The Advocate | Spring 2021

THE

ADVOCATE VOLUME 35, NUMBER 3 - Spring 2021

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WINTER ISSUE!

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 Message from the Chair 4 Committee Updates 4 Activities Committee 5 Diversity and Inclusion Committee 7 Family Friendly Committee 7 Membership Committee 9 Nominating Committee 10 Riding the Circuits 10 Baltimore City 11 Howard County 12 Getting Creative with Events During the COVID-19 Pandemic 18 Announcements 18 MSBA Legal Summit 19 YLS Sun Run

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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

BY ELIZABETH ROSEN, SECTION CHAIR (EMROSEN09@GMAIL.COM) Greetings, Wishing everyone health and happiness as we enter the summer season. This past year, the Young Lawyers Section stayed busy as we worked to provide programming and opportunities to meet the needs of our members.

Despite not being able to meet together in person, we gathered members from across the State to participate virtually in Legal Excellence Week and we partnered with organizations like the Pro Bono Resource Center to demystify pro bono. In efforts to expose young lawyers to civic engagement, we held programming on understanding election law, voters’ rights, and how to get a seat at the table. We had panelists educate members about what to know before hanging out your shingle and provide tips for first-time homebuyers.

We sought work-life balance by playing trivia, practicing yoga, and creating a Peloton cycling group. We continued our tradition of plunging and raising funds for Special Olympics Maryland via the Polar Bear Plunge. This past year, we also created a Young Lawyers Section page on LinkedIn. We tried outlets we had not tried before and look forward to exploring new adventures for the benefit of the Young Lawyers Section.

On April 23, we held the Young Lawyers Section Annual Charity Event virtually, which benefitted the Community Law Center. This event featured a “music bingo,” an amazing silent auction, and catering through our invaluable partner, Gertrude’s. You can read more about this event and all the other incredible events we held this year, as well as learn about the challenges and lessons learned in navigating a virtual atmosphere in this Issue of the Advocate.

But the year is not over yet! Join us virtually from June 9-11 for this year’s Legal Summit. The Young Lawyers Section will be hosting a virtual version of our beloved Sun Run and will continue our tradition of participation in the “Are you Smarter than a Law Clerk” panel.

Although this year was certainly unusual, I am proud of the work of the Young Lawyers Section and the dedication of its members in continuing to achieve access and opportunity for its membership. If you want to know what we are up to, you can always check in at: msba.org/for-members/sections/yls.

Wishing you all the best, Elizabeth Rosen 3

COMMITTEE UPDATES ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE

BY EMILY GREENE, ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR The Activities Committee held the 30th Annual Young Lawyers Section (“YLS”) Charity Event on April 23, 2021. This year, the beneficiary of the Event was the Community Law Center.

Normally, the event, which is one of the YLS’s largest annual events, is held in person with many members of the bench, bar, legal community, and guests in attendance. This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the event was held virtually on Zoom.

Planning an event during COVID-19 was equally challenging and rewarding. The uncertainty of the pandemic and the unpredictability of safety guidelines and restrictions created the need to take a “wait and see approach,” which resulted in a significantly condensed planning timeline. Where we normally have almost a year to plan the Event, we had only a few months to plan and had to transition from a traditionally in-person event into an entirely virtual space.

Surely, many can relate to this challenge, as the pandemic forced nearly all aspects of our lives into a virtual space in one way or another. From FaceTime happy hours to Google Meet yoga, from Zoom court hearings to driveby birthday parties and everything in between—if you have lived in 2020-21, you have probably seen it all.

In this writer’s experience, transitioning into the virtual space does not typically require reinventing the wheel; rather, the key is to find the virtual equivalent of what you are seeking to replace and add a creative spin to it. Because of technological advances, finding a virtual equivalent for things like a silent auction, human interaction, and entertainment is made easier by the wealth of platforms and tools available.

Adding a personal touch to strictly virtual events does require a lot of creativity and brainstorming. As great as your event can be, many people are tired of staring at a screen. A great way to induce attendance and make an event memorable is to add a tangible element to the event. For example, have optional food or beverage packages or if you’re holding a virtual workshop, make tangible materials or supplies available for socially-distant pick-ups or delivery.

If a tangible element is not possible, try to create a plan that will allow attendees to engage and interact as much as possible, though in a controlled manner.

For this year’s event, by adjusting and getting a bit creative, we even reaped some benefits of being strictly virtual this year. Being on Zoom rather than in a restaurant with an open bar, a band, and side conversation, we had a much more captive audience, which helped 4

facilitate announcements about the silent auction, ways to donate, and, of course, thank yous to our sponsors.

We were also able to decrease the overhead costs of by not having to use part of our budget for the event venue, which resulted in more profits for the Community Law Center—all while still being able to work with our vendor for this event for the past several years, Gertrude’s, who prepared to-go drinks and charcuterie for Event attendees.

Some beneficial virtual elements may outlast the pandemic and find their way into future in-person events. For instance, because our silent auction became an online auction, we were

able to open it days before the event and close it days after the event, which allowed for a wider reach and more time for bidding wars to ensue, increasing our profits for the Community Law Center.

Thanks to our wonderful Committee members, attendees, sponsors, and donors, the Activities Committee was able to hold a great virtual Charity Event.

We far exceeded our expectations for ticket sales, attendance, and silent auction participation. We were able to raise more than $10,000.00 for the Community Law Center! While we did miss seeing everyone in person, we can certainly call this year’s event a success.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE

BY MARIA DEL PILAR (“MAYA”) ZEGARRA MSBA YLS DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CO-CHAIR The MSBA YLS Diversity and Inclusion Committee co-sponsored the Women in the Law Panel with the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association (“MHBA”), which was held virtually on March 23, 2021 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The event focused on different career paths and how to make yourself a more marketable, stronger candidate for any job.

Panelists: • Judge Yolanda Curtin, Harford County Circuit Court • Jamie Alvarado-Taylor, Esq., Stein

Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll PC • Llamilet Gutierrez, Esq., Prince George’s County Assistant State’s Attorney • Lisa Piccinini, Esq., Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland • Julianne Tarver, Esq., Legal Services Corporation Many law students and attorneys attended the virtual event. Judge Curtin, who was sworn in as the first Hispanic judge on the Harford County Circuit Court in 2013, came to the United States from Cuba when she was a year old.

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Through hard work and perseverance, she discovered that she had a passion for the law. Judge Curtin encouraged all participants to “Be a student of the law.

Be involved in other organizations. Be professional.”

Jamie Alvarado-Taylor was a teacher and corporate trainer before becoming a successful litigator at Stein Sperling in Montgomery County, MD. She has been an active member in MHBA and the Bar Association of Montgomery County.

Ms. Alvarado-Taylor encouraged the attendees to find their passion and focus on self-care.

Llamilet Gutierrez, the daughter of immigrants, knew she wanted to be a prosecutor since she was 10 years old.

She is the immediate Past President of the Prince George’s County Bar Association. She shared her experiences that led her to become an attorney and her struggles. She felt a calling to help people and encouraged attendees to find their happiness.

Lisa Piccinini was first interested in environmental science and policy but after she practiced family law

and domestic violence at a nonprofit, she became part of the Attorney Grievance Commission. Lisa shared with the attendees the importance of recognizing your limits and selfcare. Lisa highlighted the importance of professional responsibility as law students and as attorneys.

Julianne Tarver has focused on public interest law since graduating from law school and receiving a public interest fellowship. She has a passion for helping low-income individuals and encouraged attendees to ask for help and to find the organization that is the perfect match to them, if interested in the nonprofit sector.

The event was well attended, and participants were able to learn from five successful women.

The MSBA YLS Diversity and Inclusion Committee wants to thank again all the panelists, Manny Fishelmann, Angela Munro, and the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association for their time and help with this event.

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FAMILY FRIENDLY COMMITTEE Although the pandemic hampered our ability to hold in-person events this year, the MSBA’s Young Lawyers Section Family Friendly Committee was still able to have some fun! At the end of 2020, the group hosted a virtual trivia game, where contestants of all ages competed in the areas of science, sports, history, pop culture, and entertainment. The event was a

nail-biter, resulting in a winner-take-all “lighting round” of questions! As we keep our fingers crossed for the return of group gatherings, the Family Friendly Committee is planning to host a virtual paint event, where participants will receive a canvas, paints, and brushes to show their artistic side and create their own masterpiece. Stay tuned for details!

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE The Membership Committee hosted a successful first-time home buyer’s event on April 7 with a loan officer representative and two title attorneys. If you missed the event and are interested in buying a home, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/3L91TjhoQjA The Membership Committee also held an event with Lindsay Parvis and Anna Sholl to help young lawyers enhance their career, develop their practice, and find their niche through successful mentorship. We helped them develop best practices for finding a mentor and

identify key components to a successful mentor/mentee relationship.

The Membership Committee is also working on putting together these future events: Sending letters and cards to a deployed unit, possibly someone who is a JAG officer or someone who is a friend to someone in our legal community – if you have someone in mind, we would love to do this on a regular basis, so please message Genna Hoy. Stay tuned for details!

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We created a #MSBAYLS Peloton group so members can work out and do rides together and send virtual high fives on rides, runs, yoga, etc.! We begin doing weekly bike rides every week on Wednesday’s at 6:30 AM to start the day.

We will post on the MSBA YLS Instagram and Facebook stories which class it will be by Tuesday; or simply log on a few minutes before 6:30AM, make sure you are following the tag “MSBAYLS, and find which class the #MSBAYLS group members are in and join that session!

A virtual cocktail mixing/Happy Hour event. Stay tuned for details!

Tentatively, a virtual “Makeup with a Mask” event. A local makeup artist will do a virtual “how-to”: how to best wear makeup for an everyday look while wearing a mask, as most courts and places indoors are still mandating masks; and how-to best wear makeup while on Zoom without needing to buy a fancy ring light! Masks and Zoom meetings are not going away, so we are leaning in and learning how to make the best of the new normal with a fun girls night in!

Until we can be together in person again: stay safe, advocate well, and cheers from the Membership Committee!

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NOMINATING COMMITTEE The Nominating Committee of the Maryland State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section, composed of Michael R. Hudak, Jessica M. Gorsky, Kayla Williams, Garrett Mannchen, Victoria Lucido, Jessica L. Duvall, and Jessica Garth, having previously announced the Committee’s nominations on February 22, 2021, is pleased to announce that, having received no requests to contest these nominations, and in accordance with the YLS bylaws, the following YLS members have been elected to the office and positions set opposite their name, and will take office for said positions and terms as listed below.

Chair-Elect: Kerri Smith, Esq. Term: June 10, 2021 through June 9, 2022

Treasurer: Lauren Lake, Esq. Term: June 10, 2021 through June 9, 2022

Secretary: Avigayil Pearlman, Esq. Term: June 10, 2021 through June 9, 2022

MSBA Board of Governors Young Lawyer Representative: Josephine Bahn, Esq. Term: June 12, 2021 through June 10, 2023

MSBA Board of Governors Young Lawyer Representative: Christian Noble, Esq. Term: June 12, 2021 through June 10, 2023

Jessica M. Gorsky, Esq., the current Chair-Elect of MSBA YLS, will assume the office of Chair at the MSBA YLS Annual Meeting on June 10, 2021.

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RIDING THE CIRCUITS Baltimore City

On April 24, 2021, members of the Public Service Committee participated in a volunteer event at the Duncan Street Miracle Garden. Volunteers spread mulch, weeded, and mowed the grass—much needed services at this growing community garden!

Above: Raking mulch at the Duncan Street Miracle Garden.

Below: Monica Basche mowing the lawn at the Duncan Street Miracle Garden.

Above: BABC YLD Public Service Committee Members with Mr. Lewis Sharpe, steward of the Duncan Street Miracle Garden

The BABC has a new Executive Director, Karen Fast, who started last month, and her transition will be complete on June 30, 2021.

The BABC and BABC YLD will hold virtual end of year meetings at the end of May. The YLD meeting will include presentations of the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 YLD Awards.

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Howard County In February, the Howard County Bar Association (“HCBA”) held its annual New Admittees Luncheon where it welcomed new members of the bar and seasoned members of the bench gave advice and reflected upon their entry to the bar.

In March, the HCBA celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with virtual trivia and held a virtual luncheon where several judges from the Court of Special Appeals joined for a discussion on recent opinions. The HCBA also recently celebrated Judge Coleman’s first 100 days on the bench and held a virtual townhall meeting with Judge Tucker and Judge Brown. On May 6, 2021, HABC held its last event for this bar year, the annual meeting. The HCBA looks forward to the opening of the new courthouse on July 6, 2021!

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GETTING CREATIVE WITH EVENTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Diversity & Inclusion Committee Teamwork makes the dream work!

Despite the steep learning curve (whether it is technological, emotional, strategic, or procedural), we have all been forced to both live and practice law in a brave new world that requires technology, innovation, and – yes – sometimes even pants. Young attorneys lucky enough to maintain employment during the pandemic face challenges such as: keeping billable hours up; maintaining client development efforts; and teamwork, collaboration, and client interface—all in a remote environment. The YLS Diversity & Inclusion Committee decided to work on increasing our outreach by regularly informing our membership of the remote events related to diversity, equality, and inclusion available during this extraordinary period in history. Video communication is really the lifeblood of the COVID social scene (Zoom fatigue and cat filters aside); and thanks to our YLS Secretary, Manny Fishelman, we did not go an entire Bar Year without sponsoring a single event. Instead, Manny recognized a need and contacted a diverse group of women in the legal field, thereby jumpstarting the Women in the Law Panel which took place on March 23, 2021, co-sponsored by the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association. The event was a resounding success, and it could

only have been pulled off with the collaboration, teamwork, and group efforts of all involved. The MSBA’s YLS and its Diversity & Inclusion Committee would like to take this opportunity to once again thank all of the event’s attendees, as well as our panelists: Judge Yolanda Curtain, Jamie Alvarado-Taylor, Llamilet Gutierrez, Lisa Piccinini, and Julianne Tarver.

Education Committee Despite the pandemic, the Education Committee held informative events.

In September 2020, the Committee held an event about taking the bar exam and employment in the time of COVID-19. In February 2021, the Committee held an event on “Hanging Out Your Shingle and Ethics Mistakes.”

It took a lot of effort to plan the events, but it was well worth it, because both events were well attended and ran smoothly.

Law Student Outreach Committee The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unique challenges for engagement with fellow lawyers. When the pandemic hit, institutions and individuals alike adapted to keep in touch virtually. Yet, it seems as though near-constant virtual connectivity brought about another, distinct problem: “Zoom fatigue.” The Law Student Outreach Committee quickly 12

realized that, while Zoom fatigue affects everyone, it affected law students even more. Many law students maintained a full course load through completely virtual means (roughly 15-20 hours of virtual instruction), completed virtual internships, and participated in virtual extracurricular activities (such as moot court and trial advocacy teams).

Needless to say, law students’ bandwidth for virtual programming was limited. To adapt, the Committee played more of a supporting role in garnering law student interest for various school and MSBA events. This year, the Committee was proud to support, in conjunction with the YLS Diversity & Inclusion Committee and the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association, the “Women in the Law Panel,” featuring accomplished female attorneys who described their respective careers.

More recently, one of the Committee’s Co-Chairs—Daniel Moore—spoke on a panel sponsored by the University of Maryland Career Development Office, aimed at helping students succeed in their summer internships.

class in the Spring. Jessica, who also teaches at Yoga Revelation in Ellicott City, skillfully crafted easy-to-follow, mindful, and invigorating classes that members could participate in from the comfort and safety of their own homes.

We thank everyone who logged on for our virtual events, including their furry roommates (pictured here), and look forward to in-person events next bar year.

Above: Happy participants in the Lawyer Wellness Committee’s virtual yoga event.

Below: Lawyer Wellness Committee Co-Chair, Divya Potdar, and her roommates.

Lawyer Wellness Committee This relatively new YLS Committee had a pretty successful bar year despite the COVID-19 pandemic that changed life as we knew it. The Committee quickly switched gears and conducted all programs virtually. With the help of yoga instructor, Jessica Hughes, who has been practicing yoga for more than 15 years, the Committee provided members with a wellness event in the Fall and another restorative yoga 13

Membership Committee The Membership Committee Chairs – Greg Waterworth, and Genna Hoy, and Shuaa Tajammul – genuinely missed hosting our usual networking happy hour events throughout the year, and getting to see and catch up with YLS members. This year, having no inperson events due to the pandemic made planning events more daunting and challenging for our Committee due, in part, to Zoom fatigue. The Committee had a lot of fun coming up with new ways to stay in touch and host sociable events for members from all over the State to “be together” and stay connected. The Committee hosted virtual holiday decorating contests and a pumpkin carving contest, supported working-out together from afar by creating the MSBA-YLS Peloton group, and hosted a virtual mentorship program panel.

Public Service Committee Everyone has had to adjust to COVID in some fashion. Standard bar years are full of beach cleaning, meal prepping, and Polar Bear-plunging service events. The COVID-19 pandemic hit the MSBA YLS Public Service Committee hard; we went from almost one public service event per month to almost nothing. Former staple programs of the YLS Public Service Committee were cancelled. Others were forced to pivot to an online version where none had existed before.

Our premier event every year is the Maryland State Police Polar Bear

Plunge. The Plunge happens every year on January 25 and is the Public Service Committee’s most popular event. YLS members raise money for the Maryland Special Olympics, then we all gather at Sandy Pointe State Park for the Plunge. During COVID, the Plunge moved completely online. The public service aspect remained, but the energy and the camaraderie were missing.

Our hope is that the next bar year will allow for a return to in-person public service events that will allow members to experience the fellowship our Committee fosters. Thank you to everyone who has supported the YLS Public Service Committee, especially during this challenging year. Be on the lookout for upcoming (hopefully inperson!) events.

Strategic Planning Committee Planning and hosting events during a pandemic has been nothing short of an interesting challenge for YLS this year. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, our tenacious Section Council was able to seize on this unique opportunity to think outside the box and host new and interesting events attended by YLS members who, in the past, have not always been able to attend as many events due to distance. With the help of amazing MSBA staff and their technological prowess, YLS was able to not only unite members virtually for staple events, such as the Annual YLS Legal Summit and the always muchanticipated Annual Charity Event (this 14

year supporting the Community Law Center), but the Council was also able to explore new event ideas such as virtual trivia nights and yoga sessions, as well as panel discussions addressing job security during the pandemic and first time homeowner do’s and don’ts.

The pandemic may have thrown us all a big curve ball this year, but even COVID-19 could not stop the determined YLS Council from executing a year’s worth of intriguing, insightful, and unifying events.

Technology Committee COVID-19 has changed the way people do business and the way people interact, but perhaps the most profound impact on all of us has been the implementation and integration of certain technology of our everyday lives. Although COVID-19 forced this change, we have adapted, which has resulted in improved availability and access to events and programming. For many events that preceded the pandemic, we were limited to holding them in person.

Now, we have seen everything from weddings to annual conferences adapt to virtual options, which has allowed for expanded geographical reach and access. Planning and hosting these types of events in the pandemic-era has eliminated the need for venue coordination and has permitted individuals to participate

without the need for travel. Speakers and presenters can be sought without limitation and attendees can participate from anywhere. While many of us likely look forward and welcome a return to personal interaction, hopefully the benefits of virtual options will stick with us into the future.

Anne Arundel County As we start to plan in-person events again, it is especially important that legal organizations (such as local bar associations, the Maryland Association for Justice, MSBA, etc.) take advantage of the warmer summer months to plan and host events outdoors. While we all need to be vigilant during the continuing health pandemic, it is crucial for attorneys to start interacting with one another in a business development setting once again. Event sponsors can implement safety measures, e.g., temperature checks, having attendees certify that they have not had COVIDrelated symptoms or been in contact with an individual who has had such symptoms over a certain period of time, and caps on the number of attendees.

Attendees may be required to wear masks if they are walking around, like to go from a sitting area to the bar to grab a drink. There are a variety of ways that events can now be held outdoors while ensuring the safety of those who attend.

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Baltimore City Planning and hosting events during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to greater diversity and innovation in the programming offered by the Bar Association of Baltimore City (“BABC”) and Bar Association of Baltimore City Young Lawyers’ Division (“BABC YLD”).

Instead of hosting the typical annual events, such as in-person CLEs and happy hours, the BABC and BABC YLD have branched out and offered a virtual member appreciation week, a cooking class, a cocktail-making class, trivia, and so much more to continue to engage and connect members when we cannot be physically together. We have had great success with these programs and events and continue to evaluate utilizing a virtual setting for certain types of events even after the pandemic.

Baltimore County Planning and hosting events has been a challenge for the Baltimore County Bar Association (“BCBA”), but BCBA members have adapted well and found new and creative ways to engage with membership and continue to serve the community during this unusual bar year.

As we moved in-person events to Zoom and webinar formats, we sought to maintain the collegial, conversational, and relaxed atmosphere that attract so many to our in-person events. Aside from the social aspects of the bar, we have also sought out ways to preserve elements of our events that benefit our bar-year charity – CASA of Baltimore County.

As an example, we had to cancel this year’s Young Lawyers Bull Roast, which traditionally includes a silent auction. To maintain the silent auction component and to realize the proceeds it generates towards our bar-year charity, we incorporated the silent auction into an outdoor event – the annual golf tournament, which is still going forward (golf is one of those few activities that has thrived during the pandemic).

What used to be just the annual golf tournament is now the “Annual Golf Tournament and Silent Auction” on May 26, 2021 at Eagles Nest Country Club.

By moving parts of cancelled events into events we are able to still hold, we are able to continue to provide meaningful contributions to our baryear charity and multiple committees have a chance to contribute towards an event.

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Howard County

Montgomery County

The Howard County Bar Association (“HCBA”) kicked off the year with an outdoor ice cream social and happy hour at Clarksville Commons in lieu of our Annual Crabfeast. Throughout the year, HCBA has held a variety of virtual townhall meetings with the administrative judges of the Circuit and District Court to give updates on the phased re-opening plan and suggestions for remote hearings. Our monthly meetings continued to occur virtually and included: welcoming new admittees to the bar, celebrating Judge Coleman’s 100 days on the bench, a legislative update, and a virtual tour of the new courthouse. The Young Lawyers Section also held a virtual meeting with presentations from various financial advisors.

The Montgomery County Bar Association has strived to keep members connected through the pandemic. Our CLE program is going strong virtually. We have held virtual networking sessions for young lawyers and for the membership as a whole.

We also tried to create new programs to keep members connected. For example, we had a Wit and Wisdom series where a new practitioner informally interviewed a member of the bench and had a conversation with them that may have occurred at an in-person networking event, since those are not generally possible right now. Interviewees included Judge Harry Storm, Judge Irma Raker, and Judge Charles Day. Each event had close to 80 registrants. Our annual fall golf outing is coming up on October 11 at Manor Country Club and will be in-person. Despite the limitations created by the pandemic, our members and leadership were able to create new avenues to stay in touch and hold programs virtually for everyone’s benefit.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE For questions or comments about The Advocate please contact any member of the Publications Committee: Monica Basche Chelsea Crawford Chaz Ball Paul H. Farmer, Jr.

mbasche@browngold.com CCrawford@browngold.com cball@sbwlaw.com pfarmer@gjblawfirm.com