Bar Council Keeping Busy

By Carol Prosser, SCBA Executive Director

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, the Bar Council decided to publish a periodic report of its activities in the Sacramento Lawyer. Due to an editorial error, this report was omitted from the last issue of the magazine.

Your Bar Council consists of: Stuart Home, President; Jack Laufenberg, First V.P.; Stacy Boulware Eurie, Second V.P.; Karen Stevens, Secretary Treasurer; Heather Hoganson, Lawrence Duran, Debra Huston, Bruce Timm (at-large members with terms ending 12/31/05); Keith Staten, Deborah Patterson, Bunmi Awoniyi, Mike Mills (at-large members with terms ending 12/31/06); R Todd Vlaanderen, Darrel Woo, Helene Friedman, Lara Dunbar (at-large members with terms ending 12/31/07); Mike Mireles, Asian Bar; James McFetridge, LRIS; Hooshie Broomand, Barristers' Club; Jonathan Huber, Christian Legal Society; Emory King, Conference of Delegates; Dan O'Donnell, Consumer Attorneys; Julie Raney, Federal Bar; Dennis O'Reilly, Indigent Defense Panel; Steve Picco, Italian American Attorneys; Richard Clark, SacLEGAL; Mike Lorilla, Section Representative; Arnold Samuel, Wiley Manual Bar Association; Barbara O'Hearn, Women Lawyers of Sacramento and Victoria Jacobs, Voluntary Legal Services Program.

In January the council voted a balanced budget for the 2005 year in the amount of $521,650. At the end of the first quarter 72 percent of the projected income had been deposited and only 27% expended.

President Home appointed co-chairs for all the major events of the year. These co-chairs were: Mike Mills and Todd Vlaanderen, Law Day; Bunmi Awoniyi and Lara Dunbar, Bench Bar Reception; Darrel Woo and Debra Huston, Annual Meeting; and Helene Friedman and Keith Staten, Holiday Cheer.

The council also voted to accept the updated policies and procedures as well as bylaws as presented by the Long Range Planning and Bylaws Committee. These updates are listed on the bar's website www.sacbar.org.

In February, the State Bar asked all local bars, large law firms and others in the legal community to join them in a Pledge Program for the American with Disabilities Act. The council voted to sign said pledge. The pledge states that SCBA will work collaboratively with the State Bar, the Judiciary, Law Schools, Law Firms, Governmental Agencies and other Bar Associations in furtherance of the objectives of the State Bar's program.

Deborah Patterson, an elected council member whose term ends 12/31/06, had to resign her seat. The Nominating Committee recommended Karen Goodman and the council unanimously accepted their recommendation. Karen took her position in May 2005.

James McFetridge, as Chair of the Lawyer Referral and Information Service, held a seat on the council. Jim was called to active military duty and will be serving in Kuwait until October 2006. Michael Bowman was named the new chair by Stuart Home. Council approved the appointment and Mike will officiate over the LRIS beginning May 2005.

Thadd Blizzard, Jay-Allen Eisen and Charity Kenyon presented a charter to form an Appellate Section. Council approved. The SCBA now offers 20 subsections.

The Minority Hiring and Retention Committee requested a name change to more appropriately reflect its mission. The council voted to approve the proposed name change to The Diversity Hiring and Retention Committee.

Presiding Judge of the Sacramento Superior Court, Michael G. Virga was nominated and approved by council to receive the Judge of the Year award, which was presented at the Bench Bar Reception.

September / October 2005