President's Message

Happy Fall! It has been a busy year for the association and the nine Chapters that comprise CAL-ABOTA.  Thank you for your membership and participation.

We began the year with the first Board of Directors meeting on January 18, 2024. The meeting was held virtually and allowed everyone to engage and get the year off to a running start! 

The second meeting of the year was the Annual CAL-ABOTA Board of Directors Retreat held on March 1-2, 2024 at the beautiful Rancho Valencia Resort in Rancho Santa Fe. We were very honored to have National President, La’Verne Edney, join us for the lovely weekend. The Board of Directors worked hard, spent time with each other, and most importantly selected the 2024 Trial Lawyer of the Year. Congratulations to Eric Traut of the Orange County Chapter as this year’s award recipient. Please be sure to join us as we honor Eric during the Hawaii Conference in November at the Mauna Lani on the Big Island! You may find Conference and registration details on the CAL-ABOTA website by clicking here.

Our Summer Board Meeting on August 24, 2024 was held in San Juan Capistrano, and the final Board Meeting of the year will be held on November 5, 2024 during the Hawaii Conference. During the August Board Meeting, the Board selected Walter Clark of the San Bernardino/Riverside Chapter as this year’s Community Service of the Year Award recipient. Congratulations Wally!

The Board also discussed the National ABOTA proposed amendment to the Constitution and Bylaws to modify the eligibility for ABOTA membership. After much discussion, the CAL-ABOTA Board of Directors voted to STRONGLY support the proposal of adjusting downward the amount of "lead lawyer" civil jury trials necessary for consideration for admission from the current ten (10) to seven (7) trials. CAL-ABOTA has submitted the support position letter to National ABOTA.

Also during the Summer Board Meeting, the Board of Directors voted to amend the Bylaws and rename the Officer position of Treasurer to Secretary-Treasurer, and I am honored to announce that Steve Grebing of the San Diego Chapter was elected by the Board to serve as the next Secretary-Treasurer. Steve along with the other 2025 Officers: Joe McMonigle, President; Bob Morgenstern, President-Elect; and Karen Goodman, Vice President, will be installed during the Hawaii Conference. Congratulations to all!

As it relates to statewide activity, many of the Chapters are actively involved in the promotion of the ABOTA Foundation’s Juror Appreciation Movement (JAM). The ABOTA Foundation launched the JAM campaign to bring juror appreciation events and juror participation recognition stickers to courthouses throughout the state and eventually across the United States. Chapters are working closely with their local judiciary to participate in juror appreciation events and programs.

Additionally, CAL-ABOTA is in the beginning stages of exploring a possible future "Best of the West Voir Dire Competition" for law students from both California and Hawaii with participation by the CAL-ABOTA Chapters and members. There is a similar competition that is being held in Texas that has received high praise from both the TEX-ABOTA Lawyers and the Texas law schools. In order to get our version off the ground, I have organized an advisory committee that is composed of some fantastic ABOTA trial lawyers and judges from California, Hawaii and Texas. Our committee has been working to gauge the schools' interests in participating in such a competition; watch for more information to follow.

The local Chapters have been very busy; please make sure you support your local chapter by participating. The Chapters are in the process of confirming their leaders for 2025; now is the time to get involved and serve – they need you!

Finally, I am looking forward to the upcoming CAL-ABOTA Hawaii Conference on November 4-9, 2024 at the Mauna Lani on the Big Island. President-Elect, Joe McMonigle, has worked hard to compile an exciting program for you. 

I welcome your feedback and comments.

Thank you,

Greg Rizio

2024 CAL-ABOTA President

CAL-ABOTA is comprised of nine Chapters in California and Hawaii. The Chapters are very active offering membership meetings, special events, and continuing education opportunities, including Masters In Trial programs this Fall.

Please view the CAL-ABOTA calendar for a list of Chapter activities:

https://cal-abota.org/calendar.asp

• California Coast
• Hawaii
• Los Angeles
• Orange County
• Sacramento Valley
• San Bernardino/Riverside
• San Diego
• San Francisco
• San Joaquin Valley

Recognizing the Many Philanthropic Efforts of ABOTA Members 

The CAL-ABOTA Community Service Award shall be presented annually to a CAL-ABOTA member, firm or chapter that has undertaken an exemplary act or continuing acts of service to their community. While philanthropy may be a consideration for determining the annual award recipient, this award is intended to encourage, recognize and celebrate a CAL-ABOTA member or entity that has undertaken a significant commitment of time, talent, effort and/or resources so as to make a meaningful impact upon the quality of life in their community, or to support and enhance the effectiveness of existing charitable organizations. Donations of time and support to legal aid organizations qualify for consideration for the Annual Community Service Award, but emphasis will be placed upon those efforts and services dedicated to broader community needs. 

As a professional organization that encourages and celebrates “Civility," this award is intended to honor CAL-ABOTA members who extend and demonstrate civility beyond the practice of law, and in ways that meaningfully impact and support the community, a consequence of which can be an elevation of the reputation and profile of our profession. 

Thank you for making a difference! 

Congratulations to the 2024 Recipient, Walter Clark of the San Bernardino/Riverside Chapter for his philanthropy and service that he provides to the Inland Empire Community.

Congratulations Past Award Recipients: 



• 2019: Sacramento Valley Chapter for the Sharing God’s Bounty Program 
• 2020-2021: Kim Valentine, Orange County Chapter, Operation Helping Hands 
• 2022: John and Christa Ramey; Ramey Law, Los Angeles Chapter, Rotary International and the Rotary Club of Westchester 
• 2023: Wilma Gray, San Francisco Chapter, Achieve Tahoe.

The CAL-ABOTA Committees are comprised of current members of the Board of Directors. The Committees are working very hard on your behalf to ensure that CAL-ABOTA remains engaged and at the forefront of the legal community.

Thank you to this year’s Committee members, which are as follows:

STANDING COMMITTEES

(Per the Bylaws, Section 4):

Standing committees shall consist of at least three members, including the chair of the Committee.

EDUCATION

“This committee shall be responsible to assist chapters in the presentation of programs throughout the state, to assist chapters in carrying forward the Youth Education Program and any other ABOTA education programs and to engage in any other activities, including school related programs and awards, as shall promote the purposes of ABOTA.”

• Karen Goodman – Co-Chair   
• Steve Grebing – Co-Chair    

Plus Chapter Vice Presidents/President-Elects:

• Eric Berg | CalCoast Vice President 
• Gary Dordick | Los Angeles President-Elect
• Juan Delgado | Orange County President Elect
• Jill Telfer | Sacramento Valley Vice President
• Daniel Kruid | San Bernardino/Riverside President Elect
• Benjamin Bunn | San Diego Vice President
• Dale Allen | San Francisco Vice President
• Thomas Feher | San Joaquin Valley Vice President

CIVIL JUSTICE 

“This committee is responsible for monitoring proposed legislation, jury instruction proposals, the administration of civil justice, and any other issue that may affect the goals and purposes of CAL-ABOTA and to engage in such activities to preserve the purposes of ABOTA as set forth in the Constitution.”

• Joe McMonigle – Co-Chair  
• Hon. Ben Coats – Co-Chair  
• Frank Pitre - Co-Chair

Plus Chapter Presidents:

• Brian Cardoza | CalCoast President
• Jeffrey Portnoy | Hawaii President
• James Rosen | Los Angeles President
• Pamela Liosi-Traut | Orange County President
• John Demas | Sacramento Valley President
• Charles Mayr | San Bernardino/Riverside President
• James Lance | San Diego President
• J. Kevin Morrison | San Francisco President
• Jason Bell | San Joaquin Valley President

LONG RANGE PLANNING 

“This committee shall be responsible to recommend future activities, organization, awards, Board membership, chapter engagement, and any other Board actions that shall carry out the purposes of ABOTA and CAL-ABOTA.”

• Joe McMonigle, Co-Chair   
• Bob Morgenstern, Co-Chair
• Walter Yoka, Co-Chair   

AD HOC COMMITTEES: 

Appointed by the Board, as necessary, to carry out its business for such terms as it shall determine.

AMICUS 

• Karen Goodman Co-Chair    
• Hon. Ben Coats, Co-Chair   

FOUNDATION MEMBERSHIP 

• Don Carlson, Co-Chair   
• Steve Grebing, Co-Chair   

Plus Chapter Immediate Past Presidents:

• Brian O'Connor | Cal Coast Immediate Past President
• Christopher Faenza | Los Angeles Immediate Past President 
• Yoshi Kubota | Orange County Immediate Past President
• Letty Litchfield | Sacramento Valley Immediate Past President
• Steven Geeting | San Bernardino/Riverside Immediate Past President
• Peter Hughes | San Diego Immediate Past President
• Amee Mikacich | San Francisco Immediate Past President
• William White | San Joaquin Valley Immediate Past President

MEMBERSHIP/DIVERSITY 

• Bob Morgenstern, Co-Chair
• Niall McCarthy, Co-Chair   
• Yoshi Kubota, Co-Chair   

Plus Chapter Presidents:

• Brian Cardoza | CalCoast President
• Jeffrey Portnoy | Hawaii President
• James Rosen | Los Angeles President
• Pamela Liosi-Traut | Orange County President
• John Demas | Sacramento Valley President
• Charles Mayr | San Bernardino/Riverside President
• James Lance | San Diego President
• J. Kevin Morrison | San Francisco President
• Jason Bell | San Joaquin Valley President

NEWSLETTER 

This committee shall be charged with producing the E-News, the official periodic publication of CAL-ABOTA. The newsletter shall also be available on the CAL-ABOTA website.

• Greg Rizio, Chair   

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD COMMITTEE 

This committee shall reference the Community Service Award description and criteria approved by the Board of Directors. This committee shall also:

1. Maintain a form to have each chapter complete for possible consideration.

2. Interview the contact from each chapter about their nominees, if necessary.

3. Meet to narrow the list to three nominees only or one if there is overwhelming support for one chapter.

4. Recommend to the Executive Committee, the final three possible candidates.

• Frank Pitre, Co-Chair
• Donald Carlson, Co-Chair   
• Walter Yoka, Co-Chair