Third Division Candidates
NATE ALDER
Utah State Bar member since 1995
Education
Indiana University, School of Law, JD
Indiana University, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, MPA
Utah State University, BA, history, University Honors
Employment
Shareholder, Christensen & Jensen, P.C.
Judicial Clerk, Hon. J. Thomas Greene, U.S. District Court, District of Utah
Bar Service (present)
Bar Commissioner (July 2003-July 2006)
Bar Commission Executive Committee (2004-2006)
Admissions Committee
Bar Examiner
Co-Chair, Bar Exam's Performance Test Committee
Litigation Section's Board, Bar Commission Liaison
Bar Commission's Liaison to newly formed Antitrust Section
Board, Dispute Resolution Section
Board, Utah Minority Bar Association
Utah Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Professionalism
Bar Operations Review Committee
Western States Bar Leadership Conference
Bar Service (past)
Chair, Dispute Resolution Section (2003-2004)
President, Young Lawyers Division (2001-2002)
Ex-Officio Bar Commissioner (2001-2002)
Special Task Force for judicial salary increase (2005)
Fundraising and Planning Committees, Utah Minority Bar's "First 50" celebration
Special Bar Projects Review Committee
Governmental Relations Committee
Other Service (present)
Pro Tem Judge, Salt Lake City Justice Court
Board, Utah Council on Conflict Resolution, Inc.
Board, Thayne Center for Service and Learning (Salt Lake Community College)
Board, Friends of Utah's Children's Justice Centers
STATEMENT OF CANDIDACY:
To the Members of the Bar's Third Division:
It has been an honor to serve you as a Bar Commissioner. I promise to diligently serve you during another three-year term. I respectfully ask for your vote.
I will continue to thoughtfully approach the Commission's many decisions. I have contributed much to the Commission and yet I recognize that we can accomplish more.
We have made tremendous progress in our relationship with the Legislature. We successfully responded to the call for greater access to the courts and legal services. We provided leadership to the successful effort to increase compensation for state judges. The Bar's balance sheet is good; no dues increase on my watch. We are modernizing admissions policies. Casemaker (free on-line research for members) is now available.
I keenly sense a new area of concern - the Bar's relationship with some of its own members and soon-to-be members (law students). I am committed to this new focus. We can and must make progress through stronger sections, committees, county and affiliate bars; improved communication with members, more outreach; better technology use, enhanced member benefits; more opportunities for members to serve and participate; helping new lawyers via networks and mentoring.
The Bar can make a difference for members. Let's improve the value and service it provides to you. I will promote sound fiscal policy while investing in technology, communications and programs that bring value. Feel free to call or write: (801)323-5000; nathan.alder@chrisjen.com.
I greatly enjoy this opportunity to serve. I appreciate the support of many bar members and leaders from a wide variety of backgrounds and practice areas. I also appreciate the support of my fellow shareholders at Christensen & Jensen. I would greatly appreciate your vote.
Christian W. Clinger
Christian is an active leader in the Utah State Bar and in the community. During the past five years, Christian has helped raise over $30,000.00 for And Justice for All, overseen clothing drives to clothe over 100 disadvantaged people with professional clothing for job interviews, coordinated landscaping for several Children's Justice Centers throughout the Salt Lake Valley, taught K-12 students about Dialogue on Freedom, Brown vs. Board of Education, and We the Jury, mentored law students, served on continuing legal education committees, was a committee member of the Brown vs. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Committee, was the 2004 committee chair of the Brown vs. Board of Education Film Festival, and the 2004 committee chair of Jackie Robinson Appreciation Weekend with the then Salt Lake Stingers baseball team. He serves as a volunteer community mediator for Utah Dispute Resolution. He is currently a member of the Utah State Bar's Governmental Relations Committee, and he is the co-chair of the Bar's 2006 Annual Convention. The Utah State Bar named Christian its 2005 Young Lawyer of the Year.
Christian has proven leadership and organizational skills having served as a member of the Young Lawyers Division Executive Committee, a committee member of the Utah State Bar Journal, the 2001-2002 Treasurer for the Young Lawyers Division, and the 2002 Treasurer for the American Bar Association's Rocky Mountain Regional Conference. From 2003-2004, Christian was an Ex Officio Member of the Utah State Bar Commission and President of the Utah State Bar Young Lawyers Division.
Christian and his wife, Suzanne Lee Clinger, are the founding members of the law firm Clinger Lee Clinger, LLC where their practice includes civil litigation, business law, estate planning, governmental relations/political consulting, and mediation. Christian and Suzanne reside in Salt Lake City.
Statement of Candidacy
Dear Colleagues and Friends:
Thank you for your encouragement and nomination as a Third District Bar Commission candidate. As I have met with many of you, I have come to appreciate the strength, integrity, and commitment to public service that members of the Utah State Bar share. I hope to continue in these traditions and increase communication and activity within the Bar.
Through my service as a former Ex Officio member of the Bar Commission and participating on several Bar committees, I have learned of the many important responsibilities that the Bar Commission controls and directs such as budgetary issues, community outreach, and member services. I am prepared to represent you and lend your voice to the deliberations and policy decisions before the Bar Commission. I appreciate your support, and I ask for your vote this coming April.
Yvette Donosso Diaz
Born in Los Angeles, California to Colombian immigrants.
Married to Marco Diaz and mother of three children.
Graduated from J. Reuben Clark Law School in 1999.
Clerked for Judges Bohling, Dever, Medley and Thorne in UtahÕs Third Judicial District Court, as well as for Justice Christine M. Durham in Utah's Supreme Court.
Worked as an associate at the firm of Manning Curtis Bradshaw & Bednar LLC, in the area of employment defense litigation.
As former President of the Utah Minority Bar Association, helped launch a Diversity Pledge to highlight the need for Utah's legal employers to recruit, hire and promote attorneys of color; and lobbied to ensure that all judicial nominating commissions for the Wasatch Front have at least one ethnic minority representative.
Presently serving as the Executive Director of the Department of Community & Culture. Prior to her appointment to the Governor's cabinet, she was the lead attorney for the Hispanic Department of Christensen and Jensen, PC.
Uncontested Election in Third Division
Yvette Diaz has withdrawn her nominating petition to run as a candidate for commissioner in the Third Division. According to the Utah State Bar Bylaws, in the event an insufficient number of nominating petitions are filed to require balloting in a division, the person or persons nominated shall be declared elected.
There are accordingly an insufficient number of nominating petitions filed to require balloting. Nathan D. Alder and Christian W. Clinger have been nominated and are therefore running uncontested and will be declared elected.
Third Division Commissioner and President-elect Gus Chin has announced that he will vacate the third year of his term as commissioner in the Third Division when he becomes the Bar President at the Bar's Annual Meeting in July, 2006. Yvette has agreed to fill that unexpired one-year commissioner term.
Fourth Division Candidate
Uncontested Election: According to the Utah State Bar Bylaws, "In the event an insufficient number of nominating petitions are filed to require balloting in a division, the person or persons nominated shall be declared elected."
Robert L. Jeffs is running uncontested in the Fourth Division and will therefore be declared elected.
ROBERT L. JEFFS
Employment:
Shareholder, six member firm, Jeffs & Jeffs, P.C.
Primary emphasis in litigation Ð Personal Injury and Commercial Litigation
Mediator/Arbitrator in Commercial and Personal Injury Litigation
General Practice of Law, 1984 - Present
Education:
Juris Doctor, 1984 Ð J. Reuben Clark Law School
B.S. Business Management, 1981 Ð Brigham Young University
Member, J. Reuben Clark Board of Advocates
Bar Association, Admissions & Professional Organizations:
Utah State Bar - 1984
U.S. District Court, District of Utah - 1984
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals - 1984
Utah Defense Association Member, Board of Directors - 1997-98
Utah State Bar Litigation Section Member
Utah State Bar, Legal Economics Committee - 1985Ð87
American Inn of Court I, Barrister - 1998-91, Master of the Bench - 2002-Present
Other:
Riverside Country Club, President - 1996
Riverside Country Club, Board of Directors - 1994-96
East River Bottom Water Company Director/Secretary - 1994-96, 2002, President - 2004-Present
Ducks Unlimited, Provo Chapter, Chairman - 1996-98
STATEMENT OF CANDIDACY:
It has been my honor to serve you the past three years on the Bar Commission. During that time the Bar has made substantial progress in improving the practice of law in Utah. With increased participation of Sections and the hard work of the Governmental Affairs Committee we have a better relationship with the Legislature than we have enjoyed for many years. The launch of Casemaker has made on-line research affordable and accessible for all practitioners. The addition of the new Employee Assistance Program (EAP) will provide Bar Members and their employees professional counseling services at minimal cost to help cope with the personal crises that sometimes accompanies our stressful occupation.
I was asked this year to Chair a new sub-committee, the Operations Review Committee. The Committee is overseeing an independent review of the policies, structure, and performance of the Bar in fulfilling its responsibilities and mission to its members and the public. The Review is another example of the commitment of the Commission to provide efficient, responsible service to the members.
I was also asked to serve on the Malpractice Insurance Disclosure Committee to consider a proposal brought before the Commission to require attorneys to disclose to their prospective clients whether they carried malpractice insurance. The input I received from the members of our Division was invaluable as we considered the balance of interests, particularly the perspective of the solo practitioners and small firms that predominate in the Fourth Division. I ask for your vote for Commissioner for the Fourth Division and I will continue to invite any member to discuss with me any concern or suggestions they may have.
Fifth Division Candidate
Uncontested Election: According to the Utah State Bar Bylaws, "In the event an insufficient number of nominating petitions are filed to require balloting in a division, the person or persons nominated shall be declared elected."
Curtis M. Jensen is running uncontested in the Fifth Division and will therefore be declared elected.
Curtis M. Jensen
I was born in Gunnison, Utah and I currently reside in Santa Clara, Utah. My wife and I are the proud parents of four daughters and one son. I attended Snow College (A.S. Degree), Brigham Young University (B.S. Economics) and Tulsa University (J.D. Degree). I began my career as a Deputy Attorney with the Sanpete County Attorney's Office. I then moved to St. George, Utah where I have continued my practicing for the past nineteen years. I am a shareholder of the firm Snow Jensen & Reece and my primarily areas of practice are in business, commercial and construction. I am also certified mediator and a strong proponent of ADR.
When I am not practicing law I enjoy working with the youth. I regularly volunteer my time and assistance with local youth programs within my community. I enjoy traveling with my family and taking motorcycle rides with my wife through the many scenic back roads and byways of Utah and surrounding areas.
During my career as a lawyer, I have had the great pleasure of associating with many good friends and colleagues. I have also had the privilege of serving on the Fifth Judicial District Bar Association Judicial Nomination Committee, (2000-2003) and as Utah State Bar Chairman, Midyear Conference, 1987. I am member of the Utah State Bar Construction Law and Litigation Sections, the Justice For All Leadership Committee, Southern Utah Bar Association (Pres. 1992), and the Federal Bar Association. I have also served as an Adjunct Professor at S.U.U. (1999-2000) and D.S.C. (1999-2003).
Statement of Candidacy
I consider it a privilege to belong to the legal profession and to associate with so many respected and esteemed colleagues over the years. I feel greatly honored to be nominated as a Commissioner for the Fifth Division of the Utah State Bar. I am aware of the significant role the Utah State Bar plays in the state, and the leadership and direction it provides to its members on critical issues affecting lawyers and their practices.
As a Commissioner I will do my best to provide an active voice in representing the concerns and needs of lawyers living in the rural areas throughout the state. I will endeavor to promote the fiscal well being and sound operation of the Bar for all of its members. As a practicing attorney in a small firm in Southern Utah, I understand the needs, concerns and challenges faced by lawyers each day. I will work hard to provide more convenient and affordable access to the many bar benefits and programs for practitioners in outlying areas.
I sincerely believe that lawyers have the opportunity to provide meaningful service in their communities, and will promote such opportunities wherever possible. As a Commissioner, I will dedicate myself to represent my colleagues and the Utah State Bar with respect, diligence and integrity in all my assignments and tasks.