The LACBA Student Lounge Blog

Get a Job! The Legal Public Service Corps

The Legal Public Service Corps, created by the Los Angeles County Bar Association and its Litigation Section, brings public entities and nonprofit organizations together with recent law school graduates and attorneys whose careers have been disrupted by the current economic conditions. The goal of the Corps is to promote public service through pro bono activities and externships.

On Friday, September 11, 2009, LACBA will host a Legal Public Service Corps Career Day, where candidates will be able to meet face-to-face to discuss opportunities with organizations and entities with whom they would like to serve. The career day will take place at the LACBA offices at 1055 West Seventh Street in Downtown Los Angeles.

While no advance registration is required, candidates are strongly encouraged to contact the organizations for which they would like to serve and to provide them with the information requested in advance of the event. All inquiries should be addressed directly to the organizations.

Kaplan PMBR Launches Full-Service Bar Review in California

The BarBri class action has come full-circle in California as Kaplan PMBR has announced today that it will begin offering full-service bar exam preparation in California. Along with several other states to be added, this rollout means that the Kaplan full-service bar exam preparation will be available to more than two-thirds of all bar exam takers.

Although the Kaplan PMBR full-service program will be available in California to meet the needs of February 2010 bar exam takers, I suspect most who are already on the BarBri program won't jump ship. So, it may take some time for the new full-service program to get some traction in California. Based on the Kaplan website, which is a bit quirky (in Firefox), it looks like the California program could cost anywhere between $2750 and $3,400 and the site lists 31 sessions between January 4 and February 16 for the February 2010 bar exam.

At the end of the day, another major player in the California full-service bar exam preparation game will be great for California law students in a number of ways.

How do you think the entry of Kaplan PMBR full-service bar preparation in California will play out? Comment below.

Assembly Bill 390, Parking, and BART: Increasing Revenue, Decreasing Deficit

California legislatures are still considering the Big Five’s proposed budget cuts.  An additional potential solution to the crisis, however, is increasing city, county, and state revenues.    

In February, California Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, for example, proposed California legalize marijuana by passing Assembly Bill 390, the Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act.  Amiano argues the Bill would allow the state to regulate and tax the fourteen billion dollar marijuana industry, which would increase state revenue.

Bay Area cities are, on the other hand, looking for a less controversial solution.  In June, the city of Oakland announced it will increase parking meter rates and extend the hours of enforcement.  San Francisco is, likewise, considering installing more parking meters.  Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), the Bay Area’s primary public transportation provider, furthermore, recently increased its rates and implemented new parking fees. 

City officials recognize these measures alone will not solve the budget problems in either Oakland or San Francisco.  Still, officials believe increasing city revenues is better than nothing. 

While the legal and political processes behind the California state budget and Assembly Bill 390 remain incomplete, Bay Area drivers and commuters, will, therefore, do their part to help the economy, one quarter at a time.

California Budget and Angel Island: Passing the Budget, Surviving the Crisis

As immigration remains a controversial issue, the budget crisis recently threatened public access to some of the most historically significant immigration sites in the United States.

Earlier this summer, in an effort to remedy California’s budget crisis, Governor Schwarzaneger proposed California close 220 state parks.  The proposed closures included Angel Island, which houses the west coast’s primary immigration and quarantine facility of the mid 1800s to the mid 1900s. 

Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior approved the Fiscal Year 2010 Interior Appropriations Bill.  The Bill includes the authorization of a $38 million budget for the preservation of World War II Internment Camp Sites.  The Camp Sites housed west coast residents of Japanese decent during the War.

On Monday, California’s Big Five approved a similarly optimistic budget agreement.  Whereas the Governor’s previous proposal recommended the State cut approximately eighty percent of state park funds, this week’s budget cut less than twenty percent of the funds. 

Even if California legislatures approve the budget, the Park Department will still have to close some parks.  With the minimized cuts, however, it appears Angel Island will remain open.  Although the budget is facing a lot of opposition, the historical immigration sites will, therefore, likely survive the crisis. 

 

Los Angeles Superior Court Litigation Program

If you're a law student and you plan to be in a Los Angeles courtroom sometime in your career, this is a must attend event that you can list on your resume.

This program, presented by judges and prominent trial attorneys, offers a general overview of the Los Angeles Superior Court. The presenters share valuable ideas for successful pretrial and trial techniques and discuss common pitfalls to avoid in the courtroom. The first hour will involve court administration issues and alternate dispute resolution. Among the topics to be covered during the afternoon session are: opening statements, voir dire, cross-examination, and final arguments.

- Learn valuable ideas for successful pretrial and trial techniques.
- Learn common pitfalls to avoid in the courthouse.
- Learn about litigating in Los Angeles Superior Court.
- Obtain valuable handouts, including a syllabus on seminar topics and court research attorney checklist forms.
- Continental breakfast, breaks and lunch included.
- Parking is available at no charge at lot 17 (entrance is on the west side of Olive Street, just south of First Street).

Date: Saturday, August 8, 2009
Time: 8:30 am - 4:00 pm

LACBA Law student members: $30
Others: $110

Register online (and more information)

Register by phone: 213.896.6560

Southwestern Law School Faculty Update

Byron G. Stier
Byron Stier has been granted tenure and promoted to Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School. Professor Steir joined Southwestern in 2005 as an Associate Professor of Law. He became the first to teach one of Southwestern's innovative Capstone courses in Mass Tort Litigation and has also taught courses in the Legal Profession, Torts and Products Liability.

An expert in mass tort litigation, Professor Stier has handled a number of controversial cases of national interest and brings a unique insider's perspective to the law classroom.

Debra Lyn Bassett
Debra Bassett will join Southwestern Law School as a tenured Professor of Law and will teach Civil Procedure, Federal Courts and Complex Litigation.

Debra Bassett comes from the University of Alabama School of Law, where she has been Professor of Law and the Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. Scholar, teaching in the areas of civil procedure, complex civil litigation, federal courts and professional responsibility.

Caleb Mason
Caleb Mason has been appointed as Associate Professor of Law and will teach Constitutional Criminal Procedure and Evidence.

Caleb Mason served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of California, where he investigated and prosecuted a wide variety of federal crimes, including drug smuggling, gun trafficking, counterfeiting and environmental crimes.

Robert G. Popovich
Robert G. Popovich is a Visiting Professor of Law, from Pepperdine University School of Law, and will teach Community Property and Contracts.

Bridgette M. de Gyarfas
Bridgette M. de Gyarfas is a Visiting Professor of Law, from Concord University School of Law, and will teach Legal Analysis, Writing Skills (LAWS), Defense in the Law and Selected Topics in American Law.

Reuniting Families Act, Secure Fence Act, and District 9: Reporting Non-Humans

Although ethnic equality in America is becoming more of a reality, immigrating to the United States remains as challenging as ever. 

Current immigration policies are currently preventing nearly six million potential immigrants from reuniting with their family members in America.  The House of Representatives is, therefore, currently considering the Reuniting Families Act.  While the Act may remedy some aspects of the delay, illegally crossing the Mexico-U.S. border is still a frequently used alternative means of immigration.

Through Operation Gatekeeper, Operation Hold-the-Line, and Operation Safeguard, the U.S. Government previously tried to prevent this type of immigration.  Stemming from these initiatives, President Bush signed the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which dedicated efforts to building a 700 mile wall along the Mexico-U.S. border. 

Many believe this wall is a justified and effective tool to prevent illegal immigration. Those in opposition to the wall, however, argue the wall is causing people to use more dangerous routes to cross the border.  This increased danger is in turn increasing the number of deaths amongst potential immigrants.  Biologists similarly foresee the wall as threatening wild animals.  Right or wrong, the wall is, therefore, beginning to represent exclusion and similar anti-immigration sentiments. 

Meanwhile, and perhaps arising from these same concepts, District 9, a film about segregating aliens living on Earth from humans, is gaining attention and publicity.  Whether space alien or illegal alien, the film and reality, accordingly, suggest the golden door that once flung open to all, is now more reflective of a wall than a door.

Free Pastry at Starbucks: July 21

Law students have faithfully contributed to the enterprise of Starbucks for many years. Granted a venti drip may get you through a tedious gift tax lecture, you can expect even more on July 21. This coming Tuesday, look forward to a tasty pastry with your regular donation to the Starbucks empire, that is, if you have the coupon (below).

Simply print this coupon and take it to your local Starbucks.

Of course, every FREE offer has it's share of fine print and you will be held to the reasonable law student standard of care with this Starbucks offer. "Pastry" here only includes muffins, scones, bagels, croissants, rolls, breads, pound cakes,  morning bun, coffee cakes, cheese danish, apple fritter, doughnuts, tarts, pies, gluten free orange Valencia cake (whatever that is) and the tropical paradise bar.

Of course, we all know what a bagel is. Hard to argue that one. But, there may be an argument that a french press can be characterized as a tropical paradise bar. Or not....

Job Opening in Downtown Long Beach, CA

A small but mighty law firm by the name of Felahy & Associates is looking to hire a full-time law clerk starting this August. The firm focuses mostly on plaintiff-employment law, but offers a variety of services to its clients. It has a friendly, yet professional, atmosphere that makes working there a wonderful experience. The firm is looking for either evening law students that can work full-time, or newly graduated law students awaiting their bar results. Located in the heart of Downtown Long Beach, this firm provides ample opportunity to meet new people.

For more information, of if you're interested in applying, please send your contact info (along with resume) to: felahy.associates@gmail.com. Interviews will be held over the next few weeks. Good luck!

World Day & International Justice: Southwestern Law School

Presented by the International Court Alliance and the International Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, celebrate the 11th anniversary of the Rome Treaty of the International Criminal Court. This event will be held on Friday, July 17, 2009 from 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm at Southwestern Law School (Bullock's Wilshire Tower, Floor 2).

On July 17, 1998, the nations of the world agreed on terms of the Rome Treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the first and only permanent international criminal tribunal established to hold individuals accountable for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, including use of child soldiers, and widespread rape and mutilation used as weapons of war.

Join Antônia Pereira de Sousa, David Kaye, Edwin Smith and others to discuss the need for international cooperation to effect the goals of the ICC, why all nations should be parties to the Rome Treaty, and how you can help.

Speakers:
- ANTONIA PEREIRA DE SOUSA: Associate Cooperation Officer with the Jurisdiction, Complementarily and Cooperation Division (JCCD) of the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC, responsible for cooperation and external communication, and the focal point within the OTP for developing an international student network.
- DAVID KAYE: Executive Director of the UCLA School of Law International Human Rights Program.
- EDWIN SMITH: Professor Smith received his J.D. from Harvard Law School. He also served as special counsel for foreign policy to United States Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

Suggested donation: $10

More information.