violations. The Committee plans to present seminars on business and commercial litigation every 18 months to two years. FALL LEGAL INSTITUTE The 1985 Fall Legal Institute was devoted to criminal law and procedure and introduced the new Criminal Law Handbook. Held September 19-20 at the Excelsior Hotel. the program was cochaired by Sam Perroni and Richard Moore. Perroni also is the Handbook's editor. The CLE portion of the program focused on criminal law practice, with sessions on how to be persuasive, featuring Richard "Racehorse" Haynes; use of demonstrative evidence in a criminal case; jury selection and preserving the records; search and seizure; federal appointments and attorneys fees; forfei ture provisions in state and federal criminal cases; develop men ts in the Crime Control Act of 1984; alternative sentencing; and, state parole, plea negotiation. state motion practice and federal procedure. PRACTICE SKILLS COURSE The 26th annual Practice Skills Course, cosponsored by the Young Lawyers' Section, is one of the longest running programs in the history of Arkansas CLE. The program, held October 17-18 at the Arkansas Law Center. in Little Rock, and Riverfront Hilton, in North Little Rock. featured discussions on the problems of starting and building a law practice. The Association's Economics of Law Practice Section
presented a program. moderated by chair Tom Ledbetter, on where to practice, getting your law office started and expanding your practice. Other topics discussed were on ethics and avoidance of malpractice. representing a business client and representation of creditors and debtors. BLUE SKY LAWS Blue Sky Laws, "State Regulation of Securities." produced by the Practising Law Institute, was presented live via satellite from New York City to 35 locations, including Little Rock and Fayetteville, on October 22. The topics included NASAA policies, the proposed Uniform Securities Act and state enforcement developments. Registrants were able to telephone questions to a panel at the conclusion of the two sessions. The program was the fall's first live satellite offering. The second fall program was telecast November 19 and offered an introduction to business insurance including the insurance policy, insurance application, rules of construction applicable to business insurance policies, claims procedures, defense and settlement of claims and coverage disputes. MID-YEAR MEETING The annual Mid-Year Meeting will be held January 17-18 at the Camelot Hotel in Little Rock. The CLE portion of the meeting will offer a one day review of recent developments in the law including a workshop on the use of character evidence; significant Arkansas federal decisions and appellate decisions; and a
workshop on evidentuary problems encountered in bankruptcy practice. The annual trial advocacy competition between the schools of law at Fayeiteville and Little Rock will be held in the south courtroom of the Old Federal Building. Arkansas Bar Association committees and sections will meet on January 17 and its House of Delegates will meet January 19.
ARKANSAS BAR ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES MEETING SEPTEMBER 21, 1985 The Arkansas Bar Association's House of Delegates held its regular meeting on September 21. 1985, at the Excelsior Hotel, Little Rock. President Don M. Schnipper presided. The House approved the minutes of the last Executive Council meeting, the financial statement as of August 31, 1985, and Association membership statistics. The House authorized the appointment of seven Association members to staggered terms on the State Trial Practice Committee. The purpose of the committee is to encourage continuing communication between the bench and bar. Herschel H. Friday reported that the Arkansas Supreme Court, by Per Curiam Order, referred the proposed ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct back
to the Association's Committee on ABA Model Rules for suggested changes. Final action by the Supreme Court is expected in November, 1985. Friday, the Association's delegate to the American Bar Association, also reported on issues addressed at the ABA's House of Delegates annual meeting in Washington, D.C. The ABA's House condemned actions by attorneys to solicit business arising out of massive disasters. It stated strong disapproval of "the few American lawyers who may be seeking to personally benefit from the recent tragedy in Bhopal. India, by engaging in solicitation practices which are contrary to Rule 7.3 of the ABA's Model Rules of Professional Conduct." The House also voted to condemn corporal punishment in schools and to enlarge the membership of the ABA's Board of Governors. After a long debate, the ABA's House voted to submit proposed amendments to Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to the Advisory Committee on Federal Rules. Friday resigned as the ABA delegate in order to serve on the ABA's Board of Governors. The House expressed its appreciation to Friday for his many years of dedicated service and appointed Jack C. Deacon to serve the unexpired term. The House commended the Legal Education Committee and its chair, Dennis L. Shackleford, on their diligent work in preparing the study on legal education in Arkansas.
January 1985/Arkansas Lawyer/43