Bar Association of San Francisco
Encyclopedia
The Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) was established in 1872 as a nonprofit legal membership organization that provides San Francisco legal professionals with networking, educational and pro bono
opportunities in order to better serve the community.
BASF is located in the financial district at 301 Battery Street, between Sacramento and Clay Streets, on the third floor of the Bently Reserve building. Included in the National Register of Historic Places
, the Bently Reserve, formerly the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
, was built in 1924.
BASF’s Barristers Club, the division serving attorneys with under ten years of experience, has its own board of directors.
BASF's pipeline efforts include surveys, conferences, initiatives and programs that include:
VLSP Projects include:
In addition, to VLSP, the BASF Foundation serves as the charitable arm of BASF. Its stated mission:
The BASF Foundation serves as the main conduit for all of BASF's fundraising activities that help fund the public service, pro bono and community programs, described above, that BASF provides.
Finally, BASF also established the Lawyer Referral and Information Service(LRIS) in 1947. LRIS offers legal assistance to clients from a panel of experienced lawyers.
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
opportunities in order to better serve the community.
BASF is located in the financial district at 301 Battery Street, between Sacramento and Clay Streets, on the third floor of the Bently Reserve building. Included in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, the Bently Reserve, formerly the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco is the federal bank for the twelfth district in the United States. The twelfth district is made up of nine western states-—Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington--plus the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa,...
, was built in 1924.
Structure
BASF is governed by an elected Board of Directors. In addition, BASF currently has 27 sections and six committees, each dedicated to either a particular, substantive area of the law or to issues such as access to justice and the administration of justice.BASF’s Barristers Club, the division serving attorneys with under ten years of experience, has its own board of directors.
Task Force Reports
BASF has produced a number of reports and publications on the legal workplace through various task forces. These include:- 2010 Bottom Line Partnership Task Force Report: Part One
- 2010 Bottom Line Partnership Task Force Report: Part Two
- 2007 Report LGBT Best Practices
- 2006 Work Life Balance Report
- 2005 Report on Goals and Timetables for Minority Hiring and Advancement
Diversity
BASF has established numerous diversity programs and initiatives within the organization. These include:- Goals and Timetables for Minority Hiring and Advancement
- No Glass Ceiling
- LGBT Issues
- Disability Rights
The Diversity Pipeline
BASF has also focused its efforts on diversity in the profession by pumping up the "diversity pipeline." The diversity pipeline is an effort to respond to the lack of racial and ethnic diversity among lawyers by introducing minority children, teens, and college students to the legal profession.BASF's pipeline efforts include surveys, conferences, initiatives and programs that include:
- School-To-College
- San Francisco Law Academy
- Mock Trial
- Scholarship Program
- Summer Clerkship Program
- Diversity Career Fair
Marriage Fairness
In 2008 BASF organized a Marriage Fairness Task Force to respond to what it believes are the attempts being made to attack the Supreme Court and to rewrite the California constitution and deny Californians the marriage rights currently protected by the constitution as interpreted by the Supreme Court.Community Programs
BASF founded the Volunteer Legal Services Program (VLSP) in 1977. It began as a small pro bono project, but is now one of the largest nonprofit providers of free legal and social services to low income individuals and families.VLSP Projects include:
- Family Law Project
- Eviction Defense Project
- Housing Negotiation Project
- Community Organization Representation Project (CORP)
- Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP)
- Consumer Project
- Tort Defense Project
- Legal Advice and Referral Clinic (LARC)
- Interpreter Project
- Family Law Assisted Self-Help (FLASH) Project
- Social Services Project
In addition, to VLSP, the BASF Foundation serves as the charitable arm of BASF. Its stated mission:
To change lives by:
- Leveraging the legal aid resources of our community
- Supporting diversity in the legal profession
- Providing educational support to our Bay Area youth
The BASF Foundation serves as the main conduit for all of BASF's fundraising activities that help fund the public service, pro bono and community programs, described above, that BASF provides.
Finally, BASF also established the Lawyer Referral and Information Service(LRIS) in 1947. LRIS offers legal assistance to clients from a panel of experienced lawyers.