SDPA Newsletter 2020 Q2: Spring Issue

A San Diego Paralegal Association Publication 2020 Q2: Spring
Adapting &
Growing Stronger
as individuals & as a community

2
SDPA Precedents, Q2: Spring 2020 Issue
SDPA Precedents, Q2: Spring 2020
Table of Contents
SDPA Updates
3 A Message from the President
5 SDPA’s COVID-19 Updates &
Resources
27 SDPA’s Auditing Committee
28 Upcoming Events
Health & Wellness
7 Modern Mentality: Work Stress &
Mental Health
8 Tips for Improving Personal Wellness in
the Outdoors
Career Development
10 Laid off and unsure where to start? Six
easy steps to set yourself up for success
12 Leadership and Vision in Crisis
13 Power Paralegal: 5 Tech Skills That Will
Advance Your Career
Legal Topics & Resources
15 Subpoenaing Facilities During
COVID-19: Recent Developments &
Changes
16 Social Media Evidence and the
Expectation of Privacy
Community/Environment
18 My First (And Certainly Not Last)
Clothing Swap Party
20 #CovidCooking: Making Yummy
Delights While Sheltering in Place
Pro Bono & Volunteerism
23 Ways to Volunteer Remotely During
COVID-19
25 Pro Bono Committee Meeting 5/18/20
25 Food From the Bar (through 6/15/20)
26 SDPA’s 4th Annual Volunteer Legal &
Community Fair (9/12/20)
28 Team SDPA for ACS’s Making Strides
Against Breast Cancer Walk (10/18/20)
30 Back cover—SDPA Newsletter
accepting submissions for summer issue!

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San Diego Paralegal Association
www.sdparalegals.org
Board of Directors
President
Julie A. Schwartz
Vice President of Programs and
Education
June Hunter
Vice President of Membership
Sheila Grela, ACP, CEDS
Secretary
Claire Hamilton
Treasurer
Jennifer Keating-Wolk
Directors
Souriya (Joe) Maniwan, ACP
Viktor Iarushin
Kristine M. Custodio Suero, ACP
Angela DeSaracho
Ja’Mar Montgomery
Tracy Morgan
Brianne Williams
Sharon Shiyuan Zhu
Newsletter Committee
Ellen Zacarias (Editor)
Arthur Chavez
Alison Greenlee
Souriya (Joe) Maniwan, ACP
Julie Schwartz
Spring 2020 Newsletter
Guest Writers
Denise Blassak
Ally Welborn
Emily Mato
Nia C. Troup
Douglas Lusk, J.D.
Cindy Pellicano & Donald Watanabe
Charlan Tucker
Joseph Jones
Lia Bruce
Dawn Regner, CP
Joe Maniwan, ACP
Find San Diego
Paralegal
Association (SDPA) on:
www.sdparalegals.org
A Message from the
President
“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do
daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”
—John C. Maxwell
In his book, The Slight Edge, Jeff Olson discusses how to turn
simple disciplines in all areas of life – health, career, finances,
relationships, personal development – into massive success and
happiness by mastering the mundane. By studying his actions
and inactions, Jeff unlocked the secretes to his success as well as
his failures. He analyzed his philosophy behind his attitude/
actions that ultimately transformed him from beach bum to
millionaire by doing the same thing over and over, mastering the
slight edge.
As identified by Olson, your philosophy creates your attitudes,
actions and results. In turn, your attitudes, actions, and results
ultimately create your life. He identified seven (7) positive,
productive habits of attitude and behavior that will assist anyone in
achieving their goals, especially when the goals seem
overwhelming and unachievable, when life tosses you lemons:
(Continued on next page…)
Julie A. Schwartz
SDPA President
SDPA Updates

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(Continued from previous page)
 Show Up
 Be Consistent
 Have a Positive Outlook
 Be Committed for the Long Haul
 Cultivate a Burning Desire Backed by Faith
 Be Willing to Pay the Price
 Practice Slight Edge Integrity
Given the current/ongoing developments with COVID-19, the recommendations of the CDC,
multiple closures of schools and businesses, limited Court hours/proceedings, and ever
changing parameters of social distancing, now more than ever, I ask you – the reader – to
take an introspective look at your attitudes, actions, and results. What daily changes have
you needed to adjust? What new routines have you had to develop to enable to you to be
consistent – or inconsistent – during this unprecedented time? Are you willing to pay the
price and implement the slight edge integrity by taking “baby steps” toward goals/dreams/
achievements that you have been wanting to pursue? Only you – the reader – can answer
these questions. I challenge each of you to take pause, reflect, and use your time wisely.
Now is the time to determine if you are living the life that you want to be living. Growth is a
choice that starts by mastering the mundane – the slight edge. How will you utilize your time
during this pandemic?
I leave you with this thought from Napoleon Hill, The Law of Success:
First comes the thought, then organization of that thought into ideas and plans, then
transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your
imagination. The secret of your success starts with you!
Julie A. Schwartz
2020 SDPA President
Paralegals: Please participate in the
State of the San Diego Paralegal
Profession 2020 Survey conducted by
Christina Hough:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/
QZ2CR6B
SDPA Updates

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*You can also access these links by going to https://sdparalegals.org/COVID-19-Updates.
San Diego Organizations Seeking Volunteers
Serving Seniors needs volunteers in South Bay! Help bag food and ride along to deliver meals to
seniors. If you’re interested, please apply on https://servingseniors.org/.
San Diego Food Bank—To register for individual volunteering, please visit
https://sdfb.volunteerhub.com.
For emergency food assistance, please visit https://sandiegofoodbank.org/gethelp/.
More: This site contains organizations that are currently in need of volunteers. Please
visit https://www.justserve.org/sdcounty.
Legal Services
San Diego Law Library—Downtown and Vista branches are closed, resources available online,
staff available via email and phone. Visit https://sandiegolawlibrary.org/.
San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program’s Small Business & Nonprofit Brief Legal Advice
Clinic. Attorneys will provide free consultations to eligible businesses and nonprofits
struggling with legal issues created by the pandemic. SDVLP is proud to provide this resource to
our community during these challenging times. Visit https://www.sdvlp.org/
(Continued on next page.)
SDPA Updates

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Legal Aid Society of San Diego’s Guide to San Diego County
The organization provides accurate, general information regarding legal rights relating to housing
in California. Visit https://www.lassd.org/.
San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce
The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce is the hub for connections and collaboration for
the business community, and fights for its members and all the region's
businesses by supporting pro-business policies and candidates. Visit https://sdchamber.org/.
Superior Court of California - County of San Diego
Visit http://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/ for the latest updates.
U.S. District Court Southern District of California
Visit https://www.casd.uscourts.gov/ for the latest updates.
San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA)
Visit https://www.sdcba.org/ for the latest updates.
Sources for COVID-19 information
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Visit https://www.cdc.gov/ for more information.
Coronavirus in San Diego County
You can view a table of the latest statistics regarding COVID-19 here:
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/community_epidemiology/
dc/2019-nCoV/status.html
KPBS Public Broadcasting
LATEST UPDATES: Tracking COVID-19: https://www.kpbs.org/news/2020/may/09/coronavirus-
san-diego-live-updates-covid-19/
(Continued from previous page.)
SDPA Updates

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By Denise Blassak
Health & Wellness

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According to research from the American Institute of Stress, job stress, which is a growing
concern for American adults, can negatively affect mental and physical health. Fortunately,
however, you can easily counteract some of these effects by doing something simple and free;
spending time in nature.
Abundant research shows that nature connections are important for physical and psychological
well-being. According to the State of California Resources Agency, active recreation can
improve obesity, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and immune system response. Additionally,
outdoor activity as well as time spent in nature can have positive effects on mental health,
depression, anxiety, panic disorder, and self-esteem.
The San Diego River Park Foundation, a local organization that works along the 52-mile San
Diego River, strives to facilitate connections between people and nature. These connections
benefit individual and community wellness.
Here are a few tips from the San Diego River Park Foundation for easy ways to connect with
local nature:
Take a hike! The San Diego region’s unique canyon topography means that you don’t
have to travel far to get into a natural setting. There is likely an easy canyon hike within
just a few miles of your house. For those looking to get further afield, the backcounty in
the San Diego River headwaters offers opportunities to spot wildlife, take a dip under a
waterfall, or look out over a beautiful vista. In this area, the organization offers free
guided hikes of their beautiful preserves.
Become a citizen scientist! Many researchers and conservation organizations rely on
volunteer collected data about plant and animal species. The iNaturalist app is a great
tool than anyone can use, regardless of their nature expertise level, to contribute to
environmental research. This app can be used whether you’re going for a walk in your
neighborhood, picnicking at a park, or camping in the forest.
Volunteer! The San Diego River Park Foundation works with more than 10,000
volunteers annually to clean up trash, restore habitat, collect data, repair hiking trails,
plant trees, and much more. Many local organizations offer opportunities to get
outdoors, make new friends, and give back. With so many projects available, you can
choose the location and physical activity level that’s right for you.
Nature Nurtures:
Tips for Improving Personal Wellness in the Outdoors
By Ally Welborn
Health & Wellness

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The San Diego River Park Foundation envisions the creation of a river-long park and trail
system that will follow the course of the river from the mountains to the ocean. Many portions
of this park system have already been completed, with others currently in progress. This
contiguous green space will be a resource for San Diegans for years to come. Facilitating
outdoor connections that improve well-being for individuals and communities. To learn more
about the project and the organization, visit www.sandiegoriver.org.
___
About the Author
Ally Welborn is the Community Engagement Manager of San Diego River Park
Foundation. She can be reached at: ally@sandiegoriver.org.
Health & Wellness

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When I was asked to write an article for this
newsletter, prior to the COVID-19 crisis, I
wrote a detailed piece on the questions you
should be asking an employer during your
interview process in order to assess if the job
was right for you in a candidate-driven
market. In the short time since I wrote that
article the job market has shifted as a result of
the COVID-19 crisis. As of April 25, over 3
million first-time claims for unemployment
benefits were filed, per the U.S. Department
of Labor. Many of our colleagues in the legal
industry have been laid off or furloughed,
without much direction on what to do next.
We are living in truly unprecedented times
and I will not pretend to have all the answers
for you today about what you can and should
be doing if you find yourself looking for work
now. However, I have compiled my best
advice to setting yourself up for a successful
job search even in more normal times.
First, take a deep breath and give yourself
time to process what’s happened. A layoff or
furlough is a life-changing event even outside
of a global pandemic and you are,
understandably, feeling a lot of emotions right
now. By allowing yourself to take a step back
and find perspective, you will avoid creating
additional stress and rushing into problem-
solving mode and will set yourself for a long-
term success. To that end, use this time to
dust off your recipe books, try out those free
yoga classes you bookmarked online and
anything else you’ve been meaning to do but
just simply haven’t found the time for.
When you are ready to start thinking about
next steps, do the following to set yourself up
for success.
1. Connect with a recruiter as soon as
possible
Recruiters are your best resource for market
intel, temporary work and posted and
unposted hiring needs. Our Special Counsel
recruiters are available to interview prep and
share our insider information with you at any
time and we have complete guides on each of
the below. However, we are just one resource
for you. Reach out to other local recruiters
and remember that you are your own best
resource.
2. Update your resume
It’s commonly held knowledge that your
resume usually gets 30 seconds of screen
time with an employer, and some studies
report a shocking 6-7 seconds of screen time
with recruiters. Therefore, it’s crucial that your
resume be succinct and expertly designed to
highlight your relevant skills, experience and
education. Details are critical here, especially
with regards to your most recent position – be
as specific as you possibly can.
Laid off and
unsure where to
start?
Six easy steps to
set yourself up for
success
By Emily Mato
Career Development

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3. Update your LinkedIn
Your future employers and recruiters will
often start with your LinkedIn when assessing
your fit for a position. I have included here my
two biggest pieces of advice.
1. Make sure that you have an updated,
professional photo and personalized
tagline.
2. Remember that your LinkedIn isn’t a
duplicate of your resume. A good
LinkedIn profile will summarize your skills
and experience, while a great LinkedIn
profile will describe these as you would to
someone you just met or are interviewing
with.
4. Monitor job boards
Given the current market, finding your dream
job and gaining immediate employment in
your specialty may be tough, but not
impossible. Monitor job boards and keep your
resume in circulation by applying to the
positions you see online. Dedicate a set
amount of time every day to looking for and
applying to jobs.
5. Reach out to your network
You are not in this alone! In addition to your
personal support system and recruiter, the
other legal professionals in your network can
be a huge resource for you. Whether it’s
someone with a lead on a firm or company
who’s still hiring or simply an understanding
voice on the other end of the phone, you will
find that people are more willing to help than
you might typically assume.
6. Practice interviews
We have yet to see how this pandemic and
social distancing will shape what interviews
look like in the long term. However, it is likely
that phone and video interviews will become
widely accepted in addition to traditional in-
person interviews. Brush up on your skills
and begin practicing your interview skills in
these mediums as well. Ask a friend or your
recruiter to test out different video
applications and do practice phone
interviews.
Use this time to prepare yourself for when the
market re-opens. Dedicate each day to
preparing for your next position by setting
yourself up to find the right one, brushing up
on and expanding upon your skills and
adopting a positive, can-do attitude that will
serve your long-term goals. Most importantly,
remember that we are all in this together and
seek out the support and resources readily
available to you.
__________________________
Emily Mato is the Director of Legal Recruitment at
SCI, Special Counsel’s Legal Staffing Division.
She can be reached at:
Emily.Mato@SpecialCounsel.com.
Career Development

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As leaders it is our calling and
responsibility to leap across short-term horizons
into unknown futures. Whether a leader of a
team or a project, we leverage our experience,
education, instinct, and intuition to carve out an
idea of what the future could look like, a vision
to inspire people to action. The picture we paint
and communicate helps others experience a
sense of purpose, be a part of something
bigger than themselves, and justify the
sacrifices in time and energy.
When a crisis hits, we are engulfed by
short-term crisis management. Our days are
taken hostage by circumstance. Our personal
lives are upended, and our work responsibilities
are in enormous flux. Before we can assess
and regroup, another onslaught of news,
statistics, and financial reports threaten to
overcome us once again. Minds muddied by
fatigue, it’s tough to remember where we
were headed, and even tougher to be an
inspiration to others when we are barely
holding on ourselves.
Yet the truth is that vision anchors us.
We dig deep when we remember the bigger
picture and are reminded that this too will pass.
We find forgotten pockets of resiliency. We get
creative and excited about ideas. I invite you to
do a short reflection and writing exercise. Close
your eyes and think of the last time you were
proud of how you behaved as a leader. Did
you uncover a hidden talent in one of your team
members? Did you discover information that led
to a successful outcome for your client? Did
your listening skills allow someone else to feel
heard? Did your writing skills articulate the core
issues necessary to change the trajectory of a
case? Now imagine the ultimate
acknowledgment from your colleagues and
clients, the ideal compliment that refuels you
and validates your work. Maybe it’s something
like this: In my greatest time of need, fear,
uncertainty, anxiety and stress, my paralegal
was there for me every step of the way. I
trusted them implicitly and together we made it
to the other side. Open your eyes. Take three
minutes to write down what you saw.
Hold tight to that vision and let it carry
you forward. This crisis will pass, and you
will once again leap confidently into unknown
futures.
____________________
Nia C. Troup is the Executive Vice President of
Strategy and Organizational Development at
First Legal, the nation’s premier litigation
support company. Nia supports the
development and dissemination of culture and
core values in action. She lives and works in
Los Angeles.
By Nia C. Troup
Career Development

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Power Paralegal:
5 Tech Skills That Will Advance Your Career
By Douglas Lusk, J.D., founder and chief executive officer,
National Society for Legal Technology (NSLT)
When you studied to become a paralegal, you were required to show competence in basic
software (Office 365, how a PDF works, etc.) before you graduated from the program.
Lawyers don’t have such a requirement when they entered law school. Enhancing your legal
training with technology proficiency offers a huge benefit for paralegals as it helps fill the
void of knowledge for the law firm.
Law firms want paralegals with substantial tech skills. It’s what they look for first on a
resume. Some firms even differentiate these paralegals by a new name — paratechnicals.
They often are among the highest-paid paralegals in the industry, especially for those that
work in litigation support.
Having functional knowledge of the following five types of technologies can help position
new and even established paralegals to become top earners in the industry.
1. Trial presentation software. Today’s juries are advanced. They’ve spent 16 years
watching television shows like NCIS. They expect lawyers to show them high-tech
details of where a shot was fired, where the bullet travelled, how it entered into a person,
and what the blood spatter showed. By understanding the innerworkings of trial
presentation software programs, you can help your firm end its reliance on poster boards
and create electronic presentations that will keep jurists engaged.
2. eDiscovery programs. Every case today is a big data case. Let’s say you’re
representing a limousine driver. He typically does nothing with documents. But thanks to
GPS data, phone data, text messages, and emails, you may still have 10,000 pages of
discovery documents. When you master eDiscovery programs, you’ll have the power to
streamline the discovery process, completing days of work in mere hours.
3. Advanced Microsoft Word skills. Being able to use Word is nearly considered a
universal skill set. However, offering more advanced Word skills will set you apart. When
you know how to set up templates, autogenerate Table of Contents and Table of
Authorities, clean up and file a document on short notice and insert hyperlinks to
supporting materials, you’ll demonstrate the ability to save your firm precious time on
paperwork.
Career Development

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4. Calendaring software.
In the legal world, missing
a deadline can have major
consequences.
Understanding how
docketing and calendaring
software works — and
knowing the statute of
limitations for each case —
will keep your firm
organized and compliant.
The ability to set auto-
reminders and messages
will help ensure your
attorney never misses that important filing deadline or client meeting.
5. Artificial Intelligence. This is the new frontier, and we’re already seeing some
fantastic applications. In July 2018, LegalMation debuted, promising to save firms
time and money. It can read PDF versions of complaints and auto-generate first drafts
of written discovery, provide an answer and draft situation-appropriate objections. It’s
like having an extra set of hands. The more you know about this type of AI-infused
technology, the more valuable you’ll be to your firm.
Today’s law firms face a technology gap. New attorneys have the desire to integrate
technology, but are still navigating the firm and earning their stripes. More experienced
attorneys have amble legal expertise, but often come up short on technical prowess.
Paralegals who understand and can use these technologies can not only bridge that
technology gap, but can make themselves invaluable as a result within the firm.
___________
Douglas Lusk, J.D., is the founder and chief executive officer of the National Society for
Legal Technology (NSLT). Doug serves as an adjunct law professor at Fullerton College,
Daemen College and Mt. San Antonio College. He is passionate about promoting the
need for ongoing legal technology education in the legal industry. Both inside and outside
of the classroom, he works to help connect paralegals and attorneys with legal
technology education resources. www.LegalTechSociety.org
Career Development

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During the COVID-19 crisis, we have taken note of the following relevant developments:
 Medical facilities are still open but many have temporary protocols to accept service of requests
via mail, email or fax.
 Essential businesses such as banks are still open and accepting personal service of subpoenas.
 Major Agents for Service of Process such as CT Corporation System and CSC Lawyers
Incorporating Service are still open but may have reduced hours.
 County and Government facilities are closed to the public, however most entities are currently
accepting service via U.S. Mail.
 Non-essential businesses, such as salons and bars, are closed and cannot be served at the
current time.
 Due to reduced staffing, the response time for many entities is longer than usual which has
caused some delays with obtaining the records.
Titan Legal Services is open and offering subpoena preparation and subpoena Service of Process,
along with records retrieval via HIPAA authorization, subpoena and mutual agreement. Clients can
receive the records as digital downloads to facilitate personnel who are working remotely. We have
field agents available to handle on-site copying and to pick up records. A secure, HIPAA-compliant
file host is available for custodians to submit records to us.
Please contact us if you are in need of services or if you have a technical question I can help
with. We can also offer a complimentary PDF copy of our subpoena class handout (11.3 MB file)
that covers all of the rules for California and District Court subpoenas and information on the
Interstate Deposition and Discovery Act including a map of states that have adopted it.
Titan Legal Services’ contact information is:
Cindy Pellicano
E-mail: cpellicano@titanlegalservices.com
Cell: (949) 413-0221
The staff and management at Titan Legal sends well wishes to you, your firms, families and friends
during this difficult time!
_________________
Cindy Pellicano is an Account Executive at Titan Legal Services, Inc.
Donald Watanabe is an Operations Manager at Titan Legal Services, Inc.
Subpoenaing Facilities
During COVID-19:
Recent Developments and Changes
By Cindy Pellicano and Donald Watanabe

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Over the last decade, the use of social
media has exploded. Somewhere between
80-92% of Americans use some form of
social media to connect with friends and
family members. Between Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, etc., it
is not uncommon for an individual or an
organization to have a half dozen social
media accounts or more. These social
media accounts can offer invaluable insight
during litigation, but oftentimes accounts can
be set to “private” and the content from
these accounts can be restricted, which
begs the question “can private content be
accessed, and if so, is that content
admissible in court?”
Social media and the expectation of privacy
is a hot topic in courtrooms across the
United States, and there are a variety of
potential scenarios to be considered. To
understand one aspect of how this question
plays out, we’ll take a look at the case of
United States v. Meregildo (2012 WL
3264501, (2012)).
Understanding the Case
In United States v. Meregildo, the defendant
Melvin Colon posted messages on Facebook
detailing acts of violence and threatening
new violence against rival gangs. He filed
motions to suppress this evidence on the
basis that when law enforcement accessed
these posts, they violated his right to an
expectation of privacy. He believed that since
his privacy settings on the posts in question
could only be viewed by “friends”, he had a
reasonable expectation of privacy.
He believed that since his privacy settings on
the posts in question could only be viewed by
“friends”, he had a reasonable expectation of
privacy.
Social Media Evidence and the
By Joseph Jones

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During the course of law enforcement’s
investigation, they were able to access this
information, because one of the
defendant’s Facebook “friends” had
cooperated with law enforcement, giving
them access to view Colon’s profile.
The Judge in this case evaluated the
evidence in the context of Colon’s privacy
settings and his circle of friends. The Judge
denied Colon’s motion to suppress and said
that his Facebook information was lawfully
obtained and used in this case.
The privacy settings used by Colon allowed
the cooperating witness, Colon’s Facebook
“friend,” to see the messages that he
posted to his account. As such, the Judge
ruled that accessing this information was
not a violation of the Fourth Amendment.
Colon allowed “friends” to view his posts,
and he had a wide circle of friends. The
Judge believed that because of this,
Colon’s expectation of privacy ended when
he posted on Facebook.
Social Media and a Reasonable
The Supreme Court has long held that a
person has a protected right to a
reasonable expectation of privacy. The
constitution protects this right. However,
when it comes to social media, this
expectation is not absolute, and frankly it is
almost non-existent. This is because by
design, many people can view the
information posted on social media. Unlike
private electronic communications
(personal emails, direct messages, etc.)
meant for only one or a select few, social
media posts are intended to go to a wide
audience, oftentimes hundreds or
thousands or people, and in turn, that
audience can share the content with
whomever they chose.
This case is similar to many others in
different circumstances, where the courts
have ruled that not only is there not an
expectation to privacy on social media; in
both criminal and civil lawsuits, the
opposing party has a right to review any
social media postings, public or private, that
are relevant to the issues at hand (see
www.boscolegal.org/court-resources/social-
media-case-law).
Getting the Content is Only Half the
Battle
Keep in mind that having access to online
posts is often only half the battle. To ensure
the admissibility of the posts in court, the
content also needs to be forensically
preserved, which includes preserving the
content, extracting the metadata, and
creating a hash value (digital fingerprint).
Additionally, both the account and the posts
must be authenticated; essentially meaning
that it must be verified that the accounts
and the posts in question, actually belong
to or come from the person you claim they
do.
__________________________________
Joseph Jones is a
licensed Private
Investigator and the
Vice President of
Bosco Legal Services,
Inc. Joseph is a
Certified Social Media
Intelligence Expert,
has degrees in Social
& Behavior Sciences and Psychology, and
holds multiple certifications in Open Source and
Cyber Intelligence. He is a court recognized
expert and has received specialized training
from the military, various law enforcement
agencies, and the nation’s top private
intelligence firms. When he’s not tracking down
bad guys or helping law firms and insurance
companies uncover the truth, he enjoys
spending time with his beautiful wife and 4
active children.

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My First
(And Certainly Not Last)
Clothing Swap Party
By Lia Bruce
(I Love A Clean San Diego
guest contributor)
When I first heard the idea of a “clothing
swap,” I was at San Diego Leaders 2020’s
Bites & Bigwigs luncheon with I Love A
Clean San Diego’s (ILACSD) former
Executive Director, Pauline Martinson. Over
lunch, she discussed her career, ILACSD’s
mission, and ways in which San Diego
could reduce its waste. When she
mentioned swapping clothes with a group
of friends as a way to reduce waste and
save money, I was instantly hooked. I had a
growing pile of clothes I outgrew mentally
and/or physically, and I knew my five best
friends from college would give each piece
a second life. Right after the lunch was
over, I sent a group text to my friends and
we planned a clothing swap party for our
reunion in the mountains.
The concept of a clothing swap was not
entirely new to me. I had rifled through my
best friends’ clothing donation piles before
they were taken to a charity, and my friends
were welcome to any clothes I didn’t wear
anymore. But I had never thought about
doing one with the entire group as a way to
help the environment. It made complete
sense. One Green Planet summed up
clothing swaps perfectly by saying, “Every
piece of new clothing (if not made
sustainably) can be the product of
countless chemicals, dyes, and the like, all
of which can be harmful to the earth, air,
groundwater – as well as the people
making the clothing and even the people
who try it on and then wear it.” This doesn’t
even include the significant amount of
clothing that winds up in a landfill. The day
of the swap, each of us grabbed our
overflowing bags of clothes and sat in a
circle. I looked around me and thought
about what each girl would bring to the pile.
I could count on my friend Ollie for soft
basics in neutral colors. Mary works at Nike
headquarters so I knew I could get some
cute workout clothes if I was quick enough
to beat out the other girls. Marissa could be
counted upon to provide trendy work
clothes. And last but not least, Tristan could
provide me with colorful dresses and tanks.
We seized each other up and poured out
the contents of our bags into the middle of
the circle.
Many organizations temporarily stopped accepting clothing donations during
COVID-19 restrictions, but are gearing up to accept donations again. Hang on to
your unwanted clothing so that you can throw a clothing swap party once it is safe
to do so!
Community & Environment

19
From the moment the last article of clothing
hit the ground, the girls and I jumped into
action. Mary picked up Tristan’s puffy vest,
excited to wear it during Portland’s winter.
Ollie went straight to my old ripped shorts
since her pair recently broke. Tristan
quickly grabbed Mary’s Nike running
clothes to wear for her half-marathon
training. Marissa grabbed a long skirt that
was suitable for work. I quickly sifted
through the pile and threw anything of
interest behind me. I ended up with two
workout tanks, one black-and-white striped
shirt, one off-the-shoulder white blouse,
and a soft pink ombre shirt. I was already
planning on purchasing a few of these
items, but now I had them for free!
When the mayhem subsided, I looked
around the circle and saw how happy
everyone seemed. Everyone got several
great new pieces of clothing without much
bloodshed and our old clothing found a
second life with very happy new owners.
We went around the room and excitedly
shared what each of us picked up.
After we finished our oohing and aahing at
the new clothing each of us got, I turned my
attention to the leftover pile in the middle.
To make sure everyone had seen
everything, I held up each abandoned piece
before putting in a charity donation pile.
These clothes weren’t picked up for various
reasons but weren’t loved any less. There
was a dress we thought was too short for
us tall people, a pair of jeans that didn’t fit
any of us anymore, and random items that
we already had in our closets. We donated
this pile to charity for others to enjoy.
Here were my key takeaways…
1. The clothing swap was a lot of fun for
everyone.
2. I love clothes.
3. I love the word “free.”
4. It warmed my heart to see perfectly
good clothing go to someone new.
5. My bank account is sure happy about
this.
6. The environment is sure happy about
this.
Have the girls and I already planned
another one of these for our winter
reunion? Yes, we have!
This post was authored by I Love A Clean
San Diego guest contributor, Lia Bruce. Lia is
a San Diego native and formerly the
Communications Coordinator for Climate
Education Partners, housed at the University
of San Diego. She is currently the Program &
Outreach Coordinator at The Nonprofit
Institute at the University of San Diego. She
enjoys painting, hiking, singing in a
community choir, traveling, and searching for
the best burger.

20
#covidcooking:
Making Yummy Delights
While Sheltering in Place
While everyone is sheltering in place, many people
are cooking more at home. The Instagram hashtag,
#covidcooking, has more than 100,000 posts as of
early May 2020.
SDPA welcomes you to submit your favorite
#covidcooking recipes to
newsletter@sdparalegals.org.
We look forward to sharing your recipes!

21
This recipe is Dawn Regner’s (San Diego Paralegal
Association’s Pro Bono Chair from 2017 through 2019)
favorite brownie recipe.
“I've made this countless times,” Dawn said, “and
they're phenomenal every time.”
Below is the recipe for making these scrumptious
brownies:
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 deg. Grease an 8" square pan, or line with flour.
In a medium bowl combine melted butter and cocoa, and stir until cocoa is dissolved. Add sugar
and mix well. Add eggs one at a time and stir until well combined. Stir in vanilla, flour and salt
until you no longer see any flour (do not overmix).
**Fold in WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT, if desired.**
Spread in pan and bake approximately 25 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE, or your brownies will
come out dry. Adjust the time/temperature according to your oven. If you do the knife/toothpick
test, it should come out with moist crumbs, not clean.
Cool completely before cutting into squares.
For double recipe, bank in a 9x12 pan and add 5 minutes to the baking time.
Original Recipe: https://www.food.com/recipe/quot-whatever-floats-your-boat-quot-brownies-
32204
**WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT
ADDITIONS:
1-2 cups of any of the following (or whatever
floats your boat!):
 chocolate chips (semi-sweet, white,
butterscotch, peanut butter)
 raisins
 chopped maraschino cherries
 chopped nuts
 M&M's
 Reese's pieces
 miniature marshmallows
INGREDIENTS
 1/2 cup butter, melted
 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
 1 cup sugar
 2 eggs
 2 teaspoon vanilla (I use vanilla paste,
but extract works as well)
 1/2 cup flour
 1/4 teaspoon salt

22
This recipe makes 1 smoothie.
Equipment
Blender.
Ingredients
 1 frozen banana, broken into chunks
 1/2 cup frozen strawberries (or berries of choice)
 1/2 to 1 cup orange juice (depending on your texture preference)
Instructions
1. Add frozen banana and 1/2 cup of orange juice to the blender; blend until smooth.
2. Add frozen strawberries to the blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Add more orange juice if you prefer a thinner consistency.
4. Serve and enjoy!
Basic 3-Ingredient
Strawberry Banana
Smoothie
The frozen banana adds a
creamy, ice cream-like texture
to the smoothie.
You can substitute the
strawberries with blueberries
to make a purple smoothie.

23
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent shelter-in-place orders, many nonprofit
organizations have moved their operations to the digital sphere. Charity walks, fundraising,
education, and meetings are now taking place virtually.
Amid these changes, there are still ways we can volunteer and make the world kinder and
better.
Below are some ways you can help charities and organizations while social distancing.
Help Us Promote Food from the Bar. Many nonprofits are struggling during these times,
whether due to closure of operations or the need for resources to sustain the people they help.
Food from the Bar is an annual fundraising effort led by members of the legal community to
benefit Feeding San Diego. This campaign helps provide nutritious meals for the one in six
children at risk of hunger in San Diego County. Please visit, donate, and share the team’s
fundraising page: https://give.feedingsandiego.org/team/286711. Any donation is
appreciated. Email Joe Maniwan, ACP at probono@sdparalegals.org with any questions.
Exercise to Donate Meals to San Diego Food Bank via Vizer. Vizer is an app rewarding
exercise. Users can donate a meal to the San Diego Food Bank, paid for by a corporate
sponsor, by elevating their heart rate for 30 minutes per day, reaching 10,000 steps, or taking a
class at a Vizer-partnered studio. You can link certain tracking devices, such as the Apple
Watch, Fitbit, or iPhone, to the Vizer interface to track your progress towards donating a meal to
the San Diego Food Bank each day.
Ways to
Volunteer
Remotely
During
COVID-19
By Ellen Zacarias
& Souriya (Joe) Maniwan, ACP
Volunteering/Pro Bono

24
Run, Bike, or Walk to Raise Funds for Your Selected Charity via Charity Miles App.
Charity Miles is an app that helps you turn all the miles you walk, run, and bike into money for
charity. The money comes from Charity Miles’ corporate sponsorship fund. You get to select
(and also change) the charity for which you want to raise funds by running/biking/walking.
Charities you can choose (they change every now and then) include Unicef, Feeding America,
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Special Olympics, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, ASPCA,
Susan G. Komen, Habitat for Humanity, and the American Lung Association.
Volunteer Remotely for the San Diego River Park Foundation. The San Diego River Park
Foundation offers a list of Remote Volunteer Opportunities on its website. These opportunities
include recommending their organization on social media, video editing, and graphic design and
illustration. They are also looking for a native Arabic speaker to create clean water outreach and
education materials for the El Cajon community. You can access the San Diego River Park’s list
of remote volunteer opportunities on https://www.sandiegoriver.org/virtual.html or
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xro4ITtSzgSb1mtmZqiTSln312dCDS6cUizJrTOwV14/
edit# .
Visit Hands On San Diego to find more local organizations that need remote assistance
during this time. Their website is: https://www.handsonsandiego.org/ .
Donate a Photo to Raise $1 for Charity. The “Donate a Photo” app, sponsored by Johnson &
Johnson, donates $1 to a listed charity of your choice when you upload a photograph from your
phone. You can donate one photo every day—more during “surges.”
https://www.donateaphoto.com/en_US

25
Join us in serving the San Diego
community for the upcoming year.
SDPA’s Pro Bono Committee Meeting
Learn about opportunities to serve the San Diego
community. Develop soft skills. Network. Change the
world.
Contact Souriya (Joe) Maniwan, ACP at
probono@sdparalegals.org for Zoom Meeting ID.
05/18/2020 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, Zoom Conference

26

27
Looking for Volunteers
for SDPA’s Auditing
Committee!
The Audit, Bylaws, & Policies Committee audits the CFO’s
books at the end of each month and at the end of the fiscal
year and presents a written report to the board. The Audit
Committee also conducts any special audits as requested
by the Board; findings from special audits are presented to
the Board at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
Email secretary@sdparalegals.org for more information.
As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, each new day brings more
uncertainty. And while many things are changing, our
commitment to you is unwavering. We are still here, and we are
still open for business. Most of our staff is now working
remotely and whenever possible, we are employing every
electronic tool possible to issue and serve your subpoenas. All
but a few Personal Service requirements have been temporarily
replaced with electronic or mail service. Most medical providers are honoring these new guidelines,
as well as mailing or faxing their responsive records.
While many providers have closed their doors, an equal number remain open. As a result, we are still
collecting records. We are still calling, faxing and emailing custodians. And, if you have not already
noticed, your records are still coming in. Your nightly emails still contain links to newly posted
records. It's most certainly not "Business as Usual," but we're doing our very best to maintain the
level of service you've come to expect from us.
On behalf of the entire TaylorMorse® Family, we want to thank you for your loyalty, trust, and
understanding. Our hearts go out to all those impacted by this pandemic.

28

29
Upcoming Events
For more information on upcoming events, please consult SDPA’s website at
sdparalegals.org/events and SDPA’s Facebook page.
Through 6/15/2020—Feeding San Diego—Fundraising Event. Join TEAM SDPA in
the fight against hunger for local San Diegans! Please visit, donate, and share the team’s
fundraising page: https://give.feedingsandiego.org/team/286711. Any donation is
appreciated. Email Joe Maniwan, ACP at probono@sdparalegals.org with any questions.
09/12/2020 (Saturday), 10 AM to 1 PM —SDPA’s 4th Annual Volunteer Legal &
Community Fair, at San Diego Public Library, Central, 330 Park Blvd., San Diego,
CA 92101. This will be SDPA’s fourth annual volunteer legal and community fair, which
will be open to the public. Local non-profit organizations assisting people of many types
(local seniors, children, homeless, breast cancer, the hungry, low-income families,
prisoners, etc.) will participate at this event. Attendees will learn more about volunteer
and pro bono opportunities in San Diego. Free to attend. Please RSVP at http://
www.sdparalegals.org/events.
10/18/2020 (Sunday) 7:30 AM—Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. Sign
up for free here: http://main.ACSevents.org/goto/SDPA.
PENDING DUE TO COVID-19
SDPA’s June Paralegal Night. Check our website and Facebook page for the most
updated information.
SDPA Updates

Accepting Submissions: SDPA’s
Newsletter 2020 Q3: Summer Issue
SDPA is looking for submissions of articles for its next
issue of Precedents. Topics of interest for our summer
issue include mentorship tips, finding a mentor, how to
maximize your role as a mentor or mentee, benefits of
joining a professional association (like SDPA), wellness
and health, legal topics/paralegal education, and issues
facing the legal industry and workforce as more
businesses reopen after quarantine. We also welcome
recipes that you’ve been using while at home!
Article length: 200-800 words.
Please submit your article topic proposals to
newsletter@sdparalegals.org.
Deadline for submissions: 06/30/2020.

SDPA Newsletter 2020 Q2: Spring Issue

SDPA Newsletter 2020 Q2: Spring Issue

SDPA Newsletter 2020 Q2: Spring Issue

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