Georgia Gets Competitive
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Georgia Gets Competitive December 2009 Volume 15 Number 4 GBJ Legals Departments 12 12 4 Editor’s Note Georgia Gets Competitive 6 From the President by Erika Birg, Michael Elkon 8 From the Executive Director and Erin Wetty 10 From the YLD President 20 42 Bench & Bar The New Special Master Rule— 48 Office of the General Counsel Uniform Superior Court Rule 46: Life Jackets for the Courts 50 Lawyer Discipline in the Perfect Storm 54 Law Practice Management 28 by Cary Ichter 56 South Georgia Office 58 Section News GBJ Features 60 Casemaker 28 64 Writing Matters 36 State Bar Seeks Continued 68 Professionalism Page Legislative Success in 2010 by Mark Middleton 72 In Memoriam 74 Book Review 30 76 CLE Calendar Cultural Competence in the Notices Courtroom: A Judge's Insight 82 by Hon. Gail S. Tusan 83 Classified Resources and Sharon Obialo 84 Advertisers Index 36 Conversation and a Scorecard: The Impact of the Economy on Diversity in the Profession 54 by Marian C. Dockery 74 Lawyer nneedeed Assistance Program Con dential hhelpelp? Hotline 800-327-9631 Lawyers Recovery Meetings: The Lawyer Assistance Program holds meetings every Tuesday night from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Families First Main Of ce (1105 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30357-0948). For further information about the Lawyers Recovery Meeting please contact Steve Brown at 404-853-2850. he Lawyer Assistance Program 2009-10 (LAP) provides free, con dential Lawyer Assistance assistance to Bar members whose personal problems may be Committee T interfering with their ability to Chairperson practice law. Such problems include stress, Robert T. Thompson Jr., Atlanta chemical dependency, family problems, Vice Chairperson and mental or emotional impairment. Charles B. Pekor Jr., Atlanta Through the LAP’s 24-hour, 7-day-a-week Members con dential hotline number, Bar members *Michael D. Banov, Marietta Henry R. Bauer Jr., Atlanta are offered up to three clinical assessment Frederick Victor Bauerlein, Marietta and support sessions, per issue, with a Robert A. Berlin, Macon counselor during a 12-month period. All Allan Legg Galbraith, Atlanta N. Wallace Kelleman, Stone Mountain professionals are certi ed and licensed Dorothy Y. Kirkley, Atlanta mental health providers and are able to *Joanne Max, Atlanta respond to a wide range of issues. Clinical Robert E. Mulholland, Atlanta Homer S. Mullins, Princeton assessment and support sessions include *William W. Porter, Marietta the following: Darrell P. Smithwick, Lawrenceville A. Thomas Stubbs, Decatur • Thorough in-person interview with the Jeffrey David Talmadge, Roswell attorney, family member(s) or other Lemuel Herbert Ward, Atlanta quali ed person; Executive Committee Liaison • Complete assessment of problems Michael G. Geoffroy, Covington areas; Advisors *Steve Brown, Atlanta • Collection of supporting information Mary S. Donovan, Macon from family members, friends and the Calvin S. Graves, Atlanta LAP Committee, when necessary; and Staff Liaison • Verbal and written recommendations *Sharon L. Bryant, Atlanta regarding counseling/treatment to the *denotes non-attorney person receiving treatment. Editorial Board Quick Dial Donald P. Boyle Jr. Attorney Discipline 800-334-6865 ext. 720 Editor-in-Chief 404-527-8720 Robert Henry Beer Patricia Irene Lee Consumer Assistance Program 404-527-8759 Erika Clarke Birg Hollie G. Manheimer Conference Room Reservations 404-419-0155 Fee Arbitration 404-527-8750 John Clay Bush Olivia Orza CLE Transcripts 404-527-8710 Clayton Owen Carmack Susan Lee Rutherford Diversity Program 404-527-8754 Charles Madden Cork III Hale Elijah Sheppard ETHICS Helpline 800-682-9806 Bridgette Eckerson Paul Gregory Sherman 404-527-8741 Georgia Bar Foundation/IOLTA 404-588-2240 Lynn Gavin Jack P. Smith III Georgia Bar Journal 404-527-8791 Robert Frederick Glass Robert R. Stubbs Lawyer Assistance Program 800-327-9631 Michelle J. Hirsch Kristin H. West Lawyers Foundation of Georgia 404-659-6867 Law Practice Management 404-527-8773 Rajesh Kini Pamela Y. White-Colbert Law-Related Education 404-527-8785 Membership Records 404-527-8777 Editors Emeritus Meetings Information 404-527-8790 Pro Bono Project 404-527-8763 Marcus D. Liner, 04-07 Charles R. Adams III, 89-91 Professionalism 404-225-5040 Rebecca Ann Hoelting, 02-04 L. Dale Owens, 87-89 Sections 404-527-8774 Unlicensed Practice of Law 404-527-8743 Marisa Anne Pagnattaro, 01-02 Donna G. Barwick, 86-87 Young Lawyers Division 404-527-8778 D. Scott Murray, 00-01 James C. Gaulden Jr., 85-86 William Wall Sapp, 99-00 Jerry B. Blackstock, 84-85 Manuscript Submissions The Georgia Bar Journal welcomes the submission of unso- Theodore H. Davis Jr., 97-99 Steven M. Collins, 82-84 licited legal manuscripts on topics of interest to the State Bar L. Brett Lockwood, 95-97 Walter M. Grant, 79-82 of Georgia or written by members of the State Bar of Georgia. Submissions should be 10 to 12 pages, double-spaced (includ- Stephanie B. Manis, 93-95 Stephen E. Raville, 77-79 ing endnotes) and on letter-size paper. Citations should con- form to A UNIFORM SYSTEM OF CITATION (18th ed. 2005). William L. Bost Jr., 91-93 Please address unsolicited articles to: Donald P. Boyle Jr., State Bar of Georgia, Communications Department, 104 Marietta Officers of the State Bar of Georgia St. NW, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30303. Authors will be notified of the Editorial Board’s decision regarding publication. Bryan M. Cavan President The Georgia Bar Journal welcomes the submission of news S. Lester Tate III President-Elect about local and circuit bar association happenings, Bar Jeffrey O. Bramlett Immediate Past President members, law firms and topics of interest to attorneys in Georgia. Please send news releases and other information Kenneth J. Shigley Treasurer to: Sarah I. Coole, Director of Communications, 104 C. Wilson DuBose Secretary Marietta St. NW, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30303; phone: Amy V. Howell YLD President 404-527-8791; [email protected]. Michael G. Geffroy YLD President-Elect Disabilities Joshua C. Bell YLD Past President If you have a disability which requires printed materials in alternate formats, please contact the ADA coordinator at 404-527-8700 or 800-334-6865. Communications Committee Headquarters Robert J. Kauffman Chair 104 Marietta St. NW, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30303 800-334-6865, 404-527-8700, FAX 404-527-8717 Communications Staff Visit us on the Internet at www.gabar.org. Sarah I. Coole Director South Georgia Office Jennifer R. Mason Assistant Director 244 E. Second St. (31794) P.O. Box 1390 Tifton, GA 31793-1390 Derrick W. Stanley Section Liaison 800-330-0446, 229-387-0446, FAX 229-382-7435 Stephanie J. Wilson Administrative Assistant Coastal Georgia Office 18 E. Bay St. Savannah, GA 31401-1225 877-239-9910, 912-239-9910, FAX 912-239-9970 Publisher’s Statement The Georgia Bar Journal (ISSN-1085-1437) is published six times per year (February, April, June, August, October, December) with a special issue in November by the State Bar of Georgia, 104 Marietta St. NW, Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30303. ©State Bar of Georgia 2009. One copy of each issue is furnished to members as part of their State Bar dues. Subscriptions: $36 to non-members. Single copies: $6. Periodicals postage paid in The opinions expressed in the Georgia Bar Journal Atlanta, Georgia and additional mailing offices. Opinions and conclusions expressed in articles herein are those of the authors are those of the authors. The views expressed herein and not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, Communications Committee, Officers or Board of Governors of are not necessarily those of the State Bar of Georgia, the State Bar of Georgia. Advertising rate card will be furnished its Board of Governors or its Executive Committee. upon request. Publishing of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of any product or service offered. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to same address. Editor’s Note Clarification for Enforcing Commercial Real Estate Loan Guaranties he authors of Enforcing Commercial Real Estate Under O.C.G.A. § 44-14-161(c) (2002), “[t]he court shall direct that a notice of the [confirmation] hearing shall be Loan Guaranties, published in the October given to the debtor at least five days prior thereto ....” That written notice, generally in the form of a Rule Nisi, is 2009 issue of the Journal, have requested the not required to be issued within the same 30-day period T required for reporting the foreclosure sale, which is refer- following clarification to endnote 28 and the related enced in O.C.G.A. § 44-14-161(a). A Rule Nisi can be obtained at the same time that the report of foreclosure sale text of the article: is filed, but there is no statutory requirement to do so. State Bar of Georgia’s Annual Fiction Writing Competition Deadline: Jan. 22, 2010 See page 34 for more details. 4 Georgia Bar Journal 730-( '3:)67 ):)6=%2+0) Specialized Wealth Management for Law Firms and Attorneys Law rms are built on the ability to think one step ahead. At SunTrust, we can help you stay on point with nancial services that manage everything from cash ow to fraud protection. To schedule a conversation with a Client Advisor from our Private Wealth Management Legal Specialty Group, call 866.923.4767 or visit us at suntrust.com/law. 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