Member Newsletter May/June

May/June 2021

MEMBER NEWSLETTER Periodic E-Newsletter Focusing on Arkansas Bar Association Members

ARKBAR HAPPENINGS

May 2021

ARKBAR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL BEGINS

SUNDAY

23

MONDAY

24 Editorial Advisory Board Mtg.

30

31

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

25

26

THURSDAY

27

FRIDAY

28

SATURDAY

29

First 400 to register for Annual Meeting

by May 31 receive a chocolate box for the tasting!

June 2021 1

2

3

4

5

9

10

11

12

16

17

18

19

Annual Meeting Early Registration Ends

6

7

8

13

14

15 123RD

ARKBAR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL M AY - JU LY A NNUA L MEETING

Board of Trustees Mtg.

20

21

BEST OF

22

CLE

28

SpeciBCLE al Pricing $25/HR MEMBERS

23

Hamilton at Home Evening Event

24

Isaac Wright Closing Plenary

25

26

Best of CLE NEW Webinars 21st-25th at 10:00a • Noon • 2:00p Best of CLE 12 NEW ON-DEMANDS ANYTIME 21st-30th

TWO WEEKS!

27

Chocolate Tasting Evening Event

29

30

Best of CLE Live Webinars 28th-30th 10:00a • Noon • 2:00p

1

Oyez! Oyez!

The United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas appointed Christy Comstock as United States Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Arkansas with her official duty station being in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The appointment will be for an eight-year term, which was effective May 1, 2021.

Edie R. Ervin has been named the next United States magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Ervin will join the Court at the beginning of June, after the Honorable Beth Deere concludes her service as a full-time United States Magistrate Judge. Judge Deere will continue to serve on a part-time basis as needed in all kinds of cases.

Milton Fine has been promoted to chief administrative law judge for the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission in Little Rock. Fine’s previous role was as an administrative law judge. Fine replaced Barbara Webb, who was elected to the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Ed McClure, a partner at Matthews, Campbell, Rhoads, McClure & Thompson, P.A., has been elected to the Arkansas PBS Foundation Board of Directors.

Cynthia Nance, dean emeritus and the Nathan G. Gordon Professor of Law at the U of A School of Law, received the University of Iowa Hancher-Finkbine Alumni Medallion 2021. The gold medallion, one of University of Iowa’s highest honors, recognizes those who exemplify learning, leadership and loyalty.

Todd Whatley has been hired as senior counsel for the Wilson Estate Planning Group in Little Rock.

Jenny Wilkes has joined Barber Law Firm in Little Rock in an of-counsel role. Wilkes will work in areas related to tax and estate planning, business and corporate law and mergers and acquisitions.

Hilburn, Calhoon, Harper, Pruniski & Calhoun, Ltd. Rebrands to Hilburn & Harper, Ltd.

WLJ Tech Law has launched a new partnership with Northwest Arkansasbased Startup Junkie to further the shared goal of strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the innovative efforts of the startup community. WLJ Tech Law is a specialized group of Wright Lindsey Jennings attorneys based in Rogers and Little Rock dedicated to educating and advocating for entrepreneurs, tech startups and established technology businesses.

Send your oyez to ahubbard@arkbar.com 2

www.arkbar.com

The Arkansas Bar Association is your advocate at the State Capitol.

Meet ArkBar’s #morethanalawyer Stephen Coger

Stephen keeps grounded with a diverse array of projects outside of his nonprofit law firm Arkansas Immigration Defense that promotes justice by defending and advancing the rights of immigrants and refugees. Look for him and his dog cruising Fayetteville in his 1973 VW Thing.

Law Student Spotlights Thank you to the William H. Bowen School of Law and University of Arkansas School of Law for sharing student features to connect the law students with ArkBar members. Pictured below are the students featured in 2021.

Nick Bell

Zoë Harris

Altimease Lowe

David Lee

Read about these amazing students at: www.arkbar. com/for-attorneys/ publications/law-studentspotlight Jemima Merritt

Cassius Price

Hooray for Scholarships!

The Young Lawyers Section and the Arkansas Bar Commission on Diversity and Inclusion is Awarding four scholarships to Arkansas law students this summer. The recipients will be announced during the YLS Awards Ceremony during ArkBar’s Virtual Annual Meeting on June 16th.

New Laws Now

Your Member Benefit The Regular Session of the 93rd General Assembly officially recessed on Friday, April 30th.

The Legislature will reconvene later this fall to consider income tax cut proposals and congressional redistricting.

Although the General Assembly went into an extended recess and did not adjourn Sine Die, bills will still become effective 90 days after the legislature recessed on April 30th. Also, a number of bills included an emergency clause and became law immediately following the signature of the Governor. As a member benefit, the Arkansas Bar Association has compiled a list of all of the new bills that have already gone into effect. View the list of New Laws Now here.

The Arkansas Bar Association’s Legislation Committee met every Friday and reviewed over 1,700 bills and resolutions throughout the legislative session, and over 650 bills were sent to different sections within the Bar Association for review and comment. We owe a big debt of gratitude to our Legislation Committee: · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

Professor Lynn Foster, Chair Payton Bentley Taylor Chaney Bob Estes Jason Hendren Glen Hoggard Jamie Jones Paul Keith Joe Kolb Cliff McKinney William Montgomery Ezra Smith Aaron Squyres

3

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS HILARIE BASS

123 ANNUA L ARKANSAS BAR ASSOCIATION

RD

1. REBOOT 2. RECHARGE 3. RECLAIM

MEETING

President & Founder of the Bass Institute for Diversity & Inclusion; President of the American Bar Association (2017-2018)

STACY LEEDS

Foundation Professor of Law and Leadership, Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law; Dean Emeritus, University of Arkansas School of Law

JOEL OSTER

Comedian of Law

REIMAGINING OUR PRACTICES FOR THE BEST TOMORROW

JOINT MEETING WITH THE ARKANSAS JUDICIAL COUNCIL

JUNE 15-18, 2021

VIRTUAL—JOIN US ON CLE CENTRAL

Consultant, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Criminal and Civil Attorney and inspiration for ABC’s series “For Life”

LAURA WASSER

Celebrity Family Law Attorney, Wasser, Cooperman & Mandles, P.C. Creator of “It’s Over Easy,” an online divorce platform

36.5 HOURS 6.0 ETHICS Livestreaming Sessions

REBOOT RECHARGE RECLAIM THE FIRST 400 REGISTRANTS WILL RECEIVE A FREE BOX OF CHOCOLATES FOR VIRTUAL CHOCOLATE TASTING EVENT. REGISTER BY MAY 30!

ARKBAR.COM/ANNUALMEETING 4

ISAAC WRIGHT JR.

www.arkbar.com

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

RD 123 AN N UAL

MEETING

PLATINUM LEVEL

GOLD LEVEL

Arkansas Bar Foundation

SILVER LEVEL

BRONZE LEVEL

a tla

Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Galchus, P.C.

Kirby and Rosalind Mouser

RamsayBRidgfoRth

Ramsay, BRidgfoRth, RoBinson and Raley llP Attorneys at Law

As of April 23, 2021

5

6

www.arkbar.com

MEMBERSHIP

Simple as...

1 2

3

MY WAY Make my law practice easier: • • • • • •

New this Year! Case Summaries via Podcasts New this Year! Paralegal Affiliate Membership New this Year! Newly Licensed Attorney Welcome Packet Fastcase – Free Legal Research Practice Link (technology training for you and your staff) ArkBar Deskbooks on Arkansas law available in Fastcase

Save me money: • • • • •

Six (6) FREE On-Demand CLE hours on CLE CENTRAL Discounts on Section-sponsored CLE with Section dues Earn FREE CLE via Pro Bono ArkBar Insurance Marketplace BXS Insurance – discount on professional liability insurance

Flexible Payment Options: • • • •

Income-based options Annual Auto-Renewal Monthly AutoPay Newly Licensed Attorney Tiered Pricing

Earn FREE CLE Credits via Pro Bono!

ArkBar members are encouraged to earn free CLE through pro bono public service.

Watch for opportunities in ArkBar publications.

New with Membership this Year!

Six Free CLE Hours Your six free CLE hours will be made available through our online catalog, CLE CENTRAL. Log in and select six ondemand CLE hours anytime at your convenience.

All six hours must be taken and submitted within the 2021-22 bar year.

Hours will not carry over.

Paralegal Affiliate Membership A new affiliate membership for Paralegals designed to improve law firm efficiency focusing on education, networking and training resources.

Newly Licensed Attorneys Welcome packet includes free ArkBar Deskbook of choice.

Tiered pricing based on years of practice.

Discounts with Section Dues If your section hosts a minimum three-hour CLE in-person seminar or live webinar during the 2021-22 bar year, as a member of that section you will be entitled to a $25 discount on registration for that seminar or webinar.

Pay Now, Save Later!

On-Demand CLE and Annual Meeting are excluded.

Reboot, Recharge & Renew Your ArkBar Membership Today! www.arkbar.com 7

New this Year!

PARALEGAL

AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP A new affiliate membership for paralegals designed to improve law firm efficiency focusing on education, networking and training resources.

Benefits for the Affiliate Member:

Benefits for the Attorney/Law Firm:

•

Access to Fastcase, ArkBar’s free legal

•

Improved law office management

research tool

•

Law office professionalism

•

ArkBar Insurance Marketplace

•

Free and low-cost training

•

Networking through ACE online community

•

Enhanced employee benefits

•

The Arkansas Lawyer Magazine – online

•

Focused training on legal research

•

Participation in ArkBar committees

•

Client recognition of firm’s dedication to

•

Six FREE on-demand continuing legal

highest level of service and support

education hours through CLE CENTRAL

Affiliate membership is open to anyone working for and supervised by an Arkansas Bar Association attorney member, whether that person is a paralegal, a legal secretary or office manager.

Six Free CLE Hours Your six free CLE hours will be made available through our online catalog, CLE CENTRAL. Log in and select six on-demand CLE hours anytime at your convenience.

All six hours must be taken and submitted within the 2021-22 bar year. Hours will not carry over.

Paralegal Affiliate Membership The Arkansas Bar has always been the premier provider of continuing legal education and networking opportunities for Arkansas attorneys. Now we look forward to offering some of those same opportunities to our attorney members’ support staff.

• •

Flexible Payment Options Annual Auto-Renewal Monthly AutoPay

Creating Connections Using the ACE community, affiliate members can take advantage of the discussion forum to communicate with other affiliate members and post documents and blogs.

Join the Arkansas Bar Association Today! www.arkbar.com 8

www.arkbar.com