RI Bar Jan-Feb2020 Jrnl.Pdf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Rhode Island Bar Journal Rhode Island Bar Association Volume 68. Number 4. January/February 2020 [When] Will RI Adopt Electronic Wills? CBD is Legal...Right? The Complex Federal and State Legal Framework of Cannabidiol Lean Government Articles 9 [When] Will RI Adopt Electronic Wills? Zona Douthit, Esq. Editor In Chief, Nicole J. Benjamin, Esq. Editor, Kathleen M. Bridge 15 CBD is Legal...Right? The Complex Federal and State Legal Framework Editorial Board of Cannabidiol Victoria M. Almeida, Esq. David N. Bazar, Esq. Megan E. Sheehan, Esq. and Samantha L. Roy Thomas R. Bender, Esq. Sean Clough, Esq. 23 Rhode Island Women Lawyers: Past, Present, & Future Jerry Cohen, Esq. Eric D. Correira, Esq., LLM Cassandra L. Feeney, Esq. and Etie-Lee Schaub, Esq. William J. Delaney, Esq. Nicole P. Dyszlewski, Esq. Timothy A. Gagnon, Esq. 27 Opinion – Lean Government Jenna Giguere, Esq. Jenna Giguere, Esq. Clovis C. Gregor, Esq. Matthew J. Landry, Esq. Lenore Marie Montanaro, Esq. 33 Memories of Judge John E. Orton III Daniel J. Procaccini, Esq. John Austin Murphy, Esq. Miriam A. Ross, Esq. Angelo R. Simone, Esq. Suzannah Skolnik, Esq. Hon. Brian P. Stern Elizabeth Stone, Esq. Dana N. Weiner, Esq. Samuel D. Zurier, Esq. NewNew YearYear NewNew YouYou RHODE ISLAND BAR ASSOCIATION LAWYER’S PLEDGE 6 Tips to Help You Keep Your New Year’s Resolution As a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association, I pledge to conduct myself in a manner that will 39 reflect honor upon the legal profession. I will treat all partici pants in the legal process with civility. Be Realistic Outline Find a In every aspect of my practice, I will be honest, FEATURESTaking on a large goal Your Plan Partner courteous and fair. is tempting, but it can Because you won’t Whether it’s your spouse, a 3 Teach Your Children Well 29 Continuing Legal Education also set you up for just wake up and friend, a coworker, or a Association Officers 4 Stay Connectedfailure. If the goal is change your life, 30 you House of Delegacoach,tes Letters it’s muchof easier to David N. Bazar, President too much of a stretch, it follow through on goals not only need a plan2Interest for – Due February 14, 2020 Richard P. D’Addario, President-Elect 14 Goodcan fuel Business a downward for Good Lawyers cycle: what to do, but also for if you have a buddy. In the Lynda L. Laing, Treasurer lack of achievement, what roadblocks 13 you’ll VLP Honor Roll best-case scenario, you’ll Mark B. Morse, Secretary 5 Bar’s VLP-Sponsoreddecreased motivation, Seminar Series come Helps across along the hold one another to Place 40and Pro Bonoself-criticism. Cases way. Decide how 32 you SOLACE accountable. Tell Executive Director You’ll give yourself will deal with the your partner to go Helen Desmond McDonald 7 Keeping the Lights On 32 Casemaker Tip: Folders in Casemaker4 your best shot at temptation to skip big on the motivation Direct advertising inquiries to the Editor, Kathleen 7 Rhode Islandsuccess Proba ifte youCourt set Listing a andthat Judicial exercise class35 Online Attorney asResources it’s much (OAR) easier to M. Bridge, Rhode Island Bar Journal, 41 Sharpe goal that’s doable and or have that succeed when there’s3 Drive, Cranston, RI 02920, (401) 421-5740. Communications Survey on Bar’s Website meaningful too. piece of cake. 35 Thanks to Our CLEsomeone Speakers rooting for you! USPS (464-680)ISSN 1079-9230 17 Do You Have an Idea for an Article, or a 36 Try the Bar’s dynamic List Serve! Rhode Island Bar Journal is published bimonthly Point/Counterpoint Article? by the Rhode Island Bar Association, REWARD DON’T 37 In BEAT Memoriam STICK TO IT 19 Civil Jury Impanelment CLE Program Draws Those unhealthy 41 Sharpe Drive, Cranston, RI 02920. YOURSELF YOURSELF 38 Cartoon UP Full Housee habits that you are PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT PROVIDENCE, RI If your focus is just Perfection is trying to change 38 Lawyers on the Move Subscription: $30 per year 21 onRhode the endgame, Island Bar Foundait's tion Seeks Law School unattainable. took years to develop, Obsessing over the easyScholarship to feel discouraged Applicants 5 38 Keep Your Directoryso how Listing can Up you to Date! expect to Postmaster when progress plateaus. occasional slip won’t 6 Send Address Correction to: change them in just a matter 25 That'sNow Acceptingwhy it's crucial 2020 Rhode to Island Bar Awardhelp you 38 achieve Advertising your Indexof weeks or months? Experts Rhode Island Bar Journal recognize and reward the goal. Do the best you can say it takes about 21 days 41 Sharpe Drive Nominations 39 New Year New You smaller successes along each day and take one to form a habit and six Cranston, RI 02920 26 theDo way. You HaveCelebrate a Problem your with Gambling?day at a time. Everyone has months for it to ribar.com success by treating ups and downs; become part of yourself to something resolve to recover your routine. It you enjoy that from your mistakes won’t happen doesn’t contradict and get back overnight, so Front Cover Photograph by Brian McDonald your resolution. 4 on track. be patient! The Providence Athenæum, Providence, RI The Providence Athenæum is an independent, member-supported library and cultural center located in Providence. Opened in 1838, the library is open to the public and offers many free programs, while members are permitted to borrow materials. Teach Your Children Well I was driving to court the other day thinking My daughter would have benefited from being about topics that would be appropriate for a on a mock trial team or attending a Law Day pre- President’s Message. I hope the fourth message is sentation. As lawyers, we have many opportunities the most difficult. Then a song came on the radio. to help students understand our legal system. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young singing these lyrics: The RI Legal Education Foundation’s Mock Trial Tournament immerses students in a case that they You who are on the road have to both prosecute and defend. Attorneys Must have a code that you can live by participate in this program as performance judges, And so become yourself coaches, administrators and in countless other Because the past is just a good-bye. ways. Teach your children well The next Law Day is Friday May 1, 2020. The David N. Bazar, Esq. theme is Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Democracy: President That was enough to get me thinking about The 19th Amendment at 100. This is particularly Rhode Island Bar Association an important topic. Teaching civics to our appropriate for the Rhode Island Bar as we will children has been an important issue for many also be celebrating Ada Sawyer and the 100th years. Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day anniversary of the first woman being admitted O’Connor has made a post-court legacy to the Bar. If you have children in school or are My daughter would have developing iCivics to help bring civic otherwise connected to a school, inform them of knowledge to a new generation of students. the benefits of participating in Law Day and the benefited from being on a It also reminded me of lessons I tried to Mock Trial program. I also encourage Bar mem- mock trial team or attend- teach to my children. bers and the Judiciary to participate. You will find ing a Law Day presentation. When my daughters were young, I had that it as rewarding for you as it is for the children As lawyers, we have many the pleasure of driving them from East you will be teaching well. ◊ Greenwich to the Providence Country Day opportunities to help stu- School each morning. Well, at least until dents understand our legal they turned 16. It was a time when children system. didn’t have cell phones so they actually had to talk to you. It really didn’t mat- ter the topic; the discussion was what mattered. One Monday morning, I had to go to courtroom 4C for an arraignment in Sixth Division District Court. I told my daughter that we were going to court before she went to school. I thought that this would be a good chance for her to see how the justice system works. We arrived in the courtroom before all the activity began. Apparently, the Providence Police had a busy weekend. While we were waiting for the judge to take the bench, the sheriffs led out prostitutes in handcuffs who had been rounded up the night before. Soon after they came out, the judge took the bench and my client was arraigned. Once we got back to the car, I asked my daughter what she thought about the process. She responded, “I’m not sure about the process, but that jury was really sleazy.” My thought? I was really proud that she knew they had been put in the jury box. Rhode Island Bar Journal January/February 2020 3 Rhode Island Bar Journal Editorial Statement The Rhode Island Bar Journal is the Rhode Island Bar Association’s official magazine for Rhode Island attorneys, judges and others interested in Rhode Island law. The Bar Journal is a paid, subscription magazine published bi-monthly, six times annually and sent to, among others, all practicing attorneys and sitting judges, in Rhode Island. This constitutes an audience of over 6,000 individuals. Covering issues of relevance and pro viding updates on events, programs and meetings, the Rhode Island Bar Journal is a magazine that is read on arrival and, most often, kept for future reference.