New Partner/In-House Counsel Conference March 2-3

The Philadelphia Bar Association is proud to sponsor the American Bar Association's 2012 New Partner and In-House Counsel Conference at the Four Seasons in Philadelphia on March 2-3.

Lawyers who have made partner or have gone in-house in the last three years are encouraged. You do not have to be an ABA member or qualify as a young lawyer in the ABA to attend. Rewards of partnership or transitioning to in-house counsel come with a host of new opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges. This conference is specifically designed to help prepare lawyers for their new role and ultimately their long-term success.

Structured over two days, the conference provides learning and networking opportunities to help individuals:

• Understand expectations and anticipate needs
• Build or expand their referral network
• Handle internal firm/company dynamics, ethical issues and risks
• Mitigate the cost of managing electronic discovery
• Engage with top national practitioners including General Counsel

The early bird registration rate of $415 has been extended for all Philadelphia Bar Association members. Please note that we are also offering daily rates and group rates: $250/day; a 30 percent discount for all attendees for law firms or corporations that send three or more individuals; and a 30 percent discount for all attendees when a law firm registrant brings a corporate counsel registrant. More information is available at ambar.org/newpartner.

Register for Bar's 33rd Annual 5K May 20

The annual Philadelphia Bar Association 5K Run/Walk, now in its 33rd year, is just around the corner. And whether you plan on beating 13-time defending legal division race champion Neill Clark or attaining your personal best, now is the time to start preparing for the Sunday, May 20 race. Click here to register as an individual, law/corporate team and/or sponsor.

The 33rd Philadelphia Bar 5K Run/ Walk will be held on Sunday, May 20 at 8:30 a.m. on Martin Luther King Drive. It is open to runners, walkers, students, and children who participate in the Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC Kids Dash. All proceeds from the event benefit Support Center for Child Advocates, the nation's oldest and largest pro bono program providing free legal and social services for abused and neglected children.

Group runs, increased runs, diversified training, and proper stretching techniques can all prove beneficial in improving your race. One of the best ways to improve your speed is by running about three times a week. Your body takes approximately 48 hours to repair damaged muscle tissue, so running every other day can be effective. Running with friends or colleagues can serve as motivation as well as help you push past your individual limits while training for a big race. Click here to register.

Removing a Case to Federal Court Feb. 15

U.S. District Court Judge Mary A. McLaughlin and Mary F. Platt will discuss best practices for removing a case from state court to federal court at the Wednesday, Feb. 15 meeting of the Federal Courts Committee.

Clerk of Court Michael E. Kunz will also discuss the state of the district court at the meeting, which begins at 12:30 p.m. in the 10th floor Board Room of Bar Association headquarters, 1101 Market St. Lunch is available for $8 for members of the Philadelphia Bar Association and $9.50 for non-members. Cancellations require 24 hours notice to receive a refund. Click here to register.

PILCOP Seeks Volunteers

The Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia seeks volunteers for Policy Circles now convening around two of its six project areas: access to medical and dental care for low-income Pennsylvanians and voting rights. The Policy Circles will help PILCOP implement our strategic plan by developing goals and strategies for our future work in these areas.

Specifically, each Policy Circle will be responsible for delivering a plan that:
- Identifies the most pressing policy and legal needs in that particular issue area
- Identifies other organizations in the area working on the issues
- Makes recommendations about the legal needs that should be addressed by the Law Center, which are not already well covered by other organizations, and which lend themselves to collaboration
- Prepares a mission statement for the project
- Details the staffing needed to do the recommended work
- Identifies potential funding for the proposed work

PILCOP will develop the initial reading list; develop a list of individuals and organizations for
interview and locate research support.

Volunteers will attend approximately 10 regular meetings, conduct and report on research and
interviews and prepare written recommendations. PILCOP estimates this will take approximately 60
hours over the course of a year.

You can make a difference and learn about these important and cutting edge issues. To apply, send a letter of interest and resume by February 29, 2012 to Jennifer Clarke, Executive Director at jclarke@pilcop.org. Some experience in the subject areas is useful, but not required.

Barristers' Association Black History Month Events

Join the Barristers' Association to celebrate Black History Month 2012 with two significant events!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Annual Meet the Judges and Legislators Reception
5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at James A. Byrne Federal Courthouse Ceremonial Courtroom
601 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106

This year we salute -- Chief Judge Theodore McKee, Chief Judge J. Curtis Joyner, and Chief Magistrate Judge Carol Sandra Moore Wells for their esteemed accomplishments and unwavering service to the legal community.

To attend RSVP to kevin.harden@phila.gov; 215-686-7657 by Wednesday, February 15th.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Community Legal Clinic and Panel Discussion
6:30-9 p.m. at Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
419 S. 6th Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19147

Join Barristers' for its first Community Legal Clinic of 2012. The Panel will include FIVE practitioners with expertise in "need-to-know" topics such as: Victims' Rights; Education Law (K-12); Tangled Title/Deed Conveyance; Living Wills/Advanced Directives; and Voters' Rights. Take part in this unique opportunity to brush up on recent laws, network, engage potential clients, and give back to the community. . . all at one event!

To attend RSVP to phillybarristers@gmail.com by Friday, February 24th. ALL ARE WELCOME and encouraged TO ATTEND.

Nonprofit Organizational Effectiveness Feb. 29

The Young Lawyers Division and Bar Foundation Board Observation Workshop will present the Live, Lunch and Learn program "Nonprofit Organizational Effectiveness" on Wednesday, Feb. 29.

The featured speaker is Fernando Chang-Muy, University of Pennsylvania School of Law Thomas O'Boyle Lecturer in Law. This is the first in a four-part series of Live, Lunch and Learns focused on nonprofit board participation for young attorneys. This program will focus on how effective organizations are productive, resourceful, and successful. An effective organization achieves its goals while adhering to its mission statement. To this end, in part, effectiveness is relative to the intrinsic values of a particular organization. However, there are objective business strategies that winning companies employ in order to increase organizational effectiveness. This program is co-sponsored by the Public Interest Section and Delivery of Legal Services Committee.

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 for members of the Philadelphia Bar Association and $9.50 for non-members. Click here to register. Cancellations require 24 hours notice.

Mock Trial Volunteer Judges, Coaches Needed

Each spring students from approximately 40 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.

We hope that you will join us for an experience that is rewarding for both our volunteer judges and our students. You can sign up to judge as many trials as you would like and each trial will require a 2-3 hour time commitment.

Please pass this information along to your friends and colleagues. You can direct any questions to Kristy Littman at littmanak@sec.gov.

Click here to view the schedule and sign up to judge.

Click here to view this year’s Case Materials.

Sadie Alexander Conference Feb. 18

Join the University of Pennsylvania Law School's Black Law Student Association for their 24th Annual Sadie T.M. Alexander Commemorative Conference on Saturday, Feb. 18.

The conference provides an opportunity for law students and lawyers to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Alexander, the first African-American woman to graduate from the Law School. The conference begins with a career fair at 9 a.m. held at the law school, followed by several discussion panels including: The Innovative JD - Discovering the Creative Ways to Utilize a Law Degree, Professional Growth - The Life of a Lawyer in Stages, and a networking panel hosted by Deborah Collins, executive director of the Economic Development Corporation of Essex County.

Confirmed panelists include Alan Seiffert (SyFy Ventures at NBC Universal), David A. Love (Executive Director at Witness to Innocence), Derron Harris (Manager of Football Administration for the Philadelphia Eagles), Kedric Payne (Deputy Chief Counsel at the Office of Congressional Ethics), and The Honorable Cynthia W. Fordham (PA Public Utility Commission).

The conference will be followed by a cocktail reception and banquet dinner at the University City Sheraton Hotel at 6:30 p.m. Judge Magdeline Coleman, the first African-American woman to sit on the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District, will be the keynote speaker.

For more information regarding the conference schedule and registration, please visit www.pennlawblsa.com or contact Melinda Patterson at blsasadieconference@gmail.com.

Civil Practice CLE Feb. 29

The Support Center for Child Advocates and Philadelphia VIP will present the new training program "Civil Practice: From Filing to Decision" on Wednesday, Feb. 29.

This two-part, four-hour program is a condensed guide to pro bono civil practice in Philadelphia. Registrants can attend either or both sessions and earn two free CLE credits for each session attended if they take one VIP case to completion for each two credits earned or are a current Child Advocates volunteer. The program will be held at New Century Trust, 1307 Locust St.

The first part of the program, from 8:30 to 10:45 a.m., will cover the nuts and bolts of civil practice. The second part of the program, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., will cover trial practice and the art of advocacy. Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Supervising Judge Allan L. Tereshko will provide opening remarks. Faculty includes award-winning trial lawyers Gerald A. McHugh Jr. and Regina M. Foley of Raynes McCarty and VIP staff attorneys Maisha Elonai and Michael Viola. For more information, and to register, please contact Christina Ortiz at Phillyvip@phillyvip.org or call 215-523-9550.

Center City Crime Victim Services Community Enrichment and Engagement Awards Night Feb. 23

The Community Enrichment and Engagement Award is given to those who work tirelessly in our community, channeling their passion into improving and connecting our community to support the rights of individuals, creating a a sense of community between the residents and promoting social legal justice for everyone.

Tickets to the event are $60.00, The event will include wine, beer and food with remarks from Mayor Nutter. To reserve tickets click here. Under comments please include your name and the number of tickets you are requesting. On the night of the event your tickets will be available at the door.

---