ebook img

ALEXANDRIA ASSOCIATION President's Letter - Alexandria Bar PDF

16 Pages·2013·0.89 MB·English
by  
Save to my drive
Quick download
Download
Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.

Preview ALEXANDRIA ASSOCIATION President's Letter - Alexandria Bar

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: 703-548-1106 Fax: 703-548-4292 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 from the Courts and General Assembly (Virginia CLE) 2013. After 17 years on the Bench, The New Can You Do with a Law Degree? : a Lawyer’s Guide to Career Judge Leslie Satisfaction Inside, Outside & Around the Law by Dr. Larry Richard & Tanya Hanson M. Alden Becoming a Rural Lawyer: a Personal guide to Establishing a Small town has joined the Panel of Neutrals Practice by Bruce M. Cameron of Juridical Solutions. From Lemons to Lemonade in the New Legal Job Market: Winning Job Search Judge Alden, (Ret.) Strategies for Entry-level Attorneys by Richard L. Hermann is available for Mediation Small Firms, Big Opportunity: How to and Arbitration. Get Hired (and Succeed) in the New Legal Economy by Linda Calvert Hanson, Samantha Williams Solo by Choice 2011-2012 Edition: How Juridical Solutions, PLC Panel of Neutrals to be the Lawyer You Always Wanted to consists exclusively of Retired Judges. Be by Carolyn Elefant Hon. Daniel T. Balfour (Ret.) Hon. Aundria D. Foster (Ret.) Hon. Marc Jacobson (Ret.) Hon. Sam Johnston (Ret.) Hon. Benjamin Kendrick (Ret.) Hon. John E. Kloch (Ret.) Hon. John J. McGrath (Ret.) Hon. David Melesco (Ret.) Hon. William H. Shaw III (Ret.) Hon. Ann Hunter Simpson (Ret.) Hon. John Charles Thomas (Ret.) Hon. Marcus D. Williams, (Ret.) Juridical Solutions PLC offers ADR services throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia at reasonable prices. CONTACT US AT 1-888-EX-CURIA (1-888-392-8742) FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON RATES, AVAILABILITY AND CONTRACT FORMS OR VISIT WWW.JURIDICALSOLUTIONS.COM 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! 7 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!

Description:
Sep 4, 2013 President's Letter Please join us in welcoming Virginia State Bar President. Sharon Nelson who will be addressing the Membership. The boat departs the 8:30AM- 12:15PM at the First Baptist Church of Alexandria.
See more

The list of books you might like

Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.