Kathleen Johnston Back - Ventura County Bar Association

30 CITATIONS • NOVEMBER 2008Exec’s Dot…Dot…Dot…By Steve Henderson, Executive Director, M.A., CAELots of familiar faces at the annualmeeting of the State Bar in Montereyheld Septemb , Carmen Ramirez, RonJanes, Tony Strauss, Matt Guasco, KimShean, and Marc Dion. Carmen ended herthree-year term on the board of governors.Kim and Marc collected their hardware fromChief Justice George acknowledging probono efforts…From Henry Thoreau: “Thelaw will never make men free, it is menthat have to make the law free.”…DorothyPrairie, office administrator at HathawayPerrett Webster et al., completed the twodayAvon Walk for Breast Cancer withher daughter and grand-daughter – BTW,Dorothy is 82 years young! There were 2200participants and the walk raised $5 millionfor breast cancer in Southern California.26.3 miles on day one and 13.1 on thesecond day. Congrats to her at dprairie@hathawaylawfirm.com...China? Dien Le at dien.le@calawcounsel.com...From Gracie Allen: “Education isworth a whole lot. Just think – with enougheducation and brains the average manwould make a good lawyer – and so wouldthe average lawyer.”…From MSNBC.com:“An attorney has been suspended for morethan a year for accepting nude dances froma stripper as partial payment for the legalfees she owed him. The Illinois AttorneyRegistration and Disciplinary Commissionsaid Scott Erwin will begin serving a15-month suspension for misconductstarting in November. Erwin, who practicesin the northern Illinois city of DeKalb, andhis client mutually agreed that she’d performnude dances for him in his office as a way toreduce her legal fees, the commission’s reportsaid. He credited her for $534 toward hisbill for services of various legal matters, thereport said. While she agreed to perform thedances, the client contended he touched herinappropriately during those dances, and shewent to the police in 2002 with sexual assaultallegations. Erwin denied any inappropriatetouching happened and he was never chargedcriminally. The woman no longer works as astripper either.”…David Richard is a newfather – baby Hazel was born 9.23 at 10:00p.m. and weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces. Hazelwas also 20 inches long…Mother Shannondoing just fine...Gordon Lindeen had a thoughtful Letterto the Editor in the November issue of theCalifornia Bar Journal. Wasn’t too pleasedwith the “Lawyers’ Eco Pledge”…From BillMaher: “The Supreme Court ruled that it’sunconstitutional to execute the mentallyretarded. You can still elect them, though.”…Get yourself to the bar’s Annual Installationand Awards Banquet set for November 15at the Crowne Plaza in Ventura. KathleenJohnston Back has been selected to receivethe Ben E. Nordman Public Service Awardwhile Marc Dion, Janie Beach, SandraKnapp, and Kim Shean accept the JamesD. Loebl VLSP, Inc. Pro Bono Public ServiceAwards. Dinner chairperson Cheri Kurmanand her stellar committee consisting of EricReed, Cristian Arrieta, Tony Strauss, DonHurley, Matt Guasco and Mitch Disney,promise a festive event with no lengthyspeeches. The silent auction portion of theaffair is the primary fund-raiser for the bar’spro bono program. Lost your invitation?Call Celene at 650.7599 or go to www.vcba.org...From Beccaria: “The majority ofall laws are nothing but privileges, that is,a tribute paid by all to the convenience ofsome few.”…HOOPS!!! The Barristers hosted the 1 stAnnual “Everlasting Glory” BasketballTournament raising a few hundred bucks forFood Share. The Three-On-Three Tourneydrew nine teams and lawyers from all overour legal landscape. It was held at BalboaMiddle School and the DA Team, CapitalPunishment, won. DA’s Rameen Minoui,Derek Malan, Kevin Drescher and StephenSlyer comprised the winning gang (badpun I’m sure). Rumor has it Judge VinceO’Neill held his own very well with theyouth movement. Mike Strauss gets a tonof the credit, but Barristers officers madesure matters were organized…In the NYTimes Best Sellers dated 9.21, 4 of the top13 books were about the presidential or vpcandidates…Leslie McAdam is a momma otra vez!Fiona Grace was born 10.7 at 8:16 p.m.weighing-in at 6 pounds, 6 ounces, and 19inches long. Big brother Joseph and daddyTom are both exuberant…The VenturaCounty Legal Professionals Association heldtheir annual Boss of the Year and Secretary ofthe Year gala treating 100 folks to a fun eventwith Master of Ceremonies, Judge DavidLong, leading the charge. Boss of the Yearwas once again David Praver, nominated byTamika Schmidt. Bart Bleuel won in 2007.Secretary of the Year was Rennee Hernandez,nominated by Meghan Clark. Thanks toJudge Patricia Murphy and Michael Planetfor their efforts in the selection process…Steve Henderson has been the executivedirector and chief executive officer of the barassociation and its affiliated organizationssince November 1990. He will be volunteeringChicago style at a local polling place November4. Additionally, Henderson laid some seriouscash on the Rays and placed all of it in WallStreet. He will be celebrating 18 years on thejob November 15. Card, letters and moneywelcomed.