Law Week: Volunteer for Lawyer for a Day, Goldilocks Trial, Lawyer in the Classroom

Volunteers are needed for three of the Young Lawyers Division's signature Law Week events, Lawyer for a Day, the Goldilocks Trial and Lawyer in the Classroom during the last week of April.

• Lawyer for a Day (Thursday, April 30) pairs high school students with volunteer attorneys who show them the real practice of law. Small student groups are paired off to spend the morning with attorneys and observe real trials in City Hall, Family Court and the Justice Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice. The students then enjoy a luncheon at the Philadelphia Bar Association where they are able to describe and compare their experiences in an open forum and hear from a well-known keynote speaker. To volunteer, please contact shabrei.parker@gmail.com.

• During the Goldilocks program (Friday, May 1), second-graders from around the city are invited to City Hall to attend the trials of Goldilocks, Big Bad Wolf and Jack (of Beanstalk fame). Volunteers are needed to act in these trials. The event will be held from 9 to 11:30 a.m. To volunteer, contact mforeman@alumni.law.upenn.edu.

• Lawyer in the Classroom (Tuesday, April 28 and Wednesday, April 29) connects classes of elementary through high school students with volunteer attorneys who will share insights about the practice of law to encourage the students to consider pursing a legal career. To volunteer, please contact keely_stewart@campbellsoup.com.

• Legal Advice Live (Monday, April 27) needs volunteers to offer legal advice at The Free Library of Philadelphia Central Branch, 1901 Vine St., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Volunteers are also needed at South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St., West Philadelphia High School, 4901 Chestnut St., and Dobbins High School, 2150 W. Lehigh Ave. from 5 to 7 p.m. White and Williams LLP is the sponsor of the South Philadelphia High School event. The School District has asked for lawyers that have some knowledge of expungement, family law (custody/child support), housing/eviction, special education law (students with IEPs) and immigration/undocumented citizens. To volunteer for Legal Advice Live, contact Katie Bailey at Katie.Bailey@dbr.com or Grant Berger at grant.berger@fnf.com.

YLD Criminal Defense Series Begins May 6

Are you a young lawyer looking to start taking court appointments? Interested in practicing criminal defense when you graduate?

Members of the YLD who are criminal practitioners in Philadelphia are presenting a multipart training program with members of the Philadelphia judiciary who sit in criminal court. On Wednesday, May 6, learn tips and strategies for negotiation, diversion programs, pre-trial motions, trial, interviewing techniques and more.

The first section will cover issues in the lawyer-client relationship, procedural issues in criminal litigation in Philadelphia county, understanding the process of arrest and prosecution, and things you can do to help your client at each step.

Presenters will be Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Charles Ehrlich; Brian M. Collins, Krasner and Long; and Leo M. Mulvihill, Mulvihill LLC. The program begins at 3:30 p.m. in the 11th Floor Conference Center at the Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market St. There is no cost to attend this program; however registration is required. Click here to register.

How Does Design Influence Profitability, Viability

Join Marty Festenstein, principal and Legal Practice Group co-leader at NELSON, at the Philadelphia Bar Association's "X, Y, Z's of Real Estate Program Series" with Carol Huff on Wednesday, April 22 for "How Does Design Influence Profitability and Viability for the Legal Workplace of the Future?"

The discussion will detail the business factors that need to be identified to create a more flexible legal workplace for both today and the future.

The program begins at 12 p.m. in the 11th Floor Conference at the Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market St. There is no cost to attend this program. Lunch is available for $9 for members of the Philadelphia Bar Association and $12 for non-members. Click here to register for lunch.

Barristers' Scholarship, Awards Gala May 16

The Barristers' Association of Philadelphia will honor the Pennsylvania Innocence Project and Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Lillian H. Ransom at its Annual Scholarship and Awards Gala on Saturday, May 16.

The Pennsylvania Innocence Project will be presented with the Cecil B. Moore Award and Judge Ransom will receive the A. Leon Higginbotham Jr. Award. Prince Atlee Thomas will receive the J. Austin Norris Award.

The black-tie gala will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Top of the Tower, 1717 Arch St., 50th Floor. Click here to purchase tickets.

For more information, contact Shabrei Parker at shabrei.parker@gmail.com.

A Modern Constitutional Convention Hosted by New Leaders Council Philadelphia May 9

New Leaders Council Philadelphia invites members of the YLD of the Philadelphia Bar Association to a pair of exclusive and engaging events on May 9. The first is "Northeast Conversation - A Modern Constitutional Convention" which will be held at the National Constitution Center and will feature remarks from U.S. Magistrate Judge Marilyn Heffley and Comcast's David L. Cohen.

Throughout the day, young professionals from all over the northeast will have the chance to work with policy experts in hands-on breakout sessions on various contemporary constitutional issues. These issues include criminal justice, immigration, education, privacy and surveillance, and money in politics. The Conversation will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click here for tickets.

New Leaders Council will host a cocktail reception across the street at WHYY at 7 p.m. that celebrates efforts to build a better Philly.

Help Spread Word About Recommended Candidates

Street team volunteers are needed so the Philadelphia Bar Association's Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention can better inform voters about the Commission's ratings of the judicial candidates for the May 19 primary election.

Volunteers will be stationed at highly trafficked locations throughout Philadelphia to hand out flyers listing the "Highly Recommended," "Recommended" and "Not Recommended" candidates. These volunteers will be stationed on Monday, May 18 and Tuesday, May 19.

To serve as a volunteer, contact Charlie Klitsch, the Philadelphia Bar Association's director of public and legal services, at 215-238-6326 or cklitsch@philabar.org.

Ginsburg Essay Entry Deadline May 29

Entries are now being accepted for the Philadelphia Bar Association's 2015 Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Pursuit of Justice Legal Writing Competition.

Candidates may submit a law review quality submission on any topic relating to rights, privileges and responsibilities under federal 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. Entries must be received by Friday, May 29 at 4 p.m.

This competition is open to full- and part-time law students who are in their second or third year of study at one of the following six institutions: Drexel University Thomas R. Kline 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. The chair of the competition is Thomas H. Chiacchio Jr.

The author of the winning submission will receive a cash award of $2,500, and have the essay published in The Philadelphia Lawyer magazine, on the Bar Association's website and/or in an appropriate Bar Association publication. The winner will be invited to a Philadelphia Bar Association event, where the award will be presented.

Entries must be submitted in electronic form via email to tmccloskey@philabar.org unless submission of a hard copy is requested and approved. Requests for submission of a hard copy should be made by emailing tmccloskey@philabar.org or by calling (215) 238-6360. Visit philadelphiabar.org to download the contest rules.

Judge Lewis to Speak, Honor for Carr at June 9 Quarterly

Hon. Timothy K. Lewis will deliver the Judge A. Leon Higginbotham Jr. Memorial Public Interest Lecture at the Philadelphia Bar Association's Quarterly Meeting and Luncheon on Tuesday, June 9 at 12 p.m. at the Hyatt at The Bellevue, Broad and Walnut streets. Judge Lewis, counsel at Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP, serves as a mediator, arbitrator, settlement counselor, and trial and appellate practitioner.

Catherine C. Carr, executive director of Community Legal Services (CLS), will be presented with the Association's Sandra Day O'Connor Award at the event. Carr served as a staff attorney at CLS for 11 years before becoming director in 1995, specializing in public benefits case litigation, including access to welfare, Social Security and Medicaid benefits.

The O'Connor Award is presented to a woman attorney who has demonstrated superior legal talent, achieved significant legal accomplishments and has furthered the advancement of women in both the profession and the community.

Before entering private practice, Judge Lewis served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He was serving on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania when President George H. W. Bush elevated him to the Court of Appeals in 1992. At the time of both appointments he was the youngest federal judge in the United States.

New members of the Association's 50-, 60-, 65- and 70-Year Clubs will also be honored at the event. The Year Clubs recognize attorneys who have been practicing law for 50 years or more. Click here to purchase tickets.

The June 9 Quarterly Meeting and Luncheon is sponsored by PNC Wealth Management.

Registration Now Open for Bench-Bar at Borgata

The Philadelphia Bar Association will hold its Bench-Bar & Annual Conference on Friday, Oct. 16 and Saturday, Oct. 17 at Borgata in Atlantic City.

Attracting hundreds of lawyers and judges, the annual conference provides attorneys with an opportunity to earn CLE credits while getting a chance to network and socialize with colleagues and members of the judiciary.

Registration is available at benchbar.philadelphiabar.org. Sponsors for the 2015 Bench-Bar & Annual Conference include First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, USI Affinity,Love Court Reporting, Inc, JAMS The Resolution Experts, LawCash, Robson Forensic, Bellia Print & Design, RIMKUS, BPU Investments and The Legal Intelligencer.

Take Poll on Judges Seeking Retention Through May 1

The Philadelphia Bar Association's Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention is conducting a poll concerning the qualifications of those judges seeking retention in November 2015. Click here to take the poll.

The results of this poll will be anonymous as they are considered by the Commission along with other pertinent information developed in its investigation. The Commission will report its findings and recommendations to the Philadelphia Bar and to the public.

Again this year, we are also conducting an interim poll relating to Judges in the Court of Common Pleas in the fourth year of their terms and Municipal Court Judges in the second year of their terms. This interim poll is being conducted strictly for the information of the individual judges and will not be disseminated to the public.

This poll will remain available for completion until 5 p.m. (EST) Friday, May 1, 2015.

By responding to this questionnaire with the utmost care and candor, you will be doing your part in our effort to assure an independent, able and effective judiciary for our city. Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions regarding the poll, please contact the Association's director of public and legal services Charles Klitsch, Esq., at cklitsch@philabar.org or (215) 238-6326.