All Members Welcome to Enter YLD's 2010 Photography Contest

The Young Lawyers Division welcomes submissions from all members of the Bar Association for "Eyes on the Environment," a late summer photography contest in which the winning image will be featured in The Philadelphia Lawyer, the Association's quarterly magazine.

Entrants are asked to consider the following: "As you embark on late summer vacations or enjoy the remainder of the season here in Philadelphia, the Young Lawyers Division asks you to capture particularly compelling images of environmental awareness and natural conservation. What did you witness during your travels that showcases nature's untouched beauty? What efforts did you see toward preserving it?"

One submission per entrant can be emailed to tplmag@philabar.org in JPG format. A professional panel of judges will select the winner. The deadline for entries is September 20. Stay tuned for more details.

Spread the Word: The People's Law School Kicks Off Sept. 21, Open to All

Area residents can receive basic information about areas of the law most likely to impact daily life at The People's Law School, a six-week legal education program presented by volunteer attorneys from the Young Lawyers Division.

The program, which features 11 unique courses on a range of legal topics, takes place every Tuesday from 6:15-8:30 p.m. beginning September 21 through October 26 in the Jury Assembly Room at the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. The cost is $40.00 and includes access to all seminars and the complete course materials book.

The course schedule for The People's Law School is:

September 21
Social Security and Disability (6:15-7:15 p.m.)
Trusts and Estates (7:30-8:30 p.m.)

September 28
Small Claims and Landlord/Tenant (6:15-7:15 p.m.)
Consumer Credit (7:30-8:30 p.m.)

October 5
Personal Injury (6:15-7:15 p.m.)
Criminal Law (7:30-8:30 p.m.)

October 12
Real Estate (6:15-7:15 p.m.)
Employment Law (7:30-8:30 p.m.)

October 19
Bankruptcy (6:15-7:15 p.m.)
Workers' Compensation (7:30-8:30 p.m.)

October 26
Family Law (6:15-8:30 p.m.)

The People's Law School is open to all citizens. Registration and more details are available by clicking here, calling 215-238-6393, or through email at pls@philabar.org. To ensure all attendees have a copy of the course materials book for the first session, registration is required by September 10, 2010. Those registering after this date cannot be guaranteed the immediate availability of the course materials.

Please note that while The People's Law School will provide attendees information on different areas of the law, the program is not accredited and no degree or certificate will be conferred upon its completion.

Pro Bono Corner: Helping the Poverty-Stricken Find Shelter

In Philadelphia, where nearly a quarter of the population lives in poverty, many families struggle to find decent, safe and affordable housing. When families spend more than a third of their incomes on housing, there isn't enough left for school supplies, food, clothes and transportation.

Thankfully, Philadelphia and the surrounding counties have dozens of effective and dedicated Community Development Corporations (CDCs) that work in neighborhoods to provide housing and supportive services. These organizations, large and small, rebuild the region's blighted communities through development work such as building housing on vacant properties or in reclaimed buildings, improving commercial corridors, and providing job training, day care or other direct social services.

I enjoy representing CDCs as a staff attorney at Regional Housing Legal Services (RHLS), where we provide the legal services CDCs need to do their good work. As an Independence Foundation Fellow, I focus on the preservation of permanent rental housing, so I help to preserve the affordable housing stock that currently exists. I have the pleasure of working with experienced attorneys who help CDCs create every kind of housing, including shelters, rental housing with supportive services, cooperatives, and home ownership. We work statewide to help our clients navigate the difficult and confusing field of funding sources and legal requirements which must be understood to create low-income housing.

RHLS is the only non-profit law firm in Pennsylvania with expertise in affordable, sustainable housing and its related components - community and economic development, utility matters and preservation of home ownership. We provide innovative project and policy solutions that help create sustainable communities. With our legal services and technical assistance, small CDCs have grown and professionalized, tackling projects they otherwise would not have been able to accomplish and becoming powerful forces of good in their neighborhoods. Likewise, we have helped larger CDCs be more productive and focus more resources on their community activities.

Through the work of our clients, we help eliminate blight, improve community safety, provide high-quality housing to those who otherwise couldn't afford it, and help individuals get supportive services they need. It is a point of pride for us that anyone can walk through Philadelphia and see the houses, apartment buildings and commercial spaces that have been built, rehabbed or improved with our help.

William B. Shuey is a Staff Attorney and Independence Fellow at Regional Housing Legal Services and can be reached at william.shuey@rhls.org.

Contribute to a Great Cause by Joining the YLD of the Andrew Hamilton Circle

In 2001, the YLD partnered with the Philadelphia Bar Foundation to inaugurate the Young Lawyers Division of the Andrew Hamilton Circle, a group of young lawyers who pledge to donate to the Bar Foundation for at least 3 years.

To become a member, one pledges to donate $100 per year for three years, a contribution that benefits local public interest agencies including the Support Center for Child Advocates, Philadelphia VIP and the Senior Law Center, to name a few. For your generous donation, your name will be listed on the Bar Foundation's website and in a variety of print publications.

Click here to learn more.

Women in the Profession Committee and YLD to Co-Sponsor "How Do We Eliminate the Income Gap?" July 27

The Bar Association's Women in the Profession Committee and YLD will co-sponsor "How Do We Eliminate the Income Gap?" featuring Veta Richardson, the Executive Director of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, and Roberta Liebenberg, Chair of the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession, at the Committee's July meeting, July 27 at 12 p.m. at Bar Association headquarters.

There has been a long-standing pay disparity between women lawyers and their male counterparts, which increases with seniority. Indeed, the largest gap is between male and female equity partners. Given this wage gap, the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession collaborated with the Minority Corporate Counsel Association ("MCCA") and the Project for Attorney Retention ("PAR") on the first-of-its-kind survey of women partners on law firm compensation. This historic survey shines a much needed light on how law firms distribute billing origination credit and how that distribution affects compensation and the advancement of women lawyers to positions of real power and influence in their firms.



At the meeting, Veta Richardson will present the results of this important survey. She will be joined by Roberta Liebenberg to discuss steps that must be taken to eliminate the significant income gap between male and female partners and ways to ensure that the substantial accomplishments and contributions made by women lawyers are recognized and rewarded. This program is a must whether you are a new or mid-level associate or a partner.

For more information about the committee, please contact co-chairs Nikki Johnson-Huston (nikki.johnson-huston@phila.gov) or Kimberly Ruch-Alegant (kalegant@alegantlaw.com).

Register Now for Bench-Bar 2010, Featuring a Grand Reception at Newly-Revamped MIXX Nightclub

Register now for the Bar Association's 2010 Bench-Bar and Annual Conference at the Borgata in Atlantic City, on Friday, Oct. 15 and Saturday, Oct. 16. The event features 14 distinct CLEs and a Grand Reception at newly-remodeled MIXX nightclub. YLD member costs remain at 2007 prices. Early bird pricing registration is available if tickets purchased by Sept. 17.

The 14 CLE programs, in which attendees can earn up to eight hours of credit (including the opportunity to earn two ethics credits), will feature judges and some of the city's most well-known practitioners, who will use their expertise and experience to enlighten attendees.

A dramatic re-enactment commemorating the 275th anniversary of Andrew Hamilton's historic 1735 defense of printer John Peter Zenger will be offered for CLE credit as the opening program on Oct. 15. The case established the concept of freedom of the press and coined the term "Philadelphia lawyer."

A state-of-the-court program will also be offered for CLE credit as the closing program on Saturday, Oct. 16. Vice Chancellor John E. Savoth and Board of Governors Vice Chair Regina M. Foley are co-chairs of the 2010 conference.

Full-conference admission is $349 for members and $399 for non-members, if reserved by the early bird deadline of Friday, Sept. 17. For members of the Young Lawyers Division and government and public interest attorneys, admission is only $199. CLICK HERE for a complete registration form and pricing guide.

Sponsors for the 2010 Bench-Bar and Annual Conference include Iron Mountain and Kaplan, Leaman and Wolfe Court Reporters. For information on becoming a sponsor, contact Michael Petitti at 215-238-6342 or mpetitti@philabar.org.

Due Diligence in Business Transactions CLE, August 10

The Pennsylvania Bar Institute's August 10 CLE program "Due Diligence in Business Transactions" is a comprehensive review of due diligence essentials, including important tips to help you cover all the bases.

Faculty for the program includes Merritt A. Cole, Michael D. Ecker and La-Toya P. Hackney. The course planner is Graham R. Laub. Three substantive CLE credits and one ethics CLE credits are available.

The program begins at 12:30 p.m., with check-in and lunch 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.