Monroe County Bar Association 2nd Quarter 2017 Newsletter

LawDayof plus A Look thru Q2

Member participation in area events

What’s to Come

Key Happenings with Committees

A MCBA PUBLICATION

SECOND QUARTER 2017 VOLUME 22 ISSUE 2

SECOND QUARTER 2017 VOLUME 22 ISSUE 2

NEWS BRIEFS & UPDATES President’s Message.........................................................................3 Trustees & Officers..........................................................................4 What’s News....................................................................................5 MCBA Pledges Another Year’s Support to North Penn...............6 Foundation Footnotes....................................................................7 Member Changes...........................................................................8 New Members.................................................................................9 3rd Quarter Calendar & Event Invites..........................................16 A Look thru Q2............................................................................17 Young Lawyers Division: Out & About in the County...............18 Key MCBA Happenings with Committees.................................24 PBI Schedule.................................................................................26

Cover Photo: MCBA Recognizes 2017 Liberty Bell Award Recipient Patricia Fretz at April 28’s Law Day ceremony (l to r) Judge Arthur Zulick, Fretz, Judge Jonathan Mark, President Judge Margherita Patti-Worthington, Judge Steve Higgins, Judge Jennifer Harlacher Sibum, MCBA President Tim McManus

Monroe County Bar Association 913 Main Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360 www.monroebar.org info2@monroebar.org 570.424.7288

Mission Statement The mission of the Monroe County Bar Association is to maintain the honor and dignity of the profession of the law, to cultivate social interaction among its members and to increase its usefulness in promoting the due administration of justice.

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President’s

Message

S

ummer has officially arrived, as has the mid-point of my term as President.

The year is certainly passing quickly.

Sadly we lost two more of our members, Bernie Billick, who passed away on April 10, 2017, and Steve Gladstone, who passed away on June 12, 2017. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, and we will keep you apprised of any MCBA memorial services for them.

We have experienced some “in house” changes. Our events coordinator, Ashley Narwid, relocated to Montgomery County effective May 5, 2017. I know I speak for all of us in wishing her the best of luck in her future endeavors.

At the same time, I am very pleased to announce that Heather Schenkerberg has joined us as the new events coordinator/administrative assistant, and I very much look forward to working with her.

Please make it a point to stop by and welcome her.

It continues to be a very busy year for the MCBA. Here are some highlights of the past three months: • The first Board Retreat for members of the MCBA and YLD Board members was held on March 27th. Retaining younger lawyers both in the community and as members was a key concern. In an attempt to enhance the possibilities for developing relationships among members of the bar, Member Mixers are being held at Trackside, usually on the last Thursday of the month. I strongly encourage you to attend these whenever you are able to make these meaningful opportunities. In addition, a new flexible, voluntary mentoring program, as well as a revised and expanded employment posting program, are being implemented and should be up and running shortly.

• YLD representatives Dave Marra, Don Gual, Caitlin Humphreys and Casey Schweppenheiser presented PBA’s Stepping Out program for two full days to students at Pleasant Valley High School.

Don Gual again met with students in May. The feedback from the school was extremely complimentary. Thanks to Dave, Don, Caitlin and Casey on a great job, and for donating their time to this worthwhile program.

• Our annual Law Day activities occurred at the end of April, consisting of a continental breakfast, formal Law Day Ceremonies in Courtroom No.1, Fairy Tale Trial and Edwin Krawitz Memorial Law Day Race Judicata. Congratulations to Patricia Fretz, retired Administrator of the Monroe County Area Agency on Aging, this year’s Liberty Bell Award recipient, as well as to the winners of the Creativity Contest consisting of first place video submission by Kate Martin from Pocono Mountain West, second place essay by Kristen Batstone from Pleasant Valley, and third place poem and poster by Yasmine Brooks from Pocono Mountain East. Thank you to all who participated to make these events possible.

• 2017 Community Night sponsored by the Monroe County Local Children’s Roundtable was held on May 9th at the Northampton Community College Monroe Campus. MCBA and North Penn Legal Services partnered to participate.

Over 500 people attended, including appearances by all of our local Common Pleas Judges.

• On May 12th I attended the meeting of the PBA house of delegates in Pittsburgh along with our Zone 5 Gov. Charlie Vogt and Bob Kidwell. A summary of proposed legislation and CLE requirement

changes, as well as recommendations made with respect thereto, is set forth in the 6/5/17 issue of the Pennsylvania Bar News.

• At the Member Meeting on June 8, a pledge of an amount not to exceed $80,000 to support the salary and benefits for one full time staff attorney and one part-time administrative assistant at North Penn Legal Services was authorized for its 2017-2018 fiscal year. This brings our total commitment to NPLS for this purpose over the past four years to $320,000.

• The replacement of the Bar Center roof and HVAC, as well as the installation of sound proofing wall panels on the upstairs room dividers, is now complete.

• Our first social of the year on the veranda of our historic building was held immediately following the member meeting of June 8. Good weather, food, beverages and fellowship was enjoyed by all. Make sure to attend the next one on September 6th.

Other upcoming events for the summer and fall include YLD Bowling with the Judges, YLD Rafting trip (the dates for which you will receive notification when finalized), and our 21st Monroe County Bench Bar Conference on September 29th at the Monroe Campus of Northampton Community College, which, by all indications, should be one of our best to date. I look forward to seeing you there.

The adventure continues. summer.

Enjoy your

Timothy J. McManus

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Monroe County Bar Association Officers and Directors Timothy J. McManus President

Mark A. Primrose Vice President

Elizabeth Bensinger Weekes Secretary

Brian C. Jordan Treasurer

Jeffrey A. Durney

Immediate Past President

Elizabeth M. Field Member at Large

David Marra

Member at Large/YLD President

Monroe County Bar Foundation Board of Trustees William J. Reaser, Jr. Esquire Chairman

Thomas V. Casale, Esquire Vice Chairman

Victoria A. Strunk, Esquire Secretary

Diane L. Dagger, Esquire Treasurer

Thomas F. Dirvonas, Esquire Trustee

Matthew Field, CRPC Trustee

Young Lawyers Division Officers and Board David Marra President

Caitlin M. Humphreys Vice President

Donald Gual Secretary

Casey Schweppenheiser Treasurer

Elizabeth M. Field Member at Large

Hillary A. Madden Member at Large

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WHAT’S NEWs SPEAKS VOLUMES

MONROE COUNTY

FREE FACTS

Heather Schenkerberg

joins the MCBA Staff Heather is a recent graduate from Kutztown University.

She majored in Communication Studies with minors in Public Relations, Professional Writing and Digital Communication and New Media.

As an intern for a non-profit organization located in Kutztown as well as her involvement in Phi Sigma Sigma, Heather gained experience in event planning, marketing through social media and customer relations. She is excited to be working with the Monroe County Bar Association and cannot wait to see what the future has in store.

Heather Schenkerberg dutifully takes on new duties

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n n e er P h t h o t n or a pledges 80K to N

M onroe County Bar Association has presented another $80,000 contribution to North Penn Legal

Services taking the four-year funding total to nearly $320,000. Funds presented will continue to subsidize the Stroudsburg office, dedicated to providing free civil legal services to low income families in Monroe and Pike Counties, costs for professional staff July 2017 through June 2018.

The contribution enables North Penn to continue to retain full-time attorney Caitlin Humphreys dedicated to Monroe County. Stroudsburg’s Managing Attorney Jim Butz, represents clients in both counties. Without the support, Butz would bear the burden of absorbing both regions and pro-bono capabilities would suffer leaving very little legal aid to either county.

“The Monroe County Bar Association is extremely pleased to again be able to provide funding to assist North Penn Legal Services to engage a full-time staff attorney and part-time administrative assistant dedicated to providing legal representation to those residents of Monroe County least able to afford it,” stated Monroe County Bar Association President Tim McManus.

North Penn Legal Services Executive Director Vicki Coyle commented, “Annually, the Monroe County Bar Association has been the single largest charitable donor to support civil legal aid in the 20 counties serviced by North Penn Legal Services,” reporting more than 900 cases accommodated since adding attorney Humphreys on board.

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While financial assistance is critical, MCBA’s role stems beyond revenue resourcing establishing programs such as MCBA’s Modest Means Program (MMP) and collaboratively working with North Penn by holding clinics for low income individuals and families in key legal service areas such as Custody and Expungements.

Launched last October, the Modest Means Program is designed to assist county residents in lower income brackets that North Penn is unable to service.

Qualified clients may be able to obtain a lawyer to represent them, in a limited scope, with specific legal issues. Included are those that affect one’s ability to be employed like a suspended driver’s license or criminal record that may be expunged. Representation for simple divorces, child support and custody is also available within MMP’s pre-set guidelines; along with matters such as home foreclosure, tenant representation, collections and Chapter 7 Bankruptcy.

Simple and living wills, plus Powers of Attorney add to covered issues.

Working out of MCBA offices since 2013, the Commission on Economic Opportunity’s (CEO) has provided mortgage foreclosure mitigation counseling for more than 200 Monroe County families. Housing Counselor Neal Tarulli provides a detailed review of each case and prepares for submission a comprehensive loan modification to the lender. CEO’s success rate in obtaining approvals for modifications exceeds 75%.

Indicating the need to offer pro-bono benefits is evident to Monroe County Bar Association, Vice President Mark Primrose vows, “As long as we [MCBA] have the funds to do it [fund North Penn Legal Services] we’ll continue to do it.”

For additional direction on these and other Monroe County Bar Association services Visit MonroeBar.org or call 570-424-7288 MCBA

Monroe County Bar

foundation A s many of you may have heard, attorney and MCBF Trustee Lara Kash accepted a position in Montgomery County. Attorney Kash will serve as Guardian Ad Litem with the Montgomery

County Court of Common Pleas. The Board has graciously accepted her resignation from the board. We have enjoyed working with Lara and we all wish her the best.

Caitlin Humphreys, staff attorney for North Penn Legal Services, will be joining the Board officially in July. Attorney Humphreys is an active member of MCBA and currently serves as Vice President of the MCBA YLD Division. She is very active on several committees including Pro-Bono, Government Relations, Historical Preservation and Law Day Run. Caitlin also sits on the Family Law and Real Estate sections. We look forward to having Caitlin on board.

Since January the Foundation has supported, through donations and sponsorships, $13,500 to local non-profit organizations including the Monroe County Conservation District through the Kettle Creek Environmental Fund, Stroud Regional Police Community Foundation in support of the SARP’s K9 unit, the Monroe County Historical Association, the Pocono Arts Council, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Monroe County and Future Business Leaders of America program at East Stroudsburg High School. We will also be awarding several scholarships at our July meeting. Your donations to the MCBF allow us to continue to financially support the community. Thank you all for remembering MCBF. Over the next several months the Foundation Trustees will be reviewing the many grant applications received. This is a task we welcome yet acknowledge that the process is never an easy one because all the causes are worthwhile. Funds provided by the Monroe County Bar Association will be put to good use. Thank you to the MCBA Board and members for continuing to allow us to be the giving arm of the Association.

William J. Reaser, Jr.

MCBF Chair

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WelcomeNew Members to our

Eric Closs

Monroe County Public Defender’s Office 610 Monroe Street, Suite 21 Stroudsburg, PA 18353 Phone: 570.517.3042 Fax: 570.517.3871 ecloss@monroecountypa.gov Eric Closs recently returned to Monroe County and has joined the Monroe County Public Defender’s Office. Attorney Closs was a former defense attorney with the Chester County PD’s office and a Law Clerk for the Honorable Margherita Patti-Worthington. Closs earned his JD at Villanova Law School. Attorney Closs is admitted to practice in Federal Eastern District Court in Pennsylvania.

Jonathan Dende

Monroe County Court of Common Pleas 610 Monroe Street, Suite 221 Stroudsburg, PA 18360 Phone: 570.650.1677 jonathandende@gmail.com Jonathan Dende is a law clerk for President Judge Margherita Patti-Worthington. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Politics at Catholic University of America. Dende then went on to earn his Juris Doctorate at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School where he graduated Cum Laude. He has Jurisdictions in New Jersey and New York as well as Pennsylvania.

Leonard Gryskewicz Jr. Lampman Law 2 Public Square Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 Phone: 570.371.3737 Fax: 570.371.3838 lenny@lampmanlaw.com www.lampmanlaw.com

Attorney Gryskewicz is an Associate Attorney at Lampman Law. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at Wilkes University. After graduating from Wilkes Leonard went on to receive his Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School of Union University.

Lampman achieved the honor of Eagle Scout. The areas that he focuses on are consumer protection, debt defense, bankruptcy and criminal defense.

David V. Lampman Lampman Law 2 Public Square Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 Phone: 570.371.3737 Fax: 570.371.3838 david@lampmanlaw.com www.lampmanlaw.com

Attorney David V. Lampman received his Bachelor’s degree in History at King’s College and earned his Juris Doctorate from Albany Law School. In addition to serving his private practice with a focus on criminal law and DUI defense, Lampman works with Luzerne County as Conflict Counsel.

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Ashley Messoline

Leeth & Gaglione 818 Ann Street Stroudsburg PA 18360 Phone: 570.421.7282 Fax: 570.300.2354 amessoline@leethandgaglione.com www.stroudsburglaw.com Attorney Messoline is an Associate Attorney at Leeth and Gaglione, LLC in Stroudsburg. She earned her Bachelor’s degree at Occidental College and her Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University School of Law. Messoline is a former Assistant Prosecutor with the United States Marine Corp. Attorney Messoline currently coaches gymnastics when not in her law office or in court.

MemberChanges Syzane Arifaj

Andrea Di Dio

Thomas V. Casale

Angelo Ortenzi

318 Spring Garden Street Easton PA, 18042

Resorts Group, Inc. 819 Ann Street Stroudsburg PA 18360 tcasale@resortsgroup.com

Shamira Cooper

Commonwealth of PA Board of Finance and Revenue 1101 South Front Street, Suite 400 Harrisburg, PA 17104 717.787.2711 Fax: 717.783.4499 scooper@patreasury.gov

150 Morristown Road, Suite 125 Bernardsville, NJ 07924

angeortenzi@gmail.com

F. Andrew Wolf

CRE Bushkill Group LLC

Andrew W. Worthington PO Box 21 Stroudsburg, PA 18360 570.350.2681

MCBA pagenine

APRIL

28

f o y a D w a L

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Liberty Bell M

onroe County Bar Association embraced this year’s Law Day theme, “The 14th Amendment Transforming American Democracy” as an opportunity to applaud and educate April 28 in a monumental ceremony Monroe County Courthouse, with the 35th Annual Edwin Krawitz Memorial Race Judicata held later on April 30.

Friday’s festivities began with MCBA President Timothy McManus addressing a packed courtroom ceremony with details of the nationally recognized celebration, followed by President Judge Margherita Patti-Worthington explaining the importance of the amendment’s significance to be recognized and respected by all citizens.

Noting, “[The 14th Amendment] stands out serving as the basis for landmark court decisions,” she reminded, legal professionals hold a crucial role in “safeguarding” rights stressing how defiance, “Challenges the very foundation of society.”

The event continued with applause for Liberty Bell Award winner Patricia Fretz, an area advocate dedicating a 40-year career with Monroe County Area Agency on Aging toward protecting the rights of our elderly community. Attention then turned toward Creativity Contest winners: First Place/Kate Martin, Second/ Kristen Batstone and Third/Yasmine Brooks.

Illustrating an understanding by today’s youth of specific civil rights, the Pleasant Valley, Pocono Mountain West and Pocono Mountain East High School students shared video, essay and poster creations. From “A Woman’s Tale,” audiovisual by Martin emphasizing the relevance of equality; to Batstone’s essay “Love is Love and Brooks’ poster “Loving V Virginia,” each portrayed unique points.

Though the ceremony concluded, a captive audience of 5th and 6th students from Notre Dame and Monsignor McHugh gathered for Fairytale Trial fun. Case-in-point, “The Commonwealth versus Joker” had

Fai

costumed characters including the caped crusader Batman sharing testimony for and against the arch villain.

Charged with Arson, Conspiracy to Commit Arson and Possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction, students served as jury before President Judge Worthington.

After details of the dastardly plot unveiled, a guilty verdict and 100year prison term created courtroom chaos as students cheered and the perpetrator sneered.

Calling the day, “A great way to show them [students] an actual trial,” teacher Monica Morgan

smiled, “It was nice to have them participate–a real hands on way.”

Feature Jeanine Hofbauer Published May 29, 2017 The Journal News

Rise and shine Sunday morning time had runners of all kinds ready to join in the 35th Annual Edwin Krawitz Memorial Race Judicata.

Close to 60 participants enjoyed the Law Day tradition with a 5-mile race and 5K Fun Run/Walk.

From a familiar first place face, Matthew Martino taking the race title yet again with a time of 27 minutes 30 seconds; to Nicole Cegelka with a leashed Simba canine companion trotting in first for the Fun Run, all welcomed the morning course with funds benefitting Burnley Workshop.

As events ended, a reminder followed to learn, observe and respect the rights of all dutifully not only Law Day but every day.

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Z EDWIN KRAWIT

MEMORIAL

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R E B M E T P SE

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YoungLawyersDivision David Marra

YLD President

O ur YLD members have been making their way around the County!

Dave Marra, Caitlin Humphreys, Don Gual and Casey Schweppenheiser took the PBA’s ‘Stepping Out’ program on the road to Pleasant Valley High School. The program has been designed to provide students transitioning to young adults with valuable information regarding credit, leases and contracts, and budgeting. Areas covered include understanding credit, leases and contracts and budgeting. Over two days the attorneys met with no less than five classes per day.

According to Gayle Markowski, Reading Specialist at PV, the ladies did a spectacular job - “The students asked questions, took notes and NOT one OF THEM even attempted to look at a phone. That is BIG for high school students these days!” And the men were equally impressive according to Gayle – “Both gentlemen have such diverse backgrounds and have so much to share with our students. Once again the students were

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engaged and impressive (it was good for us to see them focused and attentive). We want them both to come back SOON!” and “all the teachers agree that Don's stories were the perfect format for delivery of the message today.”

Representing the YLD this year at the annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kid’s event were YLD Board members Liz Field and Hillary Madden and their families. Together they raised $450 which the Monroe County Bar Foundation matched, making the total donation to BBBS $900! Great for one morning of family fun time!

Member Mixers were held in March and April, and will begin again in July. Great appetizers are provided for all by the YLD. Open to both longstanding and YLD members, the Mixers provide an opportunity for everyone to get to know each other, relax and have some fun outside of the office. Mark your calendar for the last Thursday in July and join us

at the Trackside Grill in East Stroudsburg! More details out shortly.

We are planning summer and fall events.

We hope to go river rafting again in late August or September. All members and families are encouraged to attend. The YLD subsidizes the rafting fees making it more affordable to everyone. Wills for Hero’s coordinator Hillary Madden is working closely with several first responder organizations and will soon be finalizing the date of our next WFH’s day in Monroe County.

We have just received official notice and are very pleased to inform you that Attorney Don Gual, Law Clerk for the Honorable Stephen M. Higgins has been selected as one of only eleven lawyers in the Commonwealth to attend PBA’s Bar Leadership Institute 2017-2018 program.

Candidates had to demonstrate leadership ability, commitment to attendance and participation in the required events, be currently licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania, be a PBA member and be age 38 years or younger or have practiced five years or less.

Congratulations Don!

MONROE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION MONROE LEGAL REPORTER

913 MAIN STREET ∙ STROUDSBURG, PA 18360 ∙ MONROEBAR.ORG 570.424.7288 570.424.8234 (FAX)

To: All Pennsylvania Attorneys:

Re: Bridge the Gap

In recent years, the Disciplinary Board of Pennsylvania has recorded an increasing number of complaints filed against newly admitted attorneys for violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct which directly relate to the practical aspects of operating a law office. A joint committee of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania designed a program to provide the type of information necessary to smooth the transition from law student to attorney. The result was the Bridge the Gap program intended to give the recent law graduate the “know-how” which is otherwise learned through trial and error. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania recently approved a rule change requiring newly admitted lawyers to complete the Bridge the Gap program by their first CLE compliance deadline.

The Bridge the Gap program consists of the following sections:      

Introduction & Communications Practice Management Fiduciary Requirements Overview of PA Supreme Court Disciplinary System Outreach Programs & Resources Qualifies for 4 hours ethics credit

The Monroe County Bar Association will offer the four (4) hour program during each compliance period.

The next program is scheduled for Wednesday, August 2, 2017 from 12:30pm to 4:30pm. A light lunch will be served at 12:00 Noon. The program will be offered at the Bar Center, 913 Main Street, Stroudsburg, PA. Any attorney may attend the course to obtain CLE credit. The cost of the course will be $10 for attorneys in practice one year or less; $45 for attorneys in practice no more than five years; and $90 for attorneys in practice for more than five years.

To register, complete and return the attached coupon with a check payable to MCBA by July 28, 2017.

Indicate August 2, 2017 - Bridge the Gap on the memo line.

August 2, 2017

Bridge the Gap Program

Name: ________________________________________________Attorney ID #____________ Email: ______________________________ Telephone #: _____________________________ Cost:

$10 for attorneys in practice one year or less $45 for attorneys in practice no more than five years $90 for attorneys in practice for more than five years

Congratulatory Ad Packages 2017 A. Mitchell Palmer Award Dinner Co-Sponsored by the Monroe County Bar Association and East Stroudsburg Elks #319

Honoring Sharon S. Laverdure The East Stroudsburg Elks Lodge 319 is proud to announce long time educator, coach and highly respected community leader Sharon S. Laverdure as the recipient of the 2017 A. Mitchell Palmer Award.

Photo by Eileen Noelle

Sharon’s teaching career spans over 43 years with East Stroudsburg Area School District, starting as a teacher and coach to being appointed Superintendent of the District until her retirement in 2016. A leader in her profession, Mrs. Laverdure held state and national positions in Women’s Caucus and was a Board Member of the Pennsylvania Associations of School Administrators, President of the East Stroudsburg Education Association and a committee member of PIAA District XI. Sharon has held positions in organizations including Pocono Services for Families and Children, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Perryman/ Keglovits All-Star Games, Eastburg Community Alliance, the 2030 Task Force and Monroe County Child Death Review Team to name a few. Awards include Citizen of the Year BPOE 319 (2005 and 2015) , Monroe County Education Award (2015), and the Martin Luther King Community Award (2016).

Tuesday, September 12, 2017 East Stroudsburg Elks 260 Washington St. East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 5:00 pm Open Bar 6:00 pm Dinner and Program Choice of : 16 oz Roasted Prime Rib, Pine Nut Crusted Chicken Breast or Iron Skillet Teriyaki Salmon Please confirm your reservation by East Stroudsburg Elks E-mail Address: dvmerklin@yahoo.com returning the information below by 260 Washington St. Phone: 570.421.2350 August 15, 2017.

East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 Dinner and Congratulatory AD Packages: [ ] Gold Sponsor ($600) Premium seating for table of 8, full-page ad. [ ] Silver Sponsor ($550) Includes table of 8, half-page ad. [ ] First Class Table ($350) Includes seating for 4, half-page ad. [ ] Special Friend ($150) Includes seating for 2, business card ad. [ ] Individual Tickets ($55) Number of tickets _______ [ ] I am unable to attend. Please accept the enclosed donation of $______ Congratulatory AD Opportunities, without dinner tickets: [ ] Full Page ad (8” x 5”) $225 [ ] Half Page ad (4” x 5”) $125 [ ] Business Card Size ad $50 *Please enclose camera-ready artwork or email information to dburdge@monroebar.org by 8/15/17* Please make checks payable to: East Stroudsburg Elks #319 Name:__________________________________________ Phone:_____________________________________ Address:__________________________________________________________________________________________ Email Address:_____________________________________________________________________________________ Net proceeds benefit the A. Mitchell Palmer Scholarship Fund

Twenty-first Annual

Monroe County Bench Bar Conference SAVE THE DATE: Friday, September 29, 2017 Northampton Community College -Monroe Campus-

MCBA happenings with committees

bench bar Planning for the 2017 Bench Bar Conference, being held on Friday, September 29th, is well underway. There will be two plenary sessions; Matt Goerke will help attendees improve their memory. Attorney Laurie Besden, the Executive Director of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, is presenting “Intervention Strategies for Helping Legal Professionals”. Additionally, this year’s breakout sessions will cover land use regulations and rules of evidence.

The Conference will again be at Northampton Community College. Registration for the Conference will be mailed in early August.

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cle The CLE Committee continues to offer a variety of educational programs. In recent months presentation topics have included options available to HOA Boards and homeowners in light of pending legislation (HB 595), protecting the elderly, criminal specific topics – scene analysis and forensics, and recognizing child and elder abuse. The next programs on deck are “Landlord/Tenant: Habitability Issues” and “Bridge the Gap”. Several other programs will be offered this year with announcements to follow. If you have an idea for a program or wish to present a program please email Brian Jordan bcjordan@csmjlawyer. com.

fee dispute At the request of members, the Fee Dispute Committee has been updating the MCBA rules for Fee Disputes. In the near future, MCBA members will be able to initiate a Fee Dispute against a client. Watch for more information in the next several weeks.

find a lawyer The Find a Lawyer Program continues to be very active.

Through May 31st the Bar Association has provided 1289 referrals to those members participating in the FAL Program. Family Law and Real Property attorneys are the most requested.

law day

government relations Relevant pending legislation is reviewed monthly by the Government Relations Committee.

Currently a group of family law attorneys, led by Mary Louise Parker, are tracking legislation on major changes to APL. While the proposed changes are not expected to go through as presented, there is an expectation at PBA that some changes will be coming in the future. The Committee continues to closely watch the taxing on legal services, funding for the Legal Services Corporation which funds North Penn Legal Services as well as tracking any movement on the legal notice publications.

Both the Law Day Ceremonies and the Fairy Tale Trials were very successful this year. The student submissions for the Creativity Contest were excellent. The first place video, submitted by Kate Martin is posted on the MCBA home page, www. monroebar.org. Patricia Fretz, retired Administrator of the Monroe County Area Agency on Aging was the recipient of the 2017 Liberty Bell award.

The 35th running of the Race Judicata raised $3,000 for the Burnley Employment and Rehabilitation Center in Snydersville. Dates for the 2018 events have been set – Friday, April 27th for the Law Day Ceremony and Fairy Tale Trials and Sunday, April 29th for the 36th Race Judicata.

mock trial The 2017 Mock Trials Invitational is fast approaching. Final confirmation of the location for the Saturday, November 18th event will be announced shortly. The Committee will be meeting shortly to firm up details and develop the case for 2017.

Please mark your calendar and join us as we help prepare the high school students for district and regional competitions to be held in early 2018.

pro bono This year the Pro-Bono Committee is working closely with North Penn Legal Services to offer legal clinics to those Monroe County residents who fall within the Federal Income Guidelines. In late winter a clinic was held specifically for parents with relocation issues.

In July the second clinic of the year will take place. Clients with Landlord / Tenant – Habitability issues will meet with volunteers for assistance in understanding their rights as well as learning the appropriate legal steps to take when working with the landlord. The Modest Means Program continues to grow with clients seeking assistance at a discounted rate from those members participating in the program.

The Program was launched in October of 2016 and to date, over 50 applications have been received. Over 30 have been referred to attorneys for possible representation and over 20 have been rejected mainly due to higher than allowable income levels. Anyone wishing to learn more about the program or to participation should reach out to the MCBA staff.

Upcoming Upcoming PBIPBI Schedule Schedule at at the the MCBA MCBA Bar Bar Center Center Live-feed Live-feed Group-casts Group-casts && Video Video Replays Replays For For more more details details oror toto register register forfor any any PBIPBI seminar, seminar, gogo toto www.pbi.org www.pbi.org call 800.932.4637 oror call 800.932.4637 Courses are subject cancellation if minimum a minimum number attendees not Courses are subject toto cancellation byby PBIPBI if a number of of attendees dodo not pre-register. pre-register.

PBI: Medicare ABCs and D - Video PBI: Medicare ABCs and D - Video 07/12/2017 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM 07/12/2017 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM PBI: Driving Under the Influence: Strategies that Win Cases - Groupcast PBI: Driving Under the Influence: Strategies that Win Cases - Groupcast 07/19/2017 12:30 PM – 4:45 PM 07/19/2017 12:30 PM – 4:45 PM

PBI: Autonomous Vehicles- Video PBI: Autonomous Vehicles- Video 07/21/2017 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM 07/21/2017 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

PBI: Big Changes Coming for LLCs; LLPs; LPs and GPs Encore - Groupcast PBI: Big Changes Coming for LLCs; LLPs; LPs and GPs Encore - Groupcast 07/27/2017 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM 07/27/2017 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

PBI: Child & Spousal Support: Back to the Basics - Video PBI: Child & Spousal Support: Back to the Basics - Video 08/04/2017 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM 08/04/2017 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

PBI: A Day on Personal Injury - Groupcast PBI: A Day on Personal Injury - Groupcast 08/09/2017 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM 08/09/2017 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

PBI: Drafting and Enforcing Fee Agreements in PA - Groupcast PBI: Drafting and Enforcing Fee Agreements in PA - Groupcast 08/15/2017 9:00 AM – 1:15 PM 08/15/2017 9:00 AM – 1:15 PM

PBI: Advanced Issues in Civil Practice & Procedure in PA - Groupcast PBI: Advanced Issues in Civil Practice & Procedure in PA - Groupcast 08/23/2017 9:00 AM – 12:15 PM 08/23/2017 9:00 AM – 12:15 PM

PBI: Help! The Rules are Changing …and They Impact All PA Court Filings - Groupcast PBI: Help! The Rules are Changing …and They Impact All PA Court Filings - Groupcast 08/30/2017 9:00 AM – 12:15 PM 08/30/2017 9:00 AM – 12:15 PM

Please go to the MCBA calendar to confirm seminar - www.monroebar.org Please go to the MCBA calendar to confirm seminar - www.monroebar.org