Bench-Bar Online Registration Ends Today

Online registration for the Bench-Bar & Annual Conference ends today (Tuesday, Oct. 14)! The Bench-Bar & Annual Conference provides attendees the opportunity to earn continuing legal education (CLE) credit while networking with colleagues and members of the bench. Hundreds of attorneys and judges are expected to attend. Twenty-three seminars and 8.5 CLE credits will be available at the conference, being held at Borgata in Atlantic City, N.J. Oct. 17-18. Click here to register.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille will receive the Philadelphia Bar Association's highest honor, the Bar Medal, at the Bench-Bar's Opening Luncheon on Friday, Oct. 17. The Bar Medal is given at the discretion of the Chancellor and only when it is felt that someone has contributed to the justice system and/or the community in a manner that is sustained, extraordinary and worthy of emulation.

Attendees will be able join us for "An Intimate Evening With Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals" and hear such classic hits as "Good Lovin'," "Groovin'," "People Got to Be Free," "A Beautiful Morning" and more! Doors open at 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17 for the concert and concert admission is free to all Bench-Bar registrants.

Full conference registration rates are $449 for members and $299 for Young Lawyers Division members, public interest and government attorneys. Registration for non-members is $599. Registration includes all CLE programing and all sponsored meals and events on Friday and Saturday.

Sponsors for the 2014 Bench-Bar & Annual Conference include USI Affinity, LawCash, Love Court Reporting, Inc., First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Insurance Adjustment Bureau, BPU Investments, JAMS The Resolution Experts, LexisNexis, Robson Forensic, Simon Public Relations, Bellia Print & Design, CourtCall LLC, Family Law Section, FindLaw, MCS E-Document Service, MediaSmack, Pain Management & MRI, ParenteBeard, Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc., Robert Half Legal, US Legal Support, Widener University School of Law, Workers' Compensation Section and The Legal Intelligencer. For sponsorship information, contact Tracey McCloskey at 215-238-6360 or tmccloskey@philabar.org.

Click here to register.

Working Together in Multigenerational Office Oct. 29

The Business Law Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association, in conjunction with the Young Lawyers Division of the Philadelphia Bar Association, invite seasoned and junior attorneys to come together on Wednesday, Oct. 29 and engage in conversation about how we can better work together in today's multigenerational workplace.

How it works: Senior and junior lawyer attendees will be divided into small groups which will circulate to discuss focused topics at small round tables. Each discussion will be facilitated by a senior and junior attorney pair. Topics will include: Expectations From the Top Down and the Ground Up, Teaching and Learning Styles, and Bridging the Communication Gap.

As part of the BLS/YLD Speed Mentoring Series, the goal of this 180 Program is to spark mutually beneficial dialogue between senior and junior lawyers and encourage networking between the generations. This program embraces the concept of "Reciprocal Mentoring:" senior attorneys will learn from junior lawyers how they can better lead; junior lawyers will learn from senior attorneys how they can better serve, and all attendees will leave having formed new relationships and gained fresh perspectives.

The event will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Ballard Spahr LLP, 1735 Market St., 51st Floor. Registration for this event is required and will include hors d'oeuvres and drinks. The event will be limited to the first 60 people to register. Click here to register. Thank you to the Business Law Section Annual Sponsor, Thomson Reuters.

YLD Bootcamp: Tactics, Tips and Tricks for Law Students, New Lawyers Nov. 14

Hear from experienced attorneys and members of the judiciary at the fifth annual "YLD Bootcamp: Tactics, Tips and Tricks for Law Students and New Lawyers," presented by the Young Lawyers Division of the Philadelphia Bar Association on Friday, Nov. 14.

The topics and presenters for the 2014 YLD Bootcamp are:

Interview Skills with panelists Linsey B. Bozzelli, Attorney Recruiting Committee Chair, Blank Rome LLP; Jason B. Conn, Assistant Deputy General Counsel, Comcast Corporation; Austin R. Freundlich, Founder, Freundlich & Littman, LLC; and Jason Y. Mandel, Director of Legal Recruiting, Alevistar Group.

Advice from the Bench with Judge Kevin M. Dougherty, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Family Division; Judge Anne E. Lazarus, Superior Court of Pennsylvania and Judge Timothy R. Rice, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Considerations Before Starting Your Own Solo Practice or Small Firm with Vern Anastasio, The Anastasio Law Firm; Brad V. Shuttleworth, Alva & Shuttleworth, LLC; and Matthew Toll, Law Offices of Robert J. Garnick.

You Passed the Bar, Now What?: How to Succeed in Your First Year As an Attorney, and How to Gain Experience with Grant G. Berger, Fidelity National Law Group; D. Max Friedman, Hovatter, Friedman & Stofman, P.C.; Jamie M. Gershkow, Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP; Dana B. Ostrovsky, Fidelity National Law Group; and Brandon R. Sher, Landman Corsi Ballaine & Ford, P.C.

The cost is just $10 and includes lunch, each of the panel presentations and networking opportunities throughout the day. The program will be held in the 11th Floor Conference Center at the Philadelphia Bart Association, 1101 Market St. Click here to register. A YLD Networking Happy Hour follows the boot camp at the Field House, 1150 Filbert St.

YLD Needs Volunteers for Harvest for Homeless Nov. 1

The Young Lawyers Division is seeking volunteers for the annual "Harvest for the Homeless" donation drive on Saturday, Nov. 1 from approximately 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Ballard Spahr LLP.

Over the next month, the YLD will collect and sort donations of men's, women's and children's clothing. Once the items are sorted, they will be delivered them to local homeless shelters.

The YLD is also looking for volunteers to assist with managing and collecting donations at their firm or employer. Volunteers are needed on the day of the event to help with sorting and distributing the donated items. To volunteer, please contact Bob Zimmerman at rzimmerman@smbb.com.

Donations can be dropped off at the following law firms - Fox Rothschild LLP, 2000 Market St.; Martin LLC, 1818 Market St.; White and Williams LLP, 1650 Market St., Suite 1800; McCarter & English, LLP, 1735 Market St., Suite 700; Saltz, Mongeluzzi, Barrett & Bendesky, One Liberty Place, 1650 Market St., 52nd Floor; Weber Gallagher Simpson Stapleton Fires & Newby LLP, 2000 Market St., Suite 1300; and Griesing Law, LLC, 1717 Arch St., Suite 3630.

Get Scoop on Nonprofit Board Service Oct. 23

The Board Observer Program CLE "The Inside Scoop on Nonprofit Board Service" will provide training on the basics of nonprofit board service, including charitable issues raised under state and federal laws for current board members as well as people interested in serving on a nonprofit board on Thursday, Oct. 23.

The program has been approved for 1.5 substantive CLE credits. Participants wishing to receive the CLE credit will be required to pay a fee of $40 for members of the Philadelphia Bar Association admitted for more than five years and $35 for members of the Philadelphia Bar Association admitted for less than five years. Click here to register for CLE credit.

Registration and breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m. in the 11th Floor Conference Center at the Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market St. Click here to register to attend without CLE credit.

Committee of Seventy Needs Election Volunteers

The Committee of Seventy's Election Program is a vital part of our fight for clean and well-run elections. Volunteers spend Election Day visiting polls and providing support for voters and polling place officials, helping resolve issues reported to the 1-855-SEVENTY Hotline for Elections and Voting. Thanks to the dedication of thousands of volunteers over the years, the program has become one of the largest and most sophisticated in the country.

Field Teams work in groups of two or three to monitor polls in a specific ward, checking for inappropriate behavior and answering voters' questions. They report incidents and ongoing problems back to the Committee of Seventy.

Roving Teams also work in groups of two or three but are assigned specific districts (each includes 5 to 10 wards). They respond to incidents and problems reported to Seventy by field teams or others calling the 1-855-SEVENTY hotline. We encourage returning volunteers (especially those with cars!) to consider serving on a roving team

Hotline volunteers work in Seventy's office on Election Day, answering calls from voters, poll officials and Seventy Volunteers. Hotline volunteers staff the 1-855-SEVENTY Hotline for Elections and Voting and help voters find their polling places, give basic assistance with Election Day rules, direct problems to the correct authorities and document problems that will be responded to by field and roving teams.

Registration for the Nov. 4 Election Program is now open. Click here to get involved.

Nominations Sought for Peretta, 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 Holiday Party in December. Deadline for nominations is Wednesday, Oct. 22.

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, Oct. 22. All nominations should be submitted to Dawn Petit at the Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market Street, 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107 or by email to dpetit@philabar.org.

Applicants Sought for FJD Judicial Fellowship Program

Philadelphia judges are seeking to host law school graduates as judicial fellows to provide the graduates with substantive legal experience while benefitting the court system with additional legal talent, as part of the First Judicial District's Judicial Fellowship Program. Now in its fourth year, the Judicial Fellowship Program was created in 2011 to address the difficult hiring climate for lawyers that many recent law graduates were facing.

The Judicial Fellowship Program aims to provide high-caliber law graduates with substantive experience in the law, and to support the Court in carrying out key functions. Fellows volunteer their time, have the same responsibilities as regular paid judicial law clerks, and gain the benefit of training by judges in the Philadelphia courts. Judicial fellows' service helps our high-volume court system maintain its superior quality of service to the Philadelphia community. Judges help judicial fellows by mentoring and providing legal experience that will enhance their competitiveness for paid employment as new lawyers.

Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Lisa M. Rau developed the program with help from Professor Chapin Cimino of Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law as well as faculty and administrators from career services offices at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Temple University Beasley School of Law. The Judicial Fellowship Program quickly expanded and now welcomes graduates from law schools from across the country. The Philadelphia Bar Association has been a constant supporter of the Judicial Fellowship Program.

The application process is streamlined and selective. Prospective judicial fellows apply directly via email to judges with whom they are interested in working. Judges select judicial fellows from those applicants who apply to them directly. The list of judges with available positions for judicial fellows is provided on the Judicial Fellowship Program's website. Each judge and fellow team designs a flexible schedule (minimum of 20 hours per week) that ensures reliable service to the judge but permits the fellow to seek a paid position elsewhere. Judicial fellows do not commit to any length of service enabling them to leave the fellowship with two weeks' notice to their judge upon obtaining paid employment.

As of September 2014, more than 61 judges have volunteered to host judicial fellows and the court has hosted 175 judicial fellows from 36 different law schools. The vast majority of judicial fellows who have left their fellowship departed for paid jobs using their legal skills.

For additional information and fellowship application forms, please visit www.courts.phila.gov/jfp

Judges Wanted for Market Street Invitational Mock Trial Competition

Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law will host the inaugural Market Street Invitational on Oct. 25-26 and needs judges for this mock trial competition.

The tournament will host a field of up to 24 teams from schools all over the East Coast, including teams from Drexel, the University of Pennsylvania, Fordham University, the University of Richmond and the University of Maryland. With four rounds over the course of two days, we are expecting 48 exciting trials of Lee and Andy Park v. Hayden Duran, a wrongful death suit where the plaintiff is alleging that the defendant’s child shot their daughter when the children were at the plaintiff’s home alone one day.

Judges are needed for four rounds - two on Saturday and two on Sunday. Each trial is limited to no more than three hours. There will be a judges' meeting one hour prior to the start of trial. Breakfast or lunch will be provided at this meeting (depending on the time of day), and over the course of the meeting all judges will be made familiar with the case and with the basics of judging collegiate mock trial. The morning rounds will have a judges' meeting at 9 a.m. with the rounds ending around 1 p.m. Afternoon rounds will have a judges' meeting at 1:30 p.m. with the rounds ending around 5:30 p.m.

If you are interested and available to judge, even if only for a round, please click here to register.

Philly VIP Pro Bono Opportunities Day Oct. 21

Philadelphia VIP, the hub of pro bono legal services in Philadelphia, invites members of the Philadelphia Bar Association to attend its signature training event, Pro Bono Opportunities Day, on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

The event will be hosted by Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads, LLP, 123 S. Broad St. and will feature lively and interactive ethics training. Prior to the training, VIP will host a networking breakfast with judges of the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania and featuring keynote speaker President Judge Sheila Woods-Skipper of the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania. The breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m. and training begins at 9 a.m.

All attorneys are welcome to attend, whether you are new to Philadelphia VIP, new to pro bono, or an experienced pro bono practitioner looking to take another case. Attendees will receive information and training on how to use their legal skills to assist those most in need in our community. Click here to register.

Law Firm Laboratory Oct. 23: People to Meet Before You Start

You think you're ready to start your own law firm, but you're not sure who to ask for advice about what to do first. The next program in the Philadelphia Bar Association's Law Firm Laboratory series on Thursday, Oct. 23 will feature a panel of attorneys and professionals with the experience to help you get out on your own.

Some of the special topics that the panelists will cover include banking, marketing, real estate and technology. Learn from the seasoned pros about law as a business and what it takes to start your own firm. Panelists include Lisa Kennedy, SBA Finance Group, PNC Bank, NA; Daniel J. Siegel, principal of the Law Offices of Daniel J. Siegel, LLC and president of Integrated Technology Services, LLC; Carol Huff of Huff Equities; Kimberly Alford Rice, principal of KLA Marketing Associates; and Kristine L. Calalang, principal in The Law Office of Kristine L. Calalang.

The program begins at 12 p.m. in the 11th Floor Conference Center at the Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market St. Lunch is available for $8 for members of the Philadelphia Bar Association and $12 for nonmembers. Click here to register.

Created in 2014 by Chancellor William P. Fedullo, the Law Firm Laboratory is a free program series and ongoing incubator of innovative ideas, strategies and concepts for starting and nurturing new law firms and helping existing law firms of all types serve the changing needs of tomorrow's clients.