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Annual Meeting Scheduled for August 21–23, 2008 at the Homestead

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Annual Meeting Scheduled for August 21–23, 2008 at the Homestead The West Virginia 1 8 86 A The Communique The Official Newsletter of The West Virginia Bar Association Volume XIV No. 2 June 2008 The Communique President’s CornerThe Official Newsletter of The West Virginia Bar Association The West Virginia Bar Association is very excited about our upcoming 122nd Annual Meeting scheduled for August 21–23, 2008 at The Homestead. As you can see in the enclosed 122nd Annual Meeting Brochure, several wonderful speakers will give presentations on an array of interesting topics. Norman L. Greene, a nationally-known proponent of judicial reform, is one of the speakers. To coincide with Mr. Greene’s presentation, and because The WVBA recognized the need to increase public confidence Ronda L. Harvey in our Judiciary, The West Virginia Bar Association has also organized a President Judicial Selection and Reform Committee. The Committee will consist of Ronda L. Harvey two to three representatives from each statewide voluntary bar association – the Defense Trial Counsel President of West Virginia, the West Virginia Association for Justice, the Mountain State Bar Association, and of Elisabeth H. Rose President-Elect course, The West Virginia Bar Association. Other representatives from West Virginia University and the community will also be involved in the Committee. Stephen R. Crislip Logan M. Hassig The Committee has been tasked with reaching a consensus on proposed changes to judicial selection for Supreme Court Justices. The first Committee meeting will take place in June. The Committee’s Andrew H. Miller goal is to reach a consensus, develop a recommendation and present it at The West Virginia Bar Patrick D. Deem Association’s Annual Meeting. The membership of The West Virginia Bar Association will then vote James W. St Clair continued on page 3 Chair. Sr. Lawyers Div. Chair. Business Law Div. Richard E. Ford, Jr. Chair. Real Estate Div. Courtney A. Kirtley Chair. Young Lawyers Div. nd Pryce M. Haynes II 122 Executive Director Annual Meeting 1111 6th Avenue 1 8 86 Post Office Box 2162 of the The West Virginia Huntington, WV 25722 See insert Phone: 800.944.9822 for more information! A Fax: 304.522.2795 email: [email protected] August 21-23, 2008 The Homestead Resort | Hot Springs, Virginia The Communique The Communique The Official Newsletter of The West Virginia Bar Association The Official Newsletter of The West Virginia Bar Association The Communique The Communique The Official Newsletter of The West Virginia Bar Association The Official Newsletter of The West Virginia Bar Association on the recommendation. Assuming the recommendation is adopted by the membership, The West Virginia Bar Association will then WVBA Welcomes Anita Casey as present it to the appropriate governmental body - - the legislature and/or the Governor. Why has The West Virginia Bar Association developed this Committee? A few things lead to the decision. In March, The West New Executive Director of State Bar Virginia Bar Association and the Kanawha County Bar Association joined together to host a Bench and Bar Reception where the by: Pryce M. Haynes II Executive Director candidates for Supreme Court Justices answered questions from members of the Bar. Several candidates spoke about change in On February 15, 2008, the Executive Council hosted a dinner of the WV State Bar and exhibit our desire for renewed campaign financing and advertising, as well as the selection process itself. Over the weeks leading to the statewide primary, certain party for Anita Casey and her husband, Jim Garvin at the cooperation between our Bars for the benefit of the entire Bench events transpired that shook public confidence in our Judiciary. Over that same time period, several members of the Executive Council lovely home of Jim and Mickey St Clair, Park Hills Farm in and Bar of West Virginia. The gathering was attended by all of The West Virginia Bar Association were approached by attorneys who expressed concern and their beliefs that change in the Huntington. This dinner was given for Anita to express our Executive Counsel members and their spouses. Best wishes to selection process were necessary. Recognizing the need for change, The West Virginia Bar Association formed the Committee. congratulations for her becoming the new executive director Anita for a long and productive tenure with the WV State Bar! These issues are not new. Groups in the past have explored changes to judicial selection and judicial reform, but with no consensus. While change may be difficult, circumstances in our world today seem to make some type of change inevitable. As Robert F. Kennedy said in a speech in Warsaw, Poland: “Just because we cannot see clearly the end of the road, that is no reason for not setting out on the essential journey. On the contrary, great change dominates the world, and unless we move with change, we will become its victims.” Public confidence in our Judiciary is essential. Unless the judicial system moves with change, it and the rest of us will most assuredly become victims. As President of The West Virginia Bar Association, I encourage you to consider carefully the recommendation the Committee on Judicial Selection and Reform will propose. Join us at the 122nd Annual Meeting and help us promote change for the better. On behalf of the West Virginia Bar Association, I wish to express our gratitude for the generous Alison Deem, Lisa Rose, Pat Deem Andy Miller, Lisa Rose, Jim Garvin, Anita Casey, Pat Deem, Sherry Miller support from our sponsors for all past and future events during my tenure. Without their financial Courtney Kirtley, Jim St Clair support, we would not be able to deliver to our members the quality programming that we do. Thanks to each and every one of you: Allen Guthrie McHugh & Thomas, PLLC Norfolk Southern Corporation Bailey & Wyant, P.L.L.C. Old Republic National Title Insurance Company Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love LLP Pryce Haynes Associates CSX Corporation Robinson & McElwee PLLC Anita Casey, Lisa Rose, Steve Crislip, Deborah Hassig Dennis Bridgeman, Libby Bridgeman, Melinda Crislip, Steve Crislip Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP Seif & Associates, Inc. First American Title Insurance Company Spilman, Thomas & Battle, PLLC Mickey St Clair Forensic Psychiatry, PLLC Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC Goodwin & Goodwin, LLP The Law Firm of Carl J. Roncaglione, Jr. Huddleston Bolen LLP Warner Law Offices, PLLC LexisNexis Westlaw Corporation WV Mutual Insurance Company Melinda Crislip, Logan Hassig, Ronda Harvey Rich Ford, Libby Bridgeman, Courtney Kirtley, Dennis Bridgeman 2 3 The Communique The Communique The Official Newsletter of The West Virginia Bar Association The Official Newsletter of The West Virginia Bar Association The Communique The Communique The Official Newsletter of The West Virginia Bar Association The Official Newsletter of The West Virginia Bar Association From the Young Lawyers Division… by: Courtney A. Kirtley Chairwoman Young Lawyers Division Each year the Young Lawyers Division (“YLD”) hosts a Bench is also a great opportunity for members of the bar to celebrate and Bar Reception, where attorneys and the judiciary come with friends and future colleagues. This year’s After-Bar Exam together for an educational and social evening focused on a event will be held in the Charleston Civic Center Lounge, topic of particular interest to attorneys in West Virginia. On directly following the second day of the bar exam. Please make David Fenwick, David Nelson Dawn Warfield, Alaina Crislip, Joe Beeson, Dan Callaghan Justice Elliott Maynard Courtney Kirtley, Joel Symond Wednesday, March 19, 2008, the YLD, in conjunction with plans to join us in Charleston to celebrate on July 30th! the Kanawha County Bar Association, co-hosted our eighth Finally, the YLD is planning to host another “Legal Ease” annual Bench and Bar Reception at the Charleston Marriott. CLE and Pig-Roast in the fall. Last year’s event at Edgewood In anticipation of the upcoming election, the 2008 Bench and County Club was such a success, we are planning to make it an Bar Reception featured a panel of all five candidates for the annual event. Details will be circulated soon. West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. As with the eventful candidates’ forum sponsored by the YLD in 2004, this year’s We are eager to see more young lawyers throughout West forum and reception gave the local bar an opportunity to hear Virginia become involved with The WVBA. The career and from and meet the candidates. Every year the success of the social connections are invaluable and immensely enjoyable! Jim Thomas, Gretchen Callas, Tom Hurney Terry Rodgers, Ken Tawney, Scott Kaminski Chris Arnold, Hiram Lewis, Robert Ryan Bench and Bar Reception grows, and this year’s event drew a Whether you have attended YLD events in the past or are record crowd and even press coverage. The YLD would like to reading The Communiqué for the first time, we hope that you thank each of the candidates for his or her participation and the will join us this year at the After-Bar Exam Celebration on July Kanawha County Bar Association for co-hosting the event. 30th, the Annual Meeting at the Homestead on August 21-23, and at our next Pig Roast in the fall. Next on the YLD calendar is our After-Bar Exam Celebration to be held on Wednesday, July 30th. It has become tradition for If you are interested in becoming more involved with the YLD the YLD to sponsor this event, providing examinees with much or have any thoughts or suggestions for the upcoming year, deserved food and refreshment after two long days of testing. It please drop me a line at [email protected]. Erica Baumgrass, Andrea Hinerman Mark Weiler, TJ Cook Menis Ketchum Paul Davis, Bob Allen, Tony Shepherd Truman Griffith, Jamie Fox Bill DePaulo, Jim St Clair, Justice Larry Starcher Courtney Kirtley, Brace Mullett Bob Bastress Ronda Harvey, Sarah Bailey, Judith Thomas Judge Ed Eagloski, Mark Adkins, Chad Love, Ken Web Brace Mullett, Ashley Pack, Jill Bentz, Anne Ellison Charlie Love, Paul Davis, John Palmer Martin Glasser, Mary Sanders Margaret Workman Danielle Waltz, Patrick White, Susan Romain Beth Walker Truman Griffith, Jamie Fox, Bobby Warner Sprague Hazard, David Hardy, Judge Tod Kaufman Jill McIntyre, A.L.
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