California Lawyers Association’s Post

Spotlighting Our Firm’s Very Own History-Maker: Alia Adkins-Derrick   What is your most notable professional accomplishment/triumph? Serving as the Course Director of the Texas Bar’s 2023 Civil Appellate Practice’s 101 CLE Course. Turns out, I was the first ever Black American, man or women, to ever serve in that role. It’s an honor that still amazes me to this day! I’m so glad that I answered the call of rock star Appellate Attorney Dylan Drummond who believed in my ability to lead.   What is your most rewarding professional achievement?  Making a difference. When I founded Adkins Lawyers, PLLC back in 2015, I did so with one goal in mind: make a difference for firm clients and personnel. For our clients, we do so by providing big firm legal expertise, smart solutions, and a strong legal defense without the big firm price tag. For our firm personnel, we do so by championing a diverse workplace where integrity, mutual respect, and results matter. Nine years in and we have not lost that commitment. It's what makes Adkins Lawyers a great place to work and an even greater firm for clients to partner with. #lawyers  #legal #diversity #integrity #work #TXlaw #TXlawyer #DiversityinLaw #BlackHistoryMonth

Happy 50th anniversary to the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the federal agency that funds my former employer, Philadelphia Legal Assistance and civil legal aid agencies in every county in the United States! Pleased to see the Biden administration embracing legal aid. Given that we do not have an established judicially guaranteed individual right to legal representation in civil cases (the Civil Gideon – named for the Supreme Court case that enshrined the right to a lawyer in criminal cases – movement is trying to change this), that’s where LSC comes in to fill the gap. Thanks to LSC-funded agencies across the country, legal aid professionals have helped low-income folks in cases involving family law, consumer protection, housing, and of course, taxes, among other areas. Since 1981, LSC has faced some political opposition – with severe and still-reverberating defunding in the 1980s and significant funding restrictions since the 1990s. But in recent years, broad pushback, against yet another political threat to its existence in 2017, helped boost funding to its highest ever real dollar amount today. Nevertheless, there still is a significant shortfall as the vast majority of the legal needs of the poor are unmet. It is incumbent upon legal professionals to meet those needs so we can have a more just society.

'Sometimes you have to be the thing you cannot see.' - an inspiring quote during a fascinating spotlight on the impressive Akima Paul Lambert as Chair and Founder of The Society of Caribbean Lawyers. Read more below during this latter part of Black History Month: https://lnkd.in/eQbd3_cw Society of Caribbean Lawyers (SOCAL) #Blackhistorymonth #Blackhistorymonthuk #Caribbeanlawyers #Caribbean #law

The 2024 Honorable William D. Missouri Civility Award goes to Business Law Section Council member, Peter M. Reyes, Jr. of the Minnesota Court of Appeals! 🏆 This award honors those who show exceptional civility and professionalism. Congrats for exemplifying these incredible values! 👏 Learn More: https://ow.ly/MGU350SNz1E #BusinessLaw #LegalExcellence #CivilityInLaw

Thank you to British-Ghanaian Lawyers Union (BGLU) for asking me to join this panel, a great experience but also so important to share insights…I definitely learnt a lot from the discussion also! Take a listen if you couldn’t join live ☺️ #careerinlaw #diversityinlaw #blackhistorymonth #newlyqualifiedlawyer

Proud to have participated in a thought-provoking discussion with the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) on the importance of estate planning for economic justice yesterday. We went beyond traditional wealth management, focusing on how estate planning can be a game-changer for underrepresented and disenfranchised communities. The NBLSA students truly impressed me with their insightful questions. Their passion was palpable, fueling a dynamic conversation. #estateplanning #marylandestateplanning #floridaestateplanning #marylandestateplanningattorney #floridaestateplanningattorney #marylandprobateattorney #floridaprobatelawyer #probateplanning #estateplanningattorney #legalprofession #dayinalifeofalawyer #lawyerdiaries #diaryofalawyer #lawyerlife #lawyerlifestyle #NBLSA57 #JuneteenthCelebration #EconomicJustice #lawstudents #lawstudentslife

🎉 Exciting News! Our Website is Now Live! 🚀 We are thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new Black Lawyers Journal website! After a lot hard work and dedication, our online platform is finally here. Whether you're a legal professional, a student, or just passionate about law, our website is designed to provide you with: - In-depth Articles: Stay informed with expert analyses and insights on the latest legal trends and issues. - Timely Updates: Get the most recent news and developments in various areas of law. - Event Information: Be the first to know about upcoming webinars, conferences, and networking events. Visit us at blacklawyersjournal.com and explore everything we have to offer! We're excited to continue this journey with you and look forward to your feedback. Let us know what you think about the new site! #LawJournal #WebsiteLaunch #LegalNews #LegalInsights #StayInformed #JoinTheConversation

Well, everyone has seen that 2025 Best Lawyers is out. I've seen posts ranging from the "I'm honored, humbled, grateful, [insert all the grateful-sounding words here], etc. . . . " to "don't worry if you didn't make the list; these lists don't mean anything." If you weren't nominated, know that you have value!! How you work with people, your work product, and your client service is more important than being on a list. Also, funny story about these lists . . . I have been recognized as One to Watch for construction, corporate, and tax law. Corporate and tax law make sense, but at some point in my career, at least one of my peers nominated me for construction law. Here's the thing: I do NOT practice construction law. I've worked on deals in the construction space, but I'm not a construction lawyer. Nevertheless, thank you to my peers and colleagues who have nominated me over the years!! May we celebrate and be thankful but continue to focus on providing excellent client service and work product.

Parisa Clovis becomes the first Black, female, full-equity Partner laterally hired by a Magic Circle law firm in the UK... EVER Well done Julian Richard for this work and thank you for highlighting it Julian is the author of the report that found black lawyers made up just 1% partners in law firms. extense conducted a 21-month-long study, interviewing Black partners at law firms across the UK to discover the key contributing factors that assisted them in reaching partnership level #womeninlaw #femalelawyers #womenattorneys #womeninlegal #womenleaders

I’m really looking forward to co-presenting this CLE with Idara E. Bassey, Esq. on Monday, June 17th. We’ll be talking about strategies to honor yourself as you navigate the practice of law as a woman. #Lawyer #WomanLawyer #ContinuingLegalEducation