For the Record - What are Your Ethical Obligations to Create One?
When your staff appear in court, is a verbatim record created? There is a national court reporter shortage and millions of hearings are going unreported. States like California are particularly impacted, but soon it will impact every state. Verbatim records are essential for preserving the ability to appeal incorrect trial court orders, aiding in renewing or modifying court orders, and helping ensure the accuracy and integrity of trial court proceedings. This training will cover how the ethical duties of diligence, competence, and communication are implicated when a verbatim record is at risk.
- Upon completion, participants will understand their staff attorneys' ethical obligations to ensure that a verbatim record is created of their clients' proceedings, and the supervisory responsibilities that managers and supervisors have to ensure supervisees are requesting such records.
- Upon completion, participants will learn about the national court reporter shortage and how it is impacting states like California, resulting in millions of cases going unreported each year.
- Upon completion, participants will receive step-by-step instructions on how to request a verbatim record, how to ensure that one will be created, and how to address denials of such requests.
Brenda Adams, J.D.
Director of Litigation
Bay Area Legal Aid
As Director of Litigation, Brenda Star Adams (she/her) oversees the strategic vision and priorities of BayLegal’s impact litigation. Brenda partners with staff to bring affirmative litigation challenging systemic inequities and legal barriers identified through BayLegal’s direct legal services to improve the lives of low-income California residents. Brenda also provides litigation training and support to attorneys across the firm. Brenda began her career at the Eviction Defense Center, where she spent four years defending low-income tenants from eviction in jury trials and organized affirmative lawsuits. She then spent seven years as a staff attorney with BayLegal, representing survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse in family law and immigration matters. She spent the next four years at Equal Rights Advocates, where she led ERA's education equity work and sexual violence impact litigation, oversaw the direct services programs, and managed the queer justice project. Prior to re-joining BayLegal in 2024 as Litigation Director, Brenda led impact litigation at the National Center for Youth Law to dismantle systems of oppression for youth. Brenda is the 2021 recipient of the Fay Stender Award from the California Women Lawyers, an award given to "a feminist attorney" who "is committed to the representation of women, disadvantaged groups and unpopular causes, and whose courage, zest for life and demonstrated ability to effect change as a single individual makes her a role model for women attorneys." In her spare time, Brenda is also a lecturer at UC Berkeley Law School and coaches a high school mock trial team. Brenda loves spending time with her moms, husband, daughter, and 3-legged dog. Born and raised in San Francisco, Brenda brings a fierce passion for social justice and over 18 years’ experience litigating cases on behalf of youth, low-income families, the LGBTQI+ community, and survivors of abuse.
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