(Subscription required) Erik T. Johnson was recognized by the California Lawyers Association with a Labor and Employment Law Pro Bono Achievement Award for his many hours of service to the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program's Microbusiness and Nonprofit Support Program.

A law firm did not own funds in a client trust account despite a recitation in the engagement agreement that the money was “deemed earned” by the firm “when received,” Div. One of the Fourth District Court of Appeal has held, affirming a determination that a notice of levy served by a judgment creditor of the client is enforceable.

Previous cases have required such fees to be “roughly proportional” to a development’s impact. But California courts have held local governments to a lower standard. In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court found that was incorrect, and remanded the case to the state court for reconsideration. It’s unclear what new standards the California court will direct cities to adopt, but the fees are likely to be reined in.

Panelli’s illustrious legal career spans six decades, beginning as a lawyer in the 1950s, then serving as a Superior Court judge before his appointment to the California Supreme Court in 1985. After retiring, he continued to work as an arbitrator, mediator, legal scholar and educator.