Reserve Your Spot Early

The event features up to 9 hours of MCLE credit (including both ethics and civility, live MCLE credits – pending approval) over a two-day agenda, November 19 & 20 at Little America Hotel.

Confirmed topics and speakers at the event include:

• AI and the Waiver of Privilege
• Top 10 Ways to Get a Bar Complaint
• Privacy Law for All Practitioners
• Utah Lawyer Legislators: Looking Ahead to the 2027 Legislative Session
• Judicial Panel and more!

Distinguished CLE sessions will include discussions that 
you won’t want to miss. The Forum has sold out for the last four consecutive years, so sign up now. 
Have a question? Contact the CLE Department at CLE@utahbar.org.

Phishing Campaign Targets Lawyers

All Utah lawyers should be aware of a widespread phishing campaign affecting Utah businesses. The scam appears to be part of an effort to gain unauthorized access to Microsoft 365 accounts. If you receive a suspicious email of this kind, do not open the attachment, click any links, or provide login credentials. Learn more.

Nominees Announced for Court of Appeals Vacancies

The Appellate Judicial Nominating Commission has selected 12 nominees to fill two new vacancies on the Utah Court of Appeals. The positions were created by the Utah Legislature during the 2026 legislative session.

The nominees are:


• Christopher Ballard, general counsel and chief of staff, Utah County Attorney’s Office
• Christopher Bates, shareholder, Kirton McConkie
• Matthew Bates, judge, Third District Court
• William Hains, deputy division director of criminal appeals, Utah Attorney General’s Office
• Nathan Jack, appellate assistant United States attorney, United States Attorney’s Office
• Christine Johnson, judge, Fourth District Court
• Freyja Johnson, partner and appellate attorney, The Appellate Group
• Alexandra Mareschal, head of the Family Defense Appeals Section, Indigent Appellate Defense Division
• Briggs Matheson, assistant United States attorney, United States Attorney’s Office
• Daniel O’Bannon, general counsel, Office of Gov. Spencer J. Cox
• Stanford Purser, solicitor general, Office of the Attorney General
• Samantha Slark, senior city attorney, Salt Lake City Corporation


Public comments are due by noon, Sept. 28, 2026. Written comments may be submitted to judicialvacancies@utah.gov or mailed to:


Department of Criminal Justice

P.O. Box 142330

Salt Lake City, UT 84114-2330


After the nominee list is certified, Gov. Spencer J. Cox will have 30 days to make the appointments. The governor’s appointees are subject to confirmation by the Utah Senate.

Lehi Justice Court Judge Vacancy

Applications are being accepted for a full-time Lehi Justice Court judge to replace Judge Morgan Cummings, who will resign in October.

Applicants must meet Utah’s statutory qualifications for justice court judges and reside in Utah County or an adjacent county upon appointment or before taking the bench.

Salary: $147,886–$190,139 annually, plus benefits

Deadline: Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Applications must be submitted online at justicecourtvacancies.utah.gov. Late applications will not be accepted.

For questions about the judicial selection process, contact Justice Court Administrator Jim Peters at jamesp@utcourts.gov.

Get Free Trust Accounting & Billing Software

As a Utah State Bar licensee, you have complimentary access to Smokeball Bill, the premier trust accounting and billing software for law firms — a $588/user/year value. Manage trust accounting compliantly, bill with ease, and get paid faster.



Sign up for your subscription at no cost today.

Want to see it in action first? Register for our upcoming webinar for a live demonstration of Bill and everything included in your new software.

Utah State Bar Happenings

Some images are clickable

NOTE: We prevailed in a First Amendment challenge to Utah’s integrated bar structure with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirming judgment in favor of the Bar in Pomeroy v. Utah State Bar. READ MORE