Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Big Solutions to Big Problems, the 2016 August Forum series at the Club, investigates whether excessive legal fees in class action lawsuits can be reined in without eliminating the incentives needed to prosecute such actions. Schonbrun’s talk will discuss the recent California Supreme Court case, Laffitte v. Robert Half Int'l., Inc., which establishes the rules that courts must follow in awarding reasonable attorneys' fees from class action settlements.

Paulette Brown is the first woman of color to become president of the ABA and has been recognized by the National Law Journal as one of the “50 most influential minority lawyers in America.” She has been a municipal court judge, in addition to focusing on all facets of labor and employment litigation. Brown has devoted her presidency to “rebuilding the nation’s confidence in our justice system” by “working to eliminate bias and enhance diversity and inclusion” and offer “tangible, sustainable solutions that will have a positive impact on the perception of our justice system.” Join an important discussion of what’s being done to ensure that the legal system can better represent the under-represented across the United States.

From Minnesota to Baton Rouge, Ferguson, New York and even here in San Francisco, the nation is struggling with an increasing number of incidents where images are captured depicting controversial uses of force by police on predominantly black and brown members of the community. The culture within law enforcement departments from coast to coast is under fire, with seemingly no end in sight. In San Francisco, the Blue Ribbon Panel on Transparency, Accountability, and Fairness in Law Enforcement was established by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón as an advisory body in May 2015 following revelations that 14 San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) officers had exchanged numerous racist and homophobic text messages. Since then, the fatal officer-involved shootings of Mario Woods, Almicar Lopez, Luis Gongora and Jessica Williams have prompted outrage from the community. The Blue Ribbon Panel is comprised of three distinguished jurists, eight top-tier law firms and five law schools that investigated the SFPD’s use of force, stops, searches and arrests, personnel practices, culture, internal discipline, crime clearance and data, and external oversight. They recently released an extensive report detailing their findings and corresponding recommendations. The Commonwealth Club and GLIDE Center for Social Justice invite you to this important and timely discussion about the recommendations made by the Blue Ribbon Panel, as well as what it will take to achieve true justice and reform in police department culture both here and across the country.

In 2014, health professions students around the country staged White Coats for Black Lives protests, which focused the attention of UCSF and other medical schools on issues of race, power and health. Dr. Davis will discuss the art and science of improving doctor-patient communication that could change the culture of medicine, helping doctors to move beyond "White Coat Silence" on race and power.

How can government transform its capabilities by capitalizing on today’s new digital tools? Best-selling author William D. Eggers coined the term “government 2.0” more than a decade ago and now envisions an even more revolutionary era in government, enabled by cloud computing, mobile devices and analytics. Eggers chronicles the new generation of digital innovators who are “hacking bureaucracy” to reform and modernize long-standing bureaucratic processes and reimagine virtually every facet of what government does using digital tools—inspiring us to “think digital” when it comes to citizens, products and process.

Last week was the GOP convention; tonight is the start of the Democratic convention. We'll explore the biggest, most controversial, and sometimes the surprising political issues with expert commentary by panelists who are smart, are civil, and have a good sense of humor. Join our panelists for informative and engaging commentary on political and other major news, audience discussion of the week’s events, and our live news quiz! And come early before the program to meet other smart and engaged individuals and discuss the news over snacks and wine at our member social (open to all attendees).

Growing pot indoors consumes large amounts of water and energy. Growing illegal weed outdoors often involves trespassing on national or state parks. Runoff from cannabis farms pollute streams and ecosystems. Could legalizing marijuana in California result in more efficient harvesting that uses less water and results in less environmental destruction? California voters will have a chance to weigh in on legalizing marijuana on the November ballot. Join us for a conversation about the climate, energy and water impacts of changing the way one of the state’s biggest crops is produced.

"All humans long for others with whom to share our lives,” says Moira Weigel, Ph.D. Weigel's book Labor of Love: The Invention of Dating takes a deep dive into the practices of dating and mating from the era of courtships and arranged marriages to the current widespread use of dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and OKCupid by those looking for love. Daters today often ask “Is dating dead? What happened to chivalry and romance?” Moira instead asks, “What’s the history of dating? Has it been ruined by modern problems? Has it always been complicated?” Join Moira for a look at the history of dating—from courtship and calling cards to online dating and delayed marriage. Bring a date (we promise there will be plenty to discuss afterward!), come solo or invite friends. Who knows who you’ll meet!

Creativity pioneers David and Tom Kelley have defined the very landscape of design-thinking with their founding of IDEO and the Stanford d.school, and with their iconic innovations in product, company culture and design education. Under the Kelley brothers' leadership, IDEO churned out several illustrious products of the digital generation — from the first mouse for Apple to the thumbs up/thumbs down Tivo button. They championed the avant garde approach of using design to tackle sticky problems and translated those techniques to academia. Now they've chronicled their design-thinking backgrounds into a compelling narrative, Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All, outlining principles and strategies to unlock the design-fertile right brain in each of us. Hear from the best in the business to unleash your innovation in your personal and professional endeavors.

The California End of Life Option Act will be effective on June 9, 2016. The speaker will discuss the options people have for dying based on their choices, including the new option of medical aid in dying. People will also have time to discuss what each of us can do to ensure our wishes can be fulfilled for a death with dignity. The audience will be provided with helpful supplemental material and afforded the opportunity to better understand the choices and protections inherent in this important legislation.