In this In Practice podcast, I talk about my first rule for being an effective lobbyist, which is to be a sponge. It might sound fairly common sense, but this rule has served me well throughout my career as an advocate. These are not just helpful for
Today’s Senate Public Safety Committee Informational Hearing on the recent rise of violence at protests struck at the heart of one the most difficult questions California, and the nation, has had to deal with this year: How do we balance the need to protect our constitutional rights to free speech and assembly
Actions the Governor Can Take on Legislation
As Legislative Director for Assembly Woman Cristina Garcia, I’ve learned a couple of things about Governor Brown when it comes to how he’ll act on legislation. The first thing I’ve learned? More often than not, he signs bills into law. John Myers had
Credibility and Ethos in Persuasion
In this In Practice podcast, I talk about ways advocates can bolster the ethos of their arguments, that is, strengthen their credibility with the audience and the judge, as well as some pitfalls to avoid that can undermine an advocate’s credibility. In short,
Advocacy in Practice with Judge Allison Claire
I recently sat down with Judge Allison Claire, a United States Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. We discussed her advice to attorneys practicing in her courtroom and chambers, and in the Eastern District more
The First Amendment prohibits the President or Congress from taking away the NFL’s tax deduction because the league permits players to engage in political protest.
The President tweeted this morning, “Why is the NFL getting massive tax breaks while at the same time disrespecting our Anthem, Flag and
On Friday, numerous federal agencies announced new rules that allow employers to opt out of providing no-cost contraceptives to employees by claiming religious or moral objections. California law blunts, but not entirely, the impact of this rule change. California’s Contraceptive Coverage Equity Act of 2014 requires private and Medicaid managed care plans
California is one of seven states that bans assault weapons, which are semi-automatic, military-style weapons with features that make them easy to conceal, and easy to fire multiple rounds of ammunition continuously. The National Rifle Association (NRA) is in the process of filing a series of lawsuits challenging the
Yesterday, the California State Senate Committee on the Judiciary held its first hearing on “Combating Hate While Protecting the Constitution.” The Senate Committee heard testimony from constitutional scholar and dean of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, Erwin Chemerinsky, and from Joanna Mendelson with the Anti-Defamation
Welcome to our In Brief series. In these posts and podcasts, we break down the key concepts in the day’s news and quickly explain why it matters to Californians.
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Gill v. Whitford, in which