Law Practice Management

Understanding Microsoft Subscription Plans: A Guide for Legal Professionals

In this series of tips, we will explore how Microsoft 365 can help law firms be more efficient, secure, and efficient. Your firm’s software and service subscriptions are a valuable business resource that you should understand, just like your firm’s operating and trust accounts. To start, you need to know what kind of account you and/or your firm have; we covered that topic in a previous post. In this post, we will discuss your options for subscription plans to Microsoft 365.  Read More

Legal Ethics

Application of CRPC 1.15 to Government Lawyers

By Khodadad “Ko” Sharif

Does California Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.15, entitled “Safekeeping Funds and Property of Clients and Other Persons,” govern government agencies that are holding funds for third parties in a civil forfeiture proceeding? More specifically, should cash received or held in civil forfeiture proceedings by the Office of the District Attorney be deposited in one or more identifiable bank accounts labeled “Trust Account?” Read More

Legal Ethics

Recent Decision Confirms Importance of Ensuring Preservation of Evidence

By Andrew Servias

In a lawsuit against a School District involving a sexual assault, a video potentially relevant to the litigation was not preserved by the defendant. As a result, the plaintiff sought terminating sanctions. The trial court granted evidentiary, issue, and monetary sanctions, but refused terminating sanctions relying on an exception in Code of Civil Procedure section 2023.030 (f)(1) which provides that: Read More