Executive Committee: Message from the Chair
| Publication year | 2018 |
| Author | Uzzi O. Raanan |
Uzzi O. Raanan
On January 1, 2018, after forty years with the State Bar of California, the sixteen voluntary sections and the California Young Lawyers Association (CYLA) commenced operations as the California Lawyers Association (CLA). When part of the State Bar, the Business Law Section (BLS) and its fifteen sister sections contributed to the California legal community in countless ways, including offering opportunities for members to draft new statutes, comment on pending legislation, write and speak about cutting edge legal issues, and develop personal and professional connections, among others. Through the CLA, the sections will surely continue and even improve on these activities.
In addition to its traditional roles, in the early months of its existence the CLA is also focusing on the formidable task of building a brand-new organization from the ground up—implementing governance (articles and bylaws), establishing policies, locating permanent offices, hiring an executive director and staff, and updating technology—to replace and enhance the resources and policies previously provided by the State Bar. These monumental tasks have engaged scores of devoted section volunteers for months, many from the BLS, as well as paid consultants and Bar staff.
Once up and running, the CLA will also greatly benefit from imagining ways to improve its member experience in new and innovative manners. What follows are my personal reflections on some challenges and opportunities the CLA may face in the future:
The legal profession is changing, and the BLS and CLA must recognize and embrace the new legal and economic environment. More and more qualified lawyers depend on fewer clients who can afford to pay prevailing hourly rates. As a result, many Californians face legal challenges without the critical benefits of legal representation. Finding ways to reconcile these realities will be enormously valuable to the BLS, CLA, legal professionals, and Californians as a whole.
As millennials achieve a larger presence in the legal profession and California economy, the sections will need to better understand and address their needs and preferences. This may include reevaluating how we present programs and publications and interact with each other, and even the effectiveness of our current section and standing committee structures. Possible changes could include more mentoring programs for young attorneys, more...
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