National Symposium on Diversity in Legal Profession Nov. 8

The half-day symposium will begin with a luncheon featuring keynote speaker Robert J. Grey Jr., (left) executive director of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. Grey is a past president of the American Bar Association.

During the opening plenary, a panel of local and non-local chief legal officers and law firm managing partners will discuss the importance of collaboration to advance diversity and inclusion in the legal profession; benchmarks to measure success; and best practices for the recruitment, retention and advancement of women and diverse attorneys.

Four concurrent breakout sessions will focus on the following topics: the roles white men can play to advance diversity and inclusion in corporate legal departments and law firms; generational diversity and its impact in the workplace; successful pipeline initiatives and mentoring programs; and an employment law update. The symposium runs from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. and a VIP networking reception begins at 5:30 p.m. The VIP networking reception will provide a forum for discussion with remarks from a prominent speaker.

Speakers for the National Symposium on Diversity in the Legal Profession include Thomas E. Cabaniss, managing partner, McGuireWoods LLP, Richmond, Va.; Mark Hershey, senior vice president, general counsel & secretary, Armstrong World Industries, Inc., Lancaster, Pa.; H. Eric Hilton, senior vice president, secretary and general counsel, H. J. Russell & Company and Concessions International, LLC, Atlanta, GA ; Alan J. Hoffman, co-chair and managing partner, Blank Rome LLP, Philadelphia, PA; John L. Latham, partner, Alston & Bird LLP, Atlanta, GA; Sophia Lee, chief counsel-litigation, Sunoco, Inc., Philadelphia, PA; James G. Liepold, executive director, NALP: The Association for Legal Career Professionals, Washington, D.C.; Curtis L. Mack, partner, McGuireWoods LLP, Atlanta, GA; Robert A. Nicholas, partner and global director of legal personnel, Reed Smith LLP, New York, NY; Karl A. Racine, managing partner, Venable LLP, Washington, D.C.; Robin Sangston, vice president, legal affairs, Cox Communications, Inc., Atlanta, GA; Mark S. Stewart, chair, Ballard Spahr LLP, Philadelphia, PA; Michael K. Tucker, executive vice president and general counsel, Avis Budget Group, Inc., Parsippany, N.J.; Joel C. Trotter, senior counsel, GlaxoSmithKline, Philadelphia, PA; LeRoy J. Watkins, Jr., partner, Jackson Lewis LLP, Morristown, N.J.; Charles Phillip Wells, partner, Williams Mullen, Raleigh and Charlotte, NC; Sherry D. Williams, senior vice president, chief ethics and compliance officer, Halliburton, Houston, TX; and Sandra S. Yamate, chief executive officer, Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession, Chicago, IL.

For additional information on the National Symposium on Diversity in the Legal Profession, contact Naomi K. McLaurin at 215-238-6340 or nmclaurin@philabar.org.

Bench-Bar Early-Bird Rate Ends Sept. 16

Professor Charles J. Ogletree, the Jesse Climenko Professor of Law and director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard University, will be the moderator of the opening session of the 2011 Bench-Bar & Annual Conference at Harrah's Atlantic City on Oct. 14-15.

Ogletree will be the moderator of the opening plenary "I'm Not Saying That to Any Judge! The Lasting Implications of Luzerne County." Panelists for that program, which will explore the implications for the bench and bar of the Luzerne County "kids for cash" scandal, will be announced at a later date.
Enjoy early-bird savings when you register for the 2011 Bench-Bar & Annual Conference Oct. 14-15 at Harrah's Resort Atlantic City. Click here to save $80 on your registration fee. But hurry, this offer ends on Sept. 16!

The Bench-Bar & Annual Conference provides attendees with the opportunity to earn CLE credit while networking with colleagues and members of the bench.

Registration for members is $349 if booked by Sept. 16. For non-members, registration is $399. Members of the Young Lawyers Division and public interest and government attorneys can attend for $199. For those wishing to attend only the Grand Reception at The Pool at Harrah's on Friday, Oct. 14, tickets are $150 for all members and $175 for non-members. Tickets will be an additional $25 if purchased at the door.

For those wishing to attend Friday's session only, tickets are $299 for members, $149 for the Young Lawyers Division and government or public interest attorneys and $349 for non-members. Members and guests wishing to attend without receiving CLE credit will pay $200. For non-members, the cost is $225. Admission includes all sponsored meals and events. Those wishing to attend programs on Saturday, Oct. 15 will only pay $229, while YLD members and government and public interest attorneys can attend for $79 and $279 for non-members.

Click here to register.

Sponsors for the 2011 Bench-Bar & Annual Conference include The Legal Intelligencer, Iron Mountain and JAMS.

The Young Lawyers Division welcomes submissions from all members of the Bar Association for "Summer in the City," a photography contest in which the winner and runner-up will receive a $200 and $100 gift certificate, respectively, to Ruth's Chris Steak House as well as have their images featured in The Philadelphia Lawyer, the Association's quarterly magazine.

Entrants are asked to submit an image that captures the atmosphere of a city during the Summer/early Fall months. The picture can be taken here in Philadelphia or in any other city.

One submission per entrant can be emailed to Matthew Laver at mlaver@wglaw.com in JPG format. A professional panel of judges will select the winner. The deadline for entries is Sept. 30.

Legal Education Program "People's Law School" Open to Area Residents, Special Early-Bird Rate Available

Area residents can receive basic information about areas of the law impacting daily life at People's Law School, a six-week legal education program taking place Sept. 13 through Oct. 18 and presented by volunteer attorneys from the Young Lawyers Division. For the first time, an early-bird rate of $35 is available to those who register by Aug. 30.

People's Law School features 11 unique courses on a range of legal topics and is held every Tuesday from 6:15-8:30 p.m. in the Jury Assembly Room at the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. Registration includes access to all seminars and the complete course materials book.

After August 30, the cost of the program increases to $40. The immediate availability of a course materials book cannot be guaranteed if registration is received after Sept. 6.

The courses to be held are:

Social Security & Disability
Trusts & Estates (including wills and living wills)
Small Claims & Landlord/Tenant
Consumer Credit (including debt collection, identity theft, credit reports)
Personal Injury
Criminal Law & Procedure
Real Estate (including foreclosures, predatory lending and transactions)
Bankruptcy
Employment Law
Workers' Compensation
Family Law (including divorce, custody, and support)

The exact course schedule will be available shortly.

People's Law School is open to all citizens. Register here, by calling 215-238-6393, or through email at pls@philabar.org. Registration can also be completed by mail through this form.

Please note that while 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 given upon its completion.

After X Party of the Komen Philadelphia Pink Tie Ball Oct. 15

The Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is happy to introduce After X, the exclusive party for young friends of the Komen Philadelphia Pink Tie Ball. The event will take place after the Pink Tie Ball Extravaganza on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Vie, a brand-new a dining and entertainment facility at 600 N. Broad St.

After X combines the excitement of two Philadelphia firsts. It is the first event held at Vie and the first time the Pink Tie Ball offers a post-party celebration, opening the doors at 10 p.m. exclusively for young professionals.

After X begins with cocktails, lavish appetizers and the high-energy sounds of Philadelphia legend, Tony Grandberry, and his Big Fun Orchestra. Later, the party will continue in the main ballroom where Mix 106.1 DJ Robbie Rob will spin everything into high gear with fun and dancing into the early morning hours. Attendees will also have access to Vie's garden for intimate chats over coffee and desert throughout the evening.

The cost is $90 per person. To learn more/register, click here.

Domestic Violence Advocacy Volunteer Day

This upcoming October represents a change in the city! It is the start of domestic violence awareness month and the launch of the 2011 iPledge campaign. To help us spread awareness of domestic violence in our community and city, we want to blanket the city in purple ribbons - and we need YOUR help to make them! Domestic violence awareness ribbons are a visual representation of everyone affected by violence in the community - sometimes the smallest symbol can have the biggest impact. Join us on September 12th, 5:30-7:30p.m. to help us make that impact!
Where: Duane Morris LLP, 30 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA
To RSVP contact Courtenay R. Dunn, Esq., 215-921-1994, courtenay.r.dunn@gmail.com.