Join Lawyer Referral Service Program
Do you practice in San Mateo County?
The SMCBA is recruiting new panel members for the Lawyer Referral Service Program.
It is the mission of the Lawyer Referral Service Program to give as many people as possible access to competent legal assistance/representation. The success of the program lies in the work of lawyers, like you, who are willing to devote the time and effort necessary to make a difference. You too can be part of this mission by joining the LRS Program.
Join the Lawyer Referral Service Program today!
Funky Credit Day XXVIII – Jan 27, 2023
Friday, January 27, 2023
8:30 am – 5:15 pm
The Funky Credit Day Program is held each year for members of the State Bar of California who are actively practicing law. It is where you get those “funky,” hard to find credits. Our 2023 program will feature various presenters including attorneys and judges from San Mateo County Superior Court. Once again, this year in consideration of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we will deliver our annual event virtually.
This Special MCLE Program will feature a total of 8 hours:
4 hours of Legal Ethics
1 hour of Recognition & Elimination of Bias
1 hour of Implicit Bias
1 hour of General Law
1 hour of Competence Issues
Click here to view the Agenda!
Click here to view the Speakers!
Cost:$160* Pre-Registration: Payment must be received by 12/31/22
$185* Registration received after 1/1/23
$350* Registration received after 1/13/2023
* Additional $50 for Non-SMCBA Members.
It’s never too early to meet your MCLE requirement!
Registration:
Please register online or complete the registration form and email to events@smcba.org. If you wish to pay by check, please send your check payable to SMCBA, to: 333 Bradford St., Ste. 150, Redwood City, CA 94063, Attn: Funky Credit Day.
Cancellations must be received no later than 01/13/2023 for a refund of registration.
SCOTUS Recent Decision
The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization was an unprecedented move in which the Supreme Court has for the first time taken away a constitutional right (here the right for a woman to terminate a pregnancy prior to viability of the fetus) instead of broadening individual rights. While opinions surrounding abortion have long been controversial, the Supreme Court’s apparent abandonment of stare decisis and the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade at the earliest opportunity brings into question the intended purpose of the judicial process at the very highest levels in our country. If Supreme Court decisions can be so easily overturned, not due to any advancement in science or knowledge, but merely due to the individual and/or religious leanings of those on the bench, it appears that no case can truly be relied upon in our judicial system. As an Association, we find this troubling, and worry about the Supreme Court’s decision to turn matters of such grave import (including those related to bodily autonomy, equality based on race, religion, sex, etc.) over to state legislatures, in which women and minorities particularly are grossly underrepresented. We fear that the Supreme Court’s decision to leave basic civil and human rights as a matter to be decided state to state will have a staggeringly negative impact on low-income communities and those traditionally sidelined and marginalized in our country. In the coming months, we will be meeting with our sections and committees to determine how as an Association we might address this uncertainty. We hope to support those negatively impacted by this and potential future Supreme Court decisions which may further strip away constitutional rights in a way that will negatively affect our most vulnerable populations. We encourage ideas and suggestions from our members and hope you will reach out to our Bar leadership with your own thoughts.
Introducing Lexis+ Research Access – Sept 26th
LexisNexis invites you to attend a FREE CLE luncheon introducing Lexis+ Research Access. Join us on Monday, September 26, 2022, from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM at Par 3 at Poplar Creek Golf Course.
All members and prospective members of the LRS Program are welcomed to attend. This includes all attorneys who practice in San Mateo County and Santa Clara County.
Come out and learn more about the Lexis+ experience and how you can take advantage of this exclusive benefit. You won’t be disappointed!
Lunch will be served at 11:30 AM and the program will finish at 1:00 PM.
This event is being offered as a hybrid event. If you are not able to attend in person, you may join us virtually!
Please register online no later than September 22, 2022, and indicate your attendance preference. Virtual attendees will be emailed the Zoom link a day before the event.
For additional questions, please contact the LRS Program at LRSAttorney@smcba.org or call our office at (650) 298-4030.
LexisNexis is a State Bar certified MCLE provider and will be providing the MCLE.
View the attachments below to learn more about the Lexis+ Brief Analyzer
Women Lawyer’s Section – Networking, Marketing, and Rainmaking: Diving Back In After COVID-19 – June 2
Women Lawyer’s Section – Networking, Marketing, and Rainmaking: Diving Back In After COVID-19
Thursday, June 2, 2022
12:00-1:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Please join the Women Lawyers’ Section on Thursday, June 2, 2022 for our next Power Hour as we share our experiences and talk about different ways we can “dive back in” to networking, marketing and rainmaking as the world opens back up after COVID-19. All levels of legal experience are welcome!
Power Hours are open forums for our section members to connect, share and learn from one another’s experiences, facilitated by moderators to encourage conversation. Please feel free to submit discussion points in advance of the event to lauren@lmgwfamilylaw.com and jfunke@sflg.com.
Cost: Free for members and nonmembers.
Consistent with our prior virtual presentations, all attendees must register online prior to the event. Online registration will close on the morning of the event.
Registration: Please log in on the SMCBA website to register for this event.
Family Law Section – Complex Business Valuation – June 10
Family Law Section – Complex Business Valuation
Friday, June 10, 2022
12:00-1:30 p.m.
Via Zoom
Please join the Family Law Section on Friday June 10, 2022 for a presentation by Neil Beaton. This presentation will cover early-stage business valuation and the complexity of analyzing the value of venture backed businesses with no income and intangible assets.
Neil Beaton is the Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal Valuation Services in Seattle, WA. With more than 25 years of experience analyzing both closely and publicly held companies, Mr. Beaton has particular expertise in the valuation of early-stage, venture-backed companies and has written and spoken extensively on valuation techniques for companies with complex capital structures. He has valued companies in most major industry groups including manufacturing, utilities, telecommunications, oil and gas, transportation, wholesale, retail and service industries both domestically and internationally. Mr. Beaton is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA). He is accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) and Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF), and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the CFA Institute and the American Society of Appraisers. In addition, he is a frequent lecturer at local universities, an instructor for the AICPA’s business valuation courses and speaks nationally on business valuation with a special emphasis on early stage and high technology companies.
You will receive 1 hour of General Law MCLE credit, including 1 hour of Family Law Legal Specialization credit, for attending this event. MCLE certificates will be made available in the week following the event.
Cost: $30 for Family Law Section members and $40 for non-section members.
Registration: Please log in on the SMCBA website to register for this event. If you wish to pay by check, please still register online first and send your check payable to SMCBA, to: 333 Bradford St., Ste. 150, Redwood City, CA 94063. Attn: Events. *Please note for which event you are paying and the name of the attendee.
Logistics: Your Zoom credentials will automatically be emailed to you shortly after you register online, as well as the day and hour before the event. Please note that you’ll need to be logged into a Zoom account to join the webinar. The written materials for the webinar will be emailed to attendees the morning of the event.
Cancellations must be received at least 48 hours prior to the event for a full refund of the registration fee. If you do not cancel within 48 hours or do not show up to the event, you will be charged the full amount.
Estate Planning/Probate Section – Corporate Crossover Issues with Estate Planning: Current Developments and What Estate Planners Should Know About the Corporate Transparency Act – June 16
Estate Planning/Probate Section – Corporate Crossover Issues with Estate Planning: Current Developments and What Estate Planners Should Know About the Corporate Transparency Act
Thursday, June 16, 2022
12:00-1:15 p.m.
Via Zoom
Martin Behn and Brendan Lund will discuss updates in the law for LLCs/LPs; what the new corporate transparency act means for LLCs/LPs/C-Corps/S-Corps and how to comply with the law (as we know it today, or what requirements there will be), penalties associated with the Corporate Transparency Act, and those that can apply to practitioners that setup the corporations; and also crossover issues with estate planning (beyond discounts for FLPs and sales), like why we would use an LLC to shield liability on personal residences during construction, or how we use them to shield true ownership of the LLC/LP in home purchases.
Cost: $20 for Estate Planning/Probate Section members and $30 for non-section members.
Registration: Please log in on the SMCBA website to register for this event. If you wish to pay by check, please still register online first and send your check payable to SMCBA, to: 333 Bradford St., Ste. 150, Redwood City, CA 94063. Attn: Events. *Please note for which event you are paying and the name of the attendee.
Logistics: Your Zoom credentials will automatically be emailed to you shortly after you register online, as well as the day and hour before the event. Please note that you’ll need to be logged into a Zoom account to join the webinar. The written materials for the webinar will be emailed to attendees the morning of the event.
Cancellations must be received at least 48 hours prior to the event for a full refund of the registration fee. If you do not cancel within 48 hours or do not show up to the event, you will be charged the full amount.
Barristers Section – Hike and Lunch with the Barristers at Pulgas Ridge in Redwood City – June 18
Barristers Section – Hike and Lunch with the Barristers at Pulgas Ridge in Redwood City
Saturday, June 18, 2022
10:00 a.m.
Pulgas Ridge Reserve
1000 Edmonds Rd.
Redwood City, CA 94062
Please join the Barristers Section on Saturday, June 18, 2022 for a hike and lunch at Pulgas Ridge. Children are welcome but the hiking trail is narrow and may be difficult to navigate with a stroller. Dogs are allowed and must be on a leash except when in off-leash area. We look forward to seeing you on the trail!
Directions:
Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve is located in the hills above the towns of San Carlos and Redwood City. From Highway 280, exit Edgewood Road. Travel 0.75 miles northeast on Edgewood Road toward Redwood City. Turn left (north) on Crestview Drive, then immediately turn left on Edmonds Road. Follow Edmonds Road to the preserve entrance on the right.
Cost: This event is free.
Registration: There is no registration!
Criminal Law Section – Fighting Wrongful Convictions – May 6
Criminal Law Section – Wrongful Convictions
Friday, May 6, 2022
12:00-1:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Join the Criminal Law Section on Friday, May 6, 2022 for a noon webinar presentation by Attorney Aaron Aguas-Rao of the Northern California Innocence Project. This presentation will provide a general and introductory overview of what attorneys should know about wrongful convictions. It will include an overview of the important work the Northern California Innocence Project does. Ms. Aguas-Rao will explain why wrongful convictions occur, and how California Penal Code 1473, Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963) and Schulp v. Delo 513 U.S. 298 (1995) apply.
Attorney Aaron Aguas-Rao got her BA at the University of California at Los Angeles and her J.D. at George Washington University.
Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963) was a case where a Maryland jury found both John Brady and Charles Boblit guilty of first degree murder. Brady said he only participated in the robbery, but not the killing. Both men got the death penalty. After the trial, Brady found out that Boblit had confessed to the murder, but the prosecution suppressed the evidence during Brady’s trial. The Maryland Court of Appeals held that the suppression of the confession denied Brady due process and they remanded the case to be considered of punishment only.
Schulp v. Delo 513 U.S. 298 (1995) was a case where a Missouri prisoner was convicted in participating in the murder of another inmate. The prisoner alleged constitutional error at his trial that deprived the jury of evidence that would have proved his innocence. The court said that Schulp could not satisfy the threshold showing of “actual innocence” required by Sawyer v. Whitley, 505 U.S. 333.
Cost: Free for section members and $10 for nonsection members. You will also receive 1 hour of MCLE credit!
Consistent with our prior virtual presentations that have qualified for MCLE credit, all attendees must register online prior to the event. Online registration will close on the morning of the event.
Registration: Please log in on the SMCBA website to register for this event.
Logistics: Your Zoom credentials will automatically be emailed to you shortly after you register online, as well as the day and hour before the event. The written materials for the webinar will be emailed to attendees the morning of the event.
Cancellations must be received at least 48 hours prior to the event for a full refund of the registration fee. If you do not cancel within 48 hours or do not show up to the event, you will be charged the full amount. You will receive 1 hour of General Law MCLE credit for attending this event. The MCLE certificates will be made available in the week following the event.
Barristers Section – Smart Strategies for Managing Student Loan Debt – May 10
Barristers Section – Smart Strategies for Managing Student Loan Debt
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
12:00-1:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Please join the Barristers section on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 for a virtual presentation where Chris Welton and our partner Sarah Johnston from Gradfin will be discussing Federal and private student loan repayments options and up-to-date legislation along with ideas to help borrowers with forgiveness, refinancing, and monthly payment options. Feel free to pepper us with your questions – your situation may not be as unique as you think – we’ve seen them all!
Chris Welton is a Wealth Management Advisor & Managing Director, Silicon Valley office at Northwestern Mutual where he leads a team who work together with their clients to implement a financial plan that integrates risk management, wealth management, tax-efficient strategies, and estate planning. Chris earned an undergraduate degree in Political Science, Magna Cum Laude from Amherst College in Massachusetts, an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and holds both Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designations. He and his wife Rosa live in San Mateo and love to cook, and are especially proud of all the vegetables they have grown in their garden during this pandemic!
Sarah Johnston leads the West Coast Business Development team for Gradfin based in Los Angeles. She focuses on the law community and has helped legal professionals save an average of $40K over the life of their loan. Sarah is a graduate from Arizona State University where she received a B.S. in Marketing.
Cost: free for members and $10 for nonmembers. Plus one hour of MCLE credit!
Consistent with our prior virtual presentations that have qualified for MCLE credit, all attendees must register online prior to the event. Online registration will close on the morning of the event.
Registration: Please log-in on the SMCBA website to register for this event. The Zoom invite and materials for the webinar will be emailed to attendees the day before and morning of the event.
Logistics: Your Zoom credentials will automatically be emailed to you shortly after you register online, as well as the day and hour before the event. The written materials for the webinar will be emailed to attendees the morning of the event.
Cancellations must be received at least 48 hours prior to the event for a full refund of the registration fee. If you do not cancel within 48 hours or do not show up to the event, you will be charged the full amount. You will receive 1 hour of General Law MCLE credit for attending this event. The MCLE certificates will be made available in the week following the event.