SAD NEWS FROM SF: JOHN McGUCKIN HAS DIED

 Just heard the very sad news that one of my favorite people lost his battle with cancer, John H. McGuckin. I got to know John during my Recorder days, and he was a gem. Modest, generous, good-spirited, kind  and smart, he always warmed my heart and treated everyone with dignity and joy. He retired in June after serving as GC of Union Bank of California, where he worked for 27 years.

I'm so saddened to learn that he's left our little blue ball. Here's the Chronicle obit. And the Mendocino Beacon obit.

One issue we both were very passionate about was our belief that the current system that requires lawyers to work only in the state(s) they are admitted in is flat-out silly, and should be replaced with "drivers license" jurisdiction -- eg you get admitted in one state and can practice in the other 49. Here's a wonderful article he wrote for Law Technology News on the subject.