We are proud of all that we have done as an Association in the past six months and are committed to continue the work to be responsive to our members’ messages and asks.
What follows is a summary of some of the most pressing steps that we have taken in advancement of our mission to serve the profession and the public by promoting justice, professional excellence and respect for the rule of law. We have done all of these things while continuing to serve our members with countless CLEs, happy hours, substantive meetings and programming from our nine Sections, our many committees, and our Young Lawyers’ Division.
Join us as we continue our series on topics affecting our clients and the community, this time focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion. We will provide an overview of efforts to cultivate healthy and inclusive cultures in challenging times, including emerging trends and shifts that could inform your diversity, equity and inclusion strategy and creation of a new playbook for a changing legal and political environment.
**Doors for in-person attendees open at 8:30 a.m. The event is free, but advanced registration is required!**
News
We need your help to urge the General Assembly to enact a funding plan to close SEPTA’s $213 million budget deficit before the implementation of severe cuts to service. The cuts would not just impact those who ride SEPTA or live in the area - they would have a significant economic and access to justice impact on the entire region and on the Commonwealth as a whole.
The Philadelphia Bar Association held its 2025 Summer Quarterly: Advancing Justice – Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act on Wednesday, June 25 at the Independence Visitor Center. The event included a presentation on the past, present and future of voting access, presentation of the 2025 Cheryl Ingram Advocate for Justice Award, and honoring outgoing executive director Harvey Hurdle.
Don't miss the opportunity to celebrate and learn with our community: Join us Oct. 9-11 at the 2025 Philadelphia Bar Association Bench-Bar & Annual Conference! Enhance your practice with top-notch CLEs, grow your network and enjoy time with your colleagues.
Virtual Registration Deadline: Tuesday, October 7
Thanks to our sponsors:
Annual partners: Alevistar Legal Search, bit-x-bit, PMP PracticeMadePerfect, My Benefit Advisor, USI Affinity
Presenting sponsor: The First Judicial District of Pennsylvania
Diamond sponsor: August
Platinum sponsors: ABC Bail Bonds, Joseph L. Messa Jr. and Messa & Associates
Gold sponsors: Clinical Expert Providers, Alta Claro, Cbiz, Esquire Deposition Solutions, M&T Bank Nota, JAMS, Profitsolv
Silver sponsors: Barbagallo & Associates, Disco, Premier Vocational Experts, Wilmington University School of Law
Friends of the Bar sponsors: ALM/Law.com, Our Family Wizard, Bellia
Thursday night sponsors: CODISCOVR, COSECURE
The Philadelphia Bar Association is excited to invite you to a fun night out at the ballpark to cheer on the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, September 9 at 6:45 p.m. as they take on the New York Mets!
Take advantage of this great opportunity to enjoy America’s favorite pastime with your colleagues while also raising money to benefit The Philadelphia Bar Foundation! Every ticket purchased advances the Foundation's mission of equal access to justice.
**Deadline Extended: There Is Still Time to Buy Tickets** Tickets are located throughout the ballpark; if you want to sit with a certain group, you must buy your tickets together.
Check out details for our Phillies pregame party starting at 4pm at Xfinity Live!
Join the American Heart Association along with your colleagues, family, friends and neighbors as we come together to inspire healthy living, mental health awareness and overall well-being. Whether in-person or through a digital experience, we're going to touch more hearts, move more feet and raise more lifesaving funds than ever before through the Philadelphia Heart Walk.
The American Heart Association is committed to driving equitable health impact in our community. Equity is always at the center of our work, and it will continue to guide all that we do. By participating in the Heart Walk, your lifesaving dollars will fund research, address food insecurity and access to healthcare, and help us to better understand the root causes of health inequity in our region.
We have created the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Lawyers Have Heart Team and are hoping to get all sections/committees/Board of governors/law firms to create teams within the larger Philadelphia Bar Association “Company”
Celebrate individuals and groups making a positive impact on our community!
Achievement Award
To be presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting on December 10, 2025
Description: The Award recognizes significant accomplishments in improving the administration of justice (preferably in Philadelphia.)
Deadline: Friday, November 7, 2025
As markets grow more crowded and competition heats up, how can your law firm stay ahead? Join us for a thought-provoking conversation with a leading professor from Indiana University as we unpack the forces driving competitive intensity today. This interview-style webinar explores the trends, strategies, and insights you need to navigate a rapidly evolving landscape — straight from the heart of academia to your screen.
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!
We take pride in supporting legal professionals in Philadelphia at every stage of their careers. Our members' experiences highlight the value of the Philadelphia Bar Association's resources, networking opportunities, and advocacy efforts. Whether you're a seasoned attorney, a recent law school graduate, or a law student preparing for the future, our community is here to help you thrive. Read what our members have to say about how the Philadelphia Bar Association has positively impacted their professional journeys.
Judges and attorneys alike gathered to enjoy an evening of live music and delicious fare in celebration of a successful year at the 2025 Workers’ Compensation Section Spring Reception and Awards Ceremony on June 11th. This year’s event – which was held at Water Works and featured catering by Cescaphe – not only brought colleagues together to network and mingle, but also honored the 2024 Section Chairs as well as this year’s Irvin Stander Award recipient, Connor Thomson. The event was an unmitigated success thanks to the hard work and dedication of this year’s Section Chairs, the Honorable Cassi Martin, Attorney Frederic Augonnet, and Attorney Christina Zern.
Features
The Spring 2025 issue includes a Q&A with former 5x champion boxer and 6x Sports Hall of Famer Judge Jacquelyn Frazier-Lyde, a brief primer on Drone law, the importance of legal name changes, and much 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
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.
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
Yi Gi Rice Roll is a great addition to Chinatown, and a wonderful place to visit with a group to share the various affordable small plates and rice rolls. Check it out.
A roundup of the latest activity taking place in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Perspectives
Harvey Hurdle, who retired as executive director of the Bar Association on July 3 after six and a half years, bids the Association farewell and thanks the community for its support.
The idea of freedom loses meaning when due process is denied or inconsistently applied. Liberty, without justice, is hollow. In 2025, the challenges to justice are increasingly textured and sophisticated. There are disinformation and misinformation campaigns which sow distrust in our institutions; legislative rollbacks that erode civil protections; targeted attacks on voting rights, immigrants, LGBTQ+ communities, and communities of color; and rising political rhetoric that casts doubt on the legitimacy of legal professionals who defend the rule of law.
Around Our Community
The Philadelphia Bar Association is partnering with Carpenters’ Hall historic site to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference in 2026. This June 1776 colonial gathering authorized the creation of Pennsylvania’s 1776 constitution and influenced the adoption of the Declaration of Independence just a week later. Due to the significance of this event, the Pennsylvania General Assembly has designated Carpenters’ Hall as the official birthplace of the Commonwealth.
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!
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.
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.
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Featured CLEs & Events
Check out these events from the Wellness Committee!
Prioritize your well-being by joining the Wellness Committee for a series of enriching sessions focused on your health. From physical and mental practices to insights on longevity and cultivating happiness, there’s something for everyone looking to recharge and refocus.
Special thanks to Cozen O'Connor for hosting this wellness summit!
Thank you to our breakfast and lunch sponsor
**this event is free to members and advanced registration is required**
Please join the LGBT Rights Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association and the Philadelphia LGBTQ Bar Association as we welcome incoming members of our profession, summer associates and law clerks, to the Philadelphia legal community. Graciously hosted by Ballard Spahr LLP, we hope that this event will provide opportunities for summer associates to network with established professionals and their peers.
In addition, we will be recognizing the 2025 recipient of the David M. Rosenblum Law Student Leader Award.
The award honors the memory of David M. Rosenblum, the late legal director of Mazzoni Center, a tireless lawyer and advocate, and an LGBTQ organizer while in law school.
Join the Public Interest Section for an evening of networking and celebration. Generously hosted by Ballard Spahr LLP, this event celebrates the exceptional work of public interest students and lawyers in and around Philadelphia. Guests will have the opportunity to mix and mingle while enjoying light refreshments.
Dive into the future with this interactive, hands-on workshop designed for Philadelphia Bar Association members. Perfect for those curious about AI, this session will break down ChatGPT and show you how to use it in practical, everyday ways—both personally and professionally. From brainstorming to industry research, you'll get hands-on experience with scenarios you can use today on your mobile or computer. Come curious, leave confident.
Join Matteo Pistono as he discusses his new book Breathe How You Want to Feel. Matteo will walk us through a simple how-to guide to upgrading our nervous system to live an optimal life physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
