited to attend the numerous programs throughout the year. Programs begin in January each

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year at the Contra Costa Country Club with the annual Probate Bench Luncheon Every year since 1994 the section, with co-sponsorship of The Mechanics Bank’s Trust Department, has presented an annual Estate Planning Symposium in the Spring. The event draws counsel, educators, and professionals to present topics of current interest to the Bar, tax professionals and students. We are pleased to present this program with the availability of Estate Planning & Probate specialization credit. Board members and section liaisons provide volunteer service, each devoting time and energy to ensure that events provide broad continuing education opportunity for members at a competitive cost. The section continues its practice of donating to local legal service organizations as a regular Platinum level sponsor of CCCBA’s Bar Fund. The section is broadly based among probate, estate planning, conservatorship, guardianship, and trust practitioners. We strive to present opportunities for members to obtain MCLE credits at programs that address all these areas of practice and welcome suggestions from our membership.

Family Law Section Shannon Wolfrum is a family law attorney in Walnut Creek. She practices litigation and enjoys mediating family law matters. She is a Certified Family Law Specialist and a member of the Association of California Family Law Specialists. Shannon has a B.A. in English from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from Golden

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Continued from page 19 Gate University School of Law. Before law school, Shannon was an academic counselor at Holy Names University. She has been recognized as a 2019 Super Lawyer, 2014 Top Women Attorneys Rising Star and a 2013 Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine - Northern California. Shannon grew up in Contra Costa County and is grateful to live where the hills are green and the food is exceptional. Shannon is active in canine rescue and currently has three very happy, well-meaning dogs.

Why did you become a lawyer? “While I was content in my first career as an academic counselor, I was fascinated by the idea that in the practice of law, even if one were able to grasp it all, the next day, it would change. As a family law attorney, I use my experience in education and

JANUARY 2020

counseling daily. For me, the law is a calling and an opportunity to be of service to the community while also allowing me to stretch intellectually. I appreciate the natural camaraderie I share with other attorneys. I have great respect for my colleagues as they continually inspire me to evolve and improve in my practice.” A Family Law Section membership is indispensable for anyone who practices family law in Contra Costa County. The most visible benefits of membership are: • Dynamic monthly education seminars and periodic extended seminars led by experienced faculty • Early notification of changes in rules • Practice requirements in family law departments

the

• Annual “State of the Court” meeting and other programs with local family law judges.

The bench often uses these meetings as an opportunity to make announcements. MCLE and specialization credits are provided for attending. • In Chancery, the Family Law Section’s monthly section newsletter keeps members abreast of section activities, news from the bench, and educational opportunities. • Section members receive exclusive use of the section website at www.familylawsectioncontracosta.org. The Family Law Section maintains ongoing liaisons with the bench, Family Court Services, the Facilitator’s Office, the Department of Child Support Services, the Advisory Council Against Domestic Violence (ACAD), and the various legal aid providers in the county. Through its liaison with the court, the section is actively involved in reviewing court rules and policies and providing input and assistance in the creation

of or changes to rules and/or policies. The Family Law Section has a long and respected history of robust, current programming in the form of monthly luncheon CLEs, mentoring/ networking group evening presentations with speakers, Custody Issues Committee (CIC) brown bag CLE programs on child custodyrelated hot topics, and more.

Immigration Law Section Marco Garzon has been an immigration attorney with Argumedo Garzon Law Group since July 2010. In this capacity, he represents the firm’s diverse client base in numerous areas of immigration law, including removal and deportation defense, asylum, u visas and

family-based immigration. Prior to establishing the firm, he represented workers and immigrants in several areas of employment and worker’s compensation law.

Why did you become a lawyer? “I became a lawyer because I wanted to develop a career in a field that provided personal satisfaction while serving the community where I live. Being an attorney gives me the great chance to be able to fulfill both goals,” he said. The Immigration Law Section. Immigration is as old as America itself and the United States remains the number one destination for immigrants from all over the world. Immigration attorneys represent them and /or the people who hire them. The CCCBA Immigration Law Section strives to support the work of Contra Costa’s immigration attor-

neys and promote the best immigration services and practices in our county and beyond, by providing continuing education, training and mentoring for immigration attorneys. We also assist attorneys in the overlap between Immigration law and other practices, e.g. employment, juvenile, family, criminal, business, estate planning and probate. Finally, our section works to promote events and programs that make immigration law accessible to those who need it.

Intellectual Property Law Section Joseph R. Snyder is the Managing Partner of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton’s Walnut Creek office. He focuses his practice on

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Continued from page 21 patent prosecution and counseling, primarily in the chemical arts, biotechnology, life sciences and clean technology. Dr. Snyder represents U.S. and foreign companies, such as pharmaceutical companies, diagnostic laboratories, universities and start-ups in all areas of intellectual property counseling and protection. Dr. Snyder was recognized as a 2014, 2015 and 2016 Northern California Super Lawyer in the area of Intellectual Property by Super Lawyers magazine. Prior to joining the legal profession, he was a senior scientist doing organic structural analysis using NMR and mass spectrometry.

Why did you become a lawyer? “Before becoming a lawyer, I was a research scientist at a company in the Bay Area. I enjoyed being in the lab but knew long term I wanted to change my profession. Intellectual property law was an avenue to change professions, but still use my scientific background, education and experience. After completing law school while working, I was able to move to the patent department within the same company. I graduated from law school and have been practicing IP law for 25 years. I have had only two jobs in my adult life: the company where I was a research scientist and my current firm. It’s been a great journey,” he said. The Intellectual Property Section is a resource for attorneys and others to learn, share, network, and strengthen their expertise in intellectual property. The goals for the section are to 1) Keep abreast of new legal developments; 2) Share written resources through an online brief bank; 3) Develop industry contacts and interaction between the members and the local business community; 4) Pool resources in order to obtain discounts on 22

JANUARY 2020

continuing education programs; 5) Develop contacts and interaction with local in-house counsel; 6) Develop programs for law schools to further the practical training of future IP attorneys; and 7) Learn about the members’ own practice areas for the purpose of assisting in client referrals. The IP Section is on the cutting edge of law changes that impact all areas of business. Approximately six to eight times per year, the IP Section presents topical presentations on current intellectual property issues that are of a general interest or are of high importance to practitioners in the IP field. We try to hold meetings during the lunch hour in a centrally located conference room in Walnut Creek. Up-to-date information coupled with convenient times allows members to keep current on industry practices and case law with minimum disruption to their schedule.

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Juvenile Law Section Rhonda WilsonRice has been practicing law in Contra Costa County for over 25 years. Her practice serves the families and children in the community, primarily in Juvenile Dependency (CPS cases).

Why did you become a lawyer? “I decided to become a lawyer when I was about 9 years old. I grew up in the 1960’s in what was then called, ‘South Central’ Los Angeles. I had never seen a black women lawyer before and had no idea that such a thing was even possible. During this time period the only profession that I saw for black women was in teaching or nursing. But when I was 9 my next-door neighbor’s mother

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began going to law school at night. She was a single mother of my best friend and an extraordinary black woman; she changed everything for me. I was so inspired by her tenacity, that I was able to see that this was a real possibility for me too. I began doing the research and talking to her about what I needed to do. I surprised my teachers, counselors and parents when I would not back down from my goal. Juvenile Law Section members are lawyers who represent children, parents, guardians, foster parents, relatives, and others involved in juvenile dependency proceedings, who are before the court due to the abuse or neglect of a child. Membership in the section provides beneficial continuing legal education and opportunities for professional development. Brown bag lunch MCLE programs are held on such topics as case law and statutory reviews, techniques

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on interviewing children, the Indian Child Welfare Act, immigration laws and their effect on dependent children, and recognizing and treating substance abuse in clients. Speakers include experienced attorneys, therapists, and other professionals. Besides fulfilling state bar requirements, these programs go towards meeting the local court rules for mandatory competence of counsel. During the holiday season, the section sponsors an annual toy drive for foster children and teens in need in our county. We participate in meetings between the bench, Social Services, Contra Costa Juvenile Advocates (CCJA) and through representation at the “Judges’ Meeting.” We also participate in the Social Worker-Attorney Training Committee (SWATT).

Law Student Section Jennifer Spalding is a second-year law student John F. Kennedy University. She grew up in Moraga and Lafayette. She received her B.A. from UC Davis in Music and Fine Art and her California Teaching Credential in Music Education at St. Mary’s College. She taught K-12 art, choir and musical theatre in San Francisco, then ventured to Hollywood where she had an extremely successful career as a professional composer and recording artist under the artist name “Cadence Spalding.” Jennifer also worked as a news producer for KTVU Channel 2 and Time Telepictures Inc. in Los Angeles. The apple of Jennifer’s eye is her teenage son William who already plays five instruments.

Why are you becoming a lawyer? “My background in teaching music, performing music, and journalism is an unexpected but sufficient foun-

dation for my law studies. It’s hard to say what finally tipped me over into applying just over two years ago, but I am glad that I did. My father, still joyfully practicing in his early 80’s, is certainly an inspiration. My painful encounter with the Family Law court system was also a motivator. I am giving a nod to divine intervention for this journey, one that is so unexpectedly beautiful. The people I am meeting along the way are the best part. It is also satisfying knowing that my work going forward will have a higher ‘relevance’ (nod to my Evidence professor). I am grateful I’m finally old enough to know helping others is where true happiness lies.” Amrieka Takhar is in her final year of law school at John F. Kennedy University where she is on the Dean’s list and is a Witkin award recipient in Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, and Professional Responsibility. Prior to embarking on her law school career, she was an Arts professional with a specialization in market development for Contemporary nonWestern Art. She lived and worked for several years in New Delhi, India, and London, UK in this capacity. While in India, Amrieka also established a charitable trust for purposes of creating an ethically sourced supply chain for textile design projects through local women’s development organizations. She currently works as a Senior Paralegal for an Oaklandbased business immigration law firm while attending law school.

Why are you becoming a lawyer? “I’m becoming a lawyer because this profession provides tremendous opportunity to be of service in powerful and diverse ways. And

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Continued from page 23 as a life-long learner I am excited to enter into a career filled with intellectual challenges that will encourage me to develop deep fluency in an array of subject matter.” The Law Student Section engages students with attorneys in countless networking and mentorship opportunities giving them the option to explore many areas of potential practice. Law student membership comes primarily from JFKU College of Law, Hastings, Boalt, USF and Golden Gate University. Section members can expand their law school education in significant ways that both serve the community and yield practical legal experience. Volunteer opportunities at many of the CCCBA-hosted events allow students to serve the legal community while honing their networking

skills. Events, such as the annual MCLE Spectacular also provide students important exposure to current issues in the field of law. The CCCBA is bridging the gap between law school and the real-life practice opportunities. Suggestions for presentation topics or studentrelated activities are welcomed and encouraged.

Litigation Section Julie R. Woods is the Research Attorney for the Probate Division of the Contra Costa County Superior Court. She enjoys active participation in the legal community. She strives to advance the administration of justice and to make the judicial system more accessible and understandable. Julie is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law by the State Bar of

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Why did you become a lawyer? “I am a lawyer, and the path to that self-discovery was educational and fun. I am lucky to walk into the courthouse to do what I love every day.” Jaime B. Herren is an attorney with Holland & Knight. She specializes in complex trust disputes and IP management. She has 10 years of litigation experience. Prior to becoming a lawyer, she obtained her M.S. degree in Thermal Science and Combustion from Cal and was a flight test engineer with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.

Why did you become a lawyer? “I transitioned from rocket science to patent litigation in order to have more impact and interaction with people while continuing to evaluate new technology. Now, I advise on IP ownership and litigate highvalue trust disputes.” The Litigation Section provides a forum for civil trial attorneys to hone their advocacy skills, network and socialize. It presents seminars on trial practice featuring the county’s judicial officers and its senior practitioners providing instruction and real-world advice on the art and science of trial practice. The section holds programs of interest for civil practitioners of all experience levels and abilities. In past years, the Litigation Section has sponsored presentations on use of technology in the courtroom, jury trials, complex issues in breach of contract cases, taking and defending depositions, ADR, and litigating in federal court. The section also facilitates dialogue with the local Supe-

rior Court bench to keep pace with changing court procedures and to promote the efficient and fair administration of justice.

Real Estate Section Timothy Maes is a Northern California native (with stints in Sonoma and Lake County, and then Los Angeles and New York City) and now calls Oakland home. After starting his career at Winston & Strawn in San Francisco, he joined the transactional real estate group at Miller Starr Regalia in 2015. While at MSR, he has benefitted from working with a diverse group of clients (from individuals to some of the biggest companies in the world) on a broad array of deals. Tim has three kids (7, 5 and 1 year olds) and met his Chicago-born wife in his first few weeks of college. When Tim is not working, he enjoys traveling, playing (and watching) basketball, exploring the Bay Area restaurant scene, and acting as the fourth-assistant coach (corner kick specialist) on his son’s soccer team.

Why did you become a lawyer? “When it is at its best and equally accessible to all parties, I think the legal system in the United States is a pretty good one, and participating in the law always seemed like a worthy pursuit to me. I’ve always been argumentative and, thanks to some good teachers and a liberal arts education, I have also enjoyed the writing process. Like most law students, I envisioned a career in litigation. However, I gravitated towards transactional work after spending a significant amount of time on discovery disputes during one of my law school summers, and I never looked back.” The Real Estate Section offers

monthly breakfast MCLE programs, free to section members, also open to others, as well as networking and activities related to the various aspects of the practice of real estate law. Non-members are welcome to participate in the monthly programs for a small fee. The Real Estate Section is proud to make annual charitable contributions on behalf of its members. The sections breakfast meetings are held on the third Friday of most months. Annual dues are $55, which cover the MCLE programs – including breakfast at the monthly meetings – and related meals.

Senior Section Lorraine M. Walsh is an attorney who has practiced in California for 37 years and maintains her office in Walnut Creek. She is a State Bar Certified Specialist in Legal Malpractice law and handles controversies involving attorneys and clients. She also serves as an expert consultant and witness in legal malpractice actions. As a member and former Chair of the State Bar Mandatory Fee Arbitration Committee she trained attorneys throughout the state to serve as fee arbitrators for local and the State Bar program. She is a member of the CCCBA’s editorial board.

Why did you become a lawyer? “When I attended San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, I enjoyed debate and writing. I was an editor of the newspaper, the ‘Wolfprint’ and the yearbook, ‘El Lobo’. At UC Davis, I took several introduction to law classes and decided to pursue a career in the legal profession where I could use my writing and debate skills. Over the course of my career I have been the attorney for the prevailing party in four published appellate opinions. I also represented an attorney where she prevailed in a petition for writ of mandate which are rarely granted. Looking back I am grateful that I

pursued my passions and became an attorney,” she said. The Senior Section was formed in January 2019 to serve the interests of the senior attorneys of the CCCBA and provide programs of educational and general interest to these members, cultivate social interactions among its members, preserve the history and tradition of the CCCBA and serve as the voice of senior attorneys within the CCCBA. CCCBA member attorneys who have 30 years in practice or are 60 years of age are eligible to join the Section. Non-attorneys who are 60 years old will also be permitted to join. The section hosts an annual May Day lunch to highlight ABA Law Day and offers educational and social events tailored to its membership including volunteer opportunities, attorney succession planning, senior bias and age discrimination and recognition for retiring attorneys.

Solo & Small Firm Section Heidi CoadHermelin has been a partner with the Hermelin Law Firm since 2008. She practices law with her husband David Hermelin in Martinez and focuses on real estate, bankruptcy and business law. She graduated from the UC Davis in 1990 with a degree in Economics and earned her JD from McGeorge School of Law in 1992.

Why did you become a lawyer? “I knew I wanted to become an attorney my junior year of high school. I had always planned to be a veterinarian but in my junior year of high school, I took two classes

Continued on page 29

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

25th Annual MCLE Spectacular

The 25th Annual MCLE Spectacular was another big success on November 22 at the Marriott in Walnut Creek. Thank you to all who presented, organized and helped produce this once a year educational forum that brings together luminaries in Contra Costa law.

JANUARY 2020

2019 Holiday Party

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

JANUARY 2020

Section Leaders

Continued from page 25 which changed my path – chemistry and law. My struggle with chemistry made me rethink my path as a scientist and I loved my class concerning the law. I found the subject interesting and knew it would allow me to satisfy two of the criteria I was looking for in a career – the ability to work with and directly help people and to be my own boss. I went to college planning to attend law school and feel blessed to help people sort through their legal problems in my own small firm.” Anina Dalsin is the founder of Dalsin Law, a boutique business law firm in Walnut Creek and is also Of Counsel to the Greenfield Firm in San Jose. She represents businesses in a variety of industries focusing on employment advice and counsel, commercial real estate leasing and general business transactions. While the Bay Area has been her home since 1995, Anina spent several years living in South America and Europe.

Why did you become a lawyer? “I have been in practice for almost 25 years and have found it to be a

very rewarding career. My work involves assisting companies in the growth and management of their businesses. It is exciting to witness the evolution of my clients’ businesses and to see how my work contributes to the achievement of their goals. Having my own firm has afforded me the ability to be selective about the types of matters and the clientele I serve. It has also provided valuable schedule flexibility allowing me time to participate more fully in my young children’s lives and to travel and work from other countries,” she said. The Solo Practice & Small Firm Section, launched in 1996, evolved from the recognition that many solo and small firm practitioners desired and at times needed the camaraderie, intellectual stimulation, and informational exchange that attorneys generally find in larger law firms. By having consistent networking and fellowship opportunities, the section has evolved into a collegial organization resembling a “firm,” with specialists in various fields both willing and able to offer assistance to other Section members. A partnership with JFKU Law School allows members to have cost-effective and convenient access to legal resources through full use of the JFKU Law Library, and admits law students to the section. Members have access to an active and supportive email listserv.

Mergers &

Acquisitions

Hubert Lenczowski 1615 Bonanza Street #212 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 (925) 280-7788 hubert@lenczowskilaw.com www.lenczowskilaw.com

Attorney At Law A Professional Corporation

Planning Exits and Growth Acquisition for Business Owners

The section hosts breakfasts in alternating months, and is working on presenting wellness activities. It also hosts social activities for members, and participates in the CCCBA’s MCLE Spectacular each November. MCLE Spectacular programs have included panel discussions on how to open a law firm and how to prepare a small firm for death, disability and disaster.

Taxation Section Rita Holder is an accomplished family law, probate and tax attorney with over 30 years of experience specializing in divorce, wills, trusts, and taxes. She is a licensed tax attorney and a former tax principal in an accounting firm. Rita has a proven track record in analyzing financial data and conducting research to protect clients’ financial security. She is adept at providing highquality customer service while managing a variety of case types and complexity, from initial consultation through resolution. Her passion for helping clients makes for powerful changes that best support all parties involved. The Taxation Section is one of the longest running sections of CCCBA. Its members meet regularly to discuss changes in tax laws and administration. Speakers have included ranking members of the IRS, the Franchise Tax Board and legal scholars and practitioners. The Taxation Section also holds joint meetings with a number of different sections, such as the Real Estate, Family Law, Bankruptcy and Estate Planning & Probate Sections, to educate them on tax issues relevant to each section’s members. Legal ethics, recent tax acts and “prac-

Continued on page 30

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

Section Leaders

Continued from page 29 tice pointers” are among the topics covered during the year. The section invites all interested attorneys, accountants, financial advisors, paralegals, and others to join us for one of our luncheon meetings. Affiliate membership is open to accounting practitioners only.

West County Section Harpreet K. Sandhu is a solo practitioner. Her law practice is primarily focused on providing legal services in the areas of Family Law and Criminal Defense. In addition, she dedicates pro-bono hours to the Contra Costa County Family Justice Center to help victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse and human trafficking. In her spare time, Harpreet leads an active lifestyle by participating in boot camp style extracurricular activities and chasing her four-year old at the park. In addition, she is passionate about traveling and immersing herself in other cultures. She spent some time volunteering at the schools in City of God, which is a famous shanty town in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. The West County Section reestablished the connection between CCCBA members in the West County that had been missing since the West County Bar Association was consolidated with the Central and East County Bar Associations. It is tasked with ensuring that the interests of lawyers practicing in the West Contra Costa area are represented within, and considered by CCCBA. Meetings, which are generally held on a quarterly basis, are scheduled with a variety 30

JANUARY 2020

of continuing education presentations on topics including juvenile, family, real property, trust and estate matters, and other issues of general legal interest. Bench/Bar networking events and brown bag lunches are also a priority to allow members to connect with each other and members of the local judiciary.

The goal of the section is to further the advancement of women in the legal profession and the judiciary. Men are welcome to join. The CCCBA Women’s Section is a proud affiliate of the California Women Lawyers (www.cwl.org). Members of the Women’s Section receive a discounted membership to CWL.

We welcome all practice areas and encourage those practicing in the area to join. Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to serve within section leadership.

The Women’s Section provides networking opportunities for its members to meet other attorneys and professionals. The section hosts informational programs and lunches, some offering MCLE credit and others focusing on matters of more personal interest, such as job opportunities and rainmaking.

Women’s Section Rachel Leonard is a civil defense attorney with premises liability and medical malpractice defense as her primary practice areas. She has been practicing law since June of 2006 and is an associate at Tate & Associates in Berkeley. Rachel resides in Lafayette and has lived in Contra Costa County since 2010. This will be Rachel’s third year on the Women’s Section Board.

Why did you become a lawyer? “When I was younger my mother always said I should be a lawyer because I was so good at arguing. As a teenager, of course I told my mother that would never happen, mostly because it was something she suggested. Then in college I had a professor who was a judge and his passion for the law lit a fire in me and inspired me to become a lawyer. I had a really hard time fessing up to my parents but obviously I ultimately did!” The Women’s Section has been a strong presence in CCCBA for over 27 years. Its members include attorneys practicing in all areas of the law who live or work in Contra Costa County.

The Women’s Section annually awards the Honorable Patricia Herron and Honorable Ellen James Scholarship to deserving law students who have shown leadership potential, achieved academic success, and helped to advance women’s issues. The section hosts a scholarship fundraiser each Spring, usually in the form of a silent auction and wine-tasting. We gratefully accept donations to the scholarship fund anytime and would like to thank all who have donated and supported this great scholarship. All members are invited to attend the board meetings which are held on the first Wednesday of each month. If you would like to serve on the board or want further information, please contact the president. Anne K. Wolf, Events Director composed this article.

Education

and

2019 Year-End Financial Report

(Based on projections as of mid-December. Staff and overhead expenses are not reflected under individual categories.)

INCOME:

EXPENSES: NET: profit / (loss)

MEMBERSHIP

$279,238

$13,865

$264,373

LAWYER REFERRAL & INFORMATION SERVICE

$355,000

$26,976

$328,024

FEE ARBITRATION/MEDIATION & CLIENT RELATIONS PROGRAMS

$150

$8,490

BAR-SPONSORED PROGRAMS & EVENTS

$95,559

$43,540

$52,019

PUBLICATIONS

$80,710

$26,790

$53,920

Staff (does not include Criminal Conflicts Program)

$547,651

($547,651)

Executive Director:

$16,735

($16,735)

Office Equipment:

$36,150

($36,150)

General:

$36,256

$97,124

($60,868)

OFFICERS & BOARD of DIRECTORS

$11,675

$39,503

($27,828)

SECTION SUPPORT

$11,030

$2,700

$8,330

$6,409

($6,409)

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

$2,517

($2,517)

Dues, mailings, committee meetings, applications, State Bar swearing-in ceremonies, recruitment campaigns, Pro Bono Expo, annual leadership meetings, holiday party, printing costs, social media. Consultation fees, membership fees, percentage fees, advertising, brochures & marketing, phone system, postage, supplies, client surveys, committee meetings, staff education, Moderate Means Program, FLARe (Family Law Mediation program), Limited Representation program, marketing & panel recruitment, State Bar re-certification fees, free community legal workshops.

($8,340)

Filing fees, refunds, postage, committee meetings, supplies. Fee Arbitration program closed in Jan 2019. MCLE Spectacular, Candidates Forum, Member Benefit programs, Mod Means Training, A’s game, NRPC programs, committee meetings, State Bar provider status renewal. Contra Costa Lawyer & Membership Directory: Printing, postage, production, mailing house, MCLE self-study tests, committee meetings, photography, directory practice area listings, advertising revenue (including website and weekly broadcasts), stock photos, blog book, video-editing software, etc.

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION Payroll, payroll taxes, payroll service, pension disbursements, medical, dental & vision benefits, workers’ comp insurance, staff professional development, expense reimbursements. Education & travel, dues/membership fees, expenses, etc.

Computers, computer consulting services, database, photocopier, fax machine, printers, postage machine & meter, etc Conference room rental income, rebates (LMIC, Marsh Affinity Group, Job board, CLIO), interest & dividend income (including replenishing reserves), office rent and overhead, property insurance, office supplies, credit card processing fees, phone system, staff meetings, accounting, miscellaneous taxes, etc. Installation luncheon, Board meetings, bar leader conferences, strategic planning meetings, gavels & plaques, miscellaneous committee meetings, Errors & Omissions & EPL Insurances, legal services. E-mail broadcasts, section leaders’ meetings, program registration, handbooks, event sponsorships.

CONFERENCE of DELEGATES

Planning meetings, registration & hotel, materials, etc Website modifications/updates, SPAM filter, Internet connection.

EDUCATION OUTREACH PROGRAM

$1,000

$173

$827

COURT SUPPORT

$4,350

$3,499

$851

DIVERSITY

$9,270

$11,116

($1,846)

$883,238

Court Tours docent training & thank you luncheon, materials. Bench/Bar meetings, Bench/Bar roundtable, Judges Event.

Outreach, awards, event sponsorships, Lunar New Year, MBC Mixer

TOTAL INCOME & EXPENSES:

Total Reserves as of 12/31/19: $608,953 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

Members in the

Spotlight

Welcome New Members

50 Years

in Practice

Please join us we welcome the following new members who joined between September 20 to December 18, 2019. David Abele Ashley Ayad Andrew Bassak Walker Binswanger, III Julie Chroust Lawrence Cirelli Michael Conneran Noel Cook Riana Daniel Eric Despotes Katherine Ellis Kurt Franklin Andrew Gabriel David Gehrig Anna Harris

Mark Hilliard Randolph Hom Linda Hwee Christopher Jew Moonhwan Kim Linda Klamm Warren Klein Deborah Mallari Ryan McHugh Melanie Rae Mesiroff Veronica Miller Laurie Mont Susan Morgan Aimee Morris Cyrus Nazarian

Matthew Peck Gregory Prow Christopher Rheinheimer Kurt Rifbjerg Jaime Roder William Ruiz Derek Sagehorn Karen Seto Callista Steel Jennifer Stewart Noha Tawfik Shayna VanHoften Matthew Williams Christopher Wolcott Neal Wolf Glenda Zarbock

Bar Babies

Congratulations to the following CCCBA members who are celebrated 50 years of practicing law in 2019:

Robert Belzer Richard Bowles William Gagen Gary Garfinkle Stephen Harper Charles Hoehn Richard Howard Garry J .D. Hubert Richard Lam Rodney Marraccini G. Wright Morton

Thank you to CCCBA members for sharing photos of your adorable children with us! Pictured above: 1 Damon and Liana Weed (Christina Weed), 2 and 3 Olivia and Garrett Drackert (Lisa Mendes),4 and 5 Sloane and Whit McKenna (Ericka McKenna), 6 Isla Haas (Sarah Mraule Haas), and 7 Callie Erb (David Erb). 32

JANUARY 2020

2020 Education Series

Your Law Practice Roadmap Practical Guidance for New & Established Attorneys

Nine Sessions | 5:30 - 7 pm | 1 hour MCLE credit | JFK University, 100 Ellinwood, Pleasant HiIl Members - $20/session or $150/series, Non-members - $40/session or $300/series Law Student Section Members - $10/session or $70/series 1.

Setting up Practice Tuesday, January 14

Speakers: Mika Domingo David Pearson – moderator Qiana Washington • Budget • Location/Office vs. Virtual Office • Marketing Introduction • Malpractice Insurance • Legal Research/Software • Staffing Introduction • Other topics TBD

Speakers: Heidi Coad-Hermelin – moderator Carol Langford Jen Lee • Talking to clients about money • Fee agreements • Trust accounting • Billing clients 1 hr General MCLE credit

1 hr General MCLE credit The Contra Costa County Bar Association certifies that the activities listed here have been approved for the specific MCLE credit indicated by the State Bar of California, Provider #393.

Them, Keeping Them and Saying Goodbye Wednesday, March 11 Speakers: David Erb – moderator Barbara Arsedo Marie Quashnock Alay Yajnik • Moderate Means, LRIS • Online advertising • Networking / business advisors • Shared offices • Potential clients – red flags • Substitution of attorneys – rules 1 hr General MCLE credit

Mark Your Calendar for these Upcoming 4.

3. Clients: Getting

Retainers, Trusts & Bills, Oh My! Wednesday, February 12

Sessions

The Work/Life Balancing Act

Partnerships & Personnel – Who, What, When & How to Hire Tuesday, April 14 | 1 hour General MCLE credit

7. Tuesday, September 15 | 1 hour General

Using Technology to Enhance and Secure your

8. Alternative Practices of Law – Inside Law

5. Practice/Cyber Security

MCLE credit

Wednesday, October 14 | 1 hour General MCLE credit

Wednesday, May 13 | 1 hour General MCLE credit

6. Your Professional Reputation – Ethics & Civility Tuesday, June 9 | 1 hour Ethics MCLE credit

Alternative Practices of Law – It’s a Big, Wide, Wonderful World Tuesday, November 10 | No MCLE credit

Thank You to Series Sponsors:

Summa Cum Laude Sponsor:

Magna Cum Laude Sponsor:

gratefully acknowledges its

2020 SUSTAINING LAW FIRMS Firms with 30+ attorneys: Miller Starr Regalia

Firms with 20-29 attorneys: Bowles & Verna, LLP Hanson Bridgett, LLP Littler Mendelson, PC McNamara, Ney, Beatty, Slattery, Borges & Ambacher, LLP

Firms with 11-19 attorneys: Brothers Smith, LLP Brown, Gee & Wenger, LLP

Clapp Moroney Vucinich Beeman Scheley

Doyle Quane Freeman Family Law Group

Gagen, McCoy, McMahon, Koss, Markowitz & Fanucci Greenan, Peffer, Sallander & Lally, LLP Hartog Baer & Hand, APC

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton

Whiting, Fallon, Ross & Abel, LLP

Firms with 5-10 attorneys: Barr & Young Attorneys

Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook Craddick, Candland & Conti

Donnelly Nelson Depolo Murray & Efremsky Edrington, Schirmer & Murphy Ferber Law, APC

Galloway, Lucchese, Everson & Picchi

Gillin, Jacobson, Ellis, Larsen & Lucey Livingston Law Firm, PC Morison & Prough, LLP Morrill Law Firm

Seto Wood Schweickert, LLP 34

JANUARY 2020

What Is a Sustaining Law Firm? To qualify as a Sustaining Law Firm of the Contra Costa County Bar Association, law firms must have a minimum of five Contra Costa-based attorneys and maintain current CCCBA membership for all attorneys practicing under the same firm name in the local office. CCCBA recognizes its sustaining law firms in the following ways: • Recognition in the CCCBA website, in the Contra Costa Lawyer magazine, and in the CCCBA Membership Directory • Displays at the CCCBA office and at all CCCBA-sponsored events For more information, contact Jennifer Comages, CCCBA Membership Director at (925) 370-2543 or jcomages@cccba.org.

The Benefits of Membership Looking for a good deal? All of the businesses featured here offer discounts to CCCBA members that would not otherwise be available. Simply identify yourself as a current CCCBA member to the participating business at the time of your transaction.

Airport Parking Park SFO 195 North Access Rd. South San Francisco, CA 94080 (800) 996-9214 Discount: Free two-year membership to PARK SFO Club (normally $100 a year), personalized membership card, free upgrade to valet parking. To join visit www.parksfo.com, click on Membership and choose “Bar Association Members.” Expresso Airport Parking 880 Doolittle Dr. San Leandro, CA 94577 (510) 633-9917 Discount: Join the Big Shot Rewards program for discounted rates. Visit https://www.expressoparking.com/corp/cccba/

home equity loans, personal and consumer loans. Complimentary checking accounts with complimentary order of checks earn points for a Compas Points credit card. Visit http://ow.ly/pABZ30n07aP to download the discount flyer. Provident Credit Union Walnut Creek Branch 742 Bancroft Rd. Other co-op shared branches in Alameda, Antioch, Concord, Oakland and Pleasanton www.providentcu.org Discount: Exclusive $200 new account bonus for signing up for super reward checking.

Business Coaching & Training

Banking BBVA Compass 1101 S. California Blvd. Walnut Creek, CA 94596 www.bbvacompass.org (925) 947-3434 Contact: Jeanie Irvin Jeanie.irvin@bbva.com Discount: CCCBA members receive discounts on mortgages,

Lawyer Business Advantage Alay Yajnik (925) 967-2197 alay@yajnikgroup.com https:// lawyerbusinessadvantage.com

Computer & IT Consulting

PC Service Center Roy Brown 1932 Contra Costa Blvd Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 (925) 609-8287 www.pc-servicecenter.com Whether your firm has 30 attorneys or just one attorney, we can eliminate pesky computer troubles, minimize downtime and give you a reliable resource for your technology needs. If you’re struggling with problems now, our “break-fix” services will get your office up and running again. But, if you’re ready to remove computer issues from your to-do list, a comprehensive service plan may be just what you need to get re-focused on the “right” priorities. Discount: CCCBA members receive a 15% discount off of published prices.

Discount: CCCBA members qualify for a 10% discount on business coaching, training and strategic planning sessions CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

Computer & IT Consulting

Insurance Professional E&O, General Liability, Property & Workers Comp

Insurance (Life & Health) LaMusga Company Insurance, Financial Services, Divorce Planning

Pacific Computer Consultants, Inc.

David Jordan (925) 215-3559 ext. 101 info@pcc-sf.com www.pcc-sf.com Discount: Discount: Free, no obligation 12 point cyber-security audit and one month free of ID Agent Dark Web ID Monitoring with any signed service agreement. Valid for firms of 10 or more computers.

Conference Room

Need a Place for a Meeting? Rent the CCCBA Conference Room. • Conference table seats 10-12 comfortably • Available weekdays, 8 am - 5 pm • Near Concord BART and public transit • Includes use of high-speed internet, computer projector and conference call equipment

For information, contact Barbara Arsedo, at (925) 370-2544 or barsedo@cccba.org Discount: CCCBA members get up to $30 off regular rental rates.

Floral Arrangements & Plants Jory’s Flowers 1330-B Galaxy Way Concord, CA 94520 (925) 689-0966 www.jorysflowers.com Discount: 10% discount. Pro Flowers (800) 580-2913 www.proflowers.com Discount: Receive a 15% discount when using the code REDWHITE15. 36

JANUARY 2020

Mercer Health & Benefits Insurance Services, LLC 4 Embarcadero Ceter, Suite 1100 San Francisco, CA 94111 (800) 343-0132 CABAR.service@mercer.com www.mybarbenefits.com Mercer Health & Benefits Insurance Services LLC and the CCCBA are working together to provide members with direct access to this outstanding Lawyers Professional Liability Program, sponsored by the State Bar of California. You benefit from the State Bar’s buying power and oversight committee. • Easy Short-Form Application • Competitive Rates • Free On-Line MCLE • Optional Cyber Liability Coverage Coverage: See www.mybarbenefits. com for information regarding Professional Liability Insurance, Health Insurance, Life Insurance, and Accidental Death Insurance plans for members of the State Bar of California. For Workers Compensation and Business Office Packages e.mail calbar.workerscomp.service@mercer. com

Insurance (Insurance & Financial Planning) MassMutual Northern California Jimmy Diehl, MBA, CFBS, RICP, AIF Financial Advisor, Managing Partner 3003 Oak Rd, Suite 250 Walnut Creek, CA 94597 (925) 979-2308 | 925-407-6886 jamesdiehl@financialguide.com advisors.massmutual.com/ jimmy-diehl Discount: CCCBA members receive a 10% long term care discount and a 10% disability income discount.

Gary LaMusga, Financial Advisor; Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (925) 287-1567 gary.lamusga@sgc-financial.com www.lamusgaco.com Discount: CCCBA members receive a 10% discount when applying for the Standard Disability Insurance Policy. Mass Mutual Financial Group Pacific J.P. McDermott, MBA, CLTC Financial Planner | Investment Advisor Representative | Financial Services Representative 1255 Treat Blvd., Ste. 400 Walnut Creek, CA 94597 (925) 949-7423 (Office) (925) 858-9510 (Cell) jpmcdermott@financialguide.com https://www.advisors.massmutual.com/ jp-mcdermott

Discount: Mass Mutual offers a 10% discount on Disability Income Insurance for CCCBA members.

ACUÑA ❖ REGLI Estate Planning ❖ Administration ❖ Conservatorship ❖ Inheritance Litigation

Acuña ❖ Regli, LLP and Robert J. Sehr Are Pleased to Announce

Robert J. Sehr is retiring effective December 31, 2019 and entrusting his clients to Acuña ❖ Regli, LLP  Our practice is strictly limited to estate planning, probate and trust administration, conservatorship and special needs planning, and inheritance litigation, and the corporate and transactional work necessary to implement business succession planning.  We are experienced with ethically acquiring and winding down practices for estate planning attorneys.  We pay referral fees and practice acquisition payments in accordance with State Bar of California guidelines. 

Frank R. Acuña, Partner



Paul E. Epstein, Senior Associate



Tracy S. Regli, Partner



Alex Y. Chen, Associate



Kevin P. Urbatsch, Of Counsel



Lisa M. Zaragoza, Associate



Ana M. Allec, Associate

3478 Buskirk Avenue, Suite 300 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 (925) 906-1880

5315 College Avenue Oakland, CA 94618 www.AcunaRegli.com

609 Jefferson Street Fairfield, CA 94533 ContactUs@AcunaRegli.com

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

Insurance (Professional Liability) Mitchell & Mitchell Insurance Agency, Inc. Dan McKenna, JD, RPLU Mitchell & Mitchell Insurance Agency, Inc. | CA License #0620650 250 Bel Marin Keys Blvd., E-1 Novato, CA 94949 (415) 883-2520 dmckenna@mitchellandmitchell. com www.mitchellandmitchell.com Mitchell & Mitchell is the exclusive underwriter and marketing rep for the CNA Lawyers Professional Liability Program. We also offer qualified firms discounted premiums and supplementary benefits not available from any other carrier. Discount: CCCBA members may receive a 5% discretionary credit on premiums.

Legal Document Automation Software

Lawyaw is a cloud-based legal document automation software More than 1,000 California attorneys are using Lawyaw to generate Word-based legal documents and fill California court forms in half the time. They say it frees them up to spend more quality time with clients and grow their business. In fact, those attorneys have drafted 160,000 documents using Lawyaw so far. Andreas Becker Phone: (415) 752-5600 Email: andreas@lawyaw.com Discount: By being a valued member of the Contra Costa County Bar Association, you’ll receive 10% off the first year of Lawyaw. Just mention code CCCBA10. Sign up for a free trial and learn more at Lawyaw.com. 38

JANUARY 2020

Legal Research

Casetext Casetext is a legal research platform that saves attorneys time and money through cutting-edge research tools, including artificial intelligence technology, and affordable pricing. A recent study showed that attorneys researching on Casetext spend 24.5% less time researching and find 20.8% more relevant results. Abby Hadidian Phone: (650) 249-3751 Email: info@casetext.com Discount: The service normally costs $65/month on legal research, but Contra Costa County Bar Association members get a 15% discount, bringing it to $55.25/ month. You can find more information and sign up for a 14-day free trial at https://casetext. com/trial and join Casetext for 15% off here: casetext.com/subscribe/ casetext/contra-costa-county.

For the latest in CCCBA Member Benefits, visit cccba.org/member-center

CEB - Continuing Education of the Bar Kelly Chan 2100 Franklin Street, Suite 500 Oakland, CA 94612 510-302-2036 kelly.chan@ceb.ucla.edu https://ceb.com/ Growing your practice is our business. CEB’s OnLAW empowers attorneys to practice with confidence and save precious time by offering in-depth analysis of the law, stepby-step procedural guidance, attorney-drafted forms, checklists, and best-practice strategies. CEB’s authoritative content and expert legal guidance is the ever-evolving product of a long partnership between our experienced attorney editors and some of the most prominent lawyers and judges in California. A non-profit program of the University of California, CEB is driven by a commitment to support emerging priorities, which include humancentered lawyering, inclusivity in the legal industry, and access to continuing legal education. Discount: Receive a 10% discount when you purchase CEB’s legal research solution, OnLAW. Email kelly.chan@ceb.ucla.edu for a demo. Thomson Reuters Westlaw

Thomson Reuters Westlaw John Duda Phone: (612) 248-5885 Email: john.duda@tr.com www.thomsonreuters.com/ Discount: 10% discount on your Firm Central Law Practice Management purchase. Only Firm Central from Thomson Reuters seamlessly integrates your legal research with your legal business. It’s the one cloud-based legal practice management software that integrates your documents, contacts, calendar, time-and-billing, legal research, and more to gain a complete and current view of your entire firm.

Marketing & Promotions

Legal Technology Solution Providers Clio Clio’s industry-leading, cloudbased legal practice management, client intake + legal CRM software streamlines law firm operations, improves productivity, and enables legal professionals to increase their revenues from one central location. With powerful tools for client intake, case management, document management, time tracking, invoicing, and online payments, Clio simplifies firm management so you can spend more time doing what you do best—practicing law. Approved by more than 66 bar associations and legal societies, Clio provides industry-leading security, 24/5 customer support, and 125+ integrations with legal professionals’ favorite apps and platforms, including Fastcase, Dropbox, Quickbooks, and Google Apps. Phone: (888) 858-2546 ext. 1 Email: sales@clio.com Web: www.clio.com Discount: Contra Costa County Bar Association members are eligible to receive a 10% discount on Clio products that will not expire, as long as you continue to be in good standing with both Clio and the CCCBA. Sign up today.

LegalPRO Systems, Inc. Bobby Steitler Phone: (210) 561-5300 ext 901 Email: bobby@legalpro.com Web: www.jubileepro.com Discount: CCCBA members qualify for a 10% discount on JubileeBK and JubileePRO subscriptions (either annually or monthly).

Advertising Magic Thinking of a gift for clients, potential new clients, employees or investors with your firm’s logo imprinted on it? Advertising Magic can help with all kinds of promotional gifts from branded chocolates, phone chargers and pens, to noise cancelling headphones. Got an idea for something else? Give us a call! Rosalind Robe’ Boukis 2116 N. Main St., Ste. G Walnut Creek, CA 94596 (925) 939-1111 rosalind@advertisingmagic.com

Company Folders, Inc. Premium presentation folders, file folders, binders, stationery and more. Vladimir Gendelman 22 W. Huron St., #203 Pontiac, MI 48342 Phone: (248) 738-7600 Email: support@companyfolders. com

www.companyfolders.com Discount: 10% off plus free shipping within the continental U.S. Enter code CCCBA when requesting a quote.

www.advertisingmagic.com

Discount: Free screen or setup charge on new orders ($50 value) or free halfhour marketing consultation.

Merchant Services E-Paynow.com Richard Wood 383 Diablo Rd., Ste. #217 Danville CA 94526 (925) 788-5057 www.e-paynow. com/cccba Discount: E-paynow. com provides Interchange-Plus merchant accounts (NOT threetier pricing) with the Authorize.net payment gateway. Use any internet-enabled computer to process transactions to accept credit card and electronic check payments quickly and affordably, without having to pay more, or purchasing a physical terminal. We will waive the setup fee with proof of bar membership.

LawPay 3700 M. Capital of Texas Hwy. Suite 300 Austin, Texas 79746 Direct Line to Sales: (866) 376-0950 experts@lawpay.com www.LawPay.com With more than a decade of experience in legal payments, LawPay is proud to be the trusted payment partner of more than 135,000 lawyers. Designed specifically for the legal industry, LawPay provides attorneys with a simple, secure way to accept online credit card and eCheck payments in their practice. LawPay understands the unique compliance and financial requirements placed on attorneys. That’s why their solution was developed specifically to correctly separate earned and unearned fees and protect IOLTA accounts from any third-party debiting. For more than a decade, LawPay has made it as easy as possible for attorneys to receive payment for their services. To learn more about LawPay, call 866376-0950 or visit the website. Discount: Contact us for the latest discount for members of the CCCBA.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

Office & Virtual Office Solutions

Notary Services

(continued)

CCCBA members receive free Notary Services. Please contact Carole Lucido in advance at (925) 370-2542 or clucido@cccba.org.

Smith.ai Receptionists for Calls & Chats Smith.ai is a superior virtual receptionist service for phone calls, chats, and texts. Our U.S.-based professionals answer calls, chats, and text messages in English and Spanish; screen and intake clients; schedule appointments; and take payments. With 30+ integrations, including Clio, LawPay, and Calendly, conversations are synced with your systems. Plans start at $70/month and include free spam blocking.

Office & Virtual Office Solutions

Victory Workspace, home of Reliable Receptionist Shared workspace, meeting rooms and telephone receptionist services. Victor Mataraso 1261 Locust St. Walnut Creek, CA 94596 (925) 482-8300 Victory Workspace www.VictoryWorkspace.com (925) 728-4200 Reliable Receptionist www.ReliableReceptionist.com Discount: CCCBA Members receive 50% off initial setup fees, a $25-$75 value depending on options selected.

Phone: (650) 727-6484 Email: hello@smith.ai Web: www.Smith.ai Discount: Contra Costa County Bar members get a FREE TRIAL, $100 off their first month(s) of calls or chats with code CCCBA100, 5% off bundled services, and 15% off annual plans paid upfront. Learn more and sign up at https://smith. ai/member-benefits/cccba

Sponsored by: ACBA, CCCBA, WLAC, CWL, Queens Bench and SFTLA

Announcing the First Annual Bay Area Women Lawyers Retreat! Leap into the next phase of your career â&#x20AC;˘ Amazing speakers, networking, relaxation & 5 hours of MCLE! For more information and to register, go to https://tinyurl.com/ BAWLR2020

JANUARY 2020

Intelligent Office Intelligent Office is a key player in the virtual office movement, IO offers tailored, turnkey solutions for businesses looking to customize elements of traditional office spaces and staffing. We have traditional private offices for rent, workstations for rent, virtual offices available by the hour, professional address and mail box services, and receptionist services. What sets us apart from other similar companies is our live and local phone answering services. Our computer integrated phone system creates a seamless experience. With our interactive platform we stay connected to you with a time saving app that allows you to change your status daily. Sierra van der Kamp 2950 Buskirk Ave., Suite 300 Walnut Creek, CA 94597 Phone: (925) 407-4700 Email: svanderkamp@ Intelligentoffice.com Web: www.IntelligentOffice.com Discount: Sign up for a one year agreement for any Intelligent Office business service and get the first 4 months at 50% off. This offer applies to new members at Intelligent Office who are also members of the Contra Costa County Bar Association on a one year member agreement. This offer discounts the base monthly fee for business services and excludes dedicated office leases.

Polygraph Services Graham Polygraph Professional polygraphs for court cases. Mark Graham 1536 Newell Ave., Ste. C Walnut Creek, CA 94596 (925) 705-1254 grahampolygraph@yahoo.com

Discount: 20% discount for firsttime clients. Priority scheduling.

Print & Mail, Social Media Services Daily Digital Imaging Daily Digital Imaging (DDI) is a Direct Marketing, Graphic Design, Social Media Management, Print and Mailing Company located in Pleasant Hill, California. DDI is a marketing and printing company. Pello Walker, President 3440 Vincent Rd. Suite I Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 (925) 935-3621 pello@dailydigitalimaging.com www.dailydigitalimaging.com

Classifieds

Advertiser Index

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Bruce Hahn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 JAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

CONFERENCE ROOM AVAILABLE

Lawyers Mutual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

CCCBA members receive a discount on renting the conference room at the CCCBA office in Concord. Rent by the hour or by the day for client meetings, negotiations or other small group sessions. Convenient location near Concord BART. For information contact Barbara Arsedo at (925) 370-2544 or barsedo@cccba.org.

LawPay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 The Bray Law Firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Lenczowski Law Offices . . . . . . . . . . 29 Morrill Law Firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Novak Wealth Management . . . . . . . . 2 Pedder, Hesseltine, Walker & Toth, LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

notary service CCCBA members are eligible for free notary service at the CCCBA office in Concord. Contact Carole Lucido at (925) 370-2542 or clucido@cccba.org for an appointment.

Candice Stoddard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Michael J. Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Zandonella Reporting Service . . . . . . 5

Discount: 10% discount for print and mail services.

We Can Help You Build Your Practice! Join the Lawyer Referral & Information Service. For information contact LRIS Program Director Barbara Arsedo at (925) 370-2544 or barsedo@cccba.org

Lunar New Year Thank you to Sponsors Gold Brown Gee & Wenger Candelaria Law Offices Ropers Majeski Kohn Bentley PC Silver Legal Thrive Livingston Law Firm Hon. Linda Lye, Contra Costa County Superior Court The Law Office of Maria Schopp M.S. Domingo Law Group

Thursday, February 6, 2020 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

SICHUAN HOUSE

Countrywood Shopping Center 2064 Treat Boulevard Walnut Creek $35 CCCBA members, $50 non-members, $25 Law Student Section

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

In Memoriam The CCCBA honors the following members we lost in 2019. Donald E. Anderson Barry Balamuth Richard Patrick Calhoun Douglas Tenny Corbin Steven David Hallert

George Charles Heitman Larry Israel Hon. William O’Malley Hon. Manuel Rose Marvin B. Starr

The December Issue of Contra Costa Lawyer – Here’s What You Missed in the Evidence Issue Thank you to Samantha Sepehr, Guest Editor Find it online at www.cccba.org/cclawyer-magazine How much do you know about the rules of evidence? Use this interactive issue of Contra Costa Lawyer to re-familiarize yourself with the rules of evidence. Samantha Sepehr created a fact pattern and the articles are the interviews with the the main characters. At the end of each article there’s a quiz. Take it and see how your opinons fare with other readers. • • • • • • •

Inside: Start Here, by Samantha Sepehr Interview with Denise, the Daughter, by Daniel Maloney Carla the Caregiver’s Story, by Mike Spencer Interview with Daisy, the Granddaughter, by Barbara Suskind The Boyfriend’s Story, by Peggy Bristol Interview with Edna’s Estate Planning Attorney, Mel Practiss, by Ann Battin The Results are In, by Commissioner Lowell Richards (ret.)

More: • PHOTOS: Section Leaders Breakfast, November 1, 2019

Columns: • President’s Message: Cheers to You for a Fantastic 2019, by James Wu

JANUARY 2020

Calendar

Upcoming Events | Overview January 9 | Employment Law Section Employment Law Update Part I more details on page 44

January 10

| Estate Planning & Probate Section

Annual Probate Luncheon

more details on page 44

January 14

| Elder Law Section

Dealing with Dementia

more details on page 44

January 14 |

CCCBA & Solo Small Firm Section

Your Law Practice Roadmap: 1 Setting Up Practice more details on pages 33 and 44

January 16

| Litigation Section

Elimination of Bias: A 2020 Perpective more details on page 44

January 17 | Real Estate Section Distinguishing Title Insurance more details on page 44

January 24

| Criminal Section

New Laws for 2020 with Garrick Byers more details on page 45

January 25

| Solo/Small Firm Section

Lafayette Reservoir Walk

more details on page 45

January 28

January 31

| CCCBA

Officer Installation Lunch & Diversity Awards more details on pages 45 and 47

February 6

| CCCBA

Lunar New Year Celebration more details on pages 41 and 45

February 12

| CCCBA & Solo Small Firm Section

Your Law Practice Roadmap: 2 Retainers, Trusts and Bills, Oh My! more details on pages 33 and 45

February 21

| Barristers Section

Bridging the Gap 2020 more details on page 46

February 28 - March 1 Bay Area Women Lawyers Retreat more details on pages 40 and46

March 11

| EP&P Section

The Price of Paradise - Hawaii Estate Tax Applied to Non-Residents more details on page 46

March 11

| CCCBA & Solo Small Firm Section

Your Law Practice Roadmap: 3 Clients, - Getting Them, Keeping Them and Saying Goodbye more details on pages 33 and 46

| Employment Section

Employment Law Update, Part II more details on page 45

The Contra Costa County Bar Association certifies that the MCLE activities listed on pages 44-46 have been approved for the specific MCLE credit indicated, by the State Bar of California, Provider #393.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

Employment Law January 9 | Section

Estate Planning & January 10 | Probate Section

Employment Law Update, Part I*

Annual Probate Luncheon

Due to the large number of legislative changes and precedential decisions, the 2020 Employment Law Update will be held on two days: January 9 and on January 28. Breakfast will be provided.

Please join the Estate Planning and Probate Section for its Annual Probate Luncheon. The Honorable John H. Sugiyama will again provide insights and practice pointers about the workings of the Contra Costa County Probate Court. You won’t want to miss this always exciting event!

Speakers: Beth Mora, James Wu Time: 8:30 am – 11:00 am Location: CCCBA Building Conference Room, 2300 Clayton Rd., First Floor, Concord MCLE: 2 hrs. General Cost: $15 Employment and Law Student Section members, $20 CCCBA members, $25 non members

Location: Contra Costa Country Club, 801 Golf Club Rd., Pleasant Hill MCLE: 1 hr. Estate Planning & Probate Specialization

Dealing with Dementia Speakers: Douglas Housman, Dr. Eric J. Frietag, Psy.D. Attendees will better understand the signs and symptoms and the process of making a clinical diagnosis of dementia. By obtaining knowledge of dementia and related conditions, attendees will be better able to serve their client’s needs around such issues as estate and care planning, testamentary and other capacity-related issues, and identifying risk factors around potential undue influence. Lunch included. Time: Noon - 1:30 pm

Cost: $60 for Estate Planning & Probate section members, $30 Law Student section members, $70 CCCBA members, $75 non members

More Info: Contact Anne K. Wolf at (925) 370-2540 or awolf@cccba.org

Cost: $10 Elder Law Section members, $5 Law Student Section members, $15 CCCBA members, $20 non members

*Part II scheduled for January 28.

More Info: Contact Anne K. Wolf at (925) 370-2540 or awolf@cccba.org

& Solo January 14 | CCCBA Small Firm Section

January 16 | Litigation Section

January 17 | Real Estate Section

Elimination of Bias: A 2020 Perspective

Distinguishing Title Insurance

Your Law Practice Roadmap #1 Setting Up Practice This session will introduce you to all the things you should be thinking about: Budgeting; Location/Office vs. Virtual; Office Marketing; Malpractice Insurance; Legal Research/Software; Staffing and more. Speakers: Mika Domingo, David Pearson, Qiana Washington

This program will address the various forms of bias, including both explicit and implicit types of prejudice. It will explore how bias can impact our professional lives; working with clients and co-workers and how to address these issues during a changing societal shift. Lunch included. Speaker: Virginia Palmer

Time: 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Time: Noon – 1:15 pm

Location: John F. Kennedy University College of Law, 100 Ellinwood Way, Room S209-S213, Pleasant Hill

MCLE: 1 hr. Elimination of Bias credit

MCLE: 1 hr. General credit Cost: Members: $20/Session or $150/Series Non members: $40/Session or $300/Series Law Student Section Members $10/Session or $70/Series Register: Online at www.cccba.org/attorney/calendar More Info: Contact Anne K. Wolf at (925) 370-2540 or awolf@cccba.org See ad on page 33. 44

Time: 11:45 am – 1:15 pm

January 14 | Elder Law Section

JANUARY 2020

Location: CCCBA Building Conference Room, 2300 Clayton Rd., First Floor, Concord MCLE: 1 hr. General

This month’s presentation will discuss the big picture of difficult underwriting issues such as mechanics’ liens, non-imputation, indemnities, financials, etc. Speaker: Margaret Redman, Fidelity National Title Time: 7:30 am - 9:00 am MCLE: 1 hr. General credit Location: Scott’s Seafood, 1333 N. California Blvd., Walnut Creek

Location: 1515 Restaurant & Lounge. 1515 N. Main St., Walnut Creek

Cost: Free for members of the Real Estate Section, $25 CCCBA members, $35 non-members

Cost: Members: $20 Litigation Section members, $25 CCCBA members, $35 nonmembers, $15 Law Student Section Members

More Info: Contact Anne K. Wolf at (925) 370-2540 or awolf@cccba.org

January 24 | Criminal Section New Laws for 2020 with Garrick Byers Start off 2020 being fully informed about all of the pertinent changes in California criminal law by expert Garrick Byers. All attorneys who practice Criminal Law are invited. Please bring a colleague or two. Time: 11:45 am - 1:15 pm MCLE: 1 hr. General credit Location: Firehouse Brew & Grill, 611 Escobar St., Martinez Cost: Free thanks to our sponsor, Special Appearance App. Register: Online at www.cccba.org/attorney/calendar More Info: Contact Anne K. Wolf at (925) 370-2540 or awolf@cccba.org

Solo/Small January 25 | Firm Section

January 28 | Employment Law Section

Lafayette Reservoir Walk

Employment Law Update, Part II*

CCCBA’s Solo/Small Firm Section is kicking off the New Year and its Wellness Initiative with a family- and dog-friendly walk around the Lafayette Reservoir. The Res is about three miles, it takes about an hour. There is a small fee for parking. Join us!

Due to the large number of legislative changes and precedential decisions, the 2020 Employment Law Update will be held on two days: January 9 and on January 28. Breakfast will be provided.

Time: Meet at 10:45 am; Walk begins 11:00 Location: Meet at the trailhead at west end of parking lot, Lafayette Reservoir RSVP: Online at www.cccba.org/attorney/calendar More Info: Contact Anne K. Wolf at (925) 370-2540 or awolf@cccba.org

Speakers: Anjuli Cargain, David Ratner and Marta Vanegas Time: 8:30 am – 10:30 am Location: CCCBA Building Conference Room, 2300 Clayton Rd., First Floor, Concord MCLE: 1.5 hrs. General Cost: $15 Employment and Law Student Section members, $20 CCCBA members, $25 non members Register: Online at www.cccba.org/attorney/calendar More Info: Contact Anne K. Wolf at (925) 370-2540 or awolf@cccba.org *Part I scheduled for January 9.

January 31 | CCCBA

February 6 | CCCBA

Officer Installation Lunch & Diversity Awards

Lunar New Year Celebration

Join the leadership of the CCCBA as we celebrate CCCBA members. Presiding Judge Barry Baskin will give a State of the Judiciary address before swearing in the 2020 Board of Directors and Section Leaders. The 3rd Annual Diversity Awards will be presented to qualifying law firms. Time: 11:30 am - 1:15 pm Location: Contra Costa Country Club 801 Golf Club Rd., Pleasant Hill Cost: $50 CCCBA members, $35 for Law Student Section members, $45 for members of the Barristers and Legal Support sections, $60 non-members RSVP: Online at www.cccba.org/attorney/calendar More Info: Contact Anne K. Wolf at (925) 370-2540 or awolf@cccba.org

Celebrate Lunar New Year with the CCCBA! Join fellow members and local judges to enjoy delicious food and drink and welcome the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Rat. Time: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Location: Sichuan House, 2064 Treat Blvd., Walnut Creek Cost: $35 CCCBA members, $25 for Law Student Section members, $50 non-members RSVP: Online at www.cccba.org/attorney/calendar More Info: Contact Anne K. Wolf at (925) 370-2540 or awolf@cccba.org See ad on page 41.

CCCBA & Solo February 12 | Small Firm Section

Your Law Practice Roadmap #2 Retainers, Trusts and Bills, Oh My! This session will deal with the sometimes painful and always delicate process of talking to your clients about money: Fee Agreements; Trust Accounting; Billing Clients, and more. Speakers: Heidi Coad-Hermelin, Carol Langford, Jen Lee Time: 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Location: John F. Kennedy University College of Law, 100 Ellinwood Way, Room S209-S213, Pleasant Hill MCLE: 1 hr. General credit Cost: Members: $20/Session or $150/Series Non members: $40/Session or $300/Series Law Student Section Members $10/Session or $70/Series Register: Online at www.cccba.org/attorney/calendar More Info: Contact Anne K. Wolf at (925) 370-2540 or awolf@cccba.org See ad on page 33.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION CONTRA COSTA LAWYER

February 21 | Barristers Section

Feb. 28 - Mar. 1 | CCCBA

Bridging the Gap 2020

Bay Area Women Lawyers Retreat

New Lawyers, Young Lawyers, Lawyers New to the County?

Leap into the next phase of your career

Take this opportunity to get acquainted with the Contra Costa County Bar Association, the Contra Costa County Superior Court, local judges, local practitioners... and much more! Lunch with a local judge is included. Happy Hour follows the program.

Amazing speakers, networking, relaxation & 6 hours of MCLE! Time: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm Location: The Lodge at Sonoma, 1325 Broadway, Sonoma MCLE: 6 hrs. Elimination of Bias credit

Time: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

Cost: $325 plus cost of lodging

Location: CCC DA’s Office Community Rm., 900 Ward St (Enter on Court St), Martinez

MCLE: 4 hrs. General credit

More Info: Contact Theresa Hurley at (925) 370-2548 or thurley@cccba.org. See ad on page 42.

Cost: Waived for New Admittees, $10 for Barristers Section members, $35 for CCCBA members, $45 for non members

Congratulations to Winners of the Minority Bar Coalition Unity Awards 2019

Lisa Roberts

March 11 |

Estate Planning & Probate Section

The Price of Paradise - Hawaii Estate Tax Applied to Non-Residents Speaker: Daniel C. Vermillion Hawaii’s estate tax can snare unwitting non-residents who own real property there. Mr. Vermillion’s presentation will include a general discussion of Hawaii’s estate tax and how it is applied to non-residents, including some structures that advisors can offer clients to possibly avoid its application. Time: 11:30 am – 1:15 pm Location: Massimo’s Ristorante, 1604 Locust St., Walnut Creek MCLE: 1 hr. Estate Planning & Probate Specialization credit Cost: $35 Members of the Estate Planning & Probate Section, $40 CCCBA Members, $50 Non members Register: Online at www.cccba.org/attorney/calendar More Info: Contact Anne K. Wolf at (925) 370-2540 or awolf@cccba.org

JANUARY 2020

& Solo Small March 11 | CCCBA Firm Section

Your Law Practice Roadmap #3 Clients: Getting Them, Keeping Them and Saying Goodbye This session will deal with client relationships - beginning to end: Moderate Means, LRIS; Online advertising; Networking Shared offices; Chamber of Commerce; Business networking advisors; Evaluating potential clients – red flags; Substitution of attorneys - rules; and more.

Gina D. Boer

Speakers: Barbara Arsedo, David Erb, Marie Quashnock, Alay Yajnik Time: 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Location: John F. Kennedy University College of Law, 100 Ellinwood Way, Pleasant Hill MCLE: 1 hr. General credit Cost: Members: $20/Session or $150/Series Non members: $40/Session or $300/Series Law Student Section Members $10/Session or $70/Series Register: Online at www.cccba.org/attorney/calendar More Info: Contact Anne K. Wolf at (925) 370-2540 or awolf@cccba.org See ad on page 33.

Mika Domingo In November, three CCCBA members were honored by the Minority Bar Coalition with Unity Awards for diversity efforts. Lisa Roberts was the recipient of the CCCBA award, Mika Domingo was the recipient of the award from California Women Lawyers and Gina D. Boer was the recipient of the award from the Women Lawyers of Alameda County. Congratulations to all!

Friday, January 31, 2020 11:30 am - 1:15 pm Contra Costa Country Club

ANNUAL OFFICER INSTALLATION LUNCHEON & DIVERSITY AWARDS

801 golf Club road, Pleasant Hill

Presiding Judge Barry Baskin will give a State of the Judiciary address before swearing in the 2020 Board of Directors and Section Leaders.

OFFICERS TO BE INSTALLED

We will present the third annual CCCBA Diversity Award to qualifying law firms.

BOARD MEMBERS: Oliver Greenwood, President | Nicole Mills, President-elect Mika Domingo, secretary | Dorian Peters, treasurer James Wu, Past President

SECTION LEADERS Robert B. Jacobs: aDr Gary A. Watt: appellate David Arietta: Bankruptcy Law Rebecca Jones: Barristers Jeff Micklas: Business Law Joseph Tully: Criminal Law Marie Quashnock: east County Douglas W. Housman: elder Law David Ratner: employment Kathryn Korn: estate Planning & Probate Shannon Wolfrum: family Law Marco Garzon: Immigration Law

Joseph R. Snyder: Intellectual Property Rhonda Wilson-Rice: Juvenile Jennifer Spalding & Amrieka Takhar: Law student Julie R. Woods and Jaime B. Herren: Litigation Timothy Maes: real estate Lorraine Walsh: senior Heidi Coad-Hermelin & Anina Dalsin: solo Practice & small firm Rita Holder: taxation Harpreet K. Sandhu: West County Rachel Leonard: Women

$50 CCCBA Members $45 Barristers & Legal Support $35 Law Students $60 Non-members

THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS GOLD LEVEL

SILVER LEVEL

Candelaria Law Offices

Mora Employment Law

Ropers Majeski Kohn Bentley PC

BRONZE LEVEL Washington & Associates

Questions? contact Anne Wolf at (925) 370-2540, awolf@cccba.org or visit www.cccba.org.

Deposition Reporting in Contra Costa County since 1986

Trusted with the Bay Area’s most complex cases, Diablo Valley Reporting Services has been part of the legal landscape for more than 30 years. Contra Costa County attorneys have come to rely on DVRS as a firm that is large enough to handle the most challenging cases, but small enough to provide the utmost in personal and professional service. • • • • • •

Proud to Partner with Some of the Area’s Best Certified Shorthand Reporters Leading Technology Personal Service and Delivery Deposition Suites and Conference Rooms Available Centrally Located in Downtown Walnut Creek, near BART A Loyal Supporter of the Contra Costa County Bar Association for Three Decades

2121 N. California Blvd., Suite 290, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 • dvrs2121@yahoo.com

DIABLO VALLEY REPORTING SERVICES

JANUARY 2020

925.930.7388