OCBA Board Election Opens Tomorrow
The OCBA board election opens tomorrow for online voting. Terms begin Jan. 1, 2026. All officer terms are for one year; all Board member terms are for three years. The person elected 2026 Secretary will be expected to continue to serve in the following capacities: 2027 Treasurer, 2028 President-Elect, 2029 President, and 2030 Immediate Past President. In accordance with OCBA Bylaws, 2025 President-Elect Shirin Forootan will serve as the 2026 OCBA President. Voting closes at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. Only active attorney members are eligible to vote.
In alphabetical order, allow us to introduce your two candidates for OCBA Secretary: Josh Ji and Casey R. Johnson, shown here. To view all the candidate statements, please click here.
Featured Seminar
Presented by the OCBA Labor & Employment Law Section
Friday, September 19, 2025
Click here to register online.
OCBA News
Worthy Mentions
Have Good News of Your Own to Share? Contact OCBA Communications
Manager Erick Palacios at epalacios@ocbar.org
to acknowledge your achievement through the OCBA.
Events
SEPTEMBER 9, 2025
OCBA Bar Waiters Reception
This reception is complimentary for OCBA Law Student Members who sat for the July 2025 California Bar Exam.
SEPTEMBER 9, 2025
OCBA Mommy Esquire Monthly Meeting
SEPTEMBER 17, 2025
OCBA Solo Practitioner/Small Firm Seminar
SEPTEMBER 19, 2025
OCBA Labor & Employment Law Section Annual Symposium
SEPTEMBER 29, 2025
OCBA Jurist Spotlight: Justice David Souter
OCTOBER 25, 2025
OCBA Community Fair & Volunteer Appreciation Celebration
Do YOU have what it takes to WOW THE CROWD? Record a video (max 5 mins) showcasing your act and submit it to www.ocbar.org/talent by September 19, 2025. Click here to view the Audition Flyer.
SAVE THE DATE
Volunteer Opportunities
Pack a To-Go Lunch Bag
Presented by the OCBA Community Outreach Committee
Saturday, September 13, 2025
OCBA members are asked to bring a minimum of 10 completed lunch bags. A donation of a multi-pack of socks and/or underwear would also be appreciated.
Click here for more information.
Orange County District Attorney’s Office - Trial Attorney Partnership (TAP)
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office established the Trial Attorney Partnership (TAP) program to offer a select group of private attorneys the opportunity to gain invaluable courtroom experience. Through TAP, participants handle contested evidentiary hearings, litigate motions, and conduct jury trials. View the informational brochure or flyer detailing the program and featuring testimonials from former participants. Attorneys considering the program will be provided with comprehensive training, valuable courtroom experience, and the opportunity to earn significant MCLE credits—all at no cost. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact the OCDA at TAP-Program@ocdapa.org.
Level Up For Justice
Family Law Pro Bono Opportunities with the Public Law Center are ongoing and available. Level 1 pro bono help includes a free consultation and advice. Level 2 pro bono help includes a free consultation, document preparation, and advice. Level 3 pro bono help includes a free consultation, document preparation, advice, plus representation. Contact Angela Mestre (Pro Bono Coordinator, Public Law Center) via email at amestre@publiclawcenter.org for more information.
Orange County Superior Court - Ambassador Recruitment Program
The Orange County Superior Court serves 3.2 million residents in the third most populated county in the State of California. As the 6th largest court in the nation, the Orange County Superior Court hosts hundreds of visitors every year. The ambassador program is designed to help these visitors gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the work of the Court, its history, and the art, and architecture of the building. All applicants are required to submit a completed online application, have the proper attachments, and answer the supplemental questionnaire. Interested in applying? Email CommunityEngagement@occourts.org.
Veterans Legal Institute Family Law Clinic - Remote Volunteer Opportunity
If you're a family law attorney, you can advise a veteran on his or her case from the comfort of your own home. VLI seeks volunteers to the monthly Family Law Clinic on the last Friday of the month from 1 PM - 4 PM. Clients receive a free consultation from a family law attorney on his or her Southern California family law case. For more information, please contact Katie Binkley at kbinkley@vetslegal.com.
Veterans Legal Institute General Legal Clinic - Remote Volunteer Opportunity
Looking for an easy way to volunteer from the comfort of your own home? VLI seeks attorney volunteers each third Tuesday of the month to conduct 20 minute phone interviews with veterans around Southern California. For more information, please contact Katie Binkley at kbinkley@vetslegal.com.
CLA SoCal: Remote Pro Bono Opportunity: Unlawful
Detainer Answer Clinic
Assist low-income tenants facing eviction during the pandemic by helping
to prepare answers to Unlawful Detainer complaints in this remote clinic that
takes place every Tuesday, shifts at 1:30 p.m. and 2:15 p.m.
Volunteers and clients “meet” via a conference call, and housing staff attorneys
are available to provide real-time assistance in a video conference room for
the duration of the clinic. Watch the.45-minute prerecorded training video here. To sign up, please
email Monica Mar, Associate Director of Pro Bono at mmar@clsocal.org.
CLA SoCal: Remote Pro Bono Opportunity: Eviction
Defense: Trial Co-Counsel
CLA SoCal is seeking attorneys with jury trial experience to co-counsel eviction
cases with CLA SoCal staff attorneys. Volunteers will work with CLA SoCal staff
to prepare the case for jury trial, conduct discovery, participate in settlement
discussions, and represent clients at trial, all with the support of a housing
staff attorney. To sign up, please email Monica Mar, Associate Director of Pro Bono at mmar@clsocal.org.
Join an
OCBA Committee – Your involvement is an integral component
of the OCBA’s service to its members, the community, and the judiciary.
OCBA
HELP-Line – Join the Hotline of Experienced
Legal Professionals to provide brief consultations
in your area of practice to inquiring OCBA Attorney Members.
MAKE AN INFORMED REFERRAL WHEN A CLIENT’S LEGAL NEEDS FALL OUTSIDE
YOUR AREA OF PRACTICE
Refer with confidence to the OCBA’s Lawyer Referral & Information Service
(LRIS). An experienced non-profit community service providing quality legal
referrals for over 50 years. LRIS representatives screen each call and properly
refer callers to an attorney for legal needs or to a local organization for non-legal
assistance. LRIS attorneys have experience in 35 areas of law and provide
a free brief consultation with each client to discuss their legal needs and fees.
OCBA Lawyer Referral & Information Service provides referrals online at
www.lrisoc.org
or by phone at: (877) 257-4762 or (949) 440-6747.
Click here and join now to receive referrals through
2025.
Young Lawyers Division
Learn more about the OCBA Young Lawyers Division or join today! Visit the OCBA calendar to find great
opportunities to connect with fellow YLD members.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2025
OCBA Young Lawyers Division Hike
SEPTEMBER 26, 2025
OCBA YLD Angels Game Night 2025
Join your fellow OCBA Young Lawyers Division members for an Angels Game Night as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim take on the Houston Astros
OCTOBER 27, 2025
OCBA YLD Roundtable Luncheon with Lennis N. Collins
Masters Division
The OCBA Masters Division is open to practitioners with 25 years or
more in the practice of law. Learn more about the OCBA Masters Division or join today and discover unique networking opportunities.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2025
OCBA Masters Division Legends of the Law
Law School Corner
OCBA Law Student Members:
Launching a successful legal career starts here! Click here to learn more about your membership benefits.
Law students are invited to participate in one of the 26 OCBA Specialty Sections which focus on professional growth and are a great resource to explore various areas of law. Attend your first section meeting for free, contact membership@ocbar.org to sign up.
Orange County Lawyer Magazine
- COVER STORY OCBA Secretarial Candidates: Casey R. Johnson and Josh Ji
- Unicorns, Kittens, and Trench Warfare: IP Lessons from Board Game Crowdfunding
by David C. Baker
- PLC’s Volunteers for Justice: Uniting Advocates in the Pursuit of Justice for All
by Monica Eav Glicken
- A Narrative Edge in Trial Practice
by Christopher W. Arledge
- Forty-Five Years of Impact: The CRF-OC High School Mock Trial Program Continues to Shape Orange County’s Legal Future
by Shara Beral Watkin
- From HIPAA to HRSA: 2025 Healthcare Industry Updates, Cybersecurity Challenges, and Ongoing COVID-19 Scrutiny for Healthcare Providers
by Sarah V. Vega
- Navigating Difficult Conversations: Practical Tools From the Mediation Room
by Robyn E. Frick
- Ethically Speaking Attorney Well-Being Is Intertwined With Legal Ethics
by Kristin L. Yokomoto and Kenneth T. Little
Affiliate Bars
From the Courts & State Bar
For more information, please visit the Courts and State
Bar websites.
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When you learn about another lawyer’s ethical violation, is there a duty to report it? What if there is merely suspicion of misconduct? Is there a duty to investigate further before reporting another lawyer? 
