The State Bar of California attempted to sue LegalMatch on May the 4th 2020, for violating attorney referral laws. In November 2019 the California appeals court in Jackson v. LegalMatch found that LegalMatch, a service that matches clients with lawyers was a lawyer referral service (“LRS”) under California Business and Professions Code § 6155. After…
More regulatory responses to COVID-19
Following on from last month’s newsletter, we’ve put together the following list to examine different regulator responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here it is interesting to note the development and changes, as regulators begin to get a grasp on the crisis and develop innovative responses to meet the changing environment. If you have any questions…
Legal Market Landscape Report (July 2018)
Commissioned by the State Bar of California, July 2018, Professor William D. Henderson The Bar contracted with Professor William D. Henderson to conduct a landscape analysis of the current state of the legal services market, including new technologies and business models used in the delivery of legal services, with a special focus on enhancing access…
State Bar of California seeking public comments on regulatory reforms
The State Bar of California is seeking public comment on proposals for regulatory reform put forward by the Task Force on Access Through Innovation of Legal Services. The task force was set up to improve access to justice through regulatory reform, following a report in 2018 that suggested that regulation was limiting innovations which could…
California Bar exploring opportunities to deploy AI
The agency is examining how artificial intelligence could help it review misconduct complaints and administer the bar exam. The State Bar of California has started wading into the artificial intelligence waters. The agency is exploring ways AI could help bolster the efficiency of its attorney discipline system and assist with administering the bar exam. The…
California continues to debate division of regulation and representation functions
The California State Bar has been investigating the potential division of regulation and representation functions over the past five years. The Governance in the Public Interest Task Force concluded in 2017, launching a five-year strategic plan to “successfully transition to the ‘new State Bar’ — an agency focused exclusively on public protection through regulating the…
California prepares to lead US profession into non-lawyer ownership
Regulators are poised to consider radical rule changes that could decisively open the way to allowing non-lawyers into the legal profession of the US’s most populous state. The State Bar of California voted earlier this month to accept a report from legal academic Professor William D. Henderson calling for structural reforms to the way the…
State Bar of California publishes 2017 Annual Discipline Report
In 2017 the State Bar and its prosecutorial arm, the Office of Chief Trial Counsel, implemented a number of comprehensive structural and process re-engineering reforms designed to improve public protection for all California residents. Given the ambitious nature of these reforms, key measures from the report indicate a decline in short-term performance as compared to…
California probation materials
These materials were presented at the 2016 International Conference of Legal Regulators. Session title: I always feel like somebody’s watching me: reinstatement and supervision of lawyers on probation This paper includes the standard conditions and a compliance declaration. California probation materials
California discipline process
These materials were presented at the 2016 International Conference of Legal Regulators. Session title: Attorney Discipline System Intake and Investigation Procedures From Around the Globe: Comparative Analysis and Best Practices California discipline process overview California discipline process flowchart