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It's that time of year again, and the YLD needs you more than ever! We have 31 high school mock trial teams competing in this year's John S. Bradway High School Mock Trial Competition, which is hosted annually by the Young Lawyers Division of the Philadelphia Bar Association and Temple University - James E. Beasley School of Law. While we are excited to have so much student participation, we cannot make this happen without YOU! Please consider volunteering for one or more rounds as a judge—no prior experience needed.

The complete schedule and sign-up form for this year's competition are here: https://ow.ly/orql50UG8PR

You can sign up for as many or as few rounds of competition as your schedule permits. If you have trouble filling out the form on the Philadelphia Bar Association's website, please email Eric Pasternack at epasternack@cprlaw.com. Please pass this information on to your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sydney Groll at sgroll@sccalaw.org or Eric Pasternack at epasternack@cprlaw.com.

We hope to see you at one (or more!) of our mock trial rounds this year!

The Beccaria Award is given annually and it represents the highest honor that the Justinian Society in cooperation with Criminal Justice Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association can give to any member of the Bar, whether or not a member of the either Section, who exemplifies the ideals of the career of Cesare Beccaria, the 18th century Italian scholar whose writings presaged the dawn of the modern penal system. The Award is to recognize distinguished achievement of a member of the Philadelphia Bar in the field of criminal justice, including legal and/or general education activities in the field.

This year's recipient is the Hon. John R. Padova, Senior Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.  Judge Padova was appointed to the Federal bench in 1991 by President George H.W. Bush. 

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.

My recent pro bono work centers on litigated quiet title cases for low-income Philadelphians, where my background and willingness to go to court have helped me secure stable housing and real estate ownership for a series of clients.

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.

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

Philadelphia Bar Association members get FREE access to Decisis, a comprehensive, intuitive legal research tool powered by LexisNexis. Get a world-class citator and 24/7 customer support. Getting started is easy!

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. 

New Year. New Job? Alevistar Legal Search is a Philadelphia Bar Association Annual Partner, and the premier legal search firm in the Philadelphia area focused on partner placements, group mergers, and associate placements.

If you want to grow or take a new direction in your career in 2025, consider working with Alevistar. Some of the best jobs are never advertised and many law firms and companies turn to Alevistar to recruit and refer top candidates to fill these positions. Alevistar Legal Search has relationships with many types of law firms & organizations that rely on us to assist with their hiring process.

To learn more or set up a meeting contact Brian Levinson at 610-617-1218 or brian@alevistar.com or Jason Mandel at 610-617-1219 or jason@alevistar.com or visit www.alevistar.com.

Are your clients’ (digital) “ducks in a row?” The age-old phrase “keeping your ducks in a row” is an adage that attorneys in today’s digital aid should heed. In the litigation context, keeping your ducks in a row means understanding how to (1) identify the sources of your client’s electronically storied information (“ESI”), (2) defensibly preserve and collect potentially relevant ESI, and (3) leverage technology to identify ESI responsive to litigation or investigative demands. Knowledge of these elements will help clients avoid spoliation claims, save money, and meet legal obligations. While understanding data may appear to be beyond the scope of any attorney’s duties, it really should be at the forefront. Creating data maps, then understanding the basics of data processing and review, will empower attorneys to provide more strategic, holistic guidance. bit-x-bit’s team of attorneys and forensic experts can help you along this journey.

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.