State Bar Help

Not too late to register for my next MCLE presentation sponsored by the Whittier Bar Association!! Please join me to discuss one the new and controversial proposal to create a paraprofessional law license in California.

Join us next week!

Join panelists Ashod Mooradian, Founder, The Law Office of Ashod Mooradian, and Sunny Seon Kang, Senior Product and Privacy Counsel, Eightfold AI, for a timely and forward-looking presentation that provides an overview of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related key concepts such as machine learning, that will help attorneys understand where the practice of law is heading and types and capabilities of AI tools. Visit our website, www.statebarhelp.com, for more information or click here to register: https://bit.ly/2VMzJff

Join Practitioners Ashod Mooradian and Erin Joyce on July 21 at 12 PM. They will be discussing recent changes in the ethics rules on competence and fee sharing and COPRAC opinions which may impact solo and small firm practices. For more information visit our website, www.statebarhelp.com or register at https://bit.ly/3w9DFmP.

Join Attorney Ashod Mooradian and the Southeast Bar Association on July 3 for the Summer Mixer! Stop by Attorney Mooradian's booth to say Hello! and enter to win raffle prizes and giveaways. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Join Attorney Ashod Mooradian and the Southeast Bar Association on June 30! The discussion on "What Attorneys and Judges Should Know About The State Bar Court" will be presented by the Honorable Dennis Saab.

After almost 10 years as a State Bar prosecutor (95% of that time litigating in State Bar Court), I can say with certainty that almost everything can go wrong for an attorney representing him or herself in a State Bar Court matter. If you are facing a State Bar Court matter (or a State Bar investigation) DON'T GO IT ALONE. I know the prosecutor's playbook and I can help. When everything is going wrong and your license is on the line--I'm the attorney you want standing by your side!! Learn more at www.statebarhelp.com

Join Attorney Ashod Mooradian for a webinar on January 13, 2021, as he discusses the new Technology Competence amendment to Rule 1.1. Register online today!

The State Bar of California, Office of Admissions has reportedly sent out notices of alleged bar exam misconduct to applicants who took the October 2020 California Bar Exam. Read our blog to learn more and call 800-382-3492 or visit www.StateBarHelp.com for more information.

The State Bar is accepting applications pursuant to new Rule of Court 9.49 (eff. November 17, 2020) Under Rule 9.49, a provisionally licensed lawyer would be allowed to provide a broad array of legal services for clients, including appearing before a court, drafting legal documents, contracts or transactional documents, and pleadings, engaging in negotiations and settlement discussions, and providing other legal advice, provided that the work is performed under the supervision of a qualifying supervising lawyer. For further details see: https://www.calbar.ca.gov//ad/Provisional-License-FAQs.pdf ----------

State Bar Help is proud to host a webinar for ICAP Virtual Conference Day. Read the blog to learn more about this exciting event.

NEWS FLASH: State Bar Court, Review Dept. Judge Richard A. Honn was re-appointed today to a second 6-year term by the Supreme Court of California. First, appointed to the State Bar Court Hearing Department in 2003, Judge Honn was elevated to the Review Department in 2014. I have appeared before Judge Honn since he was assigned to the Hearing Department and have appeared before him in the Review Department. Judge Honn is an experienced, thoughtful, and careful jurist and a credit to the State Bar Court. Congratulations on your re-appointment, Judge Honn.

I love what I do! I'm on a mission to make every California Attorney #Ethics-strong!!

ALERT: Law school graduates and other persons taking the next CA Bar Exam. Last day to submit your Acknowledgement and Acceptance of Testing Conditions form!!

SUPREME COURT LOWERS CA BAR EXAM PASSING SCORE PERMANENTLY: The California Supreme Court on Monday issued an order finalizing plans previously announced to permanently lower the passing score for the California Bar Exam and for an October test administered online. However, the court also said the lower passing score would not be applied retroactively to past test-takers. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov//california-supreme-court-i

ETHICS UPDATE: In July 2020, the State Bar Board of Trustees acted to amend Rule 1.1 (Duty to Perform Legal Services with Competence) to add a comment that brin...gs the concept of "Technology Competence" to California for the first time! What is Technology Competence? Are attorneys required to become experts in using the latest legal technologies? How does the adoption of Technology Competence affect an attorney's current duties of communication and supervision? Join me as I present a webinar on this important concept of "Technology Competence" (sponsored by the Whittier Bar Association) next Thursday at 6:00 pm that will answer all these questions and more! What you don't know about Technology Competence can hurt you! See below for details and click here to register in advance: https://tinyurl.com/yxgcnpbp

My appointment to the American Bar Association Center for Professional Responsibility's CLE committee is very humbling. I look forward to serving the nationwide community of attorneys represented by the ABA's membership by helping to create and present legal continuing education ethics programs.

Thrilled to be appointed to the American Bar Association Center for Professional Responsibility's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committee! I look forward to serving the nationwide community of attorneys represented by the ABA's membership by helping to create diversity, equity & inclusion programs, awareness, and solutions designed to effectively bring about meaningful (and long overdue) change.

The Board of Trustees of the State Bar of California recently approved the addition of a comment to Rule 1.1 (Duty to Perform Legal Services with Competence) th...at requires all California attorneys to consider their "Technology Competence" as part of their duty of competence to their clients. Are you ready? What exactly is "technology competence"? Join me and co-presenter Jennie Wang VonCannon and moderator Tanya Forsheit on August 6, 2020 @12:15 - 1:30 pm, as we present "The Ethical Duty of Technology Competence" webinar to the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles. This webinar will explore the meaning of technology competence and will survey the different types of technology all attorneys should know about (and more importantly) know how to use. Click here to register: https://www.wlala.org/events/EventDetails.aspx

Honored to be re-appointed to the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Professional Responsibility and Ethics Committee for the 2020-21 year by President Jensen

For attorneys interested in Construction Law, here is a webinar for you! Use my promo code FSP50N to get $50 off the standard tuition for each person you register for this course To register: https://view.info.nbi-sems.com/

Come join me for this timely and practical MCLE presentation sponsored by the Glendale Bar Association. https://www.glendalebar.com/event-3849095

ATTENTION ALL SOLOS AND SMALL FIRMS: In this time when just keeping up with the latest information and guidelines (or orders) related to the outbreak of COVID-19, all attorneys, especially solos and small firms, need to stay focused on their client's best interests. Do you have a handle on your ethical duties during a crisis? I offer telephone and video conference consultations to help you navigate the pitfalls and challenges to an attorney's professional responsibility. Call Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 8 pm: (323) 477-1772

HOPE THIS HELPS!!: Many of you have questions about the "rebate" funding recently enacted by President Trump: Here is a quick summary (Not legal advice only general info): :) Under the bill, all U.S. residents with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 ($150,000 for married couples), who are not a dependent of another taxpayer and have a work-eligible Social Security number, are eligible for a full $1,200 ($2,400 for married couples) rebate as well as an additional $500 per chi...ld. This rebate is allowed even for those who have no income, as well as those whose income comes entirely from non-taxable means-tested benefit programs, such as SSI benefits. For the majority of Americans, no action on their part will be required in order to receive a rebate check as the IRS will use taxpayers’ 2019 tax return, if filed, or in the alternative their 2018 return. The rebate amount is reduced by $5 for each $100 that a taxpayer’s income exceeds the phase-out threshold. The amount is completely phased-out for single filers with incomes exceeding $99,000, $146,500 for head of household filers with one child, and $198,000 for joint filers with no children.

SBA Economic Disaster Loan Information (Be careful of Fraudulent Offers of Assistance) Here is some general information about the SBC Economic Disaster Loan, how to apply and what to expect if your loan is approved that I hope the community will find helpful. GENERAL INFORMATION...Continue reading

Just in case you missed it :) You can register here: https://www.americanbar.org/events-cle//inperson/392964225/

Honored to be appointed to the LA County Bar's Delegation to the California Conference of Bar Associations by President Brot. I am proud to serve my association in this important capacity.

Looking for those hard to find MCLE courses like Competence or Legal Ethics or Elimination of Bias? Well, you're in luck because here's your chance to get them ...all done one night! Please join me (and my fellow presenters) at the Eastern Bar Association event tonight!! Registration is available at the door.

Volunteer Attorney Coach for Armenian Mesrobian High School Mock Trial. Tonight is Round 2 in the Constitutional Rights Foundation Los Angeles County Mock Trial tournament.

As the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility’s 2019 Jeanne P. Gray Diversity Scholarship recipient, I am attending the CPR’s Fall Leadership Conference in Chicago! I was given an opportunity this morning to introduce myself to the members. I will continue to work for more diversity and inclusion in the practice of law.

https://www.dataprivacyandsecurityinsider.com//ftc-settl/ Don't be penny-wise, nickel-foolish with your ethics and professional responsibilities! Technical competence is a real consideration for attorneys. Although not mentioned in the California Rules of Professional Conduct, the ABA Model Rule 1.1, Comment 8 provides: "To maintain the requisite knowledge and skill, a lawyer should keep abreast of changes in the law and its practice, including the benefits and risks asso...ciated with relevant technology, engage in continuing study and education and comply with all continuing legal education requirements to which the lawyer is subject." It may seem to some attorneys that a thorough understanding of issues like stalkerware, big data, and data security and privacy laws and rules are subject areas beyond what our professional obligations require us to master. Don't be so sure. This is an issue that the ATILS task force has discussed in one of its 16 recommendations and the Board of Trustees consideration of the issue of technical competence is not as far-off a horizon as one may think.

I am licensed to practice law, but it is my privilege to serve my clients and it is my honor to play my role in the administration of justice.

Doing what I was born to dolitigate issues of ethical misconduct in State Bar Court

Giving back, as the saying goes, is its own reward. For the past 5 years, I have been the "attorney coach" for the Armenian Mesrobian High School (and now Middle School) students preparing to compete in November's 42nd Annual Los Angeles County Mock Trial Competition sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. Yesterday, my students received a special guest lecturer, Tom Girardi. Mr. Girardi spent nearly an hour with my High School and Middle School students, talking a...bout how he got started in his legal career, some of his famous trials and even talked "shop" discussing cross-examination techniques and persuading the trier of fact. I commend the mock trial to any attorney who is interested in taking on the challenge of teaching trial work to High School and Middle School students. Please go to https://www.crf-usa.org//los-angeles-county-mock-trial-com or feel free to contact me at [email protected] if you are interested in finding out more information about mock trial.

Proud to support Armenian Mesrobian School Club-MesrobianArmenian Mesrobian School

Gave a presentation about the New Rules of Professional Conduct to the Legal Professionals Association at their LA County Forum. This was a wonderful group of legal secretaries and paralegals who are serious about ethics. They were also very kind and gave me this wonderful note and a cookie! :)

Interesting course on Big Data and protecting privacy in the digital age followed by a discussion of ethical issues for nonprofits and tax-exempt organizations and closing oout with statutory interpretation. I’m such a wonk today!

Attending Focus on Supreme Court luncheon with Associate Justices Ming Chin and Josh Groban.

Attending the California Lawyers Association 2019 Annual Meeting

DAY 1 at CLA Annual Meeting: first course is Professional Responsibility in California: Past, Present and Future"

Looking forward to a productive and fun time at the California Lawyers Association 2019 Annual Meeting.

Is it ethical to seek ethics advice regarding a current client? Yes, but it must be handled properly. Have an ethics issue that’s been weighing on you? Received a letter from the State Bar? Know a friend who has? Get in front of the problem and call me now. Want to learn more? See the latest Ethics Opinion (No. 2019-197) here: http://www.calbar.ca.gov//CAL-2019-197-%5b12-0005%5d-Seeki The act of seeking legal advice concerning ethical obligations owed to a client by itself does not create a conflict with the client. Once a lawyer becomes aware that he or she has committed an error that could prejudice the client, the lawyer ethically may seek legal advice concerning obligations to the client and options available but must comply with the rules governing disclosure to clients and conflicts.

Serving the local community at the Whittier Bar Association’s legal fair

Today I was awarded the American Bar Association, Center for Professional Responsibility (CPR), Diversity Committee's 2019 Jeanne P. Gray Diversity Scholarship. As the Scholarship recipient, I will serve as the CPR Diversity Initiative liaison and have been appointed as a liaison to the Center’s Diversity Committee, the Center’s Coordinating Council as well as to the ABA Standing Committee on Professionalism. Through this scholarship, I will be able to expand my mission to provide attorneys with practical ethical guidance and instruction to the national arena of the American Bar Association.

I am very honored and pleased to be appointed to three very important Los Angeles County Bar Association committees. I look forward to serving as this is a great opportunity for me to utilize my expertise in legal ethics, professional responsibility and compliance as well as my extensive experience with the State Bar Disciplinary system in service of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Courts and the Public.

Last night I had the pleasure of addressing law students studying professional responsibility at my alma mater, Southwestern University, School of Law. Thank you Professor Rodriguez-Fee for extending the invitation. It was a fantastic experience! I presented about the State Bar Disciplinary system and offered practical advice to the students on the admissions process as well as other best practices for those areas of law practice that generate the most complaints to the State... Bar. The reason I take time out to deliver MCLE presentations and conduct outreach to law students is to fulfill my mission to provide California attorneys and law students practical yet comprehensive analysis of legal ethics and issues of professional responsibility and compliance, before there any issue has gone on too long or worse yet, a State Bar Complaint has been submitted. If you would like to schedule an MCLE presentation for your firm or bar association or have questions about legal ethics, professional responsibility or need State Bar representation please feel free to call me at (323) 477-1772 or email me at [email protected] (www.statebarhelp.com)

Thank you to Glendale High School for having me as you guest speaker for Law Day 2019 (sponsored by the Glendale Bar Association.) This year’s theme was the First Amendment, specifically the freedom of expression and of the press. It was great fun discussing these important rights today with the students and helping them to see how the First Amendment impacts their everyday life. Will definitely be back next year!

CHARACTER IS TESTED IN ADVERSITY Over 20 years ago, I raised my right hand and took an oath to support and defend the Constitution and always work in the best interests of my clients. After all these years, my enthusiasm and determination to offer my clients a representation that provides practical solutions are as strong as the day I took my oath. My nearly 10 years as a State Bar Prosecutor gave me the experience, knowledge, and skill to handle any ethical issue that confro...nts the daily practice of California attorneys. I can guide attorneys through the State Bar discipline system -- From the moment an attorney receives notice that a complaint was submitted against them, to responding to letters requesting a response to the allegations of a complaint, to the filing of the Notice of Disciplinary Charges and finally to the notice requesting review -- I have the experience, understanding and focus to guide that attorney out of the worst time of their professional lives. Character is tested in adversity. If you have made mistakes, even serious mistakes, you can make a fresh start any time you choose. Failure is not the falling down, but the staying down. Let me help you stand on your own two feet and effectively face the challenge before you with strength, dignity, and wisdom. Don’t sit idly as precious time passes by! Contact the Law Office of Ashod Mooradian, A Prof. Law Corp. at (323) 477-1772 to schedule your consultation today!!