Philadelphia Bar Association | Today's News

Legal Community Invited to Military Assistance Program Ceremonial Event

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The Philadelphia Bar Associations honors military personnel and veterans for their commitment to our nation. The Association's Military Assistance Program (MAP) provides pro bono legal assistance to deployed and mobilized military personnel and their families as well as to veterans of recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Attorneys are needed to help service men and women make sure their legal affairs are in order, and to plan for their families in their absence. Legal assistance is needed in a variety of practice areas, including bankruptcy, family law, wills and estates, consumer, employment, housing and tax. For veterans, legal assistance is needed in the areas of veterans’ service related compensation, VA health care and discharge upgrades.

Clients can contact the MAP through a hotline that has been established in the offices of the
Association's Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS). The hotline number is 215-238-6388. These clients will be matched with volunteer attorneys who have registered with MAP.

To volunteer for this program an attorney must be licensed to practice in Pennsylvania; carry professional liability insurance; and possess a willingness to provide pro bono services on short notice. Membership in LRIS is not required to volunteer for this program.

If you have any questions, please contact Association director of public and legal services Charles Klitsch at 215-238-6326 or cklitsch@philabar.org. Download the Military Assistance Program volunteer form by clicking here.

All members of the legal community are invited to attend a ceremonial event on Monday, May 21 at 1 p.m. in City Hall Room 450. At the event, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille, Justice Seamus P. McCaffery and Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor John E. Savoth will announce a collaboration with Veterans Court through the Association's Military Assistance Program. No RSVP is required.

Bar Foundation Golf Classic June 25 at Green Valley CC

Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The Philadelphia Bar Foundation Golf Classic will be held Monday, June 25 at Green Valley Country Club. We are excited to announce that Wilkie Lexus of Cherry Hill has chosen the Philadelphia Bar Foundation as a participant in the Lexus Champions for Charity golf tournament. Thanks to the generosity of Wilkie Lexus, our auction will feature a spot on the roster for the three-day Lexus Champions for Charity tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any golf enthusiast.

If you are not a golfer, but want to be part of the fun, please join us in the afternoon for a round-robin tennis tournament. The day will be capped off with an open bar surf-and-turf reception and auction on the beautiful lawns of Green Valley Country Club. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP is a presenting sponsor of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation Golf Classic.

Why support the Philadelphia Bar Foundation? The mission of the Bar Foundation is to provide equal access to justice for all. As a practical matter, access to justice only exists when education, representation and advocacy combine to allow people to take full advantage of their legal rights. In a position to look at the legal services community as a whole, the Bar Foundation is a key provider of both resources and solutions with the greatest impact on this ambitious goal.

Through the awarding of annual grants, the Bar Foundation provides much needed operational funding for more than 30 public interest law groups. Each grantee has a distinct mission: advocating for the homeless, protecting children in crisis, working with distressed homeowners to prevent foreclosure, protecting elders from abuse, preventing discrimination – the issues are countless. What these distinct groups have in common is the fight for access to justice. The Bar Foundation exists to support this common goal.

The annual Golf Classic raises substantial funds to meet our mission. The money raised at the Golf Classic goes directly into funding our 35 legal service grantees. Please join us in our mission. Click here for more information or to register.

Order 2012 Legal Directory by May 18, Save 25 Percent

Wed, 9 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Covering Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester and Bucks Counties, The Legal Directory has been the No. 1 resource in the legal profession for more than a century! Order by Friday, May 18 and save 25 percent!

When you order The Legal Directory, you'll get three-way access (print, web and mobile), so no matter where you are you will have access to thousands of listings. To order, visit www.lawcatalog.com/ld12, or call 800-722-7670 X2453

Statement of Chancellor John E. Savoth on the Passing of Hon. Louis H. Pollak

Wed, 9 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor John E. Savoth issued the following statement on May 9 regarding the passing of Senior Judge Louis H. Pollak of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania:

"Judge Pollak had a tremendous influence on the quality of justice in the Eastern District. He distinguished himself in several legal careers -- as a judge, a lawyer, a law school professor and dean. But most of all, he was beloved by lawyers and judges alike for his brilliance, independence and fairness, as well as his graciousness."

The Chancellor noted that Judge Pollak was honored with the Philadelphia Bar Association's William J. Brennan Distinguished Jurist Award in 2003, which recognizes a jurist who adheres to the highest ideals of judicial service, and who has made a significant, positive impact on the quality or administration of justice in Philadelphia.

Prior to joining the bench, Judge Pollak was associated, first as a volunteer lawyer and later as a board member and vice president, with the N.A.A.C.P. Legal Defense Fund. He was among those who assisted Thurgood Marshall and his fellow Legal Defense Fund attorneys in drafting the briefs in the several school segregation cases culminating in Brown v. Board of Education.

"On behalf of the entire legal community, we extend our condolences to Judge Pollak's family at this difficult time," Savoth said. "We do this gratefully with the knowledge that they and we are sustained by the warm and shining memory of this great man."

Bar Association Annual Report Available Now

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The 2011 Annual Report of the Philadelphia Bar Association is now available in digital form. Click here for the Annual Report.

The work of our Association is performed by many dedicated volunteers, including those who serve on our Board of Governors and as leaders or members of our Sections, our Young Lawyers Division and our many Committees. We also benefit from close and cooperative relationships with both the Judiciary and the City of Philadelphia. And, of course, invaluable support is always provided by our exceptional professional staff. This potent combination has led to extraordinary accomplishments, many of which are showcased in this report. Click here for the Annual Report.

Save 25 Percent on Legal Directory Through May 18

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Covering Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester and Bucks Counties, The Legal Directory has been the No. 1 resource in the legal profession for more than a century! Order by Friday, May 18 and save 25 percent!

When you order The Legal Directory, you'll get three-way access (print, web and mobile), so no matter where you are you will have access to thousands of listings. To order, visit www.lawcatalog.com/ld12, or call 800-722-7670 X2453

O'Connor Award for Jane Dalton; Mary Frances Berry to Present Higginbotham Lecture June 26

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Jane Leslie Dalton, who has served as Chancellor, chair of the Board of Governors and co-chair of the Women in the Profession Committee, will be presented with the Association's Sandra Day O'Connor Award at the Tuesday, June 26 Quarterly Meeting and Luncheon. Click here to purchase tickets.

The O'Connor Award is presented to a woman attorney who has demonstrated superior legal talent, achieved significant legal accomplishments and has furthered the advancement of women in both the profession and the community.

Dr. Mary Frances Berry, former chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, will deliver the Judge A. Leon Higginbotham Jr. Memorial Public Interest Lecture at the event, set for 12 p.m. at the Hyatt at The Bellevue, Broad and Walnut streets. Dr. Berry is currently the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought and Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania. She has written numerous books including "Power in Words: The Stories behind Barack Obama's Speeches, from the State House to the White House."

New members of the Association's 50-, 60-, 65- and 75-Year Clubs will also be honored at the event, set for 12 p.m. at the Hyatt at The Bellevue, Broad and Walnut streets. The Year Clubs recognize attorneys who have been practicing law for 50 years or more. Click here to purchase tickets.

2012 State of the Commonwealth’s Courts

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

In recent years, the chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has issued a report to the people on the state of the Commonwealth's courts.

This year's report highlights programs and initiatives that save taxpayer dollars and improve the lives of Pennsylvanians.

The report also explores the critical issue of underfunding that is crippling the nation's courts. The Pennsylvania judiciary had experienced nearly a decade of underfunding when, last year, the legislature and governor took a first step to resolve the courts' funding challenges.

Interestingly, Pennsylvania's courts collect in fines, fees, cost and restitution that are established by statute, much more than their annual state appropriation. However, that money is channeled to state and local governments for general use and does not, for the most part, flow back to the judiciary.

Chief Justice of Pennsylvania Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille invites you to take a few moments to read the State of the Commonwealth's Courts and thanks you for your interest. Click here to read the report.

Gov. Rendell to Moderate Election CLE May 24

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Former Gov. Ed Rendell will moderate a panel of attorneys and journalists at the Thursday, May 24 CLE program “Divided We Fall: How Will the Presidential Election Impact Law, Policy and Politics?”

Panelists include political adviser and commentator Ron Christie; political communications strategist Penny Lee; U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan; and radio host and columnist Michael A. Smerconish. This distinguished panel will weigh in with their opinions on what might happen in the 2012 election and tackle the question: can the citizenry of the United States and the politicians in D.C. be reunited with a common goal to affect changes in law and policy that will put the country back on a positive course?

If you are interested in politics, policy, and the future of the United States of America, you won’t want to miss out on this dynamic debate about where our country is headed.

The program begins at 12 p.m. at The CLE Conference Center on the 10th floor of the Wanamaker Building, Market and Juniper streets. Check-in and lunch begin at 11:30 a.m. Click here for more information or to register.

Bar’s 33rd Annual 5K Run/Walk May 20

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

The 33rd annual Philadelphia Bar Association 5K Run/Walk will be held Sunday, May 20 with more than 1,000 runners and walkers expected to participate. The 5K benefits the Support Center for Child Advocates. Click here to register.

Race Start

The 5K begins at the entry to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (West River Drive), adjacent to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, at 8:30 a.m. The 5K Walk begins at 8:35 a.m.

Registration Info

The registration fee for Bar Association members is $40. General registration for the 5K Walk is $20. Family registration for the Walk is $60. There is no fee to compete in the Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney 200-Yard Kids Dash for children ages 5 to 10. The Kids' Dash begins immediately after the Run/Walk starts. All participants will receive a Race give-a-way. Child-friendly activities will be offered all morning. Registration is required for each child. A parent or guardian must be present.

Law firms and companies may enter 5K Run teams. For an application contact Michael Berkowitz at mjberkowitz@crbcp.com or 215-567-2010 (ext 132). Deadline for team registration is May 6.

$200 Bounty

Neill W. Clark has won the Legal Competition for a record 13 consecutive years. His friends at Philadelphia Runner will award $200 to the first registered Philadelphia Bar Association runner who beats Neill's 2011 time. When you beat your 2011 Race time, you'll receive a Brooks gift at Philadelphia Runner. So, start training now! All recipients who beat their 2011 Race time will be notified by email.

Race Packet Pick Up

Pick up your race packet in advance when you register by May 13. Packets are available on Friday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Philadelphia Runner, 1601 Sansom St.

Participant Footwear Discount

Registered participants can receive 20 percent off Brooks footwear, apparel and accessories at all three Philadelphia Runner stores. Visit www.philadelphiarunner.com for store locations.

Awards

Silver bowls will be awarded to the first-place male and female runners in the 5K Run; Philadelphia Runner gift certificates will be awarded to the first-place male and female runners in each age group; and commemorative awards will be given to the first-, second- and third-place finishers, both male and female, in each age group. T-shirts will be given to all participants who finish the Run or the Walk.

Click here to register for the 33rd Annual 5K Run/Walk.

Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor-Elect Urges Adoption of House Bills 1815 and 1816 on Selection of Appellate Judges

Thu, 1 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Kathleen D. Wilkinson, Chancellor-Elect of the 13,000-member Philadelphia Bar Association, provided detailed comments today (Thursday, March 1) to the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee supporting adoption of House Bills 1815 and 1816 regarding selection of appellate judges.

"With little relevant information about judicial candidates, voters often make choices for reasons that have nothing to do with qualifications for judicial office," Wilkinson said. "In primary elections, ballot position can determine an election. In the general election, voters often choose a candidate based on an identity of ethnicity, residence or the appeal of a television ad."

"The time has come," Wilkinson said, "to stop electing appellate court judges, to restore the confidence of the electorate in our judicial system, and to open the process to a wider and more diverse pool of well qualified candidates."

Wilkinson noted that the Philadelphia Bar Association has long supported changing the way appellate judges are selected in Pennsylvania.

Additionally, she suggested revisions to the current bills including that an Appellate Court Nominating Commission be required to conduct the interviews of candidates and obtain the documents described in House Bill 1816 for all candidates whose names are ultimately submitted to the Governor, rather than making interviews optional as presently provided in those subsections. She also recommended that the commission be required to include more specific selection criteria in the rules of procedure.

"We would prefer amendment of the bills to include the revisions suggested, but even without those amendments, the proposed selection process would be far better than our current system of partisan elections," Wilkinson said.

The full text of the testimony can be found by clicking here.

New Philadelphia Bar Lawyer Profiles to Help Bar Members Promote Practices

Thu, 1 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Association members can now showcase their professional profile on the website of the oldest association of lawyers in the United States.

“Philadelphia Bar Lawyer Profiles” is a new premium advertising opportunity available exclusively to members of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Members can enhance their business development efforts by having their full professional profile displayed on the Philadelphia Bar Association’s website at philadelphiabar.org.

Additionally, “snapshots” of each profile with attorney photo, firm name and practice synopsis rotate directly on the homepage of the Association’s website, linking to the attorney’s full profile. All profiles are searchable by attorney name or firm name.

As a bonus, participants also receive a customized link to their Philadelphia Bar Lawyer Profiles full-profile page, which they can use for promotional purposes on their website, blog, social media and other marketing vehicles.

Profiles can be created in just a few easy steps, and are instantly posted to the Association’s website for immediate viewing by colleagues, friends, family and potential clients everywhere.

To maintain exclusivity, only 300 profiles are available as part of this unique service. The service adds instant value to Association membership.

Association members can join Philadelphia Bar Lawyer Profiles for only $150 a month. The member’s credit card will be automatically billed on a monthly basis.

Alternatively, members can join for one year at the special rate of $1,495 and save more than 15 percent off the regular price of $1,800. Members may cancel their Philadelphia Bar Lawyer Profiles subscription at any time without penalty.

“Attracting and retaining clients continues to be a challenging prospect for many of our members in this recovering economy,” said Chancellor John E. Savoth. “We are proud to introduce this new program to help members with their ongoing business development efforts.”

To enroll in Philadelphia Bar Lawyer Profiles, visit lawyerprofiles.org or contact Matt Hartman, account manager at ALM, at 215-557-2393, or mhartman@alm.com. For technical questions, contact Barry Greenspan, chief technology officer, at 215-238-6327, or bgreenspan@philabar.org.

Announcing a New Court Reporting Services Benefit - Exclusively for Bar Members

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Philadelphia Bar Association is now offering its members a substantial discount on court reporting services offered though Love Court Reporting, Inc. Available exclusively to Association members, the special discounted pricing and other exclusive benefits provide significant saving over standard rates. The larger your needs, the more you save!

Call Love Court Reporting at 215-568-5599 for discount pricing details, and mention your Philadelphia Bar Association membership. Plus, your first transcript is half off the discounted rate!

Love Court Reporting clients receive individualized customer service from the company that was voted "Best of 2011" by readers of The Legal Intelligencer. Available around-the-clock with offices in Center City and the suburbs, Love Court Reporting offers meeting rooms, videography and videoconferencing at a moment's notice.

Love Court Reporting is a full-service company with U.S. and worldwide coverage. Their experienced certified and registered court reporters provide high-quality service including real-time reporting along with a wide range of technical and complex litigation experience. Reporters are strategically located throughout the U.S. This complete coverage allows clients to have a single point of contact for all of their court reporting needs.

Love Court Reporting is the only official provider of discounted court reporting services exclusively for Philadelphia Bar Association members.

Discounts only available to counsel taking the deposition in the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

Inaugural Address of John E. Savoth, 85th Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Thank you, Rudy for your kind words and for all you have done for the Philadelphia Bar Association – not just during the past year, but throughout your career.

Ladies and gentleman, Rudy Garcia's time at the Philadelphia Bar Association and his leadership are worthy of emulation. You have given us a rich model to follow Rudy – and we are all indebted to you, and we thank you.

And not only am I happy and proud to have been part of Rudy's team this year but I'm also honored and delighted to have soon-to-be Chancellor-Elect Kathleen Wilkinson and soon-to-be Vice-Chancellor Bill Fedullo as part of our team. I so look forward to working with both of them.

Now, I'd like to take a moment to pause and reflect a bit.

I am so proud to be here leading the oldest association of lawyers in America. As a boy from Neptune City, growing up along the North Jersey shore, within earshot of the soul of Asbury Park, it is an honor to be heir to the legacy of Andrew Hamilton.

This is all quite humbling. And I ask myself: "What was it that made the difference for me?" I've been fortunate, that's for sure.

But beyond that, the answer is obvious.

The answer is right here in this room.

It was People… People made the difference.

People like my parents who taught me the value of hard work, determination and perseverance. While our Dad worked the family business, our Mom, who lost her arm to cancer when I was 2 years old, ensured that our childhood was filled with the care, concern and love that enabled me to flourish. The point is, they didn't simply teach it – they lived it. It is because of you and Dad that I stand here today.

It was my brothers, whose love, support, and, yes, brotherhood, fortified and nurtured by our parents, continue to provide me with strength and pride everyday.

It was people like school teachers and college professors who helped to open my mind to a larger world – a world of places, events, ideas and aspirations.

People like my junior high school classmate who staggered me the first moment I saw her and I subtly suggested to her continuously over the years that I was a gentleman worthy of her affections (didn't quite put it like that). I finally succeeded and now my wife, Nancy, continues to challenge, encourage and strengthen me with her love and support.

And our three boys, Alex, Nate and Evan, who we are so proud of and who so enrich our lives.

And people like so many professional colleagues who have reached out to me, most notably Bill Keller, who generously and daringly guided me in my career as a Philadelphia lawyer.

And the late Justice James T. McDermott, who taught me that our profession does not operate in a vacuum and that the lessons of great literature are equally applicable to the human condition today as they were centuries ago.

And Bob Mongeluzzi, whose passionate and relentless pursuit of justice serves as a guiding light every day. In fact, all my colleagues at Saltz, Mongeluzzi, including Larry Bendesky, Michael Barrett and the Trial Lawyers they've brought together to practice this honorable profession.

So let's be sure of it: People make the difference.

Every single one of you: You are the Philadelphia Bar Association. You make this profession what it is and you are a vital determining factor in the life of this city, this region, and yes – even our world.

I know this is true. Because when I came to this city to practice law I barely knew one center-city street corner from another, let alone one neighborhood from another. I didn't have a clue. Pat's, Geno's, Jim's? And what about Dalessandro's?

But whatever awkwardness I felt at not having a Philly neighborhood or street corner to call my own quickly vanished.

Why?

Because Philadelphians are proud of their cherished roots, and so accepting of many who travel here to make a life. It's the rhythm, the soul, the love, the brotherly and sisterly love that embraces us. It's the feel, and dare I say, The Sound of Philadelphia.

You've welcomed me just as you have welcomed so many others. Including: Andrew Hamilton, Ben Franklin, John Coltrane, Chase Utley, Charisse Lillie, Richardson Dilworth, Justice Juanita Kidd Stout, Ed Rendell, Rich Negrin and Chief Justice Castille, just to name a few.

And that's part of the magic of this town and that magic is what has contributed to the vibrancy of center-city in recent years.

So many people (especially young folks) are here now, not simply because this is where they've always been but because they've clearly decided this is where they always want to be. They're here by choice.

And the best choice I ever made when I first arrived was to join the Philadelphia Bar Association.

That's how I met people. That's how I made connections. That's how I learned about this town and its unique culture. That's how I developed lasting, cherished friendships.

And yes, it helped my career. And yes, I was able to network and gain business from it. And these are no small matters.

But here's the important thing: The bar association enriches not just your work but your life. It makes your life more meaningful.

That's because all of our real, live members are right here. In fact, most of them are within a dozen blocks of this ballroom.

You know that. You understand it. You see it.

You need only to walk out of your office onto the pulse of Market or Walnut or Chestnut or Broad and your fellow Philadelphia Bar Association members are right there. Often they're on their way, if not from court, then to or from a committee or section event at bar headquarters or the education center or Jenkins law library or at an event at a nearby hotel or other facility. And hopefully, you're joining them.

Yes, the Bar Association is on Facebook and Twitter and we have an impressive web presence but this Association lives with you and your real, live interactions with your colleagues in this relatively intimate community.

I point this out because it's easy to forget it or take it for granted.

It's easy to become so well-connected one way that you're disconnected in more important ways.

It's easy to become so seemingly informed, that you're jaded; so absolutely certain, that you're cynical; and so busy, that you're actually bored and eventually burnt out.

But the people you meet and the things that you accomplish through Our Great Association will make a difference in your life.

I know. I've experienced it.

So now We must ask ourselves: How can We make a difference this year? Together, what can We do for ourselves and others?

I'd like to offer up three suggestions – three important initiatives – for the year.

In late October, we heard the incredible news. President Obama announced that America's war in Iraq is finally coming to an end. Nearly 40,000 U.S. troops will be home for the holidays. In addition, the president announced earlier this year that 33,000 U.S. troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by September of 2012.

For these military personnel and their families, resuming a normal, everyday life won't be easy. For many, it will be a constant struggle.

As Philadelphia lawyers, who are distinguished by our pro bono service, we have a duty – an inherited responsibility – to help ease their burden.

And so next year, we will launch a major volunteer recruitment initiative through our Military Assistance Program, which we've named "MAP."

We will help ease the burden of re-entry for our service men and women and their families. We will provide them with pro bono legal assistance in areas that impact their daily lives, including consumer credit, bankruptcy, employment, housing, family law, wills and estates, and special issues such as eligibility for veterans benefits and compensation for service-related disabilities.
Clients will contact MAP through a new hotline at the offices of the Bar Association. Callers will be matched with volunteer attorneys who have registered with MAP.

I have asked Michael Taub, Staff Attorney for the Homeless Advocacy Project, and Wes Payne, our assistant treasurer and a partner at White and Williams, to co-chair this important new initiative. Michael's knowledge in this area is rooted in his deep commitment to veterans' issues through HAP's Veteran's Project, a 10-year-old program that serves the complex legal needs of homeless veterans. Wes, a veteran himself, has worked tirelessly on veterans issues for years now.

I'm honored to have the support and guidance of Chief Justice Ron Castille and Justice Seamus McCaffery to support our launch of this important endeavor.

Through MAP, we'll create opportunities for self-empowerment and sustainability for the hundreds of service men and women in the Philadelphia region who will soon be transitioning back to everyday life.

But our work next year on behalf of the community will not end there. It will also span our city's neighborhoods and extend to the youngest members of our community, who represent our future.

As we know, schools in Pennsylvania offer very little civics education. Most students spend only about two or three weeks reviewing civics in a U.S. history class.

In 2008, Chancellor Michael Pratt created our Association's Advancing Civics Education Program, or ACE.
This nationally recognized partnership with the School District of Philadelphia sends volunteer lawyers and judges into Philadelphia classrooms once a month to teach a curriculum of civics education that complements social studies programs.

More than 150 volunteer attorneys and judges have already participated in ACE, with 14 high schools and 2 elementary schools being touched by the program.

I am proud to announce that in 2012, we'll take ACE even further by expanding the program into even more elementary schools. Nine elementary school lessons have already been developed. To help us in this effort, we are launching an exciting new partnership with the National Constitution Center.

The Constitution Center's office of civics education will provide a new, enhanced level of administrative support for this rapidly growing program.

Our new partnership with the Constitution Center will enable us to increase our ranks of attorney and judicial volunteers, under the dedicated leadership of ACE Program Co-Chairs Jenimae Almquist and Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge John Milton Younge.

ACE also has strong support from many judicial leaders, including Third Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Marjorie Rendell, who has lent her boundless energy to the program by connecting us with the Constitution Center and helping to recruit talented volunteers.
Next year, we'll strengthen the program's curriculum, launch a new ACE website and plan teacher in-service days.

Engaging students in civics education at an even younger age will help motivate them in their reading and critical thinking during their formative years. They will also gain a deeper understanding of the true meaning of a democracy, the rule of law, dispute resolution and, simply, how to be a good citizen.

And speaking of our partnership with the National Constitution Center, many of you may be aware that in 2012 the Center will host a new exhibition, "From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen" -- the first major retrospective about the American songwriter.

I have a feeling that I'm going to find this exhibit quite fascinating.

Bruce Springsteen inspires us by illuminating the struggles and triumphs of working Americans and the importance of social justice and free expression – the very freedoms on which the legacy of the "Philadelphia lawyer" was born.

The Constitution Center is generously providing free admission to this exciting new exhibition for every person at today's luncheon. Tickets will be distributed as you leave the ballroom today.

Of course our service to the community also transcends the borders of Philadelphia.

Programs such as our highly successful relationship with our sister bar association in Lyon, our seat at the table at the World City Bar Leaders Conferences, and the work of our International Law Committee and our new International Business Initiative Committee demonstrate that our Bar is doing its part to help stimulate new avenues of business in our region.

In the coming year, we'll continue to track global issues that impact our profession, including the eligibility of foreign-trained lawyers for admission to the Pennsylvania Bar, and provide input in the reconstituted Global Philadelphia Association.

Pro bono service and community volunteerism are more than just a professional commitment. They define us as Philadelphia lawyers. Public service strikes at the very heart of who we are as attorneys, and as citizens. And it has been the legacy of our Association for 210 years--- through the many law-related public service agencies that we support and/or helped to create; particularly the work of our Civil Gideon Task Force, which has toiled for several years now to formulate a workable plan to aid those in our society who are threatened with the loss of basic human needs, such as those involving shelter and child custody.

Our legacy also includes service to our members.

Attracting and retaining clients continues to be a challenging prospect for many of our members in this recovering economy. And so I am proud to introduce a new program to help members with their ongoing business development efforts.

Early next year, we will provide new premium advertising opportunities on the Philadelphia Bar Association's website, exclusively to members -- at a fraction of the cost of display ads placed on commercial websites and in printed publications.

We call this new program "Lawyer Profiles." Charter members will be able to upload full online profiles, with a photo and resume of their professional services. Only a limited number of these opportunities will be available through a monthly subscription fee.

This program adds instant value to your Association membership. You'll be able to proudly display your profile on the website of America's first bar association.

And speaking of these profiles, they only serve to remind us that each one of us is unique.
We each bring special talents, special viewpoints, distinct experiences and a unique set of skills to our jobs and to our lives.

And we owe it to ourselves and to this city and region to share all that we bring – not just with one another but with the larger community beyond.

That's what the profiles and the civics education program and the veterans' legal assistance effort are all about.

These are three vital areas where we can make a difference.

Today we are bigger than most state bar associations and we are looked to nationally as trailblazers. Many of our programs and efforts have served as models for similar initiatives throughout the nation.

We're justifiably proud of all that.

But even though our founders included this nation's first leaders, and even though we trace our origins all the way back to 1802 when a small group of lawyers met in Independence Hall to form a Law Library Company, we must never forget that we were founded by people who had common needs and shared a desire to help one another and those they served.

These first Philadelphia lawyers really weren't much different than you and I.

Yes, they faced different challenges and struggles than we do today, but they faced struggles nonetheless.

And they were – each and every one of them – distinct individuals.

But they recognized that they could accomplish a great deal more by joining together and learning and working to help themselves and others.

Today, our modern mission reminds us of our core principles:

-- To serve the profession and the public by promoting justice, professional excellence and respect for the rule of law, and

-- To ensure that all of our citizens, no matter their economic or social status, have full and unfettered access to our justice system.

Never has this mission been more important than now.

Never have these principles been more relevant.

We are the soul of this profession.

Unless we choose to get involved, to step outside our comfort zones, to act on behalf of a cause greater than ourselves, the prospect of adding richness and meaning to our work and our lives remains just that – a mere prospect.

During the depression years of the last century, John Steinbeck so eloquently detailed the dignity of the human condition, no matter how difficult the circumstances.

It's vital that we, as a community of talented, thoughtful thinkers, do not lose sight of this.

Today, the integrity of so many in our community is under constant assault and we have the talent, knowledge, work ethic and legacy of greatness to combat these problems and, hopefully, raise the hopes of those in need.

I am honored by this position and look forward to working for you in 2012.

Thank you.

William P. Fedullo Elected Vice Chancellor; Five Gain Board of Governors Seats

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

William P. Fedullo, of counsel to Rosen, Schafer & DiMeo, LLP, will serve as Vice Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association in 2012 after running unopposed in the Association's Tuesday, Dec. 6 Annual Election. Fedullo will serve as Chancellor-Elect in 2013 and Chancellor in 2014.

The following candidates for Bar offices ran unopposed and will begin serving in their positions on Jan. 1: Sophia Lee, Secretary; Joseph A. Prim Jr., Treasurer; Jacqueline G. Segal, Assistant Secretary; and Wesley R. Payne IV, Assistant Treasurer.

The following five candidates for Board of Governors were unopposed on Dec. 6 and will begin their terms on Jan. 1.: Jennifer Segal Coatsworth, Rainy Papademetriou, James A. Rocco III, Eric H. Weitz and Kay Kyungsun Yu.

The following seven candidates for the Young Lawyers Division Executive Committee were elected on Dec. 6 and will begin serving their terms on Jan. 1:
Courtenay R. Dunn, Daniel J. Gillin, Maria E. Harris, Benjamin F. Johns, Erin Lamb, Kaitlin E. Picco and Jeffrey N. Rosenthal.