"Bounty From the Bar Food Drive" Until Nov. 16

The Philadelphia Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division is requesting nutritious, nonperishable food donations for the "Bounty From the Bar Food Drive" in partnership with Philabundance. One in six people are struggling with hunger in America, with Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley being two of the hardest hit regions. The high-priority food items are listed on the Philabundance website. Specific items to avoid include: bread, baked goods, water, toiletries and anything with high fructose corn syrup. Furthermore, please avoid foods that are high in sugar, sodium and/or fat. Philabundance food collection boxes are available until Nov. 16 at the Philadelphia Bar Association in the 10th Floor Board Room and in the 11th Floor Conference Center.

Food items are preferred, but monetary donations are also accepted. Click here to donate online.

Any donation will help impact the lives of community members in and around Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley. Let us work together to help provide some relief for the hungry!

YLD Bootcamp Oct. 28

Hear from experienced attorneys and members of the judiciary at the seventh annual "YLD Bootcamp: Tactics, Tips and Tricks for Law Students and New Lawyers," presented by the Philadelphia Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division on Friday, Oct. 28 from 12 - 5 p.m. at Philadelphia Bar Association headquarters, 1101 Market St., 11th Floor Conference Center.

The topics and presenters for the 2016 YLD Bootcamp are:

Interview Skills

• Lainee Beigel, Career Esquire
• Jill M. Caughie, Cozen O'Connor
• Jennifer Lin, Philadelphia District Attorney's Office
• Amy L. Weiss, Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law

Advice from the Bench

• Hon. Michael Fanning, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Family Division
• Hon. Jack A. Panella, Superior Court of Pennsylvania
• Hon. Nitza I. Quinones-Alejandro, United States District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Considerations Before Starting Your Own Solo Practice or Small Firm

• Joni Berner, Berner, Klaw, & Watson LLP - Family Law
• Michele Grant, Grant Law Firm - Small Business & Non-Profit Law
• Brad V. Shuttleworth, Alva & Shuttleworth LLC - Criminal Defense & Trial Work
• Matthew Toll, Garnick & Toll - Personal Injury

You Passed the Bar, Now What?: How to Succeed in Your First Year As an Attorney, and How to Gain Experience

• Michael Daly, Pogust Braslow & Millrood LLC
• Robert Bender, Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads
• Dana Gittleman, Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin

The cost is just $10 and includes lunch, each of the panel presentations and networking opportunities throughout the day.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW.

After the event concludes, we hope that you will be able to join us for a YLD Networking Happy Hour at the Field House, 1150 Filbert St., Philadelphia.

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.

Philadelphia Bar Foundation Access to Justice Benefit Nov. 5

Your generous support of The Access to Justice Benefit on Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Independence Seaport Museum at 7 p.m., with a VIP reception at 6 p.m., will help those struggling with poverty, abuse, and discrimination to have access to the full range of legal services. The Philadelphia Bar Foundation needs your contribution to provide grants and technical assistance to the dozens of legal aid nonprofit organizations depending on these resources.

Join the Foundation to commemorate the important work of community leaders: Sozi Pedro Tulante, Philadelphia City Solicitor, will recognize Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander (1898-1989), legendary civil rights leader, as the inaugural Trailblazer for Justice.

Pedro A. Ramos, president/CEO, The Philadelphia Foundation, will present the Pollak Champion of the Public Interest Award to Lawrence J. Beaser, partner, Blank Rome LLP.

The Benefit co-chairs will celebrate the accomplishments of Marsha I. Cohen, executive director, Homeless Advocacy Project and Peter ("Tad") H. LeVan, Jr., LeVan Law Group LLC, as they receive the Philadelphia Bar Foundation Award and Pro Bono Award, respectively.

Stay tuned as the Foundation continues to promote its silent auction until the event! Bid on items such as exotic international trips, luxurious hotel getaways and personal styling sessions! Come and enjoy international gourmet food and exotic beverages from Catering By Design. Dance to The Big House Band, featuring top performers from the hit show "The Voice."

Register online for tickets, sponsorship and auction item donations by clicking here or call/email Baruch Kintisch, director of marketing and development at 215-238-6334,bkintisch@philabarfoundation.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 - 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.

CLE - Best Practices in Litigating Summary Judgment Motions Oct. 19

Luncheon CLE hosted by the Federal Courts Committee

Trial lawyers are quite familiar with summary judgment. The opportunity for summary judgment (either partial or complete) is one of the great benefits of the federal rules, and one of the strongest reasons for defendants to remove actions to federal court, if possible. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56 (FRCP 56), or summary judgment, allows a litigant an opportunity to win on its claims or dispose of the opponent's claims relatively quickly and without trial.

In this informative lunchtime CLE, attendees will hear a discussion examining best practices in litigating summary judgment motions, as well as the development of FRCP 56.

Receive guidance regarding issues to consider when deciding whether to file a summary (or partial summary) judgment motion, as well as the steps that need to be taken in order to properly prepare and handle summary judgment motions, which may include, what evidence can and cannot be considered, and the obligations that the rule imposes in supporting and opposing a summary-judgment motion.

Join Federal Courts Committee members and fellow Federal Court practitioners for this luncheon presentation as faculty members provide a basic understanding of federal summary judgment practice.

Best Practices in Litigating Summary Judgment Motions
1 SUB
12:30 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 12 p.m.

CLE - Pro Bono Opportunities Day: Navigating Ethical Issues Oct. 24

Philadelphia VIP, the hub of pro bono legal services in Philadelphia, in partnership with the Philadelphia Bar Association, is pleased to announce this annual training event, Pro Bono Opportunities Day, part of National Pro Bono Week 2016.

Join us and learn how to navigate the ethics of pro bono service and the impact it has on low-income Philadelphians with critical legal needs.

ALL attorneys volunteering to take a case receive the CLE credits FREE of charge. Attorneys attending the full course will earn 2.5 Ethics credits for this training.

VIP tries to refer a case to the volunteer within two weeks of the training session. To preserve your credits, an attorney must take a case within six months of the training session.:

Attorneys will be expected to handle one case to completion for this course. If the client withdraws or if it is determined that the case is not meritorious, another case will be referred to the attorney. A signed representation agreement must be received in the VIP office for the CLE agreement to be considered fulfilled.

The Philadelphia Bar Association will submit the credits to the CLE board. However, if an attorney does not take a VIP case within six months, the attorney will be billed the $40 fee for the CLE credits taken at this training program.

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

CLE - Philadelphia's Sweetened Beverage Tax Oct. 26

Hosted by the Tax Section

After several months of discussions Philadelphia has become only the second city and the biggest City in United States to enact a sweetened beverage tax. The tax is not just on sodas. This tax is on any non-alcoholic beverage, syrup, or other concentrate used to prepare a beverage that lists as an ingredient any form of caloric sugar-based sweetener. Drinks considered “diet” or “zero calorie” are also taxed.

The Philadelphia Bev Tax will add a 1.5-cents-per-ounce to tax all sweetened drinks sold in Philadelphia and will be paid by distributors of those beverages (not the dealers that sell to the public). The Philadelphia Bev Tax revenue is currently planned to be used to improve much-needed services such as universal Pre-K, community schools and major park renovations. In addition, many people also hope that the tax will address certain public health concerns if citizens think twice about the purchase of sweetened drinks, which can lead to increased health problems, particularly for those living in poverty.

This timely CLE program examines how Philadelphia businesses will be impacted. The program, featuring City of Philadelphia Department of Revenue and Department of Public Health representatives, will also discuss how the Tax will be implemented in support of critical programs.

Philadelphia's Sweetened Beverage Tax
1 SUB
12:30 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 12 p.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. 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. 19
Best Practices in Litigating Summary Judgment Motions
1 SUB
12:30 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 12 p.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. 3
VIDEO ENCORE - Be the Judge, Be the Jury… Become an Arbitrator!
2 SUB/1 ETH
12 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 11:30 a.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. 16
Addressing the Challenge of Climate Change: The Role of the Law and Lawyers
6.5 SUB/1 ETH
8:30 a.m. Registration begins at 8 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.

Nov. 18
Assessing Credibility and Reasoned Decisions
1 SUB
12:30 p.m. Lunch and registration begin at 12 p.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.