My friend Phil got a call from the Governor this week. Here’s why.
My friend Phil got a call from the Governor this week. Here’s why.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 711—Phil’s bill—to cut down on double-booking freelance court reporters at motion hearings. It adds a simple line of accountability: in meet-and-confer declarations, attorneys must state whether they’ve coordinated a Certified Shorthand Reporter. Common-sense transparency, unanimous votes, immediate impact.
Friendship, Jiu-Jitsu, Humility
I first met Philip Chen on the Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu mats, not in a committee room. For months we rolled before I even knew he was an Assembly Member. What I did know: he’s technical, patient, and unfailingly kind—even to lower belts like me. He checks on everyone, shares what works, and never makes it about himself. That humility is real; it travels with him off the mat and into the community. (In fact you cannot enter any business or restaurant in all of Yorba Linda that Philip has not visited, leaving behind his plaque giving honor to the establishment. I even have one at my office!)
About AB 711
The problem: multiple parties hire separate reporters for the same hearing; elsewhere, courts go uncovered.
The fix: require parties to confirm in writing whether a CSR is coordinated.
The result: fewer conflicts, better coverage, faster calendars—no new state spending.
Team effort: co-sponsored by CalDRA and CCRA, powered by research from leaders in our field, backed by labor allies, and shaped by veteran counsel who helped draft the first cut.
Why This Bill Feels Like Phil (and Our BJJ Friendship)
BJJ teaches pressure without panic, efficiency over muscle, and winning by position, not ego. That’s Phil’s politics: quiet coalition-building, simple levers with big outcomes, and respect for everyone in the room. AB 711 is exactly that—one small, smart adjustment that unlocks a statewide win. It’s the same guy I roll with every week: steady, humble, results-first. And as a 25-year reporter and agency owner, I’m grateful to call him my training partner—and now, the author of a law that makes our work easier and the record stronger. Congratulations, Assembly Member Phillip Chen (R–Yorba Linda)!!
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
