California State Bar

Apologies to Hamlet.

Who doesn't love a discount?!

Don't worry, it won't break the bank.

Tom Girardi had to ruin it for everybody.

Are we headed back to the 1950s when people saw 'a Red under every bed'?

Are you finding a disconnect between what the California State Bar says and what it does?

The ABA is a classic example of an institution that is still stuck in the past and that refuses to see the world has changed.

Will they ever get this right?

it’s amazing to me, and I am sure to many others, that the California State Bar has the chutzpah to discipline lawyers for conflicts of interest when it doesn’t seem to be able to do it for itself.

Stop the presses, or whatever the 21st century version would be, because the State Bar of California has recommended that Tom Girardi be disbarred.

Given the latest snit fit (and rightfully so) that the California Legislature has about the bar right now, it is clear that the system still isn’t working right.

What do lawyers and ostriches have in common? Birds of a feather and all that….

* Following a concession call from Hillary Clinton last night, and in a “stunning repudiation of the establishment,” Donald Trump was elected as the 45th president of the United States. Congratulations to President-elect Trump. How do you like them apples? This historic election wasn’t “rigged” after all! [New York Times]

* Marijuana also won big in the polls last night. Voters in California, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Maine approved recreational marijuana initiatives, with Arkansas, North Dakota, and Florida approving medical marijuana initiatives, but “[t]here are various ways in which a hostile White House could trip things up.” We’ll have more information on this news later today. [Washington Post]

* As we saw in the ATL electoral law school poll, many practicing lawyers voted for Hillary Clinton, but alas, it was all for naught. For example, Lisa Blatt, head of Arnold & Porter’s appellate and Supreme Court practice, had this to say when asked who she voted for in the election: “Duh! Clinton; early voting; and seriously?” [Big Law Business]

* Despite UCLA Law Professor Richard Sander’s pleas to use the data to support his opposition to affirmative action, the California State Bar need not disclose the race or ethnicity of those who took the bar exam since 1972 because it would amount to an invasion of privacy for those promised confidentiality. [San Francisco Chronicle]

* Per an ALM survey, revenue per partner slipped in 2015 to an average of $468,511, down from an average of $491,729 in 2014. This 4.7 percent decline is the largest ALM has seen since it first started tracking the metric. Why is this happening? “Demand is soft. Quite a few firms still have more lawyers than work for them.” [Am Law Daily]

* This must be an interesting situation for the clothing company’s GC-cum-CEO: After deciding to ignore its own reorganization plan and announcing that it would be winding down its U.K. operations, American Apparel is desperately attempting to stave off another bankruptcy filing and has now resumed talks with potential buyers. [Reuters]