Candidates Sought for YLD Executive Committee; Deadline is 3 p.m. on Oct. 29

Pursuant to the YLD Bylaws, every year seven new members are elected to serve three-year terms on the Executive Committee. This year's Election will take place on Dec. 8, 2008, in conjunction with the Association's Annual Meeting. The deadline for submitting your material is 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008.

Any Voting Member of the Division shall be eligible for election to the Executive Committee provided, however, that the term of office for which the individual runs shall not extend beyond his or her membership in the Division. You are eligible if you are 37 years of age or less in the year 2011, or if you are older than 37, you will not be celebrating more than your third year of practice in 2011. The Nominating Petition and Personal Statement must be returned to the offices of the Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market St., 11th Floor, no later than 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008. At 5 p.m. that same day, we will have an information meeting in the 10th Floor Board Room at the Bar Association where ballot positions will be drawn.

If you have any questions regarding the Executive Committee, or the election process, please feel free to contact Tracey McCloskey, Director of Meetings and Special Events, at 215-238-6360. Click here for a copy of a nominating petition. For a copy of the personal statement form, click here.

Four Endorsed for Board of Governors

The Young Lawyers Division Executive Committee has endorsed Jeffrey Campolongo, Regina Foley, Michael Shaffer and Stacy Tees for seats on the Board of Governors in the Dec. 8 Bar Association election. The endorsement came at the Executive Committee's Oct. 27 meeting.

Chancellor's Forum on Comparative Judicial Selection Oct. 29

The International Law Committee and the British American Business Council will co-host the Chancellor's Forum "Comparative Judicial Selection: Learning from the British and American Systems" on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

The guest speaker will be Sir Robin Ernest Auld, a former judge on the English Court of Appeals who also served as vice chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission during its efforts to increase responsiveness and diversity of the British Courts. He will be joined by the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Alice Beck Dubow. The discussion will be moderated by the Court of Common Pleas Judge Gary Glazer.

The program begins at 4:30 p.m. at The CLE Conference Center on the 10th floor of the Wanamaker Building, 13th and Market Streets, Juniper Street entrance. A cocktail reception will follow. Click here to RSVP.

An Evening of Private Shopping at Tiffany's Nov. 13

The Young Lawyers Division will present an evening of private shopping for holiday gifts at Tiffany & Co., on Thursday, Nov. 13.

The event, which will include cocktails, begins at 5:30 p.m. at Tiffany & Co., 1414 Walnut St. Please register online by Monday, Nov. 10 by clicking here.

Volunteers Needed for Mock Trial Camp Nov. 1

The Philadelphia High School Mock Trial Program sponsored by the Temple University Beasley School of Law LEAP program begins its 2008-09 season with its annual kick-off event, the Mock Trial Camp, on Saturday, Nov 1.

The YLD is seeking volunteers from all sectors of the bar - "young" lawyers and "senior" lawyers from any practice area - no litigation experience is required to participate.

The day begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m., divided by teaching sessions followed by practice sessions. During the practice sessions, the volunteer lawyers will attend the teaching sessions and then work with the students to prepare opening and closing statements from 8 to 11 a.m.; direct and cross examinations from 12 to 2:30 p.m.; and introduction of evidence and objections from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Marjorie O. Rendell will be the guest speaker at the program.

All attorneys participating are asked to review the case materials for this year's problem prior to the camp. The materials will be provided in advance. If you can volunteer for one, two or all three time slots, please contact Heather Herrington at hherrington@rawle.com or Roberta West, Director of the Temple LEAP Program, at 215-204-8948.

YLD Harvest for the Homeless: Donate and Volunteer!

The Young Lawyers Division is seeking volunteers for the annual Harvest for the Homeless. Through the Harvest the YLD collects clothing, blankets, towels, dry non-perishable goods and toiletries from local law firms and donates the items to Philadelphia homeless shelters.

Volunteers are needed to sort and distribute donated items on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 8:30 a.m. at Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP, 1735 Market St. Volunteers of all ages are welcome.

Firms participating in the collection of items include: Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP; Ciardi Ciardi & Astin, P.C.; Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP; Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC; Feldman, Shepherd, Wohlgelernter, Tanner, Weinstock & Dodig; Kolsby Gordon Robin Shore & Bezar; Margolis Edelstein; Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads, LLP; Rawle & Henderson, LLP; Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP; and Willig, Williams & Davidson.

If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information, please contact Carey Chopko at cchopko@feldmanshepherd.com or Tom Bielli at tbielli@ciardilaw.com.

Nominees Sought for Chancellor's Diversity Award

Nominees are being sought for the inaugural Chancellor's Diversity Award. The award will recognize a law firm, legal organization or individual who has made a substantial contribution to diversity and inclusion in the legal field. Nominations for the award will be accepted from any member of the Philadelphia Bar Association and must be submitted by Friday, Nov. 14. The Chancellor’s Diversity Award will be presented at the Annual Meeting Luncheon on Monday, Dec. 8.

Potential awardees may be an individual attorney, law firm of any size, legal services organization or law school. The nominee must reside in Philadelphia. Nominees should demonstrate a sustained and continuous appreciation of and contribution to diversity and inclusion in the field. However, nominations will be accepted for a single outstanding contribution.

If the nomination is for a law firm, law school or organization, may include an outstanding or innovative programmatic activity that has highlighted diversity, increased diverse representation or supported inclusion efforts in the legal field. These activities should support the areas of commitment to diversity mentioned in the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Statement of Diversity Principles.

If the nomination is for an individual, that person must demonstrate a sustained commitment to the tenets of diversity through activities that should support the areas of commitment to diversity mentioned in the Philadelphia Bar Association's Statement of Diversity Principles. For more information about the Chancellor's Diversity Award, contact Dr. Sean Kathleen Lincoln at (215) 238-6340. Click here to download nomination forms.

Observe client etiquette

By Stacy West Clark
Given the state of the economy, there are lots of scared people out there. And others are just edgy. Many of your clients, colleagues and referral sources may be worried about their own jobs or the health of their companies or their own retirement funds. Last month, I told you to bond with your clients and really BE there for them as individuals. Visit, listen and help. Look for ways to cut legal fees and at the same time add value to your services.

Now I want you to focus on another part of the client relationship. Here are some helpful etiquette tips.

• Never talk on the speakerphone unless you have asked permission to do so and even then consider another way of communicating. Speakerphones make callers nervous – they really cannot be sure who is listening to them or hearing the call and this may squash candor. In addition, speakerphones tend to make the caller feel very small.

• Put the Blackberry and cell phone away – not just when you are with a client, but when you are networking, at a trade event or anyplace where your antenna for business development should be up.

• Make sure that your address and phone numbers are indicated on all of your e-mail communications. Make it extremely easy for someone to get in touch with you.

• Don't keep clients or referral sources waiting. Be ready, be prepared and be prompt.

• Use handwritten notes when possible to communicate "thank yous" or "congratulations." This personal touch means so much more than an email communication. Take the time to write. Keep personalized note cards on your desk for easy use.

• Make it a point to learn the names of your client's key people – their No.2s, their secretary. Be gracious and treat these people as clients! Introduce your staff to them. They will remember the "experience" of dealing with you and your office as a great one, and as they say…you never know where they will be five years from now possibly needing a lawyer!

As I like to say: get set, get up and get GOING!

Stacy West Clark, Esq. is president of Stacy Clark Marketing LLC, a firm dedicated to helping lawyers and law firms grow their business. She can be reached at stacyclarkmarketing.com. She is on the steering committee of the Delaware Valley Law Firm Marketing Group, a free group that holds monthly lunch programs for lawyers and marketers on important marketing topics. If you would like to receive invitations to upcoming events, visit dvlawmarketing.org.