THIS FRIDAY: New and Improved YLD Bootcamp

Law students and new attorneys will receive practical and fundamental knowledge on the intricacies of the legal profession at the second annual “YLD Bootcamp: Tactics, Tips and Tricks for Law Students and New Lawyers," presented by the Young Lawyers Division of the Philadelphia Bar Association this Friday, Feb. 18 from 12-5 p.m. at Bar Association headquarters, 1101 Market St., 11th Floor. Bar Association Chancellor Rudolph Garcia will deliver welcoming remarks. The cost is just $10.

Last year's program was described as ""wonderful," "well-executed" and "interesting" and was used as a model for the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division's Young Lawyer Bootcamp. The 2011 YLD Bootcamp will be even better, with more focused panels, lengthier breaks for concentrated networking, dedicated Q&A sessions, and a revamped concluding social event.

The four, streamlined sessions are:

Exploring the Road Less Traveled: Choosing Alternate Career Paths
Moderator
Jennifer Coatsworth, Margolis Edelstein
Panelists:
Debra Aisenstein, James DeCrescenzo Court Reporting; Trial Technologies, Inc.; Digital Reporting Service, LLC
Justin Goldstein, Plaintiff Advisory Group
Sabrina Sacks Mann, President of Sacks Legal Search
Sara Woods, Executive Director of Philadelphia VIP

Honoring the Veterans: Advice from the Bench
Moderator
YLD Chair Carolyn Chopko, Feldman Shepherd
Panelists:
Judge Daniel Anders, Family Court Division of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
Judge Lori Dumas Brooks, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
Judge Charles Cunningham, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
Judge Gary Glazer, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas

Leading the Troops: Considerations Before Starting Your Own Solo Practice or Small Firm
Moderator:
Brielle Rey, Dechert LLP
Panelists:
Jeffrey Campolongo, The Law Office of Jeffrey Campolongo
Abbie Dufrayne, Petrelli Law, P.C. and Immediate-Past Chair of the Young Lawyers Division
Natalie Klyashtorny, Nochumson P.C.
David M. Walker, Law Office of David M. Walker LLC

Overcoming Enemy Lines: How to Thrive at Your First Job in a Down Economy
Moderator
Ed Beitz, White and Williams LLP
Panelists:
Henry Noye, Principal, Tr3 Consulting Group
Molly Peckman, Dechert LLP
Elaine Petrossian, Assistant Dean, Villanova Law School
Bar Association Chancellor-Elect John E. Savoth, Saltz Mongeluzzi Barrett and Bendesky

The concluding networking event will include a short informative session presented by Kimberly Alford Rice, Principal/Business Development Advisor, KLA Marketing Associates. Food and beverages will also be provided.

Register here. Help us promote the event!: Click here for a downloadable flyer.

Sign Up Now as a Volunteer Judge for the 2011 Mock Trial Competition

The YLD is once again teaming up with Temple University Beasley School of Law to host the 2011 John S. Bradway High School Mock Trial Competition and needs volunteers to act as judges and coaches. Each spring, students from approximately 50 public, private, and parochial schools are given the opportunity play the roles of attorneys and witnesses in a fictitious criminal or civil case, focusing on real legal issues. The top two teams from Philadelphia go on to the state championship where they compete to move onto the national championship.

Being a volunteer is a truly rewarding experience and provides a great service to the students. Only 2-3 hours of your time is needed. If you have volunteered in the past, we thank you and hope that you will do so again this year. If you have not yet volunteered for the event, we encourage you to do so. Just complete the form HERE. Please direct any questions to Kristy Littman at littmanak@sec.gov or Joe Guzzardo at jguzzardo@wglaw.com.

Please remember, volunteer judges need not have any litigation experience to make a huge impact in a short time on Philadelphia high school students. Legal training and experience of any kind is an invaluable resource to students as they work to master the basics of persuasive advocacy and legal reasoning. With hundreds of student competitors, the John S. Bradway High School Mock Trial Competition's success depends upon the support of the entire legal community. Volunteer today!

Click here to view this year's Case Materials.

New Partner and In-House Counsel Conference, Feb. 25-26

The Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association will hold the inaugural "New Partner and In-House Counsel Conference" on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 25-26 at the Four Seasons Hotel on Logan Square in Philadelphia.

The program provides two days of practical tips and advice that can immediately help you navigate this landscape with greater ease and success through unique CLE, networking and a nationally acclaimed faculty. Conference highlights include more than 8 CLE credits including 1.5 ethics; networking sessions and small group discussions; and tracks that guide you through the issues and information you should be familiar with as you take on this new role.

The Philadelphia Bar Association is a co-sponsor of this event. Visit abanet.org/yld/newpartner for more information.

Entries Sought for Ginsburg Legal Writing Competition

Entries are now being accepted for the Philadelphia Bar Association's 2011 Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Pursuit of Justice Legal Writing Competition.

The co-chairs of the competition are Bar Association Vice Chancellor Kathleen D. Wilkinson, partner at Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman and Dicker LLP and Diane Penneys Edelman, Assistant Dean for International Programs, Associate Professor of Legal Writing, Villanova University School of Law.

The Bar Association recognizes the importance of excellence in legal analysis and writing skills, and seeks to award a student enrolled in an American Bar Association-approved or provisionally approved Philadelphia-area law school for authoring a top-quality competition submission.

This competition is open to full- and part-time law students who are in their second or third year of study during the 2010-11 academic year at one of the following six institutions: Drexel University Earle Mack School of Law, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Rutgers University School of Law - Camden, Temple University Beasley School of Law, Villanova University School of Law and Widener University School of Law (Delaware Campus). Part-time law students in their third or later year of study are also eligible. Students must be in good standing at their institutions. The submission may not have been published previously, although it may have been prepared in connection with a law school course or for a law journal. The submission also may not have been submitted for any other competition during the time when it is under consideration for this competition, until after the time when awards are announced. The submission must be the work of one author alone (joint submissions will not be considered), and the author must certify that the submission has been prepared without substantial editing from others.

Candidates may submit a law review quality submission on any topic relating to rights, privileges and responsibilities under federal law. Entries must be received by Monday, May 9 at 4 p.m. by Dawn Petit, Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market St., 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107 or at dpetit@philabar.org.

The author of the winning submission will receive a cash award of $2,500, the publication of the winning submission in The Philadelphia Lawyer, on the Bar Association's website and/or in an appropriate Bar Association publication. The winner will be invited to a Quarterly Meeting of the Bar Association, at which time the award will be presented.

Federal Court CLE on Judicial Recusal, Feb. 24

The Federal Courts Committee will present the CLE program "To Judge or Not To Judge: The Question of Judicial Recusal" on Thursday, Feb. 24. Panelists for the program include U.S. District Court Senior Judges Jan E. DuBois and Norma L. Shapiro and U.S. District Court Judge Gene E.K. Pratter.

The moderator is Janet G. Perry, adjunct professor, University of Pennsylvania Law School.

The program begins at 12 p.m. at The CLE Conference Center on the 10th floor of the Wanamaker Building, Market and Juniper streets. Click here to register.

Public Interest Training Programs Scheduled

• Homeless Advocacy Project Veteran's Attorney Michael Taub will present a free training for attorneys interested in learning how to handle Veterans' Benefits Cases. The course will be presented on Wed., Feb. 23 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the offices of Saul Ewing LLP, 1500 Market Street, Philadephia, PA. The program is open to current and prospective HAP volunteers. The training meets the 3 substantive hour CLE requirement to maintain certification with the Department of Veterans Affairs (and PA CLE). Following the clinic, attendees will be expected to represent a homeless veteran through HAP's Pro Bono Veterans project. To register, RSVP to Cary E. Moritz, Esq. at cmoritz@philalegal.org or call 215-523-9587 on or before February 18.
  

• A Philadelphia VIP Pro Bono Training Program on Homeownership/Probate will take place February 25 from 12 to 2:15 p.m. at Blank Rome, One Logan Square, 130 North 18th St., Philadelphia. Two (2) substantive CLE credits in exchange for handling a VIP case within six months. To register, call 215-523-9550 or e-mail phillyvip@phillyvip.org.

• A Philadelphia VIP Pro Bono Training Program on Tax will take place March 9 from 12 to 2:15 p.m. at Dilworth Paxon, 1500 Market St., 3500E, Philadelphia. Two (2) substantive CLE credits in exchange for handling a VIP case within six months. To register, call 215-523-9550 or e-mail phillyvip@phillyvip.org.

• Mazzoni Center Legal Services will host Open Bar II on March 9 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., a special event to commemorate Mazzoni Center's first year as Philadelphia's only agency providing direct legal services to low income lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons facing legal obstacles related to sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Director of Legal Services, Amara Chaudhry, will provide a brief program following appetizers and cocktails at Kokopelli Restaurant and Tequila Bar, 1904 Chestnut St., Philadelphia. Promotional co-sponsors of Open Bar II are GALLOP (Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia) and the Philadelphia Bar Association's LGBT Rights Committee. The event is free for law students and costs $20 for Young Lawyers (under 30 years) and $40 for all others. For more information or to register for Open Bar II, please visit www.mazzonicenter.org or contact Troy Porter at tporter@mazzonicenter.org or 215.563.0652 X270.

TODAY: Conversation with U.S. Trustee's Office CLE, Feb. 15

The Pennsylvania Bar Institute will present the CLE program "A Conversation with the United States Trustee's Office" today, Feb. 15, at 12 p.m.

Seasoned bankruptcy attorneys and new practitioners alike will benefit from this two-hour program. Attorneys from the United States Trustee's office will discuss hot button issues with a focus on best practices. Bankruptcy filings are on the rise. Polish your skills and get practical tips critical to you and to your clients.

The program has been approved for 2 CLE substantive credits. Click here to register online.