State Bar

In response to the letter from the California State Bar president (Dec. 7):

The California Bar Assn. is not, and will never be, an effective organization for addressing the problem of unethical or dishonest lawyers. The purpose of the State Bar is a public-relations organization to foster the perception that lawyers themselves are capable of protecting the public from other lawyers. This is an inherent conflict of interest and therefore not probable. The confidentiality that the president refers to is a device to hide complaints. The Bar is acting in its own self-interest in dropping the confidentiality provision in this complaint.

If Californians want action in regard to unethical or dishonest lawyers, then they must find other organizations besides the State Bar. I suggest a good start would be to ask for legislation against lawyers writing themselves into their clients’ wills. Most other states have already done this.

WALT WEBER

Saugus