California Lawyer

California Lawyer was a monthly legal magazine based in San Francisco, California.[1][2] The magazine was sent to every member of the State Bar.[3]

California Lawyer
January 2015, J.F. Podevin illustration for "Uncommon Carriers," by Michael Bobelian
Categorieslaw
FrequencyMonthly
PublisherState Bar of California, 1981-1987
Daily Journal Corporation, 1988-2015
Founded1981
First issueSeptember 1981
Final issueOctober 2015
CountryUSA
Based inSan Francisco
LanguageEnglish
Websitewww.callawyer.com
ISSN0279-4063

History and profile

California Lawyer was launched in September 1981[4] by the State Bar of California as an updated version of the California State Bar Journal, published by the bar since 1926.[5]

Prior to its launch, a prospectus for the magazine compared it to Business Week or Fortune for the California legal community.[6] Edited by a staff of journalists and supported by advertising, California Lawyer offered legal news, as well as professional and general-interest articles.[7]

But critics asserted the new magazine "virtually extinguished" attorney participation in bar publications,[8] and despite its financial goals relied on mandatory annual membership dues for operating expenses.

In July 1987, the State Bar's board of governors, pressured by legislators to eliminate a budget deficit, voted to eliminate all funds for California Lawyer—effectively killing the magazine.[9]

In October 1987 the State Bar reached agreement with Charles T. Munger, chairman of the Daily Journal Corp. and publisher of the Los Angeles Daily Journal.[10] The no-money sale committed Munger to include 12 pages of the State Bar's news and notices, to be written and edited by the bar, in each issue of California Lawyer.[11] In April 1993 the bar's board of governors terminated the Daily Journal contract and voted to publish a tabloid newspaper for its members.[12]

Once wholly independent, California Lawyer sought a wider audience for legal journalism, selling copies in bookstores and newsstands statewide.[13] During this period, California Lawyer also produced two quarterly publications: House Counsel (1996-2002) and 8-K (2004-2006). In addition, beginning in 1996,[14] the magazine staff recognized outstanding work by lawyers in a broad range of practice areas with annual California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) awards.[15]

Faced with declining revenue from display and classified advertising, the Daily Journal Corp. ceased publishing California Lawyer in September 2015.[16] The callawyer.com website continues to publish articles online.

References
  1. "California Lawyer of the Year 2002" Archived 2011-05-11 at the Wayback Machine Price and Associates. Retrieved February 23, 2011
  2. Arnold, Kenneth James (1993). California courts and judges handbook. Law Book Service Co. p. 54. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  3. Margolick, David (9 October 1992). "At the Bar; When a California Legal Magazine Portrays Gay Lawyers, The Response Is X-Rated". The New York Times. p. 16. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  4. Diamond, Diana L., editor's letter, California Lawyer, September 1981
  5. "California State Bar Journal". HeinOnline. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  6. Bangs, George, "Prospectus for a Monthly Magazine for California Lawyers," State Bar of California, August 4, 1980
  7. Eaneman, Paulette, "California Lawyer: A Financial Progress Report," State Bar of California, July 13, 1982
  8. Chilton, Jan T., "George Bangs' Memo on Membership Periodicals," Board of Governors, State Bar of California, August 21, 1980
  9. Hanley, Robert, Los Angeles Daily Journal, July 7, 1987
  10. Magazine Watch, April 1988
  11. Carrizosa, Philip, Los Angeles Daily Journal, October 9, 1987
  12. Hall, Michael, Los Angeles Daily Journal, April 20, 1993
  13. Magazine Watch, March 15, 1993
  14. "1996 Legal Eagles," California Lawyer December 1996
  15. legacy.callawyer.com 2017 CLAY Awards
  16. Bob Egelko (October 2, 2015). "California Lawyer, major legal magazine, ceases publication". SFGate. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
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