- Quickdraw McLaw
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In the sports-themed August Nevada Lawyer, Richard Pocker uses his message from the president to talk about the team sport of bar leadership. He writes, “There is a tired, inaccurate myth that state bar leadership and politics are nothing more than student council for adults, populated by insider cliques who only look out for themselves.” He then goes on to say why that is not true today and invites “all of you to join the debate and search for solutions, regardless of where you stand on the issues.” Thoughts, comments, questions?
I like Rick. He is 1000x better than Gene Leverty. The "myth" (which is actually correct) is only tiring to those on the BoG who do not like being held to account. To those on the BoG, if you are tired, do something about it.
While he is wrong on this issue, he is at least not tone deaf to the cries that the BoG is an insider organization that does not serve its membership. The fact that Rick understands that there needs to be a "search for solutions, regardless of where you stand on the issues" tells me that he also recognizes that there is a problem, a profound problem.
It's been nearly 22 years since I was admitted to the Nevada Bar. The "profound problem" is not a new phenomenon; it's existed as long as I've been a member. The insiders operate unchecked by the general membership. Members of large firms are favored over solos. Discipline is administered in an unjust fashion. And the operation operates almost completely without transparency. There is no single reason for this, but contributing factors include primarily apathy and fear.
10:55AM nailed it. Kim Farmer and all of her obsequious, self-important, glorified student-counsel "leaders" are clueless.
I'm not interested in making things personal, or singling out specific people as 11:01 does, but I have practiced even a decade longer than 10:55, and agree with 11:01 that 10:55 nailed things 100%, and that it is doubtful anything will ever substantively change.
What happened to those lawsuits (at least three plaintiffs were mentioned in the newspapers ) filed by former employees, naming the Nevada State Bar as a defendant and claiming Kim Farmer was abusive?
Let's wait before proceeding with any Dick Pocker praise. His first presidential message gives no comfort not just because of his nonsense about what he falsely calls "a tired, inaccurate myth" but with his ridiculous, scripted lauding of his predecessors for their so-called "courage" in working to screw us over. How is he going to be any different let alone better? Dick even says the board will continue what he calls "crucial dialogue" on the same crap Scott and Leverty were fomenting. Comparing him to preachifying holier-than-thou Leverty sets the standard pretty low. The only sure thing is more of the same from these jokers.
I can only hope that before they are totally co-opted by bar management that the three new BOG members employ a bit of 'whack-a-mole' on the rest of the board and their nutty proposals.
Off topic but is the word "squirt" appropriate in the office, just read a piece that said no, maybe I'm not hip enough to know but I might say "the toner squirted out of the copier" is this offensive sonehow?
No
I can't see what's wrong with that. There is no necessarily implicit pornish angle. However, it can be used as a diminutive: "I call my little brother Squirt"; which might well be taken as denigrating, but maybe that's too dated to be a concern.
I like squirters. Wierd fetish of mine.
I feel ya, 5:45. I tell people I like squirt, and people look at me as if I have two heads. What can I say? I like grapefruit.
Ann Elworth-Winner is now at Office of Bar Counsel? Are you kidding me?
She's now just Ann Elworth.
And no, they're not kidding you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smA6kJiSPRM
She's divorced. Case number D571661
She's absolutely perfect for the job.
If by "perfect" you mean that she is a Hun in her ruthless ways and will fit in perfectly with the other members of OBC, then I agree. She will cause untold harm now that she is vested with powers by the OBC.
11:24AM must be a "constitutionalist" based on the linking that video. It's funny how pro per defendants make arguments in traffic court about there being no injured party to the case. It is a shame that they read things online and believe that they have a shot of beating their tickets by making these silly baseless arguments. I do not think anyone has won their day in court making these arguments.
1:06 seems to have confused "sovereign citizen" with "constitutionalist." One is a nut who picks and chooses which laws apply to them as a "natural man, a flesh and blood man demonstrating existence with these blue footprints" whilst the other believes the constitution is the controlling document to all other laws and should not be subverted for political ends. There is admittedly some narrow overlap but that video is from the nut side of it.
When your traffic commissioner thinks she needs to throw people in jail because they are perceived as insolent over a traffic citation, she rightfully had no place on the Bench. Of course she has no place in the Office of Bar Counsel either.
WTF?
Elworth should NEVER have been hired at OBC. This is how clueless, arrogant and out-of-touch the BOG is.
When was she hired?
Elworth was hired around 8 weeks ago according to the website.
11:03– in order for them to be kidding you, these need to be people and agencies that are capable of displaying a sense of humor.
I've seen no evidence of that.
Sunday, April 3, 2011 | 3:45 p.m.
Las Vegas Review Journal
The State Bar of Nevada, which regulates attorneys, is itself the target of a lawsuit filed by three former employees complaining they and others were subjected to abuse and intimidation by Bar Executive Director Kimberly Farmer.
The former employees are attorneys Patrice Eichman and Tiffany Breinig; as well as Georgia Taylor.
They filed suit last week in Clark County District Court against the State Bar, a public corporation; and against Farmer.
The State Bar promptly denied the accusations, saying they amount to "griping by former employees who could not, or would not, adapt to changing work requirements."
I'm assuming these cases settled. How much? There was probably insurance. SBN probably had to pay a deductible too. Where does that show up on the audited financial statements that the bar sends us every year? Oh wait, we don't get audited financial statements. We only write checks for "dues."
Does not appear to have amounted to much. Stipulation and order to dismiss in 2013. Maybe I am reading the register of actions wrong but it appears a judgment against Plaintiffs? Case No. A-11-637892-C.
Dennis Kennedy represented the plaintiffs and he must have done well. The docket does not show anything dispositive that I could read. Safe bet that a lot of money was paid to settle and we don't know about it. How is the resolution of the case a secret from the members of the bar?
Yes, why was there no transparency, since at least a portion of the settlement would have been paid with our money? Was there a confidentiality agreement of some kind? And why is Kim Farmer still employed by the Bar?
Why is Kim Farmer still employed by the Bar? Look at the comments at 10:14, 10:55, 11:01 and 11:32.
Maybe she's still employed because the Board of Gangstas are easy marks. Maybe she sends the Gangstas to conferences in exotic locations (not State Bar Conference) and they think they owe her? Is there a link on the Bar web page to financials? Someone please post that link if it exists.
Face it. The SBN is not transparent and they feel empowered and entitled to spend our mandatory dues money in any way they see fit. Most lawyers are too lazy or apathetic or too frightened of retaliation to do anything about it. And that's why the Bar will continue being non-transparent, unjust and tyrannical.
Blog is complainey.
Problems with the Bar brought to you by Paola Armeni.
I feel like I should know the answer to this, but isn't the State Bar a government agency that is subject to the Public Records Act – or have they / the court exempted themselves / judiciary?
Public record request for the settlement agreement, finances, etc. might be fun.
Dear 9:30, If you think this is fun, you are my sort of person, I will donate some time for research if you are serious, I'd prefer to remain anonymous (if permitted under ethics rules, ghost writing, etc.) but if not I'll put my name out there. Reply back here please, I'd envision it as you tell me what part to draft and I'll do the research and submit it on the blog for comments (if that is permitted under the NRPC), (don't mind fighting but don't want to give them ammo for retribution either)
Dear 9:30 and 8:37,
The State Bar is a public corporation under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, per NRS Chapter 7. Don't know if that helps, but just to get you started.
Civil Rights for Seniors v. Admin. Office of the Courts, 129 Nev. ___, 313 P.3d 216 (2013) expressly reserved from decision the question of whether the judiciary is subject to the Nevada Public Records Act, Chapter 239 of NRS. Whitehead v. Comm'n on Judicial Discipline, 111 Nev. 70, 893 P.2d 866 (1995) is also relevant, where the Court alludes to separation of powers concerns were the Court to be subjected to the Public Records Act.
Financial records of the State Bar appear, by rule, to be open to inspection by members. SCR 93(2) ([The Treasurer shall:] [c]ause books of account to be kept, which shall be the property of the state bar and which shall be open to the inspection of any officer, committee or member of the state bar, during usual business hours.").