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CASE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UPDATE
Hot Baseball Summer. Earlier this month, CASE wrapped up its first ever Summer Socials Series in Orange County where the SF Giants took on the LA Angels. Since June, over 250 CASE Members and their families enjoyed evenings at ballparks from San Francisco to San Diego. The games presented opportunities for Members to meet with their peers from other sections, divisions, and departments. Judging by the smiling faces, everyone enjoyed their time. We’re already looking forward to next summer.
Combating Government Waste, Protecting CASE Work. CASE secured another victory in its ongoing battle against outsourcing legal work that can and should be performed by CASE members. The High Speed Rail Authority executed a $1.2 million contract with Downey Brand, LLP, to perform work on eminent domain and inverse condemnation cases that have long been handled by BU2 members. The only justification HSRA provided was the recent surge in work and the fact that Caltrans and the Attorney General’s Office were temporarily understaffed. SPB ruled that this was not a sufficient justification. Through these challenges, and at every turn, we remind the administration that the appropriate way to address staffing concerns is to improve pay and benefits, not to outsource work at inflated costs to Californians in violation of state law. HSRA has 15 days to appeal the decision, or else cancel the contract.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
News of interest to CASE legal professionals:
- California Ed Department backs down on punishing education researchers who testify against it – EdSource
- California probes ‘pharmacy deserts’ in Kroger’s Albertsons deal-sources – Reuters
- OC judge pleads not guilty to gunning down wife, agrees to several bail conditions – ABC 7
REMINDERS
2023 CASE ELECTION INFORMATION. The CASE Elections Committee has released the calendar and nominations process for this fall’s CASE Board of Directors Election. Seats for CASE President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and five Director-at-Large positions are up for election. The nominating period is open from now through 5:00 p.m. PDT on Thursday, August 31, 2023. Balloting will take place from October 13 through November 3, 2023. Nomination Petitions are available on the CASE Website, along with the full calendar, election rules, and descriptions of available positions.
Membership Deadline Looms. If you have colleagues who have not yet joined CASE, remind them that the deadline to join to exercise their CASE voting rights in the upcoming election is August 29, 2023. This is also a good opportunity to remind you about our Member Recruitment Incentive Program. If a new member lists you as having referred them on their application at time of submission, you get $100 – and they get career protection, consumer discounts, free life insurance, the satisfaction of knowing they actively contribute to CASE’s advocacy efforts, and so much more! Share this link with them today: calattorneys.org/join.
CASE Board Next Meets on Friday, September 8. The next meeting of the CASE Board of Directors will be held on Friday, September 8. Members who would like to attend via zoom, can sign up via the CASE Website (password: membersmatter22). If you plan to attend the meeting and would like to speak, make sure to submit a speaker card by 9am on September 8. A zoom link will be emailed to registered attendees on the morning of the meeting.