Crime and Punishment Chancellor's Forum Sept. 10

District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham and Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey will be among the panelists for the Wednesday, Sept. 10 Chancellor's Forum "Crime and Punishment — The Philadelphia Story." Abraham and Ramsey will be joined by Everett Gillison, deputy mayor for public safety; Mark Harrell of Men United for a Better Philadelphia; and David Rudovsky, senior fellow at University of Pennsylvania Law School. The panel will be moderated by Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Chris Satullo.

The panel will discuss the problems and challenges surrounding the issue of crime and punishment in Philadelphia and the ways in which community and civil rights groups can work with law enforcement to reduce crime in the city. | read more

Register Online for Bench-Bar and Annual Conference

Association members and non-members can register online for the 2008 Bench-Bar and Annual Conference at Bally's Atlantic City on Sept. 19-21. This year's conference is expected to bring together more than 500 lawyers and judges from the Philadelphia area for three days of CLE programming that lets practitioners and the judiciary share ideas and best practices. The theme of this year's conference is "The Sound of Philadelphia."

Registration for the full three days of the conference is $629 and includes all meals and CLE. For public interest attorneys, government attorneys and members of the Young Lawyers Division, the full conference registration fee is $479. Other one-day and two-day registration packages are available. | read more

Bar Foundation Seeks Award Nominees

The Philadelphia Bar Foundation is seeking nominations for two awards to be presented at the Andrew Hamilton Gala on Saturday, Nov. 1 at the First City Troop Armory, 22 S. 23rd St. | read more

Volunteer for Philadelphia magazine's Design Home 2008® to benefit the Ronald McDonald House

On Sunday, September 28 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., the YLD will host Philadelphia magazine's Design Home 2008® in Lower Gwynedd, PA to benefit theRonald McDonald House. A limited number of volunteers are needed to welcome guests, collect tickets and provide information on the organization. The Ronald McDonald house was founded in 1974 as a home-away-from-home for families of seriously ill children who are receiving care at local hospitals. | read more

Brennan Award Nominations Being Accepted

Nominations are being accepted for the Philadelphia Bar Association's prestigious Justice William J. Brennan Jr. Distinguished Jurist Award. Nominations should be forwarded to:
Brennan Award, Attn: Tracey McCloskey, Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market St., 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107. | read more

Bar Association to Sponsor “Law School” for Non-Lawyers

Area residents can receive basic information about areas of the law most likely to impact their daily lives when the Young Lawyers Division of the Philadelphia Bar Association presents The People's Law School — a six-session education program for non-lawyers beginning Tuesday, September 9.

In-person registration for the program begins at 6 p.m., and the class runs from 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. at the Criminal Justice Center's Jury Assembly Room, 13th and Filbert Streets, in Center City Philadelphia. Classes are scheduled for September 9, 16 and 23 as well as October 7, 14 and 21. Total cost for the program is $40, including a detailed course book.

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Save the Date for PhiLAWpalooza on Oct. 2

Join the YLD for PhiLAWpalooza on Thursday, Oct. 2, as attorney musicians play at the legendary JC Dobbs on South Street.
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Senior Lawyers, YLD Team Up for Mentoring

Young attorneys will once again have the opportunity to gain valuable insights from senior practitioners under the Young Lawyers Division's Attorney Mentoring Program.

More than 20 senior lawyers have agreed to serve as mentors to members of the Young Lawyers Division. These distinguished lawyers come from diverse backgrounds and include solo practitioners, attorneys from large firms and attorneys who have been in government service. | read more

Free One-Year Bar Memberships Now Available

Attorneys working full-time for a federal, state or local governmental agency or a public interest agency who have never before been members of the Philadelphia Bar Association are now eligible for a free-one year membership in the Association. "We want these attorneys to be a part of the Bar, and to introduce them to the many benefits of membership," said Chancellor A. Michael Pratt. "Plus, if they join anytime between now and the end of 2008, they'll receive the remainder of 2008 and all of 2009 free. That’s up to 19 months of free membership!" | read more