COVID-19 Announcement
Friends, Members, and Community:
We know you, our members, clients and staff are contending with disruption and great uncertainty amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We truly appreciate all of you and extend our heartfelt well -wishes.
To reduce the spread of COVID-19, effective Monday, March 16, 2020, the San Mateo County Bar Association is closed to the public but continues to work remotely. The closure will remain in effect until the San Mateo County Health Department’s “Shelter At Home” order is lifted. We are closely monitoring recommendations from local and national health authorities, such as the San Mateo County Health Department, John Hopkins University, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Wold Health Organization (WHO).
SMCBA continues to be here to help! We have been operating with less than usual staff and we are doing everything in our power to keep our programs running. Please rest assured that the San Mateo County Bar Association remains active and continues to take calls and e-mails from potential clients, members, and those with urgent matters.
SMCBA has cancelled all non-essential meetings. Committee and Section meetings are conducted virtually. The Bar Association and its various sections continue to offer our members a variety of legal education webinars. Visit our Calendar of Events for the latest event information.
The Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) Program continues to issue referrals online and over the phone. Please note, for now now, consultations will only be provided by phone. To obtain a referral to a lawyer, please contact the Lawyer Referral Service at (650) 369-4149 Monday-Friday from 8:30am-4:30pm or obtain a self-referral online. We are doing our best to handle the volume of phone calls we have been receiving. Please bear with us as you may experience longer than usual phone wait times.
For the latest information on how to get legal help and access resources click on our “Other Resources” page.
SMCBA members are encouraged to do business by phone (650) 298-4030, email membership@smcba.org or by fax (65) 368-3892.
Thank you for your patience and for helping us keep SMCBA a healthy and safe place for all. Please be safe and healthy!
Your SMCBA Team.
Dine for a Day Fundraiser – Nov 4th
We invite you to support us during our Dine for a Day Fundraiser on Thursday, November 04, 2021, from 10 AM to 7 PM, at Erik’s Delicafe-Redwood City.
The San Mateo County Bar Association partnered with Erik’s DeliCafe to fund-raise for the Lawyer Referrals Service (LRS) Program’s Fee Waiver Project. The LRS Program is a non-profit service of the Association that assists members of the public with finding a qualified lawyer. Thanks to this essential program, clients receive the opportunity to consult with a lawyer and potentially find legal assistance/representation. The proceeds of this fundraiser will help cover the administrative fee for our low-income population that was severely affected by the ongoing pandemic.
You can contribute to these efforts by dining-in or placing a take-out/delivery order from Erik’s Delicafe in Redwood City between 10 AM to 7 PM, on November 04, 2021. Erik’s Delicafe will donate a portion of their entire day’s sales to the SMCBA’s LRS Program. Please note, our fundraiser does not include gift card purchases or catering. No paperwork is required – just show up!
If you are not able to attend but wish to make a donation, you can do so through our secure payment portal here.
Date: Thursday, November 04, 2021
Time: 10 AM to 7 PM
Location: 400 Walnut Street
Redwood City, CA 94063
To order online, scan the QR Code or visit order.eriksdelicafe.com and select the location: Redwood City.
For take-outs, call (650) 364-1717.
We truly hope we can count on your support!
Employment Litigation & Bankruptcy: The Basics – October 28th
Employment Litigation & Bankruptcy: The Basics
Thursday, October 28, 2021
12:00-1:15 p.m.
Via Zoom
For many lawyers, bankruptcy is an unknown and unfathomable mysterious black box into which claims and lawsuits fall into, never to be seen again. This presentation will provide a high level overview of what happens if your client or the other side files for bankruptcy during your case. Our speaker will address what happens to the existing lawsuit? What options a lawyer has without violating the automatic stay? How the claim is treated? And what happens to your fees as counsel.
Our speaker, Brian Irion was admitted to the California bar in 1985. His practice includes business law & litigation, real estate law & litigation, collections, intellectual property litigation and bankruptcy. He has published a number of articles on unfair business practices related to hiring of employees, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Brown Act, and bankruptcy among other areas. He also has served as a judicial arbitrator, settlement judge pro tem for our municipal courts before consolidation, and since 1994 as a judge pro tem in unlawful detainers, small claims court, small claims appeals and other areas in San Mateo County. He established a debtor practice in 2007 and has filed hundreds of bankruptcy cases in the Northern and Central districts of California ever since.
You will receive one hour of General Law MCLE credit for attending this event. MCLE certificates will be made available in the week following the event.
Cost: $20 for Labor & Employment 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 – 2021 Annual Judges’ Luncheon – October 28th
Barristers Section – 2021 Annual Judges’ Luncheon
Thursday, October 28, 2021
12:15-1:30 p.m.
Via Zoom
Please join the SMCBA Barristers’ Section for their 2021 Annual Judges’ Luncheon featuring Judge Amarra Lee on Thursday, October 28, 2021 at 12:15 p.m.
This is a convivial meeting to honor our esteemed Bench and welcome new members of the Bar. This is a wonderful opportunity for new attorneys to meet the Bench and Bar members. The Barrister of the Year Award will also be presented to Roxanne T. Jen.
Cost: This event is free! We encourage you to sponsor the event.
Registration: Please log-in on the SMCBA website to register for this event.
Sponsorships: If you would like to donate to the Barristers to help sponsor this event please select one of the following sponsorship opportunities.
- Gold Sponsor $300: Large color logo published in virtual background, Program recognition, Sponsorship of meals for 3 judges
- Silver Sponsor $200: Firm logo published in virtual background, Program recognition, Sponsorship of meals for 2 judges
- Bronze Sponsor $100: Recognition in event promotion, Sponsorship of 1 judge
To sponsor, please complete the Sponsorship Form and return to: Mallory Barr, Barristers Treasurer: 111 W Saint John St., Ste 700, San Jose, CA 95113, mallory.barr@costanzo-law.com.
*Contributions or gifts to the San Mateo County Bar Association are not deductible as charitable contributions for Federal income tax purposes. Sponsorships, gifts or other payments to the San Mateo County Bar Association may be deductible under other sections of the Internal Revenue Code, please consult your tax advisor.
SMCBA – Diversity 13th Annual Speakers Series – Oct 21st
Thursday, October 21, 2021
5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.
San Mateo County History Museum
2200 Broadway
Redwood City, CA 94063
The Diversity Committee is proud to present its award-winning 13th Annual Speaker Series. This year, our annual Speaker Series event will be conducted live at the “The Old Courthouse,” on Thursday, October 21, 2021, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. You are invited to join us in person or virtually!
Our Guest Speakers this year included, Presiding Judge Leland Davis, III, Justice Teri L. Jackson, and Judge Erica R. Yew.
Presiding Judge Leland Davis, III received a B.A. Degree in Economics in 1980 from Stanford University and his J.D. Degree from Boalt Hall School of Law in 1983. Judge Davis got appointed to the San Mateo Superior Court bench by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2010, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Carol. L. Mittlesteadt. During his time on the bench, Judge Davis served as a Trial Judge, then as a Criminal Presiding Judge, and Civil Grand Jury Judge. From 2016 until 2018, Judge Davis served on the Appellate Panel and served as a Criminal Supervising Judge from 2017 to 2018. In 2019, he became the Assistant Presiding Judge and began his first term of Presiding Judge this year.
Justice Teri L. Jackson received her B.A. in 1977 from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she majored in politics. She earned her J.D. in 1980 from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. Justice Jackson was appointed to the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, in November 2019 by Governor Gavin Newsom. The Commission on Judicial Appointments confirmed her appointment in January 2020. She is the first female African-American justice on the state’s First District Court of Appeal. Justice Jackson serves as an associate justice in Division Three. As of July 9th, the Governor nominated Justice Jackson for the position as the Presiding Justice, Div. 5, 1DCA.
Judge Erica R. Yew was appointed to the Santa Clara County Superior Court in 2001 as that court’s first female Asian American Pacific Islander judge. She has served on the California Judicial Council, the Commission on Judicial Performance (for which she served as Chair) and the NAPABA Judicial Council (for which she served as president) among other entities. Currently, she serves on the Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Ethics Opinions and the California Access to Justice Commission. She is newly appointed to the board of the National Center of State Courts, and she will join the California Judges Association Board later this year.
The following recognitions will be made at the event:
Les Williams Award
The Diversity Award recognizes an individual or organization who has demonstrated a meaningful and consistent commitment to increasing and maintaining diversity in San Mateo County at all levels of the legal profession. There is still time to nominate others who deserve recognition for their commitment to promoting equality.
Nancy de Ita Scholarship
The Scholarship is given to an incoming/current law student, or recent graduate who has not passed the bar exam to encourage and support their commitment to the legal profession and diversity in our community.
This event is also going to be streaming live via zoom. If you wish to attend virtually, please note that the event will be broadcasted from 5:45pm – 7:00pm.
Cost of Attendance: This event is FREE for SMCBA members . For non-SMCBA members, the cost of attendance is $40 (in-person) and $20 (virtually).
1 Hour of Elimination of Bias MCLE will be provided upon request for an additional $10.
Sponsorship Opportunity: Become an Event Sponsor for $500. Sponsorship includes: SMCBA goody bag, Recognition in Event Announcements, and Visual Recognition (Firm Logo) at Event. For more information about sponsorships, please contact us at Events@smcba.org.
Advanced Planning — A Decade in Review: What Have We Learned Over the Last Decade and Where We Are Headed (As seen in CA T&E Quarterly) – October 21st
Advanced Planning — A Decade in Review: What Have We Learned Over the Last Decade and Where We Are Headed (As seen in CA T&E Quarterly)
Thursday, October 21, 2021
12:00-1:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
We are excited to present San Mateo County attorneys Melissa Karlsten and Chelsea Suttmann who will provide an overview of the estate and transfer tax changes over the last decade, considerations for future advanced planning, and an exploration of various techniques presently available to estate planners.
Cost: Cost is $20 per person for members of the SMCBA Estate Planning Section and $30 for others. Cost includes 1.0 hours of MCLE.
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 day before and morning of the event.
Contact Info for this Event: For questions about this event, please email smcba@gryphonevents.com or fax (510) 588-4543.
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.
All About Writs, with the California Appellate Law Group – October 8th
All About Writs, with the California Appellate Law Group
Friday, October 8, 2021
12:00-1:30 p.m.
Via Zoom
Please join the Family Law Section on Friday, October 8, 2021, for a presentation by three distinguished specialists, Robert Roth, Charles Kagay, and Susan Horst about family law writ petitions. Writs can be confusing and mysterious and can set the stage for dramatic reversals in litigation. We are excited that the California Appellate Project is joining us to shed some light on this power pre-trial procedural option.
Robert A. Roth has over 30 years’ experience as an appellate practitioner and more than 25 published appellate opinions that bear his name, and is widely regarded as one of the leading family law appellate specialists in California. He has won twice in the California Supreme Court, and represented the successful respondent in In re Marriage of Ostler and Smith (1990) 223 Cal.App.3d 33, which established the method California courts use to calculate division of bonus income. Mr. Roth was one of the first attorneys in California certified as an appellate specialist by the State Bar, and he has remained a certified appellate specialist for more than two decades. Mr. Roth frequently gives CLE presentations on appellate issues, and writes articles on matters related to appellate practice and family law. He also has extensive experience as an appellate mediator.
Charles Kagay has decades of appellate experience in both California and federal courts. He frequently handles appeals involving complex or novel legal questions, and his cases have addressed first-impression questions of civil procedure and statutory interpretation, including issues related to antitrust law, administrative law, physician credentialing, and anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) motions. He also handles trial court actions of an appellate nature, such as petitions for writs of administrative mandamus and bankruptcy appeals. Mr. Kagay has been certified as California appellate specialist by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California for the past 14 years.
Susan Horst is a specialist in writs of mandamus and prohibition in the California appellate courts. For more than 31 years, Ms. Horst served as the writ attorney for the California Court of Appeal for the First District, Division One, in San Francisco. Ms. Horst is one of the only practicing attorneys in California to have devoted virtually her entire career to appellate writs. As writ attorney in the First District, Susan evaluated thousands of pre- and post- trial writ petitions in all types of civil and criminal matters. In the process, she learned precisely what the justices on the Court of Appeal look for before taking the extraordinary step of granting writ relief — and what an opposing party needs to highlight to have the best shot at getting a petition denied. Ms. Horst’s three decades at the Court of Appeal gave her both extensive writing experience and a wide-ranging knowledge of substantive law.
One hour of MCLE Credit will be provided for attendance. Please log in on the SMCBA website to print out your MCLE certificate after 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.
Negotiation tactics and tips for Executive Employment Agreements & Severance Agreements – September 23rd
Negotiation tactics and tips for Executive Employment Agreements & Severance Agreements
Thursday, September 23, 2021
12:00-1:30 p.m.
Via Zoom
This presentation will focus on the important clauses to be aware of and negotiate for in Silicon Valley entrepreneur and executive employment and severance agreements. The presentation will also include a discussion of equity agreements, management carveout agreements and change in control agreements and factors to consider when things go bad and litigating for the entrepreneur or executive is required.
The speaker, Jotham Stein is the principal of the Law Offices of Jotham S. Stein P.C. Mr. Stein has more than two decades of experience representing entrepreneurs and C-Suite executives running myriad types of companies as well as less senior employees of all size companies. Mr. Stein has negotiated numerous employment agreements, separation agreements, M & A agreements, change in control agreements, stock option agreements, restricted stock agreements, management carve out agreements, non-compete agreements, and much more. For more information about Mr. Stein visit www.jotham.com.
You will receive one hour of General Law MCLE credit for attending this event.
Cost: $20 for Labor & Employment 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. If you are sending a check, make sure to note what event you are paying for 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.
Join our Board of Directors
The SMCBA Nominating Committee will soon be recommending a slate of nominees for the position of Secretary to serve for the calendar year 2022.We are seeking nominations for two new members of the Board of Directors to serve 1 one-year term to serve for the calendar year 2022 and 1 three-year term beginning in 2022 and ending in December 2024.
The Nominating Committee met in July and made recommendations to the Board for 2022. However, the Secretary position and two new board seats were created because the Governor elevated two current board members to the bench.
If you would like to be considered by the Nominating Committee, please submit a written application (in the form of a letter) addressing the following questions:
- Why are you interested in serving on the SMCBA board?
- Do you have any previous board service, leadership, or volunteer experience?
- Are you presently serving on other boards?
- How will the SMCBA benefit from your participation?
- What do you expect the SMCBA to do for you so that your experience on the Board turns out to be satisfying?
- What kind of time commitment will you be able to make to the SMCBA?
- Are you willing to serve on committees and task forces?
- Can we expect you to come to board meetings regularly?
Board members are expected to attend monthly board meetings (online for now). The Board meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month at noon. Board members should also be able to invest approximately 5 hours per month of volunteer time in planning and support activities.
To be considered for a nomination to the SMCBA Board of Directors, all applications must be received at the Bar Association office, whether by email or regular mail, NO LATER THAN 5:00 p.m., Friday, September 17, 2021. LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Send applications to:
Laura Mazza, Nominating Committee Chair
San Mateo County Bar Association
333 Bradford St., Suite 150
Redwood City, CA 94063
Email: SMCountyBar@smcba.org
(Please mail or email only, do not drop off in person)
The San Mateo County Bar Association thanks you in advance for your participation!
When is Enough, Enough? Judicial Trustee Removal and Trolan v. Trolan (As seen in California Trusts & Estates Quarterly) – September 16th
When is Enough, Enough? Judicial Trustee Removal and Trolan v. Trolan (As seen in California Trusts & Estates Quarterly)
Thursday, September 16, 2021
12:00-1:15 p.m.
Via Zoom
In 2019, the Court of Appeal published an opinion regarding the probate court’s sua sponte removal of co-trustees. Trolan v. Trolan, along with prior case law, provides important insight into the issue of trustee removal. Hoge Fenton attorneys Denise Chambliss and Ariel Siner will provide analysis and insight into the issue of trustee removal with recommendations for Dos and Don’ts in either petitioning to have a trustee removed or defending a trustee removal action.
You will receive one hour of General Law MCLE Credit for attending this event. MCLE certificates will be made accessible to attendees in the week following the event.
Cost: $20 for Estate Planning & Probate Section members and $30 for non-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.
Contact Info for this Event: For questions about this event, please email smcba@gryphonevents.com or fax (510) 588-4543.
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.