® October 2006 The Monthly Newspaper of the Philadelphia Bar Association Vol. 35, No. 10 30th Street Station to Host Presenza 28th Andrew Hamilton Gala to Receive By Deborah R. Gross Brennan and Amy B. Ginensky Come celebrate Philadelphia with Honors the Philadelphia Bar Foundation at the newly revamped and sure-to- be-exciting Andrew Hamilton Gala. by Jeff Lyons The 28th annual event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 30th President Judge Louis J. Presenza of Street Station. Philadelphia Municipal Court has been The Hamilton Gala is the social selected as the recipient of the 2006 Justice event of the year for the Philadel- William J. Brennan Jr. phia legal community and it raises Distinguished Jurist thousands of dollars for grants to Award. The award will worthy local organizations. be presented at the And this year, it is going to be Association’s October different. Quarterly Meeting and The Foundation wants to cele- Luncheon on Oct. 30 at brate all things Philadelphian and 12 p.m. at the Park all the neighborhoods that make Hyatt Philadelphia at Presenza this city great. We have a crew of the Bellevue. people working on a décor design The award recognizes a jurist who ad- that will transform the North Wait- heres to the highest ideals of judicial ser- ing Room and South Arcade at 30th vice. Any member of the state or federal Street into the best and brightest of bench, whether active or retired, who has the City of Brotherly Love. made a significant, positive impact on the Think about it! When else, within quality or administration of justice in the space of a few minutes at a Philadelphia is eligible for consideration. leisurely pace, could you sample the “I am really flattered and humbled by delicacies of Chinatown, stroll the this award,” Judge Presenza said. “When you continued on page 6 café atmosphere of Rittenhouse Square, or taste the wonderful cuisines of South Philadelphia? In This Issue ... Some new features this year: We’re giving guests the option – 3 Fighting Illegal Guns you can choose to have assigned 5 seating, to spend time with a speci- 30th Street Station is the site for this year’s Andrew Hamilton Gala on Nov. 4. Something for Everyone fied set group of people, or you can of the event, but open up the a dancing crowd turns out, year 8 ABA President Visits choose open seating, so you can options so that gowns and tuxedoes after year, for the Hamilton Gala. stroll all the neighborhoods and mix won’t be required. This year promises to be no different 9 Boosting Public Service and mingle with all the people you For those who can’t join us for in that respect – we’ll have a great don’t normally get a chance to see. dinner, we’re offering a “desserts and band to get people up and out of 12 Meet New Judges The event will be “black-tie dancing” option starting at 10 p.m. their seats, and once the dancing 14 A Life Worth Keeping optional” to keep the elegant nature People always comment on what continued on page 17 KNIPES-COHEN COURT REPORTING Celebrating 40 Years of Service to the Legal 215-928-9300 Com umunity. ROBERT COHEN, PRESIDENT COURT REPORTING • VIDEOGRAPHY • VIDEOCONFERENCING 400 Market St., 11th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (P) 800-544-9800 • www.knipescohen.com • (F) 215-627-0555 2 OCTOBER2006 / BAR REPORTER Bar Joins Fight Against Illegal Handguns by Alan M. Feldman “The Bar Association should help to create This issue is not about anybody’s right to hunt. It’s about stemming the a good environment for business to attract new FRONTLINE tide of gun violence that is literally killing our urban neighbors. companies and persuade those already here to stay, so that our law firms can flourish and grow.” And beyond the human tragedy, to amend the state’s authority over That’s one of the things I heard there’s no doubt that this problem can gun regulation so that Philadelphia can most often when I sought the Chancel- and will impact upon our ability to be given more say over gun control in lor’s post, and if I were to start all over grow, prosper and attract the business- our own city is an idea worthy of ap- again today I’m sure I’d hear pretty es and talent that we need to be a proval, if only because it would pro- much the same thing. But to create an great city. Think about it: Our courts vide a laboratory for evaluation of gun attractive atmosphere for commerce, are congested, our prisons full and our control measures without imposing we need to return to first principles: a verge of something great, the truth is social service agencies taxed to the new rules on the rest of the state. In- city must have decent schools, a clean that we will never be a world-class city limit by a culture of violence that deed, the same ability to take local appearance and – above all – safe until we end the scourge of gun vio- seems to be spinning even further out action to address gun violence should streets and sidewalks, both downtown lence that plagues our neighborhoods of control. And because it would be be extended to other communities and in our neighborhoods, if it is to and costs the lives of so many young foolhardy to expect this problem to grappling with this frightening prob- thrive. Philadelphia has made great people. The human toll of the senseless solve itself, it’s time for the civic and lem, so that we can share experiences strides in recent years toward becom- murders and crippling injuries inflicted political leadership of our city and and solutions with one another. Is ing the city we all want it to be. From by, and upon, our young people, most- state to get beyond the hand-wringing there a valid reason not to allow the Center City outward, our town pulses ly urban, adolescent men, is incalcula- and to take decisive action. enactment of such potentially benefi- with a new energy and vitality. For ble. Our city will never be great if ordi- But for both legal and political rea- cial public safety measures? those of us who have been here all our nary citizens have to worry about be- sons, Philadelphia can’t do it alone. The time has come to recognize that lives, the transformation is wonderful. ing caught in the crossfire of guns no That’s why we applaud the efforts of continued on page 25 And others have taken notice as well - matter where they live. And the gains State Rep. Dwight Evans and some so much so that a national magazine that we’ve made in improving educa- members from suburban districts who recently cited Philadelphia as America’s tion will mean little if students have to recently convened a special legislative “next great city.” be afraid to go to school because of session to focus exclusively on the gun But though we seem to be on the gun violence. violence issue. Certainly, their proposal Editor-in-Chief Asian-Pacific Bar to Convene in Phila. in Nov. Molly Peckman, Esq. Associate Editors by Sunah Park excited that it will be held in Philly this broadcast for the Philadelphia chapter Sunah Park, Esq. year. Personally, I’m looking forward of the Asian American Journalists Lawrence S. Felzer, Esq. Heather J. Holloway, Esq. The National Asian Pacific American to having an authentic Philly cheeses- Association. She received a Bachelor of Stacey Z. Jumper, Esq. Bar Association will hold its 18th teak,” said NAPABA President Amy Lin Science in Journalism with a focus on Asima Panigrahi, Esq. Annual Convention in Philadelphia at Meyerson. International Studies from the Medill Brian K. Sims, Esq. the Westin Hotel, November 9-12, 2006. NAPABA has held its annual confer- School of Journalism at Northwestern Formed in 1988, NAPABA is the ence in Los Angeles, New York, University. Fluent in Korean, she also Contributing Editor Richard Max Bockol, Esq. national association of Asian Pacific Washington, DC, Scottsdale, Atlanta, graduated from a program at Yonsei American attorneys, judges, law profes- Honolulu, Dallas and Chicago. Past University in Seoul, Korea. Advisory Editors sors and law students. With 47 affiliates keynote speakers at the conference Anyone interested in attending this Bruce H. Bikin, Esq. nationwide, NAPABA represents the have included Al Gore and Janet Reno. separate event is advised to register Merih O. Erhan, Esq. interests of more than 40,000 attorneys This year’s attendees will include the early as the maximum registration is Marc W. Reuben, Esq. and is a leader in addressing civil general counsel of Cardinal Health, limited to 225 people. Registration for Director of New Media and Publications rights issues confronting APA commu- Dell and Toll Brothers as well as many the entire conference is still open and Mark A. Tarasiewicz nities. NAPABA works continuously on others. The “NAPABA In-House Counsel CLE credits will be available for certain Managing Editor the professional development of Award” will be presented during a spe- panels. Details as to the CLE panels as Jeff Lyons minorities within the legal profession cial dinner ceremony on Friday, Nov. well as general registration information Director of Public Affairs and provides a strong voice for 10, 2006. The cost of the dinner is $60 is available on NAPABA’s Web site, and External Communications increased diversity of federal and state and is not included in the registration www.napaba.org.