NEXT MONDAY: YLD Election Information Session; Nominations for 2011 YLD Executive Committee Due Oct. 6

The Young Lawyers Division is now accepting nominations from any voting member of the Division interested in serving a 3-year term on the YLD Executive Committee. This year's election takes place Dec. 7 and the nomination deadline is Oct. 7.

Who can run? Each year, 7 new members are elected to the Executive Committee. Any voting member of the Division is eligible for election provided that the term of office for which the individual runs shall not extend beyond his or her membership in the Division. A member is eligible if he/she is 37-years-old or less in the year 2013 or, if he/she is older than 37, not celebrating more than his/her third year of practice in 2013. The Nominating Petition and Personal Statement must be returned to the offices of the Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market Street, 11th Floor, no later than 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 6, 2010.

What does the Executive Committee do? The Executive Committee manages and directs the business and activities of the YLD's approximate 3,000 members, including oversight of more than 30 committees in the areas of public service, law-related education and service to the legal community. Being on the YLD Executive Committee also gives lawyers in the early years of their careers opportunities for leadership, networking, and personal and professional growth.

To help explain the process further and answer any other questions interested parties may have, an Information Session will be held on Sept. 20 for those wishing to learn more about the YLD or running in the YLD election. This program begins at 12 p.m. in the 11th Floor Conference Center of Bar Association headquarters, 1101 Market St. and is free to attend with lunch included. Pre-registration is required. CLICK HERE to register.

If you have any questions regarding the Nominating Petition, the Executive Committee, or the election process, please feel free to contact Tracey McCloskey, Director of Meetings and Special Events, at 215-238-6360 or tmccloskey@philabar.org.

Last Chance!: The People's Law School Kicks Off in ONE WEEK

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.

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.

YLD Photography Contest Entries Due NEXT MONDAY

The YLD welcomes submissions from all members of the Bar Association for "Eyes on the Environment," a photography contest in which the winner and runner-up will receive $200 and $100 gift certificates, respectively, to Ruth's Chris Steak House as well as have their images featured in The Philadelphia Lawyer, the Association's magazine. Submission are due next Monday, September 20.

Entrants are asked to consider the following: "As you embark on summer vacations or enjoy 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.

The National Economic Outlook: A YLD 20/20 Program, Oct. 5

Dr. Jason Faberman, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, will present a national economic outlook with a review of the region at a Young Lawyers Division 20/20 program on October 5 at 12 p.m. at Bar Association headquarters, 1101 Market St., 11th Floor.

The program is free to attend. Lunch can purchased for $8.

To register for the program, CLICK HERE. Stay tuned for more details.

Dr. Faberman joined the Regional and Microeconomics Section of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's Research Department in 2007. Prior to that, he spent four years as a Research Economist with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington, DC. His research interests focus on the labor market, with an emphasis on the employment behavior of individual businesses and workers and its implications at the macro level, micro level, and across different geographic areas. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. from the University of Maryland, College Park and his B.A. and B.S. from Lehigh University.

YLD to Kick Off 2010 National Pro Bono Week with Spotlight on Pro Bono Program, Oct. 22

The Young Lawyers Division will kick off National Pro Bono Week in Philadelphia on October 22 with "YLD Spotlight on Pro Bono," a free program co-hosted by the Delivery of Legal Services Committee and open to all attorneys interested in learning more about how to get involved in pro bono work and ways to balance these efforts with their professional careers.

The program will feature a panel of young lawyers sharing their experiences and lessons learned as pro bono volunteers. Presenters currently include Aisha Barbour of Ballard Spahr, Andy Boczkowski of GlaxoSmithKline, Michele L. Purdue-Dean, a solo practitioner, Rebecca Santoro of Hangley Aronchick Segal and Pudlin, and Matt Olesh of Fox Rothschild LLP. Bar Association Vice-Chancellor John Savoth will give opening remarks and a question-and-answer session with the audience will follow the presentation.

YLD Spotlight on Pro Bono will begin at 12 p.m. in the 11th Floor Conference Center at Bar Association headquarters, 1101 Market St. Attendance is free but pre-registration is requested. Lunch is also available for $8. CLICK HERE to register.

Early-Bird Pricing at 2010 Bench-Bar Conference Ends THIS FRIDAY

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.

TODAY: Managing the Risks and Benefits of Technology in Your Practice

Presented by the Professional Responsibility Committee and co-sponsored by the Young Lawyers Division and the Law Practice Management Committee, "Managing the Risks and Benefits of Technology in Your Practice" will examine the great benefits modern technology provides for attorneys as well as the prevalent ethical concerns. The program takes place today at Bar Association headquarters at 12:30 p.m. and is approved for 1 Ethics CLE credit.

Blackberries, netbooks, laptops, USB drives, iPhones, cloud computing, virtual law offices and other technologies can provide great benefits for attorneys, including dramatic improvement in efficiency and virtually unlimited access to information. This intersection of technology and law also raises ethical concerns. Managing the Risks and Benefits of Technology in Your Practice will discuss the issues raised by these new high tech tools, as well as potential solutions that allow lawyers to identify risks before using the latest and greatest technology.

The program has been approved for 1.0 Ethics CLE credit. Participants wishing to receive the CLE credit will be required to pay a fee of $25.00 for members of the Philadelphia Bar Association admitted for more than five years, and $20.00 for members of the Philadelphia Bar Association admitted for less than five years. Interested parties not seeking CLE credit may attend and purchase lunch for the fee of $8.00.

CLICK HERE to register for CLE credit. CLICK HERE to register for lunch.

THURSDAY: Meet the Legal Blawgers

The Bar-News Media Committee will present "Meet the Legal Blawgers: An Insiders' Perspective on Connecting with the Legal Blogosphere" this Thursday, Sept. 16.

Panelists include Jeff Blumenthal, staff writer, Philadelphia Business Journal; Hugh E. Dillon, editor, PhillyChitChat.com; Hank Grezlak, associate publisher and editor-in-chief, The Legal Intelligencer; Catherine Lucey, staff reporter, Philadelphia Daily News, co-writer, PhillyClout; Chris Brennan, political writer, Philadelphia Daily News, co-writer, PhillyClout; and Saul Segan, contributor, The Huffington Post.

The program begins at 12 p.m. in the 11th floor Conference Center of Bar Association headquarters, 1101 Market St. Lunch is available for $8. CLICK HERE to register.

Civil Gideon Corner Launched on Bar Website

The Philadelphia Bar Association has launched Civil Gideon Corner, a resource where attorneys can learn more about expanding the right to counsel for low-income people in civil cases were basic human needs are at stake.

"Using this technology portal will allow us to keep members updated on the Association's progress," said Chancellor Scott F. Cooper. "It will also serve as a resource for attorneys who want to know more about civil Gideon and how they can get involved."

In 2009, Chancellor Sayde Ladov formed the Bar Association's Civil Gideon Task Force. The mission of the Task Force is to investigate and consider all aspects of an effective system of civil Gideon in Philadelphia, including the development of concrete and practicable proposals to advance the implementation of a civil right to counsel in those areas of adversarial civil proceedings where basic human needs are at stake. In a resolution adopted by the Board of Governors in April 2009, the Task Force was charged with examining civil Gideon efforts underway in other states, developing strategies for implementing civil Gideon in Philadelphia and making recommendations in two areas of basic need: cases involving the loss of shelter and child custody.

In November of 2009, the Association's Board of Governors adopted the Task Force's Preliminary Report, Findings and Recommendations, which endorsed the development of pilot projects in eviction and mortgage foreclosure defense and custody cases as well as the development of an education and communications plan to inform the legal and public community about the critical need to expand the right to counsel for low-income people faced with the threatened loss of these basic needs. These resources have been developed to further the mission of the Task Force to educate the legal and public community about the need for Civil Gideon in these critical matters.

Civil Gideon Corner includes a history of the Task Force, a list of the members, relevant Bar Association resolutions, the Task Force's Preliminary Report, Findings and Recommendations, information about the current civil right to counsel in Pennsylvania, articles, special programs, other resources and studies.

Click here to visit Civil Gideon Corner.