Contact:        Lorie Zapf                       President                                 S.D. Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse                     1761 Hotel Circle South, Suite 120                      San Diego, California  92108                          Tel: (619) 295-6059                     Fax:  (619) 295-6710                     E-mail: sdcala@sbcglobal.net                     website: www.sdcala.org   San Diego County Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse Names Lorie Zapf as President   San Diego, CA - San Diego County Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) has named Lorie Zapf as its new president. Zapf is a former small business owner and has been an active community volunteer for several San Diego non-profit organizations.  Her background includes positions in the news media as a radio and television news reporter, manger of public relations for a large hotel, and a video producer. “I’ve been a CALA supporter since 1999 when the small business my husband and I owned was hit with a frivolous lawsuit,” said Zapf.  “I am acutely aware of the toll a lawsuit takes on a business in terms of lost productivity, legal expenses, and the strain on your family and health. We were managing our lawsuit, not growing our business.” San Diego is a city of thriving small and entrepreneurial businesses, but just one lawsuit can bankrupt a small business and put all their employees out of work, Zapf warned. “Lorie’s passion for fighting lawsuit abuse will help CALA advocate for the countless small businesses and consumers devastated by the effects of a civil justice system out of control—whether through jobs lost as businesses close, medical help unavailable because of litigation risk, or the escalating costs we all pay because of those who would game the system,” said CALA Board Vice Chairman George Coles.  “We look forward to Lorie’s continued fight against lawsuit abuse and to ensure our legal system is used for justice, not greed.” “It is important that San Diego area citizens understand the role they have to play in improving the quality of our judicial system,” said Zapf.  “Serving on a jury is one of the most effective tools we have to fight against lawsuit abuse that costs us all.” CALA is a nonprofit, grass roots, public education organization dedicated to serving as a watchdog over the legal system and those who would seek to abuse it for undeserved gain.  More than 9,500 citizens and taxpayers are San Diego CALA supporters.