Philadelphia ® The Monthly Newspaper of the Philadelphia Bar Association Vol. 37, No. 7 July 2008 Women in the Profession Summit Volunteers Work to Fight Foreclosures ■ By Jeff Lyons P’ to help low-income home- owners facing mortgage foreclosures has received national attention. “I was at a big seminar in Dallas about the subprime mortgage crisis and one of the panelists held up a copy s n of !e Wall Street Journal o y L f f that had an article talking e J y b about our efforts here in o t o Judge C. Darnell Jones II h Philadelphia,” Philadelphia P U.S. District Court Judge Petrese B. Tucker (from left) discusses communication across the gender Court of Common Pleas gap as U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Dolores K. Sloviter and Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge President Judge C. Darnell Jones II recalled. Frederica A. Massiah-Jackson look on at the First Women in the Profession Summit on June 18. The “/ey wanted me to talk about it. I told them the pro opening panel also included U.S. District Court Senior Judge Norma L. Shapiro, Judge Diane M. Welsh, bono community was the backbone in the effort. And Court of Common Pleas Judge Marlene F. Lachman and moderator Lynn A. Marks. The program includ- ed keynote remarks by Comcast’s Charisse Lillie. For more coverage, see Page 8. they were in awe. /ey couldn’t believe it would hap- continued on page 16 Get Practice Help With LPM Referral In This Issue 2 Chancellor’s Forum ■ By Jeff Lyons Size Firm Committee as well as Technol- to draft an agreement or where to go for ogy, Financial Management, Business a technology issue or any of those types 6 Image Conscious O Management and Marketing are all of things, you contact the Bar Associa- of Bar Association membership is the committees that fall under the umbrella tion and they will put you in touch with 9 Networking Advice Law Practice Management Division. of the Law Practice Management Divi- a consultant. You’ll be entitled to a free “Every member of the Bar is a mem- sion,” Siegel said. one-hour consultation with an indi- 11 Conference Preview ber of the Division automatically; it’s “/e Division offers you what is vidual who has expertise in that area. 17 Striking a Balance part of your benefits of being a member essentially the lawyer referral service If you choose to work with him or her, of the Association,” explained Division for law practice management,” Siegel you have that ability.” 20 More Than Golf Co-Chair Daniel J. Siegel. “/e Solo explained. “If you have an issue that Siegel said there is a wide range of and Small Firm Committee, the Mid- comes up and you need to find out how continued on page 17 Bridging The Gap “Know what you don’t know.” (&)* $ $ '% ' .%' / $ To learn more, visit: www.ITAcceleration.com Technology Legal !) $ $/% ' $ '% (&)For*%ensic + "Computing , $ % + "■# " eRISK-$ '$* Pr*$otection ■ IT Infrastructure ■ Expert Services 995 Old Eagle School Road, Suite 307 ! Wayne, "P#A 19087 $ % & Phone 610-995-9160 CHANCELLOR’S FORUM Working Together to Improve Philadelphia ■ By Asima Panigrahi P’ show “how important the city is to us and how important we are to the city,” Chancellor A. Michael Pratt told attend- ees of a June 10 Chancellor’s Forum. /e theme of the event was “work- ing together to improve our city.” /e forum’s panel consisted of Philadelphia City Councilman James Kenney; Eric Mayberry, president and publisher of s n o y L Metro Philadelphia; Ahmeenah Young, f f e J executive vice president of the Pennsylva- y b o t nia Convention Center; and Paul Levy, o h president and CEO of the Center City P Moderator Carl E. Singley (from left) joins Paul Levy, Ahmeenah Young, Chancellor A. Michael Pratt, Eric Mayberry and District. /e panel was moderated by Councilman James Kenney before the June 10 Chancellor’s Forum. Carl E. Singley. Levy discussed the marked economic was “clinically depressed as a city” and working with numerous mayors over his initiatives that were not getting attention and political changes that have taken there were few efforts made towards 17 years as councilman and compared with the Street administration, CityStat place in Philadelphia from World War II “reinventing and realigning government.” and contrasted the various leadership and 311 – a non-emergency call system, to the present, including the development He then discussed the “climate of change” styles. He stated that the difference be- are now both well underway. He also of highways, the rail system, the tour- that came with the Nutter administration tween the Nutter and the Street adminis- discussed city council’s previous efforts ism industry and the growth of the city’s and noted that there currently is a “strong trations is that the current administration to remove the one-year residency rule for ethnic demography. He noted that during momentum for reform and change.” has “transparency, conversation and city employees. Council passed the initia- the Rendell administration, Philadelphia Councilman Kenney then discussed mutual respect.” He also noted that two continued on page 21 Certified Public Accountants CertifiedC Certified Public Public AccountantsA Accountantse c r t c i ountfi e d P a nt ubl s i c “ serving Kevin J. Conner, MST, CPA “ serving“ serving KevinManaging J. Conner Dir, ectorMST, CPA · Litigation Consulting Services the needs KevinManaging J. Conner Dir,ector MST, CPA · Litigation Consulting Services the needs DianaManaging L. Sherman, Director CISA, CPA · Litigation Consulting Services the needs DianaDir ectorL. Sherman, of Audit Services CISA, CPA · Expert Witness Testimony of our clients DianaDir L.ector Sherman, of Audit Services CISA, CPA · Expert Witness Testimony of our clients Director of Audit Services · Expert Witness Testimony sinceof 1991 our” clients · Forensic Accounting since 1991” · Forensic Accounting since 1991” · Taxation,· Forensic Domestic Accounting & International · Taxation, Domestic & International 110 South State Street, Suite 200 110 South State Street, Suite 200 Registered Firm of the · Business· Taxation, Valuations Domestic & International Newtown, Pennsylvania 18940 PublicRegistered Company Firm Accounting of the · Business Valuations Newtown, Pennsylvania 18940 PublicOversight Company Board Accounting (PCAOB) 215/860-3322110 South • Fax: State 215/860-3653 Street, Suite 200 215/860-3322 • Fax: 215/860-3653 MemberOversightRegistered Firm Board of Firm CP (PCAOB)A of Connect the · SEC· Business Audits Valuations e-mail: [email protected], Pennsylvania 18940 PublicMember Company Firm of CP AccountingA Connect · SEC Audits e-mail: [email protected] Oversight Board (PCAOB) 215/860-3322 • Fax: 215/860-3653 Member Firm of CPA Connect · SEC Audits e-mail: [email protected] 2 Philadelphia Bar Reporter July 2008 philadelphiabar.org Frontline Bar’s Legislative Program Makes Editor-in-Chief Sunah Park Difference in Lives of Membership Editor Emeritus Bruce H. Bikin E our very serious con- By A. Michael Pratt they represent. Each af- Associate Editors championed to our elected representa- cerns with the proposed fected nonprofit would Heather J. Holloway tives is one of the central missions of the regulations. Beaser have needed to take Asima Panigrahi Philadelphia Bar Association. /rough appeared before the com- significant amounts of Brian K. Sims a comprehensive legislative program, we mittee at public meetings money away from its Kathryn C. Harr Ria C. Momblanco work on a variety of levels to make sure in Harrisburg on two mission in order to com- Regina Parker the Association’s positions are heard, additional occasions ply with the regulations. Raymond M. Williams while lobbying for effective change that and the Association’s Following the detailed benefits our members, our community task force submitted and compelling testimo- Contributing Editor and our profession. additional suggestions ny of Beaser, Crisci and Richard Max Bockol /ese efforts often may not make and comments to revised others, a draft proposal Advisory Editors front-page news. But a significant num- draft language from the was publicly circulated Molly Peckman ber of the positive changes we see that regulations committee. by the Pennsylvania Marc W. Reuben benefit our lawyers, our clients and our In our testimony and written com- Lobbyist Disclosure Regulations Com- Director of Communications community happen because the Phila- ments, we raised a number of important mittee changing the proposed regulations Mark A. Tarasiewicz delphia Bar Association had a seat at the substantive and technical concerns. For and indicating that monitoring legislation table. example, the proposed regulations would will no longer be considered lobbying. Senior Managing Editor Recently, we argued that Pennsylvania’s have expanded the definition of lobbying /e committee made other, significant Jeff Lyons proposed lobbying disclosure regula- to include merely monitoring legislative improvements in the proposed regula- Copy Editor tions went well beyond the words of action or administrative action, without tions in response to our suggestions, as Adrienne Cornwall the statute, would severely hamper the any requirement that there be some ef- well. practice of law and would impose unfair fort to influence that legislative action or After a very open and collaborative Executive Director Kenneth Shear and unnecessary compliance burdens on administrative action. process, the regulations committee has attorneys and their clients. /us, a banking lawyer who merely issued much improved revised draft The Philadelphia Bar Reporter (ISSN 1098-5352) is Past Association Chancellor Law- follows proposed changes in Banking regulations. /e current draft is being re- published monthly and available by subscription for $45 rence J. Beaser, chair of the Association’s Department regulations on behalf of a viewed by our task force and, if necessary, per year by the Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Mar- Task Force on Pennsylvania’s Lobbying client would have needed to register as a additional comments will be submitted to ket St., 11th !oor, Philadelphia, Pa.