Most if not all VCBA members have heard about the Ventura County Mexican American Bar Association (MABA) or have attended its events. But how many of us know about MABA’s origins going back to 1978? MABA was started by a core group of attorneys who were living and practicing law in Oxnard– Robert Guerra, Herman Mora, Frank Urias, Eloy Molina, Joseph Gallegos, Jose Ontiveras, and Judge Manuel Covarrubias – as well as other areas of Ventura County, like Ray Garcia inThousand Oaks. Each of these founders rotated to serve as MABA president. In these early years, MABA and its members felt more like outsiders and so this organization served as a sort of refuge. The original purpose of MABA was to foster networking and socializing among the small group of ten or so in the area who would meet informally on a monthly basis in the evening at places like Sal’s Mexican Inn and the Ranch House. These meetings would allow members to share ideas and address common issues. While this remains constant, MABA’s mission is now focused on the advancement of the legal profession and the empowerment of the Latino community through advocacy and the promotion of equal justice. As more Hispanic/Latino attorneys came into Ventura County, MABA’s membership gradually increased, and MABA members eventually got more involved in the VCBA and other sections, committees and affiliates.

As with other organizations, MABA had a short period of dormancy from the mid to late 1980s. Then, Oscar Gonzalez spurred MABA’s resurgence by serving as president for six years starting in 1990. As Oscar noted, “MABA has come a long way since then, and will continue to play an important role in advocating for diversity on the bench; the just allocation of legal resources; shedding light on the injustices; and, of course, scholarship dinners.” Judge Covarrubias sees MABA’s importance and direction as promoting collaboration, diversity, addressing poverty issues, maintaining scholarships and “serving all segments of society.” The future of MABA looks bright, led by current President Rennee Dehesa and other officers: Vice President Louis Kreuzer; long time Treasurer Andres Garcia; Secretary (and Facebook extraordinaire) Claudia Calderon; and Immediate Past President Rebeca Mendoza. One thing that makes MABA unique from other bar organizations is that it has board members who are nonattorneys, like other financial professionals (e.g., Carlos Delgado, Gustavo Macias). MABA currently has an active roster of over 35 paid members. Rennee’s focus this year has been to attract and increase membership of newer and younger members through social mixers aimed at introducing MABA and elevating its visibility in the community. As such, MABA is working on developing a membership directory on Facebook. MABA Board meetings are open to all, and are held the first Friday of each month at Rennee’s office. Another goal by Rennee has been to focus more on causes such as diversity on the bench through collaboration with other groups and being an active member organization in the Ventura County Diversity Bar Alliance. One particular idea that Rennee hopes that MABA will be able to implement in the future is on the education front – that is, a law academy to develop a curriculum in the high schools to encourage students to think about law school early on and to provide opportunities such as internships and mentoring with MABA members.

Another development in the past few years has been the formation of the Education Foundation of Ventura County MABA, Inc., which was incorporated through the assistance of longtime MABA board member (and VCBA past president) Ron Harrington and Steve Feder and then certified as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization by Santa Paula attorney Ben Schuck. The Foundation was created to better facilitate fundraising by attracting more corporate sponsors and donations for scholarships. Having a separate foundation also gives MABA the freedom to make judicial endorsements and do more community activism without running afoul of the charitable status of its foundation. The foundation has its own separate board headed by Rebeca Mendoza. The foundation has no members per se, but relies on MABA committee members to support and consult on all aspects for the annual Scholarship Dinner.

One thing that has remained consistent over the years is the great response and reception by the bench, bar and community to the cornerstone of MABA’s mission – the Scholarship Dinner. Typically, the dinner would raise several thousand dollars through ticket sales. Now, through the foundation, MABA hopes to award even more scholarships to worthy students and future leaders. In addition to scholarships, MABA has honored individuals who have made a difference and inspire all of us. There would also be a keynote speaker at these dinners, often distinguished judges, public figures, and prominent activists in the Hispanic/Latino community. As stated by Al Vargas, “MABA events are always a group effort. When I was president in 2009 we honored Alice McGrath, Justice Moreno and Justice Stone.”

This year’s MABA Scholarship Dinner will take place on Oct. 19 at the Courtyard Marriott in Oxnard. Mike Farrell of “M*A*S*H” fame will be the keynote speaker and will receive the President’s Award for his efforts on human rights and immigration reform. For all their tireless community work over the years, MABA will also be honoring Carmen Ramírez (a past president of MABA and VCBA) with the Access to Justice Award, and Tina Rasnow (a past president of VCBA) with theAlice McGrath Warrior for Justice Award. It will be an evening you won’t want to miss!

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2050, the number of Americans aged 65 and older is projected to be 88.5 million, more than double that group’s projected population in 2010. By 2030, nearly one in five U.S. residents will be aged 65 and older. With this trend, the demand for pro bono legal assistance to seniors and their caregivers in our communities is ever increasing. Those attorneys who practice in the area of estate planning, probate, and elder law know the extent of the need. With the guidance and support of Cheri Elson, who established the highly successful pro bono program at the Wellness and Caregiver Center in Camarillo, Terri Hilliard Olson wanted to replicate this same valuable service model in the Conejo Valley.

On April 17, Terri spearheaded the launch of Legal Concerns at Senior Concerns in Thousand Oaks. She serves on the board of directors of Senior Concerns, which is a private, non-profit adult day care facility for seniors, caregivers and their families dedicated to providing quality programs, support, information, resources and outreach since 1975. On May 31, Senior Concerns was honored with a Spirit of Community Award as Nonprofit Organization of the Year for 2012 by the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Community Foundation.

Legal Concerns will provide free legal and mediation services on the first and third Tuesdays of each month from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Senior Concerns office (401 Hodencamp Road). Clients will have scheduled one-hour appointments with an attorney volunteer on the panel, who will provide direction on end-of-life issues, drafting essential documents (e.g., health care directives, durable powers of attorney), and issues related to conservatorships. Appointments are already booked through December. This service is not based on financial need. When I attended the open house on April 17, I met a number of the volunteer attorneys who will serve on the pro bono panel, including Grant Pederson, Andrea Place, Cristian Arrieta, Annabelle Blanchard, and Libby Barrabee. At the open house, volunteers were given an orientation and training for the program and a tour of the Senior Concerns facility. Senior Concerns’ advocates will receive calls from clients, schedule appointments, prepare the initial intake, and handle follow up confirmations. As the program coordinator for Legal Concerns, Terri will be reviewing the intakes, coordinating with the volunteers, training, developing the forms and procedures, and providing any other assistance as needed. The word is starting to spread and more attorney volunteers have already signed up and are scheduled for appointments.

Often, seniors are just not aware of lesscostly options and legal solutions associated with planning ahead to ensure that they maintain control. Andrea Gallagher, president of Senior Concerns, and her team of advocates and care managers hear reallife problems that could have been solved or even avoided had these seniors or their caregivers been provided the proper advice and had the necessary legal documents in place. This pro bono service will help alleviate these issues and perhaps guide people in the right direction. The goal as stated by Scott Jones, an analyst for the Ventura County Superior Court, is to avoid having people go through the overextended and underfunded court system in terms of probate and court-appointed conservators. Programs like this will hopefully reduce the backlog of cases stuck in the courts. According to Gallagher, over 800 people are served/helped each year through Senior Concerns’ various programs such as Meals on Wheels, adult day care, senior advocacy services, and support groups. They also benefit countless others through different fundraising and community outreach events throughout the year. That’s why everyone is excited about this wonderful program, which will help keep vulnerable seniors safe and secure.

The response and support from the VCBA, the Estate Planning and Probate Section, VCBA members, as well as the court has been tremendously encouraging. VCBA’s Volunteer Lawyer Services Program (VLSP) will provide any administrative support including malpractice insurance to cover the volunteers. Terri sees this as a way for the public, who may not know which lawyer to call, to be able to tap into this resource of experienced, trusted and respected attorneys who can help answer questions and provide proper advice in a safe and comfortable environment. As volunteers in the pioneering Camarillo program can attest, a lot of advice can be given and many problems/issues can be resolved within the hour-long session. If clients need further assistance, however, the volunteer attorney can continue the relationship or refer them to another attorney who can meet their specific needs.

In the future, Legal Concerns would like to expand this idea to other senior centers in the East County. If more volunteers are found, there is no reason why they couldn’t have appointments on a weekly basis because the demand is certainly out there. If you are interested in assisting and would like to find out more information, please contact Terri Hilliard Olsen at terri@terrihilliard.com or (805)778-0111.

The American Inns of Court, which is perhaps the oldest, largest and fastest growing legal mentoring organization, is firmly rooted in the noble 800-year-old tradition of the Inns of Court in England. Local chapters of the Inns of Court provide a collegial atmosphere that encourages networking between all members, mentoring and skills development, the exchange of concepts, ideas and techniques important for every practitioner, and enhancing civility. It provides a valuable opportunity for newer attorneys to socially interact and work together on a less formal basis with judges and more seasoned attorneys. Participants often remain involved for many years and end up developing close ties and lasting friendships.

The Ventura County chapter was founded in 1995 by a core group including Justice Richard Aldrich, Judge Harry Walsh, Jim Armstrong, Richard Regnier, and James McGahan. Steve Henderson was instrumental in setting up our chapter as a 501(c)(3) organization, and has served as the CEO ever since. It was not until Judge David Long became president in 1996 that our chapter was named the Jerome H. erenson American Inn of Court (“JHB Inn”). Who was Jerome H. Berenson? After interviewing some of the founders, I learned that Judge Berenson was a partner in the Oxnard firm of Nordman, Berenson & Lewis, a past VCBA president in 1960, who then was appointed to the Ventura County bench in 1962. He was later elected as presiding judge and continued in that role for some 15 years until he retired in 1982.

The Inn meets for dinner the second Thursday of each month from September through May at the Saticoy Country Club in Somis. The group consists of eight teams of ten members each. Members of each team consist of judges, attorneys, and in some cases law students, and are slotted in three different levels: Masters (judges or seasoned attorneys with 20 or more years of experience); Barristers (five to 20 years’ experience); Associates (less than five years’ experience). Each year, JHB Inn presents two to three scholarships (to cover the dues) to law students to become team members for the whole year. This effort to extend the bar’s outreach and mentoring to local law schools has often resulted in these students becoming great attorneys who stay with the Inn, like Rachel Coleman. The team assignments are randomly drawn by the VCBA staff in July, and then any final tweaks are made by the Masters and Board. The 2010-2012 JHB Inn Board is led by President David Lehr, Treasurer Carol Woo, and Immediate Past President Alyse
Lazar. Next year, Lindsay Nielson will take the helm. Other board members include Judge Tari Cody, Judge Walsh, Richard Regnier, Katie Pietrolungo, and Panda Kroll. Dues range from $255-375, which mostly covers the food cost. Any remaining funds at the end of each year, is normally around $500-1,000, are donated to VCBA’s pro bono program (VLSP).

The educational function of Inns of Court is provided by the interesting, creative, practical, interactive team presentations on all areas of legal practice. One team is assigned to present each month. Whoever said that attorneys are dull has apparently never attended a JHB Inn meeting. The topics of each program are up to each team to develop as long as there is no duplication. One thing is for certain, the teams never fail to entertain (with elaborate/outlandish costumes, props, guests and animals), especially when they seek to outdo the other for the coveted James F. McGahan Memorial Excellence Award, a perpetual plaque with the names of each winning team member, which was first awarded in 2000- 2001 and every year since. This plaque once hung in Courtroom 22 during the time that Judge Long served as supervising civil/MSC judge. After Judge Long’s retirement, Judge Walsh has retained custody of it. During my recent visit to a meeting, I was treated to a “Wizard of Oz” program on attorney sanctions.

It’s not all fun and games, because, as new members soon learn, countless hours of script writing and role playing practice are contributed by each team member in order to bring everything together. The excellence Award is decided by the Masters and Board members who score each presentation after each monthly meeting. Teams are judged by criteria such as the topic’s timeliness and relevance, involvement of each team member, entertainment, creativity and innovation, educational value, and written materials. Recently, the score sheet was modified to add a category for projection of voice clearly and audibly. The difficulty is having that perfect balance of education while still being entertaining. Not only are members able to obtain their continuing legal education, but they also enjoy camaraderie, a nice setting and the delicious food offerings at the Club. As Associate James Perero jokingly refers to the experience, saying it is like the “Dungeons and Dragons” for lawyers. I too have fond memories of my previous stint in 2000-2001.

Every year, the national Inns of Court recognizes (for each of its seven regions) “a practicing judge or lawyer whose life and practice display sterling character and unquestioned integrity, coupled with ongoing dedication to the highest standards of the legal profession and the rule of law.” Our chapter recently nominated Judge Long, who has been a longstanding fixture of JHB Inn and has continually shown his dedication, for one of the 2012 Professionalism Awards. If you’re interested in participating in this unique and rewarding experience for the upcoming 2012-2013 term, now is the time to submit your application to Steve at the VCBA office.

In November 2008, Greg Ramirez brought all the minority bar leaders in Ventura County together for a meeting at the Tower Club to discuss his idea of working together on issues common to all of our respective communities. The top priority was increasing the diversity of our local bench. While some good suggestions were discussed at this first meeting, the idea only remained at the inception stage.

One of my initiatives this year as VCBA President has been to promote diversity and otherwise facilitate and make this idea a reality. Thus, in January, I called together the same minority bars to formally create and develop this coalition. The bar leaders are Rennee Dehesa, Jill Friedman, John Fukasawa, Alvan Arzu, Jessica Arciniega, Jodi Prior, Tina Rasnow, David McDonald, Kata Kim, and Carmen Ramírez, representing the founding member organizations: Ventura County Mexican American Bar Association, Women Lawyers of Ventura County, Ventura County Asian American Bar Association, and Ventura County Black Attorneys Association. We all agreed on the name Ventura County Diversity Bar Alliance (VCDBA). The VCDBA is being modeled after the pioneering and hugely successful Multi-Cultural Bar Alliance (MCBA) of Southern California comprising 20 minority, women and LGBT bar associations.

According to the 2010 census, the population of Ventura County was 823,318, comprised of nearly 50 percent people of color (40.3 percent Hispanic or Latino origin, 6.7 percent Asian, and 1.8 percent Black). Females made up 50.3 percent of the population. As to diversity on the Ventura County bench, the 2006-2007 Ventura Superior Court Annual report (“Ventura report”) indicated there were six female judges, two male Hispanic judges, and one African American judge out of a total of 31. Currently, only one Hispanic judge remains on the bench, and there are no African American or Asian American judges. Of the ten appointments made from 2007 through 2011, two judges were female and one said he was of more than one race. The Ventura report cited to the Judicial Council’s Strategic Plan and noted: “The makeup of California’s judicial branch will reflect the diversity of the state’s residents.” The Judicial Council’s Strategic Plan is intended to guide the local courts and assure that they implement the stated goals to achieve access, fairness, and diversity in the courts.

By contrast, neighboring Santa Barbara County, with a population of 423,895, which is 49.85 percent female, and is comprised of 42.9 percent Hispanic or Latino origin, 4.9 percent Asian, and 2 percent Black, has three Hispanic and one Asian judge on the bench: half the population, yet four times as many minorities on the bench.

In light of the statistics above, an important focus of the VCDBA will be to address the issue of judicial diversity in Ventura County. VCDBA has recently sent a letter to the Governor bringing to his attention the importance and need for diversity on the Ventura County Superior Court. Why is diversity on the bench important? As stated by Presiding Judge Lee Smalley Edmon, the first woman to lead the Los Angeles County Superior Court, “The more inclusive and diverse the judiciary system, the greater the degree of trust and confidence that the public will have in the integrity in our judicial system.” retired California Supreme Court Justice Carlos Moreno has urged that “only by having a diverse bench can equal justice for all be obtained. Diversity serves as a structural safeguard against bias and prejudice. Diversity ensures a full and balanced deliberation and decision-making process.” Governor Jerry Brown’s Senior Advisor for Policy and Appointments, Joshua Groban, confirmed that “diversity is important to Governor Brown and that his view of diversity goes beyond racial and gender lines and extends to life experiences.”

VCDBA will also serve as a way for each of the member organizations to promote and support each other’s events and to collaborate on future joint events. A number of activities are being planned for VCDBA’s kickoff year, including an inaugural Mixer on May 16 at Twenty 88 tapas bar in old town Camarillo to introduce VCDBA to VCBA and the Ventura County community. This Mixer will also be a fundraiser to benefit VCBA’s pro bono program, Volunteer Lawyer Services Program (VLSP). Please see the flyer in this month’s CITATIONS.

On June 23, VCDBA will be hosting its first speakers panel program and workshop called “Everything you Wanted to Know About Becoming a Judge, But Were Afraid to Ask,” featuring Judge Manuel varrubias, Judge Matthew Guasco, Judge George Eskin from Santa Barbara County, and Judge Holly Fujie and referee Cynthia Loo from Los Angeles County. referee Loo, who will moderate this panel, is currently the Chair of the Judicial Committee of the State Bar’s Council on Access and Fairness, and Chair of MCBA’s Diversity on the Bench/ Judicial Mentoring Program. The purpose of this half-day Saturday program will be to provide important information and tips to those who are interested in applying for judicial appointment to submit their applications to the Governor’s Office. After the initial panel presentation, VCDBA plans to have breakout workshop sessions where attendees can get more one-on-one mentoring with other judges on our local bench or from outside Ventura County.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

Please don’t forget that this month, there are two great events to benefit VLSP: (1) Ventura County aralegal Association’s 16th Annual Wine/Beer Tasting & Silent Auction on May 3 and (2) VCBA’s Law Day 5K run/ Walk (now in its 29th year!) on May 19. Come join us for a lot of fun and to support  good cause.

The Ventura County Bar Association, which was established in 1928, originated in Ventura because its role as county seat and the center of population and business at the time made the city home to its membership base. The outskirts of the County were mostly farmland and ranches. However, as the county’s population began to grow and move eastward as new cities sprouted up, VCBA also needed to begin its progression east as well. At first there was hesitation. Members were averse to crossing the Santa Clara River in order to attend a bar meeting/function in Oxnard or Camarillo, but eventually people got over it and made the effort. That divide has now apparently shifted to the Conejo Grade. The Grade has become more than just a physical barrier and has morphed into a psychological barrier of sorts. I recently attended a section meeting where I heard the Grade referred to as the “Great Wall of Ventura County.” Contrary to urban myth, you can drive over the Grade, and there is life on the other side!

As someone who has lived and worked on both sides of the Grade, I feel it is my obligation as VCBA President to help bridge the divide between the East and West County and to bring our bar membership together. As I have heard from attorneys in the East County (Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Moorpark and Simi Valley) over the years, they feel disconnected or ignored because all the meetings/events seem always to be held in the West. On the other side, I hear from bar leaders that they can only have our meetings/events in the West because otherwise no one would attend. At the 22nd Annual VCBA Strategic Planning Session of Bar Leaders held on Feb. 11, I challenged the nearly 50 bar leaders (representing our 35 sections, committees and affiliates) in attendance to commit to holding at least one meeting/event per year in the East County. I am hopeful that we will begin to see a change in the willingness of members on both sides to go over the Grade. Of the more than 1,200 current VCBA members, at least 20 percent work in the East County. This percentage doesn’t account for nonmembers, in-house counsel (e.g., 100+ Amgen attorneys) and those who work in the West but live in the East, which could amount to more than 30 percent of our members. Given the increased migration of attorneys from the saturated areas of L.A. and the San Fernando Valley, this untapped group will only continue to grow.

To help fill the void left by VCBA, the East County Bar Association (ECBA) was started back in the early 90s by a core group of officers – Marge Baxter, Al Keep, Gordon Lindeen, Patti Mann, and Roberta Burnette. According to Patti, who was ECBA president from 2002 through 2004, the precursor to ECBA was the Simi Valley Bar Association (led by Frank White), which was instrumental in pushing for a new courthouse to be located in Simi Valley. With the opening of the East County Courthouse in 1991, many attorneys started setting up shop in Simi Valley and surrounding areas in the East County. ECBA then took on the role of a liaison to the courthouse and a way to connect with the judges assigned to this branch.  Since becoming ECBA President in 2008, Bret Anderson’s mission has been to reinvigorate ECBA. He has certainly accomplished this, starting with the first hugely-successful kickoff event, the “East Meets West Mixer” in 2009. Bret hopes to bring this mixer back again this year. Other annual ECBA signature events that have been well attended in the past include the Brown Bag presentation by all the East County judges, and the holiday party in December, in which all the judges, clerks and staff of the East County Courthouse were invited to socialize with ECBA members. However, given the new reality with the impending closure of the East County Courthouse, Bret hopes that judges from the main Ventura courthouse are willing to come out to the East County to attend ECBA events.

One of the strong partnerships that Bret has developed is the joint MCLE luncheons with the East County Chapter of the CPA/Law Society (President Maryellen Sebold) at the Westlake Village Inn. With the assistance of ECBA Vice President Roxanne Torabian- Bashardoust and Secretary Kevin Shaw working closely with Maryellen, they plan on continuing these luncheons with highquality speakers and interesting topics. Treasurer Natalie Panossian is spearheading something new for ECBA: broadening its activities by doing more community service and outreach in order to attract more members to get involved. One idea is to work with the courts on National Adoption Day in November by providing volunteer assistance to the public in completing paperwork. Similarly, ECBA would like to team up with the Conejo Free Legal Clinic to provide pro bono service in such areas as family law and landlord-tenant. Another suggestion is to replicate a “Food from the Bar” event locally to benefit Food Share.

The ongoing challenges for ECBA will be maintaining the momentum through good events, and working toward bringing back a full-service courthouse to the East County. ECBA would also like to have other joint events in the future with the Barristers, VCTLA as well as other VCBA sections and affiliates. Important to these efforts is preserving ECBA’s strong affiliate relationship with VCBA, which is a win-win situation for both in terms of increasing participation.

At the Opening Assembly of the American Bar Association’s annual meeting on August 6, 2011, in Toronto, Canada, ABA President Stephen N. Zack made an impassioned plea for civility in our profession: “Let us rededicate ourselves to the proposition that words matter, how we treat others matters and how others see us matters.” Zack elaborated, “We learn a lot from our Canadian brothers and sisters. They have a word in their lawyers’ oath that is sometimes oddly missing from American lawyers’ oaths, and that word is civility. In part it reads, ‘In all things I shall conduct myself with honesty, with integrity, with civility.”

Civility may be missing from the attorney’s oath in California, but it has not been completely ignored at the local level. Many people may not be aware that in 1999, the VCBA adopted Guidelines on Professional Conduct and Civility. Past VCBA President Mike Case chaired the committee that developed these guidelines, which can be found in VCBA’s legal services directory or on our website. The guidelines address issues such as scheduling, continuances and extensions of time, service of papers, communications, discovery, motion practice, candor to the court and opposing counsel, settlement and ADR, trials and hearings.

Unfortunately when we first think of trial attorneys, the immediate image that comes to mind is the belligerent, cutthroat, and unethical lawyer portrayed in so many movies, on TV and in legal fiction. I have certainly noticed a trend in the past few years with the level of civility deteriorating among attorneys (whether at big or small firms, plaintiffs’ or defense counsel), exhibiting a lack of professional courtesy, respect and cooperation, and an overall disparaging tone and litigation tactics. Why are some attorneys compelled to be uncivil when it really does nothing to further the merits of their case? Perhaps they think it is a sign of weakness or that they are not being a zealous advocate unless they act that way. Of course,
such behavior makes them less credible in the eyes of the other side and the court.

Apparently those attorneys have never practiced in Ventura County, where the atmosphere is more collegial thanks to organizations like the Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association (VCTLA). VCTLA is committed to bettering the civil justice system, the lawyers who serve it, and the community it serves by, among other things, promoting professionalism. When I recently asked 2012 VCTLA President Allen Ball (a past Trial Lawyer of the Year recipient) about this issue, he stated that civility more or less swings like a pendulum depending on where you practice geographically and the times we are in. One interesting observation Allen made is that we are experiencing a societal change in terms of how we communicate with opposing counsel. Attorneys are willing to say things in text messages and e-mails that they wouldn’t say to your face or on the phone. As noted by VCTLA Board Member Brook Carroll, attorneys lately seem to be more contentious and unreasonable toward each other on what seems to be unimportant issues. This sense of unnecessary posturing is more self-defeating than helpful.

Although VCTLA is affiliated with the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), what makes VCTLA unique among local chapters is the fact that VCTLA is inclusive of the defense attorneys and is not strictly limited to the plaintiffs’ bar. All the events and activities of VCTLA really set the tone for advancing this guiding principle of civility and professionalism. VCTLA’s signature and most popular event is Judges’  Night in March, where the recipients of the Judge of the Year Award (since 1978) and Judicial Portrait are honored. In selecting the honorees, VCTLA looks for attributes of wisdom, wit, patience, understanding, and compassion. A few months later, VCTLA honors one of its own with the Trial Lawyer of the Year Award. It is this sense of bringing together the legal community to recognize those who exemplify the best of our profession, and the consistent contact with the bench that sets this organization apart. VCTLA’s strong ties and lines of communication with the bench will be even more critical in dealing with the court’s ongoing budget crisis.

VCTLA has expanded its focus to the community at large by actively supporting the annual Ventura County Mock Trial Competition (with over 30 high schools participating this year) and encouraging VCTLA members to volunteer as scorers in February (by not having a regular monthly meeting). Through the influential leadership of Immediate Past President Bill Grewe, VCTLA also generously donated $1,000 to VCBA’s Volunteer Lawyer Services Program, setting a great example for other VCBA sections, committees and affiliates. All of these efforts have not gone unnoticed. In 2007, past president Joel Mark was recognized by the CAOC as Local Chapter President of the Year.

By offering monthly MCLE programs with the same high-quality speakers as those offered in Los Angeles, but at a fraction of the cost, VCTLA is doing a great service for the next generation of trial lawyers who benefit from the passing on of knowledge and a wealth of experience. VCTLA also hopes to bring back its mentorship program, something that I remember benefiting from previously with mentors such as past presidents Judge Mark Borrell and Greg Ramirez. One of the new ideas that VCTLA would like to develop in the future is a mediator/arbitrator database or listserv where members can find analyses of arbitrators’ experience, their decisions, and procedures.