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November 16, 2009 San Diego Law UpDateS Page A27www.sdbj.com

san DiegoLawupDates

Supplement

INSIDE:Why hire in-house counsel?

– Page A29

Cal Western has much to offer aspiring lawyers.

– Page A30

Page A28 www.sdbj.com San Diego Law UpDateS November 16, 2009

Events

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REgiStER today!

Congratulations to the Most admired CEo of the year Finalists

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Group of 10 $400 • Individual Tickets $45

$400

$45

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RegistrationOptions:

1. Online at www.sdbj.com

2. By phone at 858-277-6695

3. By email at [email protected]

4. By Fax to: 858-277-6398

5. By mail to:San Diego Business Journal

4909 Murphy Canyon Road #200San Diego, CA 92123

Cancellation not accepted7 days prior to event.

andy abramsonComunicano Inc.

Brent altomareGroovy Like A Movie

Matt BakerFeast On This

Eric BasuSentek Global

douglas BurkeDefenseWeb Technologies

Reid CarrRed Door Interactive

Robert Christie3E Co.

irma CotaNorth County Health Services

Michael CovertPalomar Pomerado Health

Joe CraverAmerican Red Cross San Diego / Imperial Counties Ch.

george deVries iiiAmerican Specialty Health

Lisa druxmanStroller Strides

david duongShoe Metro

Julian duvalSan Diego Botanic Garden

Keith Michael EsshakiGTC Systems Inc.

ted FoglianiOutsource Manufacturing Inc.

douglas FordThe I.T. Pros

aaron FulkersonMindTouch Inc.

Raj gantiSQL Star

Bruce geierTechonology Integration Group

Bill geppertCox Communications

Hany girgisSGIS

Jeff goldbergCali Bamboo

Jeff HarperHarper Construction Co.

John HeffnerCreative Nail Design

Patrick HenryEntropic Communications

Jim HollenRich Ltd

Bruce HuenersPalomar Technologies

Mel KatzManpower

dan KhabieDigitaria

John KlinedinstKlinedinst PC

greg KochStone Brewing Co.

Ken KuangTorrey Hills Technologies

Jason KulpaUnderground Elephant

Raj LahotiOnlineGURU Inc.

James LasswellINDUS Technology Inc.

Judy LawtonTLC Staffing

Christopher LeeACCESS Destination Services

Bob LeoneMr. Copy

gary LevineG.S. Levine Insurance Services Inc.

Michael LombardiLombardi Contraction Corporation

Fred MaasBlack Mountain Ranch LLC & Centre City Development Corp.

Bryan MallindineFlexiciser International

Michael MercurioSan Diego Association of Realtors

Micha MikailianeBoost Consulting

david oatesStalwart Communications

irene oberbauerSan Diego County Credit Union

John ohanian211 San Diego

Maria olsonThe Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

William PollakovBikes for Kids Foundation Inc.

andreas RoellGeary Interactive

Linda RoseRose Business Solutions

debra RosenSan Diego North Chamber of Commerce

Niels RydderOaks Creek

Mark SchulzeCrystal Pyramid Productions

Juliet Singh, Ph.d.Transdel Pharmaceuticals

John SommatinoLaptops Plus

david StrobelSpace Micro Inc.

Maureen SullivanSan Diego Magazine

Shannon thompsonShakti Rising

david WescoeSan Diego City Employees’ Retirement System

November 18, 2009 Special awards Reception

4:00 - 7:00 pmSan diego Marriott Hotel & Marina

San Diego Ballroom333 W. Harbor DriveSan Diego, CA 92101

Pat HyndmanVistage Group ChairVistage International Inc.

LifetimeAchievementAward

Paul HeringCEOBarney & Barney LLC

ExemplaryAward

Opening Remarks by


Should My Company Have an In-House Law Department?

By Jim Edwards

The trend over the past 20 to 30 years is for more and more mid-size to small companies to bring lawyers in-house as key members of the management team. As the company grows or the complexity of its activities increases, the law department should add the specialized skills to address the new issues the company faces.

CEOs are often reluctant to obligate their company for cost of a lawyer. The simple cost benefit analysis would lead the CEO to defer the hire until the costs of paying outside counsel fees for routine legal work reach the costs of bringing someone in-house. Of course, once that cross-over point is reached, the hiring decision is an easy one.

However, the decision to hire a corporate attorney is more than just a simple weighing of dollars. It should also involve what an in-house counsel can add to the strategic planning process and the preventative law aspect of a business. These considerations will provide benefits to a management team far in excess of an analysis of where legal dollars are spent.

If a CEO were to consider hiring an in-house lawyer merely as a legal functionary to grind out contracts and chase collections, one can expect that the arrangement will not work well for either the CEO or the lawyer. Attorneys who gravitate to in-house

The decision to hire a corporate attorney is more than just a simple weighing of dollars. It should also involve

what an in-house counsel can add to the strategic planning process and the preventative

law aspect of a business.

practice will be people who want to be engaged in the business at various levels and contribute more than just being a lawyer. They see themselves as a business person as well as a lawyer.

The best use for an in-house counsel are as key members of the management team, whether that is at the executive level for the general counsel, or at the subsidiary or divisional level for other legal professionals. In-house counsel positioned as valued members of the business teams will add perspective and strategic thinking to the business process as well as their legal experience and training.

Effective in-house counsel will assist the business team members accomplish their goals in a legally efficient and ethical manner. They will help identify where lay the legal pitfalls and how to avoid them. There are lawyers who have the

reputation of “business killers” in some organizations because they see their job as promoting total risk avoidance. However, most in-house counsel will seek to find ways to assist in business capture and expansion because they understand that their success is tied to the success of the enterprise.

As a caution, if a CEO has a lawyer who does aspire to complete risk avoidance, or creates bottlenecks in the business process, that lawyer should be replaced. Inasmuch as everything about business entails risk, the in-house lawyer should point to the risks, seek to mitigate them and then present the decision maker with an informed set of alternatives in a timely manner.

Another advantage to having an in-house lawyer includes the lawyer’s ability to understand the business, the policies, the people, the goals and risks of the

company in detail. It is of tremendous advantage in getting to the root of an issue to know who in the organization has the most accurate information. It is often not the person with a specific title. Further, as the employees gain confidence in the business sense and legal skills of the in-house lawyer, they will bring them into matters sooner so downstream problems and delays are avoided.

My experience ranges from international conglomerates to mid-sized companies to startups, and in industries as varied as energy, technology, defense, biotech and transportation. It does not matter the size of the company or the industry, all can and will benefit from hiring the right in-house attorney.Jim Edwards is vice president, general counsel of Cubic Transportation Systems Inc., and assistant general counsel of Cubic Corporation.

Jim Edwards


GARY PUCKETT sings his hits . . . ONE NIGHT ONLYwith Comedy of Steve Kelley, Benny Hollman Orchestra,

LIVE Auction, Fabulous Duo-Entree Dinner Saturday, November 21 ~ Harrah's Rincon Casino & Resort

Gary Puckett Six-Time Gold Record

Recording Artist

Steve Kelley Comedian

Political Cartoonist

A benefit evening for The Angel's Depot who has provided over 425,000 senior meals,

free of charge, for our local elderly poor.

$150 per Person /Tables of 10 Guests $1,500 Call for reservations: (760) 599-7093

or visit www.theangelsdepot.org

A Law School Devoted to the Big Picture

By Pam Hardy

California Western School of Law is an independent law school in downtown San Diego, at the heart of the region’s legal and judicial community. For more than 80 years, Cal Western has educated lawyers who are dedicated to improving the lives of their clients and the quality of the legal system – lawyers who frame the practice of law as a helping, collaborative profession.

Broad-Based Skills Development Cal Western provides a rigorous,

traditional legal education with an emphasis on developing problem-solving, communication, writing and analytical thinking skills. This broad skill-base allows students to see the

For more than 80 years,

Cal Western has educated

lawyers who are dedicated

to improving the lives of their

clients and the quality of the

legal system – lawyers who

frame the practice of law

as a helping, collaborative

profession.

big picture, and evaluate the social and economic context behind a wide array of legal problems in order to find the best possible outcome for their client.

Degrees OfferedIn addition to the traditional Juris

Doctor degree, Cal Western offers dual degrees in conjunction with the UC San Diego and San Diego State University, including:

• J.D./M.B.A., with SDSU College of Business Administration

• J.D./M.S.W., with SDSU School of Social Work

• J.D./Ph.D. History, with UC San Diego

• J.D./Ph.D. Political Science, with UC San Diego

Cal Western partners with UC San Diego to offer a joint graduate degree in health law, the only program of its kind

in the Western United States, to working professionals in health care and the law. Professionals seeking additional credentials beyond a Juris Doctor degree can pursue a Master of Laws degree in trial advocacy and comparative law.

Innovative Programs, Real World Experience

Cal Western offers student the opportunity to participate in a number of institutes and programs offering real world experience and the chance to make a difference in their city, their country and their world.

Through the Institute for Criminal Defense Advocacy, students can research and investigate real-life criminal cases and help free the wrongly convicted with the California Innocence Project, or work with local high school students as part of the Street Law and Law High programs.

Students with an international focus can help train legal and governmental officials with Proyecto ACCESO, a rule-of-law training program, or study the struggle for justice and effects of globalization in Chile through the Justice in the Americas program.

Dedicated FacultyThe Cal Western faculty consists of

a collegial community of scholars and practitioners. Among them are some of the nation’s leading scholars in areas of international law, law of the sea, health law, gender and sexuality law, and other disciplines. Their involvement and leadership in national and international organizations provide students access to cutting-edge legal scholarship and new approaches to problem solving. Professors bring this experience and insight into the classroom, going beyond traditional curricula and exposing students to a broad array of ideas.

What Law School Ought to BeThrough its emphasis on both theory

and practice, rigorous academics, and renowned real-world institutes and programs, Cal Western invites students to explore the wide expanse of the law in a school devoted to the big picture. An advertorial submitted by California Western School of Law. Pam Hardy is associate director of marketing and communications at Cal Western. For more information, please visit CaliforniaWestern.edu.


Intellectual ProPerty lawyersLargest IP Law Firm in San Diego

Intellectual ProPerty law by the numbers kmob.comKnobbe martens olson & bear llP

50+

Knobbe Martens was recognized as the largest intellectual property

law firm in San Diego in an annual survey conducted by the San Diego

Daily Transcript. The San Diego office of Knobbe Martens has over 50 IP

attorneys, all with science or engineering degrees, including 17 Ph.Ds.

With this depth of technical expertise, they are able to serve clients in all

technical areas, including biotech, chemical/pharmaceutical, medical

devices, telecommunications, and software.

Knobbe Martens represents a variety of clients worldwide, from start-

ups to Fortune 500 companies, in all areas of intellectual property,

including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and related

litigation. Founded in 1962, the firm is one of the largest intellectual

property law firms in the United States with over 250 lawyers and

scientists firm wide. The firm is headquartered in Irvine and has seven

offices nationwide.

550 West C Street, Suite 1200 San Diego, CA 92101

( 619 ) 235-8550

O r a n g e C O u n t y S a n D i e g O S a n F r a n C i S C O L O S a n g e L e S r i v e r S i D e S e a t t L e W a S h i n g t O n D C


2010 economic trendsPresent the

Event

January 7, 2010 • 7:30 - 10:00 amTown and Country Hotel & Convention Center

Golden Pacific Ballroom500 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, CA 92108

Breakfast will be served

Co-sponsored by:

Updated 11/12/09

Confirmed Panel of Experts

Contact Name:

Title:

Email:

Company Name:

Company Address:

City/State/Zip:

Billing address if different than above address:

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Table of 10 $400 • Individual Tickets $45

$400

$45

Table(s) of 10

RegistrationOptions:

1. Online at www.sdbj.com

2. By phone at 858-277-6695

3. By email at [email protected]

4. By Fax to: 858-277-6398

5. By mail to: San Diego Business Journal

4909 Murphy Canyon Road #200San Diego, CA 92123

Cancellation not accepted 7 days prior to event.

&

Mary Ann BarnesSenior Vice President and

Executive DirectorKaiser Permanente San Diego

Lee DuranPartner

– BDO Seidman LLP

Shelly McGuirePartner

– BDO Seidman LLP

Susan AfanSenior Regional Vice President

– Robert Half International

Dana JohnsonSenior Vice President /Chief Economist

– Comerica Bank

Gary H. LondonPresident

– The London Group

Trindl ReevesPrincipal

– Barney & Barney

MODERATORRafael Pastor

– Vistage International

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