The Philadelphia Bar Association's 2010 Bench Bar Conference

About the Bench-Bar & Annual Conference

The Philadelphia Bar Association will hold its Bench Bar & Annual Conference on Friday, Oct. 15 and Saturday, Oct. 16 at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, NJ.

Attracting hundreds of lawyers and judges, the annual conference provides attorneys with an opportunity to earn CLE credits while getting a chance to network and socialize with colleagues and members of the judiciary. Click "Register Now" on the right to take advantage of special Early-Bird pricing.

The Philadelphia Bar Association is pleased to offer a special rate of $169 on Friday, Oct. 15 for a Classic Room at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. A limited amount of rooms will be available on Thursday, Oct. 14 at $129 as well as Saturday, Oct. 16 at $299. In addition, we have a limited number of suites available at the Borgata for $269 on Friday, Oct. 15 or Club and Vista rooms at the Water Club for $189 and $209. Reservations must be made by contacting the Borgata Reservations Department at 866-692-6742 and identify yourself as attending the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Bench Bar & Annual Conference no later than Friday, Sept. 17.

Schedule

CLEs

These are the CLEs that were offered at the 2010 Bench Bar and Annual Conference

275 Years of Freedom of the Press: A Reenactment of the Trial of John Peter Zenger
2 Substantive CLE Credits

Panelists: Hon. Correale F. Stevens, Justice Jane Cutler Greenspan (ret.), Carl Solano and D. Alicia Hickok

Challenges in Removal from State to Federal Court
1 Substantive CLE Credit

Course planner: Charles S. "Chuck" Marion
Panelists: Hon. Cynthia M. Rufe, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvanial Charles S. "Chuck" Marion; and David H. Marion

Trial Advocacy: The Power of Ideas
1 Substantive CLE Credit

Course planner: Regina M. Foley
Panelists: Gerald A. McHugh and Robert J. Mongeluzzi

Diversionary Programs as Alternatives to Incarceration: What They Offer and What to Do as an Advocate
1 Substantive CLE Credit

Course Planners: Ourania "Rainy" Papademetriou and Joseph A. Sullivan
Moderator: Angus Love
Panelists: Hon. Marsha H. Neifield, President Judge, Philadelphia Municipal Court, Nicole D. Porter (State Advocacy Coordinator at The Sentencing Project) and Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams

Discovery in the Criminal Division of Philadelphia Municipal Court and the Court of Common Pleas
1 Substantive CLE Credit

Course Planner/Panelist: Jill J. Holden
Moderator: Brad V. Shuttleworth
Panelists: David M. Walker and Hon. Lillian H. Ransom, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas

To Prep or Not to Prep? That is the Question:
Ethical Considerations for Family Law Practitioners
1 Ethics CLE Credit

Course Planners: Julia Swain and Mark Momjian
Moderator: Megan Watson
Panelists: Kimberly Ingersoll; Hon. Margaret T. Murphy, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Supervising Judge, Family Court Division, Domestic Relations Branch; David I. Grunfeld; and Dina S. Ronsayro

THE PHILADELPHIA JPT PROGRAM:
A Fresh Perspective on What it Takes to Be and Appear Before a JPT
2 Substantive CLE Credits

Course Planners: Robert T. Szostak and Charles A. Mapp, Sr.
Course Moderators: Robert T. Szostak and David E. Prewitt
Panelists: Hon. William J. Manfredi, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Supervising Judge - Trial Division - Civil; Hon. Sandra Mazer Moss, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Coordinating Judge, Complex Litigation Center; Hon. Jacqueline F. Allen, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Judicial Team Leader, 2009 Day Forward Program; Hon. Howland W. Abramson, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Judicial Team Leader, 2008 Day Forward Program; Hon. Mark I. Bernstein, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Commerce Program; Hon. Idee Fox, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas; and Hon. Leon W. Tucker, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas

Social Media and the Practice of Law
1 Substantive CLE Credit

Course Planner/Moderator: Gina Furia Rubel
Panelists: Nicole D. Galli, Harold M. Goldner, Shelley R. Goldner and Joseph A. Prim Jr.

Nice Guys and Gals Do Not Finish Last
1 Ethics CLE Credit

Course Planner/Moderator: Richard P. Myers
Panelists: Hon. C. Darnell Jones II, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Jane L. Dalton, A. Roy DeCaro, Jeffrey M. Lindy and Michael L. Turner

Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program Litigation
1 Substantive CLE Credit

Course Planner/Panelist: Richard L. Vanderslice
Moderator: Rachel Gallegos
Panelists: Hon. Annette M. Rizzo, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and Michael T. McKeever

Counseling the Corporation
1 Substantive CLE Credit

Course Planner: Eric C. Milby
Panelist: John G. Chou and Marilyn Heffley

"My Witness Went South - What Now?"
1 Substantive CLE Credit

Course Planner: Troy H. Wilson
Moderator: Isla A. Fruchter
Panelists: Daniel-Paul Alva, Prof. Jules Epstein and Hon. M. Teresa Sarmina, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas

Technology in the Courtroom
1 Substantive CLE Credit

Course planner/Moderator: Kathleen D. Wilkinson
Panelists: Hon. Sandra Mazer Moss, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Coordinating Judge, Complex Litigation Center; Donna Lee Jones; Timothy R. Lawn; and Scott W. Reid

Photo Archive

What did folks think
of Bench Bar 09?

The Bench-Bar Conference was fun,
insightful and simply wonderful.
– Emmanuel O. Iheukwumere

Click to read more quotes

I thought this year's event was awesome. The venue was perfect. The events were well organized and convenient to attend. The Friday night party turned out to be exceptional with - did somebody say - lobsters? Kudos to the menu planner, for sure.
– Ron Kovler

I was honored and happy to receive a scholarship to the Bench-Bar Conference, which allowed me to attend incredibly interesting panel discussions (especially the panel with four Philadelphia City Council members) and meet and network with other Bar Association members.
– Larry Felzer

The venue was phenomenal, the presentations were outstanding, and the party at night was superb. Whenever I think that the Bar Association has outdone itself and can do nothing to top its last accomplishment, I am proved wrong yet again.
- Judge A. Michael Snyder

The conference was a grand slam this year. Everyone had a great time, the CLE was first-class and the venue was spectacular, especially for the Friday night extravaganza. Kudos to everyone involved!
- Rudolph Garcia

The conference was wonderful with great CLE programs and reception.
- Joan Clarke

This year’s conference was well-planned and well-rounded at an excellent venue. The CLE sessions were interesting and very informative.
- Stanley Thompson

I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the Philadelphia Bar Association, its executive director Ken Shear, all of the staff, our Chancellor Sayde Ladov, Bench-Bar chairs and the various sponsors, all of whom made the 2009 Philadelphia Bench-Bar Conference an overwhelming success. From top to bottom – Harrah's Hotel, the programming and the reception – were all outstanding. The Bench-Bar Conference is an event that I look forward to attending every fall and this year's conference did not disappoint.
– Daniel R. Sulman

Early-Bird Sponsorship Rates Extended to 09/17/2010

Diamond Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.

Early-Bird Sponsorship Rates Extended to 09/17/2010