Join us as we continue our series on topics affecting our clients and the community, this time focusing on federal funding. With its robust legal nonprofit and community engagement sectors, Philadelphia stands to be particularly impacted by recent actions that would freeze or dramatically cut federal funding in those areas.

This program will examine the far-reaching impacts of these cuts on our state and local governments, nonprofit organizations and communities, and how the philanthropy sector might help fill the void. 

We look forward to honoring you at our April 1 Spring Quarterly!

Thank you for attending our Innovation in the Law Summit held yesterday at Holland & Knight LLP. This event was an engaging and interactive program designed to explore the evolving landscape of legal practice and the role of innovation in shaping the profession’s future. This summit brought together legal leaders and practitioners to discuss emerging trends, strategies, and the opportunities and challenges of innovation in the legal sector.

Thank you to our Chancellor Katayun Jaffari for moderating and the distinguished panelists Kristina Bakardjiev and Jennifer Leonard for sharing your insights on the meaning of innovation in law, its growing necessity, obstacles legal professionals face in adapting to change, leadership mindsets that can drive transformation, offering strategies for fostering future-focused legal teams and exploring how the Bar Association can play a role in supporting innovation across the profession.

We hope you enjoyed the thought-provoking discussions, Q&A session, and interactive breakout sessions! Stay tuned for continued learning and engagement to explore the future of law, exchange ideas, and contribute to the innovation conversation.

This year’s City Champion of the John S. Bradway High School Mock Trial Competition is Roman Catholic High School, and the city runner-up is Central High School. Both teams will be advancing to States, representing Philadelphia! We also honored two attorneys who have been dedicated volunteers with our high school mock trial program—Erin Lamb & Adam Zurbriggen—with the Huey R. Burkett Service Award.

Chancellor Katayun Jaffari was our presiding judge and our YLD Chair Joyce Adelugba, Esq. was one of the scoring judges! Our other scoring judges for this round were: Bethann Schaffzin Kagan, Marissa Boyers Bluestine, Mary E. Levy, Paul Loriston, Judge Bradley Moss, Sarah Kaufman, Jonathan Grode, and Amando Franco-Dominick.

We had over 60 volunteers this year! These volunteers included judges, attorneys, law students, law clerks, paralegals, and other legal professionals. Of special note is Paul Kaufman, Joanna Klein, and Eric S. Pasternack, who tirelessly volunteer as the YLD team recruiting and coordinating volunteers and really making this competition happen. We also are really grateful to Temple University - James E. Beasley School of Law, the Justice Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice, and the James A. Byrne Federal Courthouse for donating courtrooms for the competition this year so that our students can compete. Thank you to the many attorneys and teachers who served as coaches and advisors to the student teams.

The Co-Chairs of the Career Development Committee invited the members of the Young Lawyers Division, the Career Development Committee, and the Seasoned Lawyers Committee to a round table discussion on mentoring in the Philadelphia Bar Association. They discussed the changing hybrid work environment and strategies to re-engage attorneys in our Association with the mentorship that is needed for the young attorneys in our community. 

Congratulation to this year's recipient - 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 huge thank you and shout out to Temple Beasley School of Law’s Discipline Advocacy Service for their advocacy in raising awareness for Human Trafficking and collecting hygiene donations for youth involved in Philadelphia’s WRAP court program. In the month of February, their student group collected donations and funds from 44 individual donors to provide much needed daily items for survivors involved in WRAP Court.

WRAP court stands for ‘Working to Restore Adolescents’ Power’ and it is aimed at helping a specific cohort of children and young people who are at risk of or are a victims of commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking. These young people come through the court system due to delinquency and (or) dependency matters. 

For the months of February-April, Philadelphia Law Schools are working with the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Family Law Section to help collect much needed items for youth.

If you are interested in learning more about the WRAP Court program or how you can help, please contact Chair of the Family Law Section and Women Against Abuse Supervising Protection from Abuse Attorney Nadege Tandoh ntandoh@womenagainstabuse.org or Support Center for Child Advocates Director of Intake and Pro Bono Beth Perez bperez@sccalaw.org.

The Philadelphia Bar Association is now on Bluesky! If you'd like to follow us, you can create a FREE account to keep up with the latest news and updates!

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

The Winter 2025 issue celebrates the 15th anniversary of the Civil Gideon Task Force, introduces the 98th Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, highlights the 2024 Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg "Pursuit of Justice" Legal Writing Competition winning essay, and more.

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

If you have a moment, we’d truly appreciate it if you could leave us a quick Google review. Share how your experience with the Bar Association has helped you to make connections and grow your career! It only takes a minute, and your insights can help others know what to expect. Your positive feedback helps our Association grow and continue providing the best service possible for members. 

Thank you for your support—it means the world to us!

Google: Philadelphia Bar Association -> Give us a star rating -> Write a review -> Hit Post

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.

Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (PVLA) is thrilled to announce the return of The Arts Affair 2025 on Thursday, May 15 at REC Philly. This unforgettable evening will celebrate the vibrant intersection of the arts and legal advocacy, recognizing outstanding pro bono legal professionals and showcasing immersive artistic experiences, live performances, music, and more.

“The legal community plays an essential role in empowering artists, cultural institutions, and creative entrepreneurs, and we are proud to celebrate these honorees for their unwavering dedication,” said Nan Latona, Executive Director of PVLA. “Recognizing Joan Myers Brown with the inaugural Creative Impact Award underscores the profound influence that artists have on our cultural landscape. Their visions inspire our work at PVLA, and these award winners are instrumental in ensuring the arts continue to flourish in Philadelphia.”

This year, Juvenile Law Center is celebrating their 50^th anniversary with a Gala on May 2 in the Grand Belle at The Bellevue Hotel. Join them for cocktails, dinner, and dancing to celebrate Juvenile Law Center’s first 50 years and honor Co-Founder and Chief Legal Officer, Marsha Levick, who is stepping down at the end of this year. They will also pay tribute to Bob Schwartz, JLC's Co-Founder and former Executive Director, whom they lost in 2024 but who will always remain in their hearts. JLC anticipates a full house and encourages you to reserve a table or purchase tickets now.

Catch up and network with APABA-PA friends on March 18 from 5:30 - 7 pm at Miss Saigon.

We are happy to share two exciting opportunities for a quick mindfulness practice to help you get through your work week offered by mindfulness expert and attorney Courtney Schulnik!

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.

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.

Save up to 40% OFF select appliances and FREE DELIVERY on orders over $399*  Plus, save an additional 5%^†with code SALE5.

Check out these events from the Wellness Committee!

Join the Paralegals and the Legal Professionals Committee for their first meeting of the year!

Maintaining strong legal research skills is crucial for saving time and money for your clients. Having access to a robust database of local and federal case law is necessary information often used to structure your case. Whether you are an entry level associate or partner, legal research is a vital daily task and one that must be continually developed. Decisis provides industry-leading tools to make legal research easier and more intuitive, and it’s a free benefit to Philadelphia Bar Association members in good-standing. Research is one of the foundational skills required by attorneys and this CLE program will introduce you to the Decisis system and examine legal research tools, strategies and techniques using content and features that are available in the system.

Attend to learn core research principles that apply to all varieties of online legal research that help attorneys enhance their practice and efficiency.  

Join us for a fun and impactful evening at the YLD Happy Hour on March 26th from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Top Tomato! We're excited to partner with Philabundance for a night of networking, socializing, and giving back to the community.

Join the Corporate In-House Counsel Committee on Thursday, April 3 at 5:00pm for a kick-off happy hour at Bentley Systems! 

Hot Topic to include Compliance in the Era of Trump EOs (FCPA (non)enforcement, anyone?)

**advanced registration is required**

We are excited to invite you to attend our upcoming legal panel, designed specifically for law students. This event aims to provide valuable insights into the legal profession, offering students the opportunity to hear directly from experienced attorneys.

This legal panel will bring together speakers from various legal specialties, including corporate law, criminal law, public interest, and in-house, to provide valuable insights into the diverse career paths available in the legal field. Emphasizing the importance of mentorship, panelists will discuss how mentorship has shaped their careers and offer advice on finding and nurturing meaningful professional relationships. This session will highlight the role of mentors in guiding law students through the complexities of legal practice, fostering personal and professional growth, and navigating the transition from law school to the legal workforce.

Join the Wellness Committee as they partner with the For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation