Richards, Watson & Gershon
Attorneys at Law - A Professional Corporation
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Presentations and AppointmentsPresentationsGena
M. Stinnett and Robert
(Bob) C. Ceccon participated in a panel discussion titled:
“Disasters - Beginning to End,” at the City Attorneys Association
of Los Angeles Annual Spring Conference in Santa Barbara on March 13,
2010. The presentation focused on the city attorney’s role in preparing
for and responding to disasters. Gena’s topics included the basics
of emergency services law; how to comply with state law when drafting
local emergency services ordinances; steps a city attorney can take to
protect a city from liability; how to ensure government continuity during
a disaster and advance actions cities should take to be eligible for state
and federal funds. Bob described his handling of the trial and appeal
arising out of the 2005 La Conchita landslide disaster that resulted in
10 deaths and dozens of claims. Bob’s presentation focused on how
a governmental entity can create a record that will allow it to prevail
on a design immunity defense. Gena M. Stinnett presented “E-mailing: Best Practices for Elected Officials” at the California Contract Cities Association’s 29th Annual Fall Conference in Carlsbad, California on September 26, 2009. The presentation focused on the reasons behind increased concern that elected officials may be compelled to disclose emails sent or received relating to the public’s business. Issues relating to the Public Records Act, as well as litigation discovery, were covered in the presentation. Gena also discussed “best email practices” designed to address some of the disclosure concerns, as well as issues raised by the Brown Act and due process. *** Trisha Ortiz participated in a panel discussion at the Palm Desert Assembly Bill (AB) 811 Conference. This one day, intensive conference compared and contrasted emerging program models for providing municipal financing for renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements to private property. Local governments, financial institutions, and public/private sector representatives from throughout California joined together on June 12, 2009 to hear about the opportunities and key considerations associated with AB 811 Financing. Trisha worked with the City of Palm Desert to draft AB 811, which became law as an urgency measure in July 2008. *** Kevin G. Ennis presented a paper entitled “Significant California Land Use Legislation in Calendar Year 2008” to the Planning Directors Association of Orange County at their meeting in Costa Mesa on February 9, 2009. Kevin also conducted a seminar for UCLA Extension’s Public Policy Program for Planning Commissioner training on conflicts of interest and ethics laws in Los Angeles on February 9, 2009. He also served as a co-instructor of an Advanced Seminar on the Subdivision Map Act in Los Angeles on June 12, 2009. *** Gena M. Stinnett co-presented "Best Practices for Use of Email" with Carl Baker, Jr., Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Desert Hot Springs and Steven B. Quintanilla, City Attorney for the City of Rancho Mirage, at the League of California Cities Mayor and Council Member Executive Forum in San Diego, California on May 28, 2009. The presentation examined the risks attendant to an increase in use of email by public officials and offered "best practices" for minimizing those risks. The presentation also included a discussion of Brown Act, Public Records Act, litigation discovery, and due process issues as they relate to use of email. *** Sayre Weaver served on a panel of faculty speakers at the American Bar Association (ABA) presentation entitled “Gun Regulation and Litigation after Heller,” sponsored by the ABA Government and Public Sector Lawyer’s Division and the ABA Committee on Gun Violence, on May 19, 2009. *** Roy A. Clarke presented “Performance Appraisals: Using Them Effectively and Legally in Your Agency” at the annual training seminar of the Southern California Public Management Association - Human Resources on April 16, 2009. Roy also presented management training to Fire Department Command Officers on the “Supervisor’s Guide to the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights Act.” He conducted training on Fair Labor Standards Act compliance for local agency supervisors. He also continues to make presentations on “Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for Supervisors” to meet the biennial training requirements of AB 1825. *** Gena M. Stinnett presented "Electronic Records" at the Orange County City Clerks meeting on April 13, 2009. The presentation focused on retention policies for electronic records along with best practices designed to help cities prepare for production of electronically stored information during litigation *** David Snow and Norman Dupont spoke at the American Planning Association - California Chapter Conference on September 21, 2008 in Hollywood, California. Their program 'The Perfect Storm: Global Warming, Legislation, Court Cases and CEQA all Hit Planners, ' educated planners on recent global warming legislation and litigation that their agencies may be required to consider in the preparation of CEQA documents. David and Norm were joined on the panel by Sally Mangani from the Office of the California Attorney General, and Jonathan Evans from the Center for Biological Diversity. The presentation materials are available here. *** Roy A. Clarke was the featured speaker on "Internal Workplace Investigations in California" presented by the California Employer Advisor. Roy was also a presenter for the California Employment Advisor's seminar, "Sexual Harassment: How the New Regulations Implementing AB 1825 Affect Your Mandatory Training Obligations; Be Sure You're Still in Compliance." *** Melissa Crosthwaite, Trisha Ortiz, Gena M. Stinnett and Sayre Weaver presented a seminar for the Southern California City Clerks Association meeting in Upland, California. The seminar addressed current issues facing City Clerks, and the City Clerks Association officers selected those topics that they found to be most relevant to the matters their members confront on a daily basis. Topics included, "Brown Act Basics and Meeting Management," "Formation of Community Facilities Districts," "Public Records Act Update," and "Discovery Challenges: Electronically Stored Information and New Federal Rules." A copy of the papers are available by request to sguebely@rwglaw.com. *** Norman A. Dupont participated in a panel discussion titled "Climate Change, Global Warming and Land Use Issues," for the Orange County Building Industry Association. *** T. Peter Pierce
participated in a panel discussion titled, "The Seven Deadly Sins
in a Case Headed for Appeal," at the California State Bar's Annual
Meeting. Peter joined the Honorable Paul Turner, Presiding Justice of
the California Court of Appeal, Second *** Greg Stepanicich co-presented "Disabled Access Construction Requirements for Public and Private Buildings" with Chris Raker, Mayor of Mill Valley, at the League of California Cities Mayor and Council Member Executive Forum in Monterey, California. Greg also presented "The Role of the City Attorney" to the Duties of Elected Officials Subcommittee of the San Diego Charter Review Committee. In addition, Greg presented "The Role of Local Government in Addressing Climate Change" at the Paul and Diane Garrett Public Policy Series - University of California, Riverside. *** Larry S. Wiener served as an instructor at the "Introduction and Updates to the Subdivision Map Act," UCLA Extension Public Policy Program on November 5, 2007. Larry also presented "How To ffectively Read an Environmental Impact Report" for the Planning Commissoner Training Program sponsored by Caltrans and UCLA. A copy of the paper is available by request to lwiener@rwglaw.com. *** Mitchell E. Abbott, Janet E. Coleson, Roxanne M. Diaz, G. Inder Khalsa, Steven L. Dorsey, Craig A. Steele and Greg Stepanicich conducted seminars throughout California on "AB 1234 Ethics raining and Update on Local Government Law" A copy of the materials is available by request to sguebely@rwglaw.com. *** Mitchell E. Abbott, Steven L. Dorsey, Kevin G. Ennis, G. Inder Khalsa, Craig Steele and Gena M. Stinnett presented "Local Government Fundamentals and Ethics Training" for the UCLA-Extension Public Policy Program. A copy of the materials is available by request to sguebely@rwglaw.com. *** AppointmentsJim Karpiak was appointed the General Counsel of the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District on February 1, 2010. *** Greg
Stepanicich was appointed to the Board of Directors of the California
City Management Foundation. In January 2010, Greg also became General
Counsel for the California Statewide Communities Development Authority.
*** Congratulations to Patrick "Kit" Bobko on his re-election to the Hermosa Beach City Council. *** Patrick “Kit” Bobko was sworn-in for a term as Mayor of the City of Hermosa Beach on January 27, 2009. Kit has served on the Hermosa Beach City Council since June 2006. *** Jim Karpiak became General Counsel of the Marin Emergency Radio Authority, replacing Greg Stepanicich. *** Greg Stepanicich was appointed General Counsel for the Marin Energy Authority in February 2009. *** Peter M. Thorson was appointed to the California League of Cities’ Municipal Law Handbook Committee for the 2009 to 2011 term. He will serve as the editor for the Land Use section of the Municipal Law Handbook. Greg Stepanicich was appointed as General Counsel for the Marinwood Community Services District in Marin County. Greg was also elected Chair of the Legal Advocacy Committee of the City Attorneys Department of the League of California Cities. *** Congratulations to Greg Stepanicich on his appointment as Chair of the Legal Advocacy Committee of the City Attorneys Department of the League of California Cities. *** Congratulations to Sayre Weaver on her appointment to the American Bar Association's Special Committee on Gun Violence, on her election as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and her Courageous Leadership Award by the Women Against Gun Violence. *** Congratulations to Mitchell E. Abbott on his election to the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Conservancy. *** Congratulations to Lisa Bond on her election as Secretary of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Environmental Law Section. *** Congratulations to Patrick "Kit" Bobko on his election to the Hermosa Beach City Council. ***
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