PRINCIPLES WHICH GUIDE
THE OPERATION OF
SEVER LAW OFFICE
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PRINCIPLES WHICH GUIDE THE OPERATION OF SEVER LAW OFFICE |
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| Daniel C. Sever, Attorney & Real Estate Broker | |
| Penny A. Sever, Realtor |
Salvation Through Jesus Christ
Attorney Daniel C. Sever is a member of The Christian Legal Society. As such, Dan has acknowledged in writing his acceptance of, and agreement with, the following Statement of Faith:
One God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
(New International Version)
SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST
John 3:16-17
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
Romans 10:9
If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
John 14:6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Psalm 103:12
. . . as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
GOD’S FAITHFULNESS AND PROTECTION
Jeremiah 29:11-13
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Matthew 11:28
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Psalm 37:23-24
If the Lord delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;
though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
Psalm 37:5-6
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
Proverbs 21:31
The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the Lord.
Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Psalm 127:1
Unless the Lord builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Isaiah 30:21
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
Psalm 27:14
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
Amos 5:24
But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!
Deuteronomy 8:3
. . . man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Psalm 119:11
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 3:18
As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.
Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Mark 12:30
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
John 13:34-35
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Matthew 5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.”
Psalm 101:7
No one who practices deceit
will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely
will stand in my presence.
Isaiah 28:17
I will make justice the measuring line
and righteousness the plumb line;
hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie,
and water will overflow your hiding place.
Colossians 3:23-24
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
2 Corinthians 13:14
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
CODE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND CALIFORNIA BUSINESS CODE
Code Of Professional Responsibility
Rule 2-400. Prohibited Discriminatory Conduct in a Law Practice.
. . .
(B) In the management or operation of a law practice, a member shall not unlawfully discriminate or knowingly permit unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age or disability in:
(1) hiring, promoting, discharging, or otherwise determining the conditions of employment of any person; or
(2) accepting or terminating representation of any client.
Rule 3-110. Failing to Act Competently.
(A) A member shall not intentionally, recklessly, or repeatedly fail to perform legal services with competence.
(B) For purposes of this rule, "competence" in any legal service shall mean to apply the 1) diligence, 2) learning and skill, and 3) mental, emotional, and physical ability reasonably necessary for the performance of such service.
(C) If a member does not have sufficient learning and skill when the legal service is undertaken, the member may nonetheless perform such services competently by 1) associating with or, where appropriate, professionally consulting another lawyer reasonably believed to be competent, or 2) by acquiring sufficient learning and skill before performance is required.
Rule 3-200. Prohibited Objectives of Employment
A member shall not seek, accept, or continue employment if the member knows or should know that the objective of such employment is:
(A) To bring an action, conduct a defense, assert a position in litigation, or take an appeal, without probable cause and for the purpose of harassing or maliciously injuring any person; or
(B) To present a claim or defense in litigation that is not warranted under existing law, unless it can be supported by a good faith argument for an extension, modification, or reversal of such existing law.
Rule 3-210. Advising the Violation of Law
A member shall not advise the violation of any law, rule, or ruling of a tribunal unless the member believes in good faith that such law, rule, or ruling is invalid. A member may take appropriate steps in good faith to test the validity of any law, rule, or ruling of a tribunal.
Rule 3-310. Avoiding the Representation of Adverse Interests
(A) For purposes of this rule:
(1) "Disclosure" means informing the client or former client of the relevant circumstances and of the actual and reasonably foreseeable adverse consequences to the client or former client;
(2) "Informed written consent" means the client's or former client's written agreement to the representation following written disclosure;
(3) "Written" means any writing as defined in Evidence Code section 250.
(B) A member shall not accept or continue representation of a client without providing written disclosure to the client where:
(1) The member has a legal, business, financial, professional, or personal relationship with a party or witness in the same matter; or
(2) The member knows or reasonably should know that:
(a) the member previously had a legal, business, financial, professional, or personal relationship with a party or witness in the same matter; and
(b) the previous relationship would substantially affect the member's representation; or
(3) The member has or had a legal, business, financial, professional, or personal relationship with another person or entity the member knows or reasonably should know would be affected substantially by resolution of the matter; or
(4) The member has or had a legal, business, financial, or professional interest in the subject matter of the representation.
(C) A member shall not, without the informed written consent of each client:
(1) Accept representation of more than one client in a matter in which the interests of the clients potentially conflict; or
(2) Accept or continue representation of more than one client in a matter in which the interests of the clients actually conflict; or
(3) Represent a client in a matter and at the same time in a separate matter accept as a client a person or entity whose interest in the first matter is adverse to the client in the first matter.
(D) A member who represents two or more clients shall not enter into an aggregate settlement of the claims of or against the clients without the informed written consent of each client.
(E) A member shall not, without the informed written consent of the client or former client, accept employment adverse to the client or former client where, by reason of the representation of the client or former client, the member has obtained confidential information material to the employment.
(F) A member shall not accept compensation for representing a client from one other than the client unless:
(1) There is no interference with the member's independence of professional judgment or with the client-lawyer relationship; and
(2) Information relating to representation of the client is protected as required by Business and Professions Code section 6068, subdivision (e); and
(3) The member obtains the client's informed written consent, provided that no disclosure or consent is required if:
(a) such nondisclosure is otherwise authorized by law; or
(b) the member is rendering legal services on behalf of any public agency which provides legal services to other public agencies or the public.
Rule 3-500. Communication
A member shall keep a client reasonably informed about significant developments relating to the employment or representation, including promptly complying with reasonable requests for information and copies of significant documents when necessary to keep the client so informed.
Rule 5-200. Trial Conduct
In presenting a matter to a tribunal, a member:
(A) Shall employ, for the purpose of maintaining the causes confided to the member such means only as are consistent with truth;
(B) Shall not seek to mislead the judge, judicial officer, or jury by an artifice or false statement of fact or law;
(C) Shall not intentionally misquote to a tribunal the language of a book, statute, or decision;
(D) Shall not, knowing its invalidity, cite as authority a decision that has been overruled or a statute that has been repealed or declared unconstitutional; and
(E) Shall not assert personal knowledge of the facts at issue, except when testifying as a witness.
California Government Code § 6068. Duties as an attorney
It is the duty of an attorney to do all of the following:
(a) To support the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this
state.
(b) To maintain the respect due to the courts of justice and judicial
officers.
(c) To counsel or maintain those actions, proceedings, or defenses only as
appear to him or her legal or just, except the defense of a person charged with
a public offense.
(d) To employ, for the purpose of maintaining the causes confided to him or
her those means only as are consistent with truth, and never to seek to mislead
the judge or any judicial officer by an artifice or false statement of fact or
law.
(e) (1) To maintain inviolate the confidence, and at every peril to
himself or herself to preserve the secrets, of his or her client.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), an attorney may, but is not
required to, reveal confidential information relating to the representation of a
client to the extent that the attorney reasonably believes the disclosure is
necessary to prevent a criminal act that the attorney reasonably believes is
likely to result in death of, or substantial bodily harm to, an individual.
(f) To advance no fact prejudicial to the honor or reputation of a party or
witness, unless required by the justice of the cause with which he or she is
charged.
(g) Not to encourage either the commencement or the continuance of an action
or proceeding from any corrupt motive of passion or interest.
(h) Never to reject, for any
consideration personal to himself or herself, the cause of the defenseless or
the oppressed.
. . . . .