JANUARY 2009 | VOL.24, NO.1 Looking out for our Members IN THIS ISSUE… and the Community Professional Development Workshop Series: PATRICIA M. HYNES, PRESIDENT The Essentials In good times and bad, the New York City Bar looks out for its members back page and contributes to the greater community. In 1946, a lot of Americans were resuming careers they had put on hold to serve in World War II, including Navigating Your Career lawyers seeking to return to their profession in a world with promise of an through Troubled economic boom getting underway. The question was how to connect the Waters – How to Turn returning lawyers to new and emerging opportunities. And so the City Bar, Crisis into Opportunity along with the New York County Lawyers’ Association, started the Legal page 10 Referral Service to help with career placement. City Bar Justice Again, during the downturn of the early 1990s, the Association invigorated its efforts to help Center’s Legal Clinic lawyers in transition to enhance their career opportunities. In that process, the City Bar built for the Homeless a series of programs that assist lawyers with their career options. page 6 Today, the Association is continuing its efforts to serve its members in difficult economic times. The Legal Referral Service is greatly expanded and continues to provide opportunities for experienced Will Compliance with attorneys to build their practice, as the accompanying article illustrates. We encourage our members International Law Make to apply to the Service to be included on its panels, because you never know when someone will call Us More Secure? looking for your practice area. continued on p. 2 Advice for the New Administration page 9 The Legal Membership has its Executive Committee Referral Service Career Benefits Members: Classes of In 1946, the New York City subway cost a The New York City Bar is acutely aware of 2011 & 2012 nickel, a first-class postage stamp three cents, the effects the economy is having on our page 22 a gallon of gas 15 cents, and, in its first year members and law firms across the city. That’s of operation, the median fee for the work why we’re working to make our existing Ethics in the referred by the Legal Referral Service (LRS) programs stronger and developing new net- Electronic Age – CLE was five dollars. working and career development resources page 16 Today, 11 LRS lawyers and paralegals field up to assist all members, from those just starting out to more experienced attorneys who are Twentieth Century Traveler: to 700 calls a day, answering in an average trying to find a new position or re-enter the The Life and Perilous Times of 20 seconds. As they interview and counsel profession. The following highlights some of the Hon. Bentley Kassal callers—in English, Spanish or almost any of the career development programs currently page 9 language in the world through a real-time telephone translation service—they search available at the City Bar. continued on p. 19 continued on p. 3 CONTENTS looking out for our members and the community: continued from p.1 Looking out for our Members We are also enhancing our professional development and career development programs for lawyers and the Community 1 in all stages of their careers. A new initiative this year, Young Lawyers Connect, helps lawyers entering the practice to network and learn about the advantages the Association has to offer. The Legal Referral Service 1 In this issue, you will see a list of upcoming events in these areas. Membership has its Our commitment to our members is matched by our commitment to all those affected by the Career Benefits 1 economic downturn. The poor will need greater access to legal services, and the City Bar Justice Center will need to increase its ability to provide those services. This creates an opportunity to Homeless but not Helpless 6 serve both our members and the public. Lawyers who are seeking to increase their experience and develop their expertise should consider volunteering for the City Bar Justice Center’s pro bono City Bar Events 8 projects, such as the Legal Clinic for the Homeless featured in this issue. In doing so, you will be Calendars 12 helping those in need of legal services, whose needs are growing as they bear a disproportional share of the economic misfortune. You will also have a great chance to get training and experience CLE Courses 14 in a new field and develop skills by handling pro bono cases under the direction of the Center’s excellent staff attorneys. One of the great by-products of the pro bono experience is that it benefits Committee Reports 20 a lawyer’s career while helping a client’s life. Nominees for City Bar Through good times and whatever storms may lie ahead, the Association will continue to serve Officers & Committees 21 its members while maintaining its role as a leader in shaping ethical standards and public policy, Executive Committee improving access to justice, and generally doing great work that makes a difference. Member Profiles 22 January 2009 CLE Registration Form 23 Fall Events at the City Bar Professional Development Workshop Series: The Essentials back page 44TH STREET NoTES Editor Eric Friedman Associate Editor Christina Bruno Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Linda Greenhouse (left), with Hon. Ruth Bader Ginsburg and New York City Bar Graphic Design Curio Design LLC President Patricia M. Hynes on November 18th, when Greenhouse delivered the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Marketing Director Adele Lemlek Distinguished Lecture on Women and the Law. Advertising Alison Fidler 212.382.6753 Daniel Seid 212.382.4742 Executive Director Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who was removed as Barbara Berger Opotowsky Pakistan’s Chief Justice by former President Pervez Musharraf Forty-Fourth Street Notes (ISSN 10791019) and became a symbol of the movement for judicial and is published monthly except July and August lawyer independence in Pakistan, was presented on No- for $25 per year by The Association of the vember 17th with honorary membership in the Association Bar of the City of New York, 42 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036-6604. Periodicals by City Bar President Patricia M. Hynes and Jed S. Rakoff, postage paid at New York, NY. Postmaster: United States District Judge for the Southern District of Send address changes to Forty-Fourth Street New York and Chair of the City Bar Honors Committee. Notes, 42 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036-6604. For subscription information, please call 212.382.6656. Printed on recycled paper. NY Law Journal/Rick Kopstein NYC Bar Members: Flanked by Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye (right) and City Bar To change your address, please contact President Patricia M. Hynes, New York Governor David A. 212.382.6665 or [email protected]. Paterson addressed a packed Great Hall on December 9th www.nycbar.org as Chief Judge Kaye received the New York City Bar’s Association Medal. 2 | 44TH STREET NOTES | JanUary 2009 www.nycbar.org Other Member Benefits membership has its career benefits: continued from p.1 City Bar Programs and Events As a City Bar Member, take advantage of In addition to the hundreds of programs produced each year on a variety of topics, the these additional special offers and discounts. City Bar has created several targeted and ongoing program series to respond to different Access Legal Databases Anywhere segments of the legal community. The series are a great way to build relationships with – Westlaw forms other attorneys and find the specific resources that are right for you. – HeinOnline – Michigan Law Library The Professional Development Workshop Series:Six breakfast workshops presented by Digital Database leading consultants and experts aimed at providing mid-level associates with the skills they – LexisNexis need to be successful in their careers (see back page for more information) City Bar Library Young Lawyers Connect – First Thursdays: Monthly social events, such as salsa dancing – Wireless access and sushi making, for young attorneys to expand their professional contacts and be part – Computers with free Internet service of a larger community – Free access to Westlaw and Lexis – Low-cost copy services Break from the Law: A City Bar Initiative for Practicing and Re-entering Lawyers: Small Law Firm Center Six programs developed by the Committees on Career Advancement and Management – Free attorney workspace and and Women in the Profession to assist re-entering attorneys; topics include getting ready conference room for the interview process, networking in a social setting and what’s new in technology – Online discussion forum The Small Law Firm Luncheon Series: A three-part luncheon series focused on growing – Free member postings page – CLE discounts your practice through budgeting, marketing and client outreach – E-newsletter Committee on Career Advancement and Management: A variety of programs each year – Annual symposium on a range of topics, such as non-traditional career paths, intelligent interviewing and life Hold Meetings and Events after the firm at the Association continued on p. 4 – Special member rate for use of rooms – Modern amenities and on-site catering – Accommodate groups of four to 400 Car Rentals – Avis – Budget – Hertz Financial – Bank of America Credit Card – UBS Brokerage Services – Chase Home Mortgage Credit Card Processing Services – The Law Firm Merchant Account Office Resources – RPost Registered Emails – DHL – FedEx Website Development & Marketing – Findlaw Insurance – USI Affinity (Professional Liability, Workers’ Compensation, Disability Income) – Marsh (Health Savings Accounts, Long Term Care Insurance, Term Life Program, Business Overhead Expense, and more) For details on all of these products and services, visit www.nycbar.org and click on the Benefits link. www.nycbar.org JanUary 2009 | 44TH STREET NOTES | 3 Lawyer Assistance Program The New York City Bar Lawyer Assistance Program is a free, confidential service available to New York City attorneys, judges, law students and their family members who are struggling with alcohol or drug abuse, depression, anxiety, stress or other addictions and mental health issues.