Join us on Tuesday, December 10, at the Crystal Tea Room for the introduction of our 98th Chancellor, Katayun Jaffari! The evening will start with a meet-and-greet, followed by a program and a reception featuring an open bar and heavy hors d'oeuvres.

We will also honor the 2024 recipients of the Justice Sonia Sotomayor Award and the Citizens Bank Achievement Award; recognize the winner of the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Legal Writing Competition, and celebrate our 2024 50-, 60- and 70-Year Club inductees.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m., and the program will begin at 5 p.m. sharp, with the reception to follow.

Join your colleagues and friends at any of these upcoming Section holiday parties! 

Criminal Justice Section Annual Reception – REGISTER NOW
Tue, December 17, 2024
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

State Civil Litigation Section Annual Reception & Holiday Party – REGISTER NOW
Wed, December 18, 2024
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Kristine Calalang, owner at the Law Office of Kristine Calalang, is running unopposed for Vice Chancellor.

The Board of Governors race is uncontested. The candidates are Lakeisha R. Fields, Gabrielle (Gabi) A. Outlaw, Rhonda M. Fulginiti, and Kevin Levy.

The line office posts are uncontested. Candidates are Karima Yelverton [SECRETARY], Melanie J. Foreman [ASSISTANT SECRETARY], Erin Lamb [TREASURER], and Josh J.T. Byrne [ASSISTANT TREASURER].

The YLD Executive Committee election is contested and members of the Young Lawyers Division will select seven candidates.

Young Lawyers Executive Committee (seven open seats): Hermione Cadet, Abigail Gustafson, Brooke Hurlbrink, Adam Leasure, Margaret MacDonald, Brandon Millinghausen, Audrey Melli-Mirza, Ryan Murphy, Elizabeth Perez, Rachel Sorrentino, Charnae Supplee, and Ashley Taragna

The Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention of the Philadelphia Bar Association evaluates the qualifications of persons seeking election or appointment to the Philadelphia Common Pleas and Municipal Courts, and to Pennsylvania Appellate Courts when the candidate has a principal office or chambers in Philadelphia. 

Individuals who are considering filing for the 2025 primary election as judicial candidates or who wish to be considered for appointment, should visit the Judicial Commission page on the Philadelphia Bar Association website to obtain a Judicial Evaluation Questionnaire, the Commission’s Guidelines for Evaluation of Attorney and Judge Candidates, and the Bylaws of the Philadelphia Bar Association. 

In order to ensure that each candidate receives a full and fair evaluation, the completed and signed questionnaire with writing samples should be returned by TOMORROW to the Judicial Commission at judicialcomm@philabar.org 

Under the Commission’s Guidelines, any candidates who do not participate in the Commission’s evaluation process will receive “Not Recommended” ratings if they continue to pursue either appointment or election.

The Philadelphia Bar Association Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention is in need of attorney volunteers to serve as part of its investigative division for the 2025 judicial election cycle. Volunteers are needed beginning this fall and winter, and volunteer opportunities would continue to be available through early-to-mid 2025.  

Are you a pickleball fanatic or just interested in learning more about the game in a collegial setting? Mentorship and Professional Development Committee Co-Chair Jordan Strokovsky is organizing a Saturday pickleball outing for Bar Association members at Ballers in Fishtown.

Anyone interested in taking part should email Membership Coordinator Sam Lyons at slyons@philabar.org. Once a date is chosen, additional details will be posted on the Bar Association website.

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A roundup of the latest activity taking place in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. 

We want to hear from you! Do you have a legal analysis article idea or a story to share about a memorable case, social issues, travel or even pop culture, fiction or poetry? Share your submission with us to be featured in a future issue of The Philadelphia Lawyer magazine!

Email communications@philabar.org with the subject line: Magazine submission

Our Summer 2024 edition includes tributes to Steve LaCheen, a longtime editorial board member of The Philadelphia Lawyer who died in May, from previous and current board members. This issue also includes side hustles and second careers submitted by members of the Association.

Members have access to HeinOnline archive collection of Philadelphia Bar Association publications. To access the archive, you must be a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Silk Way – a new Central Asian joint from Almaty, Kazakhstan native Olzhas Karymsakov opened this fall just off South Street. Center City/South Philly needed a place like this. I hope it succeeds.  

On November 9th, the Philadelphia Bar Foundation officially celebrated its 60th anniversary at the Philly Justice Ball – For Justice Everywhere. If you were able to join us there, I hope you found it as meaningful as I did.  

The Annual Amber Racine Turkey Drive is happening on Saturday, November 23, 2024. The Barristers Association of Philadelphia has hosted its Annual Turkey Drive for several decades, providing nutritious Thanksgiving meals to families across the Philadelphia region. Last year, they provided 750 families with Thanksgiving meals! Volunteer to make a difference this holiday season.

Gather together with fellow current and prospective volunteer attorneys or bring a friend to learn more about getting involved with Child Advocates! Join us for a happy hour to mingle with the Child Advocates team and learn more about becoming a volunteer attorney.

This event is free and open to all attorneys who are current or prospective volunteers. We will have raffle prizes for prospective volunteers and current volunteers who refer friends to get involved, including 4 suite tickets to a Philadelphia 76ers game!

Our Annual Partners and other benefit providers give Bar Association members access to discounts from local and national retailers, for legal and professional services and more!

DISCOUNTS INCLUDE:

• Wireless and data services discounts from Verizon, including 22% off your monthly bill for eligible members
• Travel discounts and planning services from Mondee
• Up to 35% PC computers and printers from HP
• Up to 20% off on gifts from 1-800-FLOWERS, Harry & David, and Cheryl’s Cookies
• Additional discounts on products and services, including performances at the Kimmel Cultural Campus, rental cars through Avis and Budget, and more

Decisis is a fast, reliable legal research tool powered by LexisNexis - free for Philadelphia Bar Association members - a $1788 value! Search all courts and jurisdictions (Need a case outside Pennsylvania? Find it with Decisis™.)

To access the benefit login with your member account.

Philadelphia Bar Association members can get a free 30-minute financial consultation with an experienced financial advisor backed by our team of specialists. Our Roundtable™ approach includes tax professionals, risk management, retirement income planning, and more.

Nearly two years since the change in the venue rule, Hon. Dan Anders and Hon. Susan Schulman will discuss several important updates to the First Judicial District's medical malpractice case management program including:

• Increased filings of medical malpractice cases in Philadelphia
• Expected trial dates in 2025
• Pre-Trial conferences – expectations and requirements
• Settlement conferences – expectations and requirements
• Expert report deadlines and the filing of certificates of compliance

The Court encourages all attorneys with active medical malpractice cases in Philadelphia to attend so they are aware of important changes to the medical malpractice program and the Court's expectations of counsel. In-house counsel, client representatives, claims handlers/adjusters, risk managers, insurance executives, and other non-lawyers involved in the handling of medical malpractice claims are also welcome to attend.
 
If you have any problems with registration, please email steven.wulko@courts.phila.gov.

There is no fee to register for the webinar. Lawyers, client representatives, claims handlers/adjusters, risk managers, and other non-lawyers are welcome to attend. Advanced registration is required by 5 p.m. Monday, November 18, 2024.

Join us for a roundtable about avoiding the pitfalls of AI!

Join the Mid-Size Firm Management Committee on Thursday, November 21 for an hour of discussion about the perils of AI followed by a complimentary happy hour! The roundtable discussion will be led by Veda Shamsid-Deen, Esquire,  Co-Founder, COO - ARConnex Inc. and Founder-T3 Creators Collective, LLC., who specialized in innovation, and emerging technology. Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to revolutionize the legal industry, offering unprecedented tools to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of law firm operations. However, without a proper roadmap, AI adoption can lead to significant challenges, particularly for midsize law firms.

Please join us at the Kline Institute of Trial Advocacy from 5:00 to 8:00pm on Tuesday, December. Enjoy drinks, food & camaraderie with your colleagues in the Public Interest Section as we honor our 2024 award recipients.

Thanks to our sponsors:

• Rutgers Law School
• Faegre Drinker
• Raynes & Lawn
• Troutman Pepper
• Morgan Lewis
• Duane Morris
• Catherine Carr
• Maureen Olives