With a New Lobbyist the Conference Gets a Shot in the Arm

The 2000 annual conference of the State Bar took place from September 14 to 17 in San Diego. And, like the proverbial phoenix rising from its ashes, the Conference of Delegates began a new life. "The Conference" serves as a forum for bar members to debate proposed resolutions. It is the first step in a process that allows lawyers to make changes to various aspects of California law. Local bar associations send their members as "delegates" to attend the conference and vote on the resolutions.

The Conference is held concurrently with the State Bar's annual meeting. There is no magic to becoming a delegate. Anyone with an interest in participating may join the county bar's delegation. When signing up to attend the State Bar's Annual Meeting, you pay the same fee that regular attendees pay, and you simply designate the fee for the conference where indicated on the sign-up form. The fee is in lieu of the regular admission fee you would otherwise pay to attend the meeting. You are still entitled to attend all MCLE classes and other events sponsored by the State Bar. At the same time, you can also participate in the conference as a delegate.

The last time the State Bar Meeting was held in San Diego was 1997. The governor, you may recall, was Pete Wilson. At the time, both the conference and the State Bar were going strong. A short time later, on grounds that seemed to stem largely from personal, political reasons, Governor Wilson vetoed the State Bar dues bill. As a small portion of the dues provided funding for the conference, the effect was drastic. The State Bar itself was largely put out of business for the next two years.

For the past three years the Conference has limped along without a lobbyist. As a result, many of the best ideas passed as resolutions did not make it to the legislature for a chance to become law. The future of the conference was unclear. Nonetheless, a few diehard "bar junkies" recognized the tremendous benefits the Conference provided for the legal profession and fought for its survival. After all, it is practicing attorneys who deal with the statutes on a regular basis. In the context of their legal practices, they often recognize what works and what does not. These individuals can have a beneficial impact on all attorneys when they seek to change a particular statute through participating in the Conference. One such individual, fighting to keep the conference alive was Sacramento lawyer Diane Wasznicky, who culminated her three year term on the Conference's Board of Governors by serving as the chair of the entire conference in 2000. It was Wasznicky who was able to announce upon the Conference's return to San Diego that it was once again going to be able to hire a lobbyist paid with the voluntary contributions of delegates.

So, you may be saying to yourself about now, "OK! This sounds interesting, but is it really worth my while?" Well, ask yourself this. What are the two main reasons people go to the State Bar Conference anyway? Primarily to obtain MCLE credits and to socialize, right? Attending as a delegate gives you an opportunity to do both. I've already mentioned that paying a delegate's fee entitles you sign up for any MCLE classes offered by the State Bar. Many of the delegates frequently take time off from the conference to attend classes and then return to the conference floor to debate resolutions. In addition, SCBA sponsors a hospitality suite where delegates meet every day at noon to discuss various issues over a buffet lunch. It is the people that make attending a conference so much fun. In addition, the connections established over the course of a conference can be some of the most rewarding contacts you will ever make in your professional career.

Despite the need to conduct business during the conference, there are occasional opportunities for a little fun too. Because Wasznicky was leading the conference, the Sacramento delegation opened the conference with a procession around the conference hall to the theme song from Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. Wearing "SacraTomato" T-shirts and hats, delegates let down their hair and threw out tomato-shaped stress balls to the delegates assembled on the conference floor. The stress balls became a hot collector's item at the conference. They were considered far superior to the "mini sombreros" given out by the host San Diego delegation.

Next year's conference will be held in Anaheim from September 6 through September 9, 2000. Plan on attending! Bring the whole family! They can visit Disneyland while you attend the conference. To become a member of the Sacramento delegation, simply contact Carol Prosser at the bar office, 448-1087. Or visit our web site at http://www.sacbar.org/conf.html. You can join the Conference of Delegates Listserv and receive e-mail announcements of our upcoming events.

As a member of the Sacramento delegation, you can participate in one or more of the substantive groups such as criminal law, civil procedure, family law, probate, business law, or labor law. The first full delegation meeting will take place in late January. At that time we will take any and all proposals for resolutions that our members wish to offer. You certainly don't have to carry a resolution to participate in the conference, but it is a worthwhile experience to do so. We will then have additional meetings through the year, culminating in a Saturday meeting shortly before the State Bar Convention where we take a formal position on every resolution as a full delegation. Although each delegation takes a formal position, delegates are always free to vote their conscience once they are on the floor. (Al Gore only wishes the same applied to the Electoral College). So come on, give it a try. I guarantee that you will have a good time. We'll see YOU in Disneyland.

[W. Stuart Home, III is an associate with the Sacramento office of Borton, Petrini & Conron, LLP and is the current Chair of the Sacramento County Bar Delegation.]