All Courts and Offices of the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Courts) will be CLOSED TODAY, Monday, January 6, 2025 due to the expected inclement weather. All scheduled matters will be rescheduled for another day by the respective Court Department.

All critical services are expected to remain operational including: Municipal Court’s Arraignment Court, Bail Acceptance and the filing of Emergency Protection from Abuse Petitions at the Stout Center for Criminal Justice, 1301 Filbert Street.

Follow in the footsteps of the Civil Rights Movement and gain insights to enhance your practice by joining us March 20-23 on a trip to Montgomery, Selma and Birmingham, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia. Participants will gain perspective through interactions with people who took part in the Civil Rights Movement, along with attorneys from the Equal Justice Initiative. Additionally, we will be joined by Marissa Boyers Bluestine, assistant director of the Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, who will discuss current legal cases and doctrine stemming from this period in history. 

**PLEASE NOTE: THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS FRIDAY, JANUARY 10.**

View and download photos from the 2024 holiday parties from our Flickr account.

Philadelphia Bar Association's 2025 Statement of Operations

The Philadelphia Bar Association is happy to announce the revitalization of the Military Affairs Committee under Co-Chairs Paul Carrion and Shelly Melendez. The Military Affairs Committee invites the Philadelphia Legal Community to learn about the intersection of the Law and the United States Armed Services, including but not limited to legal assistance for service members, rules of engagement, advising commanders, and the history of the Judge Advocate General Corps.

You are invited to register for the Committee’s first meeting on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at 12p which will take place on Zoom, to meet Paul and Shelly and learn about the Committee’s goals. If you have any questions, please contact Paul Carrion at pcarrion@kanepugh.com or Shelly Melendez at shelly.melendez@stevenslee.com. 

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is pleased to welcome the Honorable Gail Weilheimer as a United States District Judge. Judge Weilheimer took the oath of office on January 3, 2025.

Judge Weilheimer served on the Court of Common Pleas in Montgomery County since she was first elected in 2013. During her 11 years on the Common Pleas bench she presided over cases in the Criminal, Civil, Family and Orphans’ Court divisions and she created the first Competency Court in the state which became an example across the Commonwealth.

In addition to presiding over cases, Judge Weilheimer has worked to serve the legal community at large in a variety of ways. She chaired the statewide judicial committee for competency and civil commitment, was vice-chairperson of the Mental Health Justice Advisory Committee and a member of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Behavioral Health Executive Committee.

Additionally, Judge Weilheimer has been a trial advocacy instructor, created the Montgomery County Women’s Networking Initiative and was responsible for coordinating Montgomery County’s judicial education and internship programs.

Judge Weilheimer received her J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law and her B.A. from Hofstra University. She is a Truman Scholar and has committed the majority of her career to public service. Prior to taking the bench Judge Weilheimer enjoyed a diverse and successful legal career as a trial attorney. She began her career as an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia and immediately preceding taking the bench she practiced education law at Wisler Pearlstine, LLP.

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

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.

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 Fall 2024 edition includes perspectives from members of the Association on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession. Members share their past experiences - the good, the bad and the ugly - as well as hopes for the future of DEI. The need for fair access to opportunities, embracing diversity, and challenging of biases are all reflected in the experiences shared by our members.

This year the Bar recognized Attorneys Christina Zern and Eric Pearson as Bar Stars of the Workers’ Compensation Section. For those of us lucky enough to know and practice alongside these two attorneys, we can all agree that both Zern and Pearson are deserving choices for the award. Both are professional and humble to opposing attorneys and Judges, but are focused, zealous advocates for their clients who benefit from their years of experience and thorough knowledge of the Workers’ Compensation Act.

"To go fast, travel alone; to go far, travel together." 
– Ancient Nigerian Proverb 

The Barristers' Association of Philadelphia, Inc. cordially invites you to the Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast on Monday, January 20, 2025.

Event Details:

• Date: Monday, January 20, 2025.
• Time: Program begins at 8:00 AM, followed by a Service Project
• Location: The Crystal Tea Room, The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, 9th Floor

This event brings together community leaders, advocates, and changemakers for a morning of reflection, celebration, and action. Enjoy a commemorative breakfast and inspirational programming that highlights Dr. King’s vision of equality and justice.

Happy Year of the Snake!

Come enjoy a delicious banquet dinner accompanied by a traditional lion dance performance by the Philadelphia Suns at the Grand Palace Restaurant in South Philadelphia.

There will be four rounds of competition: Two on Saturday, January 11th, and two on Sunday, January 12th. Each round will last approximately three hours with a brief break in between each round. Food will be provided! We invite you to judge as many or as few rounds as you like. The tentative schedule for the weekend is as follows:

Saturday, January 11, 2025

• 8:00 - 9:00 | Check-in

• 9:00 - 9:15 | Judges Meeting

• 10:00 - 1:00 | Round 1

• 1:00 - 2:00 | Lunch & Judges Meeting

• 2:30 - 5:30 | Round 2 

Sunday, January 12, 2025

• 8:45 - 9:00 | Judges Meeting

• 9:30 - 12:30 | Round 3

• 12:30 - 1:30 | Lunch & Judges Meeting

• 2:00 - 5:00 | Round 4

• 6:00 - 7:00 | Closing Ceremony

Please register and fill out the application below. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Kenneth Lynch directly at lynchk18@lasalle.edu or (570) -780 - 1024.

The Courts, Community, and Rule of Law Committee of the Judicial Council of the Third Circuit announced today that it is hosting an essay contest for elementary students focused on civics, citizenship, and the concept of “We the People” – which are the first three words of the Preamble to the United States Constitution. The essay prompt is: How did our Nation’s Founders envision ‘the People’ when they drafted the Constitution, and how should we interpret their vision in our country today?

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.

Members who open operating and IOLTA accounts with M&T Bank get free access to Nota, a trust accounting tool that makes compliance simple, seamless and efficient. 

California's SB-1047, aka the “AI Act,” is moving forward through the state’s legislative process with new amendments aimed at regulating high-risk generative AI models. The bill, designed to prevent potential large-scale harm and ensure information safety, has been amended based on feedback from AI firms and others.

While it aims to set a precedent for AI safety, it faces criticism from tech giants and some lawmakers who worry it might hinder innovation. Next steps: approval from the state Assembly and Senate, and then Governor Newsom’s review. Will this law, should it pass in California, become a model for other states to follow? And how should lawyers try to leverage AI in their respective fields?

bit-x-bit has GenAI-supported software to help you build chronologies and case maps, as well as conduct document review. Contact us to learn more.

Kick off 2025 with the Family Law Section in-person at Family Court!

12pm in-person luncheon sponsored by All State Investigations and The First Choice Team at Cross Country Mortgage.

Over the years, the Disciplinary Board of Pennsylvania has recorded an increasing number of complaints filed against newly admitted attorneys for violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct which directly relate to the practical aspects of operating a law office. 

The result was the Bridge the Gap program, intended to give all newly-admitted PA attorneys the "know-how" which is otherwise learned through trial and error. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania approved a rule change requiring newly admitted lawyers to complete the Bridge the Gap program by their first CLE compliance deadline.