What I Did On My Summer Vacation

July 7, 2010

There are few of us over the age of 8 that actually take the summer off. Apparently, the world has realized what I have known for years – it’s really hard to relax! This seems to have become especially true for students. If high school students aren’t working a summer job, they are looking for things to fulfill their community service credits for school, or things that will enhance their college applications. Undergraduate and graduate students are also interested in gaining work experience in preparation for graduation, and in today’s economic climate you can pick up some remarkable talent for virtually nothing.

Sharing the Balance

June 1, 2010

Life is a delicate balance. “They” constantly inundate us with dos and don’ts, and it seems impossible to make the right decisions to maintain the balance: Eat healthy, but red wine and dark chocolate are OK; get plenty of exercise, but don’t overdo it; a good night’s sleep is good for you, but too much is linked to diabetes and heart disease. Keeping the proverbial balls in the air is an acquired skill, and one that increases in difficulty as we take on more in life.

President’s Trivia

May 24, 2010

Thanks to a technical error, the teaser in the President’s Message of May’s Citations – designed to get you to support VLSP – failed to print. But not to fear!

The New Phonebook’s Here, The New Phonebook’s Here!

May 3, 2010

As I sit down to write this column, I have just finished reviewing the new VCBA website. This has been a work in progress for many months, and there are probably dozens of metaphors I could use to describe the feeling I have about the launch of the new site. But I’ll spare you. As […]

Will Draft Pleadings for Food

April 1, 2010

That was the upshot of a particularly memorable conversation I had with my eldest daughter when she was about 6 or 7 years old. The conversation has come to my mind several times recently, thanks to our poor – although allegedly improving – economy. The conversation Julia and I had went something like this. I […]

President’s Message March 2010 – Well, What does the Bar really do?

March 1, 2010

“Well, what does the bar really do, anyway?” If you took a poll of past presidents of the bar, I’m quite certain this question would rank near the top on the list of questions people most often ask. And surprisingly, that question is posed even by people who you would think should know better – […]

President’s Message February 2010

February 23, 2010

I didn’t come by my appreciation for technology naturally. In fact, some might say I was genetically predisposed against it.
I didn’t grow up in a house that was particularly cutting-edge when it came to the newest technology. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t that we didn’t enjoy our 8-track tape player and our Pong, it’s just that these things all required a certain level of mechanical ability, and those tasks – usually the domain of the man in the house – didn’t fall on the list of my father’s favorite things. Anything with the words “some assembly required” printed on the box was to be avoided at all cost.

President’s Message February 2010

February 1, 2010

I didn’t come by my appreciation for technology naturally. In fact, some might say I was genetically predisposed against it. I didn’t grow up in a house that was particularly cutting-edge when it came to the newest technology. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t that we didn’t enjoy our 8-track tape player and our Pong, […]

President’s Message January 2010

January 1, 2010

“Oh my gosh, what are you going to write about every month?!” Those were the words my sister chose to congratulate me when I announced to her that I had accepted the nomination to serve as Secretary/Treasurer of the Ventura County Bar Association and would, a couple of years after that, serve as President. I […]

President’s Message December

December 17, 2009

This is my last article as President and this being the final month of my term, I have turned to reflection. Traditionally, the last article is a recap of the prior year summarizing accomplishments and thanking all of those who have helped along the way. While I can (and will) do the thanking before the […]