Nominations Now Being Accepted for 2017 YLD Executive Committee

The Young Lawyers Division is now accepting nominations from any voting member of the YLD interested in serving a three-year term on the Executive Committee. Commencement of Voting of will begin on Nov. 21, 2016 and conclude at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2016.

Who can run?

Each year, seven new members are elected to the YLD Executive Committee. Any voting member of the YLD 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 2019 or, if he/she is older than 38, not celebrating more than his/her third year of practice in 2019.

What does the Executive Committee do?

The Executive Committee manages and directs the business and activities of the YLD's 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 provides lawyers opportunities for leadership, networking, and personal and professional growth early in their careers.

The Nominating Petition must be returned to Dawn Petit, Meetings Coordinator, Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market St., 11th Floor, Philadelphia, Pa. 19107 or dpetit@philabar.org, no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016. Click here for the 2016 election timeline.

For those wishing to learn more about the YLD and the election process, a nuts and bolts information session will be held on Sept. 8 at 12 p.m. in the 10th Floor Board Room of the Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market St.

American Cancer Society Real Men Wear Pink Happy Hour & Fundraiser Oct. 5

Join the American Cancer Society's inaugural "Real Men Wear Pink Philadelphia Campaign" participants for drinks and networking while supporting this great cause at Misconduct Tavern (Uptown) on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 4:30 p.m. Misconduct Tavern will be donating 10 percent of all food and beverage sales; offering a signature pink drink; and supporting a 50/50 raffle.

Misconduct Tavern is located at 18th and JFK Blvd., Philadelphia. For more information, click here.

Nominations Due Nov. 2 for Peretta and Perry Service Awards

The Young Lawyers Division is now accepting nominations for the F. Sean Peretta Service Award and the Craig M. Perry Service Award, both presented at the YLD Annual Holiday Party, Award Ceremony and Gift Drive on November 30.

Deadline for nominations is Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016.

The F. Sean Peretta Service Award is presented annually to an individual who has devoted substantial time to an innovative or non-traditional program that serves the community. Peretta was a private practitioner who died suddenly at age 31 who was a very involved community activist and a mentor to kids in his home neighborhood. He was viewed as a role model for African-American Youth.

The Craig M. Perry Service Award is presented annually to a young lawyer - 37 years old or younger or within the first three years of practice - who has devoted substantial time and energy to community-oriented activities, including, but not limited to, pro bono and charity work. Perry was a member of the YLD Executive Committee who suffered an untimely death. He was very involved in community service and active in student-related and other YLD programs.

Nominations should include the individual's name, address and a brief statement describing his or her qualifications. The deadline for nominations is Wednesday, Nov. 2.

All nominations should be submitted to Dawn Petit at the Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market St., 11th Floor, Philadelphia, Pa. 19107 or email to dpetit@philabar.org.

Bankruptcy Committee, YLD and Eastern District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Conference Present Luncheon with the Bankruptcy Judges Nov. 2

The Bankruptcy Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association, in conjunction with the Young Lawyers Division and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Conference, invite young bankruptcy practitioners to a unique opportunity to have lunch with the bankruptcy judges of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ("EDPA") on Nov. 2, 2016 at 12 p.m. at the new Philadelphia office of Flaster/Greenberg at 1835 Market St., Suite 1050. The luncheon will provide an informal environment for attorneys practicing in the EDPA to converse with the judges and ask questions about best bankruptcy practice as a young practitioner.

Attending attorneys are not required to bring their own lunches, as lunch will be provided by Flaster/Greenberg free of charge. The luncheon is open to bankruptcy attorneys not past their sixth year of practice and is strictly limited to the first 20 people to respond. Interested parties should contact Evan T. Miller at emiller@bayardlaw.com or Damien N. Tancredi at damien.tancredi@flastergreenberg.com. Evan and Damien can be reached with any questions at (302) 429-4227 and (215) 587-5675, respectively.

Volunteer Opportunity: Young Friends of Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project

The Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project (YSRP) uses direct service and policy advocacy to transform the experiences of kids prosecuted in the adult criminal justice system. They partner with court-involved youth, their families and lawyers to develop holistic, humanizing narratives that mitigate the facts of each case; get cases transferred to the juvenile system; and make crucial connections to community resources providing education, healthcare, housing and employment. Their ultimate goal is to keep children out of adult jails and prisons.

For more information on how to volunteer, click here.

Member Benefits: Office Depot

Visit Member Benefits for full details.

Office Depot

Optimize your Philadelphia Bar Association membership by taking advantage of the Office Depot Partner Program! Through the Partner Program you now save 10 percent off the web price on more than 30,000 office supplies. Helping you save while working better in your office, home, school, or car.

3 Ways Philadelphia Bar Association Members Benefit:

• FREE SHIPPING: On orders over $50 (and under 50 pounds)
• EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS: 10% off the web price
• CONVENIENT SHOPPING: Online and in-store shopping options

Easy to order, easy to save! Click here to:

• Setup a Discount Account
• Shop Online
• Shop in the Store

Need Assistance?

• New accounts contact 1-800-MEMBERS (1-800-636-2377), M-F, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. EST.
Existing accounts contact Office Depot customer Service at 1-888-263-3423.

P.S. Office Depot’s idea center provides a new way to explore, learn and shop.

Volunteer Panels Needed for Federal Court

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania invites you to join one of its prisoner civil rights and employment panels.

The members of the prisoner civil rights panel provide legal representation to prison inmates for constitutional violations by law enforcement officers before the inmate was incarcerated that relate to the matter(s) for which the inmate is then incarcerated.

The employment panel members represent plaintiffs in cases that are brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act ot 1964, the Age Discrimination Employment Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act and state claims which can be properly appended to federal employment claims.

For further information about joining the prisoner civil rights panel, please contact Panel Coordinators Stephen D. Brown Esq. at (215) 994-2240 or Samuel W. Silver Esq. at (215) 751-2309. To learn more about the employment panel, please contact Panel Coordinators Alan B. Epstein Esq. at (215) 241-8832 or Ari R. Karpf Esq. at (215) 639-0801. The Court's Volunteer Panel Administrator, Elaine Battle, can be reached at (267) 299-7034.

Featured Philadelphia Bar Association CLE

CLE - Be the Judge, Be the Jury… Become an Arbitrator! Oct. 5

Become certified to sit as an arbitrator for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas!

With more than 20,000 cases a year concluded at the arbitration level, the Compulsory Arbitration Program in Philadelphia County is one of the most successful programs of its kind in the nation. Compulsory Arbitration in the First Judicial District is controlled by the arbitration rules of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure and the Philadelphia Civil Rules. Compulsory arbitration was created as a means of efficiently disposing of smaller civil cases and conserving judicial resources by requiring as a first step that such cases be tried before a panel of three local court-appointed attorneys, with the understanding that any party can later appeal from the decision and obtain a new trial.

Experienced practitioners offer guidance and practical strategies to successfully conduct an arbitration and serve as an arbitrator. Receive explanations and examples regarding the following:

• Definition of the Arbitration program and introduction to the process
• General roles, responsibilities and E-Filing
• Substantive/Service Issues
• Stipulation issues
• Limited tort vs. Full tort status in motor vehicle personal injury cases
• § 1722 "paid or payable" argument
• Act 6 reduction
• Moorhead
• Introduction Police Reports
• Application of the Fair Share Act
• Cases involving the Plan
• Special evidentiary issues
• Ethical Concerns during the arbitration process
  
• AND OBTAIN CERTIFICATION TO BECOME AN ARBITRATOR

Hosted by the Compulsory Arbitration Committee of the State Civil Litigation Section and presented with Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Compulsory Arbitration Program.

Attend a practical and entertaining presentation to learn how to conduct your first or next arbitration.

Be the Judge, Be the Jury…Become an Arbitrator!
2 SUB/1 ETH
2 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 1:30 p.m.

CLE - Navigating Language Access In Legal Proceedings Oct. 6

Presented with the American Translators Association

As a fundamental principle of law, fairness, and the fundamental right to justice, and to promote the integrity and accuracy of judicial proceedings, attorneys, judges and the courts, should provide a sound and reliable system of language access services. Persons participating in a legal environment should be able to do so in a language they understand and all parties should be able comprehend one another throughout the proceedings.

This 3-hour interactive CLE session will provide an in-depth look at what is driving the growing need for language access, why it is so important, how it is structured so as to achieve effective results, and when it is required by law.

A prestigious panel of local and state court, government and linguistic experts will offer their unique perspectives and offer guidance regarding the following:
-- Assessment on current meaningful language access status in Pennsylvania
-- Identifying LEP persons
-- Interpreter Services in Legal Proceedings and Courts
-- Obstacles to compliance
-- Document Translations
-- Qualifications of Providers
-- Training and Certification
-- Code of Conduct and Interpreter Ethics
-- Resources

Using case studies, expert practitioners will address the challenges and obstacles, ethical dilemmas and cultural considerations, with practical solutions, technology trends, forecasts and resources.

Navigating Language Access In Legal Procedure
2 SUB/1 ETH
12 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 11:30 a.m.

CLE - Fee Reviews and Utilization Reviews Oct. 14

Hosted by the Workers' Compensation Section

A Utilization Review (UR) is complex and time sensitive, used primarily by the insurance company, to determine whether a medical treatment is reasonable and necessary. However, it may also be used by the injured worker or a medical provider, to obtain a preliminary determination (pre-approval) regarding whether a certain type of treatment should be covered.

Medical Fee Review is the procedure in Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation to review the amount and/or timeliness of the payment of a work-related medical expense. Most practitioners are familiar with the repricing aspect of a claim wherein the medical provider may bill their usual & customary charges, but is paid less. However, when a medical provider disputes the amount or timeless of payment, the medical fee review application process is still a mystery to many.

In this CLE program, expert panelists will dispel some of the mystery and address common issues with medical fee review and the utilization review process.

Receive an overview regarding:

• Basics of Utilization Review Requests
• Request filing and processing
• Scope of UR determinations
• Filing to Review the UR determination
• Petitions for Review of Utilization Review
  Determinations before WCJs
• Who can file
• Burden of proof
• Practice tips and pitfalls
• Prospective URs filed on behalf of claimants
• Relying on doctors to participate
• URs in the context of claim petitions
  

These reviews have become an increasingly important component of workers' compensation cases in Pennsylvania. Join your colleagues for another informative CLE program offering practical guidance on the basics of fee and utilization reviews.

Fee Reviews and Utilization Reviews - An Overview of What You Need to Know
1 SUB
12:30 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 12 p.m.

CLE - Representing Grandparents in Domestic Relations and Dependency Cases: Issues to Consider and Practice Tips Oct. 18

Hosted by the Family Law Section

There are many important issues to consider for attorneys who wish to represent grandparents in domestic relations and dependency matters.

This CLE program will examine the following issues:

• Standing
• Proper procedure for court filings
• Options to consider when becoming involved in custody and dependency cases
• Ethical considerations when representing grandparents
  

Expert family law attorneys will review relevant cases and statutory law, along with offering valuable practice tips.

Representing Grandparents in Domestic Relations and Dependency Cases: Issues to Consider and Practice Tips
1.0 SUB/0.5 ETH
12 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 11:30 a.m.

Upcoming Philadelphia Bar Association CLE Courses

The Philadelphia Bar Association, a statewide Continuing Legal Education (CLE) provider in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey, offers CLE courses to lawyers and members of the business and legal communities throughout the region. Lawyers and other professionals can turn to the Philadelphia Bar Association for convenient, high-quality, low-cost CLE courses on the latest issues, legislation and regulations.

As an added benefit, Philadelphia Bar Association members will be able to receive six free CLE credits that will be offered as three, two-credit courses on dates to be announced.

Oct. 5
Be the Judge, Be the Jury… Become an Arbitrator!
2 SUB/1 ETH
2 p.m. - Lunch and registration begin at 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 6
Navigating Language Access In Legal Procedure
2 SUB/1 ETH
12 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 11:30 a.m.

Oct. 10
October 2016 Probate & Trust Law Section Quarterly - Dawn of a New Era: Pennsylvania's 2016 Orphans' Court Rules
2 SUB
12:30 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 12 p.m.

Oct. 13
M&A Market and Economy Updates and Insights
1 SUB
12:30 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 12 p.m.

Oct. 14
Fee Reviews and Utilization Reviews - An Overview of What You Need to Know
1 SUB
12:30 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 12 p.m.

Oct. 18
Representing Grandparents in Domestic Relations and Dependency Cases: Issues to Consider and Practice Tips
1.0 SUB/0.5 ETH
12 p.m. Lunch and registration begin 11:30 a.m.

Oct. 24
Pro Bono Opportunities Day: Navigating the Ethical Issues in Pro Bono Service
2.5 ETH
8:30 a.m. Registration opens at 8 a.m.

Oct. 26
Philadelphia's Sweetened Beverage Tax
1 SUB
12:30 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 12 p.m.

Oct. 27
Nuts & Bolts of Nonprofit Board Service
1 SUB
12:30 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 12 p.m.

Nov. 1
Expunging & Sealing Criminal Records
1 SUB
6:30 p.m. Registration begins at 6 p.m.

Nov. 2
Expunging & Sealing Criminal Records
1 SUB
12:30 p.m. Registration begins at 12 p.m.

Nov. 2
Expunging & Sealing Criminal Records
1 SUB
6 p.m. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 4
Expunging & Sealing Criminal Records
1 SUB
12 p.m. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m.

Nov. 10
2016 Securities Litigation & Regulatory Update
4 SUB/1 ETH
9 a.m. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

Nov. 17
Ethics and Incorporating New Technologies in Your Law Practice Digital Marketing
1 SUB/2 ETH
12 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 11:30 a.m.

For questions regarding Philadelphia Bar Association CLE, contact Director of Continuing Legal Education Tara D. Phoenix at 215-238-6349 or tphoenix@philabar.org.