The Philadelphia Bar Association Board of Governors approved several nominations for 2025 leadership at its January 8 meeting and retreat. Chancellor Katayun Jaffari also made appointments to her cabinet and to the Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention.
Renew your Philadelphia Bar Association membership for 2025 today! Don't miss out on amazing member benefits like the latest Bar news, upcoming networking opportunities, CLEs, discounted services, and much more!
News
The Philadelphia Bar Association, the premier trade association and advocacy organization for Philadelphia’s legal community, is seeking an experienced attorney to lead the Association’s efforts related to public policy and support the work of the Associations relevant Sections, Committee, and Taskforces.
Features
A roundup of the latest activity taking place in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
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.
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
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.
The Pub isn’t haute cuisine; but a throwback to when big rooms and portions defined dining out. Go with a group of your favorite people, throw back some cocktails and enjoy.
Around Our Community
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:
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.
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.
Mock trial helps students develop a passion for the law and build their public speaking skills. The Benjamin Franklin Invitational will be the largest in-person mock trial tournament at the high school, college, or law school level this year.
Members of the Philadelphia Bar Association are welcome to volunteer to score and preside over these trials. The total time commitment is about 4 hours, and there are four rounds of them over the course of the weekend, a morning and an afternoon round. The tournament is on January 18-19, 2025. Volunteers can do as few or as many as they'd like. This tournament means so much to Penn Mock Trial and to the students who come to the tournament.
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?
The inauguration of the 47th President will be a difficult moment for many. To offer an uplifting alternative, HIAS Pennsylvania is thrilled to present a live concert in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. The concert will be held on Monday, January 20th, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, at the Philadelphia Ethical Society, located at 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Immigrant and refugee musicians will unite through the universal language of music to drown out hate and celebrate the richness they bring to our community.
This concert is presented in partnership with BuildaBridge and All Around This World’s “Global Orchestra“. There is no cost to register for the concert, but donations are appreciated. All donations will help us protect immigrants’ rights through vital legal aid, as they prepare to face urgent challenges in the coming years.
Benefits and Partner Spotlight
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:
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.
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.
In today’s fast paced and evolving workplace environment, employers face numerous challenges in their efforts to remain competitive and successful. One method of establishing an essential edge is through upskilling. Upskilling is a strategy that involves investing in the development of an employee’s skill and knowledge. And upskilling not only benefits employees by enhancing their professional growth but also proves to be an asset for employers by fostering a skilled, engaged, and more productive workforce.
Featured CLEs & Events
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.
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.
