ALEXANDRIA ASSOCIATION President's Letter - Alexandria Bar

16 Pages·2013·0.89 MB·English

OYEZ
ALEXANDRIA
BAR
Volume 31, Number 4 Sept. 2013
ASSOCIATION
IN THIS ISSUE:
President’s Letter
3 The Right Lawyer
The Not So Lazy Days of Summer
4 Picnic
5 New in the Law Library
As the dog days of August wind down and the kids get ready
7 Summer Justice
to head back to school, the Board and its committees have
8 Memories of John Braswell
been diligently planning another exciting year of programing
9 Profit and Loss Statement
for the Alexandria Bar Association.
16 Calendar
First, I am pleased to announce the return of the highly
successful (and popular) CLE Marathon on October 25 and
26. You can obtain all 12 MCLE credits, including 3 hours
of ethics, live over one weekend right here in Alexandria.
Topics are expected to include uncontested divorce, soft tissue injuries, Lawyers
Helping Lawyers and expert witnesses. In addition, we have a full slate of
NEW MEMBERS Please welcome: programs throughout September and October in the Courthouse, including
D.C. Drake Criminal Defense: Mitigation and Sentencing on September 12, Going to the
Drake Immigration Law, PLLC Dogs: Pet trusts, service animals and companion animal law on September 19,
703-518-5540 and Federal Criminal Practice on September 26. Thanks to Doug Coleman, Katie
Uston, David Rosenblum and Sarah McElveen for their hard work in planning,
Sakeena Farhath as well as the judges and practitioners who have generously volunteered to
DiPietro PLLC prepare and present these programs. Please watch for CLE announcements and
703-647-7404 enrollment information in our Week in Brief emails. And please do not hesitate
to contact the Bar with any and all ideas for future programs. Volunteers are
James A. Gillis always welcome!
William L. Babcock, Jr, PC
703-518-8400 The Board and I are excited to set sail on the scenic Potomac aboard the Miss
Mallory for our first dinner meeting on September 19 at 6:00PM, sponsored
Anthony Ho by Carr Workplaces. Please join us in welcoming Virginia State Bar President
Law Office of Anthony Ho, LLC Sharon Nelson who will be addressing the Membership. The boat departs the
571-429-3408 dock at 6:30PM sharp. This is one of our most popular events and we can only
accommodate a limited number of Members, so reservations are required.
Michael Johnson Please RSVP to the Bar office as early as possible to ensure you get a spot.
Law Offices of Michael Johnson
202-270-3512 The Alexandria Bar Association and Senior Services of Alexandria are pleased
to again sponsor the Annual Senior Law Day on Saturday, October 19 from
Travis MacRae 8:30AM- 12:15PM at the First Baptist Church of Alexandria. This year’s theme is
City Attorney’s Office “Alexandria for a Lifetime! Staying Safe -- Avoiding Scams -- Don’t be a Victim!”
703-746-3750 Join local experts to learn about the many scams, frauds, electronic and internet
schemes and identity theft that thieves use to get money from senior citizens.
Get hands on advice from experts on protecting yourself, your loved ones
and your assets as well as personal security options and tools you can use.
RETURNING MEMBER: The event is free and open to all. Watch for registration information in early
Jeffrey Zimmerman September. Our appreciation to Past President Barbara Anderson, who has
Smith & Zimmerman, PLLC again been instrumental in putting this program together, and all our members
703-548-8911 who have volunteered.
The Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Office is once again spearheading
the annual Beat the Odds fundraiser at the Little Theater in Old Town. Please
join us on October 25 at 6:30PM for a reception to be followed by a live
performance of 39 Steps, based on Alfred’s Hitchcock’s’ 1935 film of the same
name. The Beat the Odds Committee welcomes donations of Silent Auction
items, such as Gift certificates, gift baskets, jewelry, artwork, or services. Most
President’s Letter continued on page 2
Please send us your announcements!
2
Presidents Letter (cont.)
importantly, please support the thanks to our Executive Director
Committee, and their Scholarship Sidoux Mitchell, and new additions
Fund, by buying a ticket and coming to to the office Jessica Killeen and Ryan
the event! Tickets are $35 each, or $30 McClure for handling the day-to-
for five or more. day operations of our organization,
Established 1928 including our Lawyer Referral Service.
This issue includes an article by
THE ALEXANDRIA
Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) Of course, if you haven’t already done
BAR ASSOCIATION Committee Chair Dennis Mersberger so, please renew your membership
520 King Street highlighting the many exciting today so you don’t miss any of these
Suite 202 improvements in the works for that great events!
Alexandria, VA 22314 program. Thanks to Dennis, Christina
Brown, Stephen Swift, Doug Coleman, Sean P. Schmergel
703.548.1106 tel Drew Hutcheson, Gwen Hickman, President
703.548.1105 lrs Michael Nye, and Tamika Jones for all
703.548.4292 fax their work on the committee.
[email protected]
Finally, thanks again to the Board
Alexandriabarva.org
for their tireless efforts, and special
2013-2014
EXECUTIVE BOARD
OFFICERS
Sean P. Schmergel, President
Sarah McElveen, President-Elect
David Lord, Secretary
Nicholas Gehrig, Treasurer
Kathleen M. Uston, Past-President
BOARD MEMBERS
Joseph DiPietro
Dipti Pidikiti-Smith
Christina Brown
Christopher Wright
Sidoux Mitchell, Executive Director
BAR OFFICE HOURS
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Monday to Thursday
LRS OFFICE HOURS
9:30 am to 3:00 pm
Monday to Thursday
Alexandria Bar Association
520 King Street, Rm 202
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
3
The right lawyer for you and your case!®
Exciting changes and progress association. Last but not least, the $1,400.00 in costs for LRS.
is being made by our Alexandria LRS referral software has been
Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral updated and modernized at cost but Finally, we are working to better
Service. However, first, you may well worth the money. Now, the LRS serve potential clients by revamping
ask yourself, why is the title of this enjoys a software system that draws the eligibility criteria to join our LRS
article a registered trademark? upon a database of our LRS member practice area panels. In addition to
That’s because as of June 19, 2013 lawyers and generates an email that current requirements, such as carrying
the above branding was made a is sent directly to attorney and client current professional liability insurance,
registered trademark belonging to the to efficiently arrange an appointment. panel members will be required
Alexandria Bar Association, Lawyer This innovation is a great help to our to certify that they meet certain
Referral Service. Thanks to the pro director as it frees up much needed minimum experience requirements
bono efforts of our attorney and LRS time to focus on other important Bar for membership to certain practice
committee member, Stephen Swift, as Association business. areas. If you have any comments or
well as the creative collaboration of questions please feel free to contact
the LRS committee members and LRS In terms of revenue, for the fiscal year myself or Sidoux Mitchell. We also
Director, Sidoux Mitchell, LRS has its 2012 to 2013, LRS collected $6,000.00 welcome you to attend our committee
own motto. in membership dues and earned meetings which are held on the third
$15,550.00 in client referral fee income. Wednesday of each month.
Recent improvements also include And, with only two months into the
adding a PayPal option and a current fiscal year, client referral fee Please keep in mind the next time
fillable pdf client intake form to our income is on pace to exceed that of you are approached for advice or an
website that now allows prospective July and August last year: where attorney referral in a practice area with
clients to request attorney referrals we earned $3,150.00 in client fees which you are unfamiliar, consider the
entirely through the website. The from July through August 2012 and Alexandria Lawyer Referral Service!
improvements to the website were anticipate approximately $4,000.00
accomplished at no cost to the bar through this July and August 2013. Dennis Mersberger, Chairman
This year we anticipate approximately Alexandria Lawyer Referral Committee
4
Picnic
The waters In Fort Ward Park rose
around the picnic pavilion on all sides.
(Thanks to Doug Coleman who took
this picture).
The board members of the Foundation and the Bar Association board got
very close during the storm which lasted about 25 minutes and brought rain,
lightning, and high wind.

Despite the weather, there was a sense that this was a good location for
the picnic. The Fort Hunt Park pavilion was three times the price of the Fort
Ward Park pavilion and Fort Ward is closer. This is the first time since 2003
that the picnic was a cook-out. In the recent past, the entire picnic was
catered, again at a higher price for food. Since the picnic is a fund-raiser
for the Foundation there was hope, this year, to make more money for the
Foundations programs. Alas, it did not happen. Thanks to the bar members
who showed up and paid despite the rain. The bar took a hit for about $300
but it could have been worse. Wait until next year . . .
Above: These two pictures show that the sun did shine between cloudbursts
on the second date for the picnic. But the storms on June 28 were as strong
as the ones on June 7, the original day for the picnic. Doug Coleman and
Heidi Meinzer, the president of the bar Foundation, enjoyed a bit of beer and
mac’n’cheese but all the delicious sausages donated by Cliff Logan, Esq.
(whose family owns Logan Sausage), were packed up for home consumption.
Twice fires were built and twice were doused by rain. Jessica Leischner,
Carolyn Grimes, and Katie Uston bagged up the leftovers.
5
new in the alexandria law library
Recent Developments in the Law: News
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Satisfaction Inside, Outside & Around
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M. Alden
Becoming a Rural Lawyer: a Personal
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From Lemons to Lemonade in the New
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Small Firms, Big Opportunity: How to and Arbitration.
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Legal Economy by Linda Calvert Hanson,
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Solo by Choice 2011-2012 Edition: How Juridical Solutions, PLC Panel of Neutrals
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Hon. Daniel T. Balfour (Ret.) Hon. Aundria D. Foster (Ret.)
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Hon. John J. McGrath (Ret.) Hon. David Melesco (Ret.)
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6
Beat the Odds
presents
The 39 Steps
@ The Little Theatre
600 Wolfe Street
Reception Performance
6:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m.
Come early for a silent auction 
and open bar.  All proceeds 
benefit Beat the Odds!
Beat the Odds is a program run by 
the Alexandria Bar Foundation that 
provides scholarships to Alexandria 
youth who have overcome 
substantial adversity
Tickets 
$35 each // $30 for 5+ tickets
Contact the Bar Office
[email protected]
Or by phone: 703‐548‐1106
See you there!
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summer justice
From left are Tezeta Tamrat, Circuit Court
Judge James Clark, and Laura Oliverrie at
the completion of the first Summer Justice
Program. For two weeks--July 15-July
26--under the supervision of Alexandria Bar
Association board member Dipti Pidikiti-
Smith, the Summer Justice Program
offered a group of T.C. Williams High School
students the opportunity to learn about law
in our society through lessons, interactive
activities, and guest speakers. The program
culminated with the students making an
oral argument before Judge Clark. Since
the program ran in the early hours, 7:30 to
9:30 am, only the two students pictured
completed the course, but plans are in
the works for next summer. Contact Dipti
at [email protected] to volunteer for next
summer.
8
Memories of John M. Braswell
This past July 26, John M. Braswell, Although John and I undoubtedly had
past-president of the Alexandria Bar numerous meetings and interviews
Association, principal in the firm prior to his joining the firm, my first
Redmon, Peyton, & Braswell, LLP, vivid recollection is of John and his
and founder of the bar’s Mentorship dad, Ed, unloading John’s desk from
program, died in a swimming accident the elevator on the third floor of
in Michigan. At his funeral, on August our building. I rushed out to assist
2, Gordon Peyton read the following and noticed, for the first time John’s
eulogy written by Gant Redmon. fraternity ring—the same I wear—Beta
Theta Pi—he having attended Duke
My memories of John began about and I the University of Illinois. It was
thirty years ago when he joined what a special joy to know that we both
was then known as Redmon Law followed the principles of devotion to
Offices, which was the successor the cultivation of the intellect, mutual
to O’Neill & Redmon following Bill assistance, and friendship.
O’Neill’s appointment by Gov. Baliles
to the Virginia Industrial Commission. John, in addition to being a
John moved into the office formerly voracious reader, always was a
John Braswell
occupied by Bill overlooking the student of the law—often taking on
1955-2013
entrance to the then-new Courthouse, cases others thought questionable
from which he practiced for the rest of in terms of possible success. Yet,
his career. once involved, he pursued cases Through all the years, John has been
relentlessly, earning the respect of a valued and valuable leader of the
John was an avid soccer fan and clients and adversaries alike. Alexandria Bar, a loving and always-
introduced the rest of us in the office available father to his daughter,
to the World Cup. He went on to Many have mentioned John’s dry Morgan, whom he treasured and
coach youth soccer here in Alexandria, wit and humor and his gift for story- adored, and with whom he spent his
where he became fast friends of telling; he could always spin a last hours on the lake in Michigan.
parents of his players. story about events of the bar and of
Alexandria—its noteworthy, and some John’s marriage to Pauline, begun
John was a linguist, fluent in several not-so-noteworthy, citizens. This only last fall, was blossoming, yet cut
languages, including German, unusual characteristic was nowhere painfully short last Friday. Pauline, our
Spanish, and Portuguese, the latter more evident than in his writing and prayers are with you, with Morgan,
no doubt so he could converse with performing in the annual Alexandria and with all of John’s family.
the Brazilian soccer players. His Bar Gridiron. Who could forget his
knowledge of English was astounding; portrayal of bailiff Manassas Dumfries Farewell-- friend, colleague, and
he expanded the vocabularies of in the skit with Rick Mendelson called brother.
all of us in the office. Some of his “Kentnack, the Magnificent,” the
multi-syllabic words we understood— hilarious takeoff from the Johnny Gant
eventually, after scurrying off to the Carson and Ed McMahon original
nearest dictionary. on the Tonight Show? John was the
usual low-key straight man, but he
had all the good lines and, of course,
received the loudest applause.
9
The profit-loss statement for the Alexandria Bar Association fiscal year
2012-2013 is provided as required by the Association’s bylaws.
10
Has Your Practice Gone to
the dogs?
Heidi Meinzer will show you the ways that animal law can impact many different types of
law: divorce, bankruptcy, contracts, insurance, real estate and liability. Heidi will give you
the legislative updates and future of animal law in the 2014 General Assembly. Michael
Nye will brief you on the law of service
animals including ADA definitions, service
Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013
dogs in education, travel and housing.
2:00-4:00 p.m.

1:45‐2:00 pm  Registra(cid:415)on
Alexandria Courthouse
2:00 ‐ 4:00 pm         CLE 
520 King Street
Fourth Floor 2.0 Hours MCLE
Alexandria, VA 22314 pending
Presenters: Heidi Meinzer, Esq. of Meinzer Law and Michael Nye,
Esq. of Carter & Coleman, PLLC
Heidi Meinzer: In 2000, Heidi started her legal career fighting for the “underdog” as a public
defender in Alexandria, Virginia. In 2006, she moved to a law firm in Arlington, Virginia, where she
practiced criminal law and branched into civil litigation in various areas, including employment issues,
land use and real estate matters, trust and estate cases, and bankruptcy litigation. In 2013, Heidi
formed the Law Office of Heidi Meinzer, PLLC in order to devote her time and resources to a
focused litigation and animal law practice. In her animal law practice, she represents owners and
their dogs facing dangerous dog proceedings, and counsels rescue and pet care companies with
issues such as contracts, liability and employment law.
~~~~~~
Michael Nye: graduated from the University of Virginia’s Law School in 2003. After his admission to
the Virginia bar, he spent three and half years representing indigent criminal defendants with the Fair-
fax County Public Defender’s Office. From 2007 to 2010, he was a law clerk for Judge James W.
Haley, Jr. of the Court of Appeals of Virginia and, since October 2010, he has been an associate with
the firm of Carter & Coleman in Old Town Alexandria.
Michael’s current practice consists mostly of commercial, medical malpractice, and professional liabil-
ity litigation. He has defended many local real estate brokers and agents against the civil claims of
parties to disputed property transactions. Michael also has an interest in dog law. He has represent-
ed the co-owner in an ownership dispute over a champion show dog. In his real estate practice, he
has litigated Fair Housing complaints involving interpretation of the term “service animal”, which ap-
pears to be an issue of first impression in Virginia.
$70.00 Members $90.00 Nonmembers
See next page to register!