Philadelphia ® The Monthly Newspaper of the Philadelphia Bar Association Vol. 38, No. 6 June 2009 YLD Celebrates Law Week Bar Wins Tweed Award for 4th Time n By Jeff Lyons The Philadelphia Bar Association will ac- cept its fourth Harrison Tweed Award, one of the American Bar Association’s most prestigious honors, at the ABA Annual Meeting in August. The Phila- delphia Bar Association was honored for its work Inside with the Residential 2009 Bench-Bar and Mortgage Foreclosure Annual Conference Diversion Pilot Pro- preview: Pages 13-16. gram, designed to help low-income homeowners facing mortgage foreclosure. The ABA also announced that the Association’s Law Practice Management Division is the recipient of the ABA General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Photo by Jeff Lyons Division Solo and Small Firm Project Award. The Attorney Dionne Savage offers legal advice at the Young Lawyers Division’s Legal Advice Live! program at award is designed to reward bar leaders and associa- the Main Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia on April 29 as part of Law Week. For more on the YLD tions for their successful implementation of a project activities during Law Week, see pages 10 and 11. continued on page 25 16 of 17 Recommended Judicial Candidates Win In This Issue n By Jeff Lyons Diane Thompson and Donna Woelp- Municipal Court. 4 June Quarterly per, along with recommended Municipal “I was heartened that the voters fol- Of the 17 candidates who posted Court candidates Patrick F. Dugan, lowed our recommendations,” said Judi- 6 Federal Bench-Bar wins in the May 19 primary election, Charles Hayden, Joseph T. Murphy Jr., cial Commission Chair William Fedullo. all but one were recommended by the Kenneth J. Powell Jr., Dawn A. Segal and “The Inquirer and the Daily News lauded 7 Lawyers in Transition Association’s Commission on Judicial Joseph C. Waters Jr. move to the ballot the Commission’s work and recommen- Selection and Retention. for the general election on Nov. 3. dations in their editorials. Even though 8 Making Rain Court of Common Pleas recommend- Thirteen of the 16 recommended win- the turnout was low, the voters followed 18 Raising the Bar ed candidates Daniel Anders, Adam Be- ners were also endorsed by The Philadel- our recommendations. That gives a lot loff, Robert P. Coleman, Anne Marie B. phia Inquirer. of credibility to what we did and it tells 20 30th Annual 5K Coyle, Joyce Eubanks, Daniel Rendine, There are seven vacancies to be filled in the members of the Commission that Angeles Roca, Thomas Francis Shields Jr., the Court of Common Pleas and four in continued on page 22 Technology is our core. Digital Forensics is our niche. www.itacceleration.com DIGITAL FORENSICS EXPERTS Contact us now for more information: IT Support & Management | Digital Forensics | eRisk Defender™ 610-995-9160 x813 or [email protected] “ WHERE IS MY DIRECTORY? ’’ IT’S HERE! } So why don’t you have yours? Supplies Limited! ■ TO ORDER YOUR COPY OF THE LEGAL DIRECTORY, simply complete and fax the order form below or visit www.thelegaldirectory.org. ■ QUESTIONS? Call 443-909-7843 or email [email protected]. ✁ The Legal Directory 2009 Ordering The Legal Directory 2009 with FREE online access is as easy as 1-2-3-4: STEP 1 Quantity Cost (Per Copy) Subtotal The Legal Directory 2009 with FREE online subscription at $79.95 per book. x $79.95 = ■ The only OFFICIAL directory Shipping: $5.95 per book. x $ 5.95 = of the Philadelphia Bar Sales Tax: $6.01 per book in Philadelphia, Allegheny Co. and New Jersey. x $ 6.01 = OR Association. $5.15 per book in surrounding PA counties x $ 5.15 = ■ Fully loaded with information Total crucial to your operation. STEP 2 AGAIN for 2009: Every Legal Directory buyer will receive a FREE subscription (valid through March 31, 2010) If you haven’t ordered to The Legal Directory Online (www.thelegaldirectory.org)! The Legal Directory LOGIN INFORMATION FOR ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION: Please print user name and password neatly. yet, here’s some of Enter User Name (minimum of 6 characters) Enter Password (minimum of 6 characters) what you’re missing: User E-mail Address If you purchased multiple copies of The Legal Directory, you will have a single user name and password for all subscriptions. Access to The Legal Directory Online is limited to one user per directory purchase. Password sharing is regulated. ■ Detailed listings for thousands of Philadelphia-area lawyers STEP 3 ❏ Check here to pay with credit card (please complete credit card section below). and law rms — including ❏ Check here to be billed on delivery. hundreds of new entries! PAYMENT METHOD: (check one) ❏ Visa ❏ MasterCard ❏ American Express ■ Name on Card: Hard-to-nd contact Name of Person Ordering: (if not the name above) information for judges and Card Number: Expiration Month: Expiration Year: individual attorneys in Signature: government ofces! STEP 4 SHIPPING ADDRESS: (We cannot ship to a P.O. Box address.) Date: Name: Firm Name: (if applicable) Address: County: City: State: Zip: Phone: Tax Exempt # (must have to be tax exempt) Every copy Your Signature: (must be signed to process order) Print Name: Title: comes with ❏ Check here if your billing address is the same as your shipping address. If they are not the same, please complete the form below. FREE access BILLING ADDRESS: (NOTE: if paying by credit card, the billing address must match the billing address of the card. ) to the online Name: Address: County: directory! City: State: Zip: Phone: ALL SALES FINAL. Fax this form back to: 410-825-4112. BRM09BR0609 2 Philadelphia Bar Reporter June 2009 philadelphiabar.org Frontline Editor-in-Chief Sunah Park, Esq. Healing the World Through Service Editor Emeritus Bruce H. Bikin, Esq. Since we’re nearing the halfway office as a bully pulpit for By Sayde J. Ladov also working with the point of my tenure as Chancellor, I justice. Department of Labor Associate Editors thought this was an apt time to review • Led by Andy Susko, to develop an ombuds- Heather J. Holloway, Esq. my 2009 initiatives and report on our a task force composed man program to help Asima Panigrahi, Esq. progress to date. of judges, public interest returning veterans Kathryn C. Harr, Esq. Ria C. Momblanco, Esq. I deliberately use the word “our” advocates and the private address issues related to Regina Parker, Esq. because this is not my work alone. Just as bar met to develop strat- job protection and other Raymond M. Williams, Esq. it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a egies for pursuing Civil benefits. They’ll also Thomas Bryan, Esq. cadre of committed volunteer attorneys to Gideon. Our first step provide legal services Edward P. Kelly, Esq. embrace a Chancellor’s vision and move a was developing a success- to military families on Sarah K. Lessie, Esq. Bar Association forward. ful board resolution that their rights to existing Together, we’re taking steps to do just our Board of Governors benefits. Contributing Editor Richard Max Bockol, Esq. that. passed on April 30. • While the economy • On the leadership front, I’m proud We are far past the point of discussing is an ongoing lament, I have continued Advisory Editors to report that our hard-working chairs why Civil Gideon is a good idea; now we my advocacy for building a new family Molly Peckman, Esq. are working with their teams to produce are quickly determining ways to make it court. We know we’re facing difficult Marc W. Reuben, Esq. policies and programs across the Bar happen. We are investigating options and budget choices. But children and families Director of Communications Association’s nine Sections, two Division plan to submit a number of recommen- in need simply cannot wait for a more and Marketing and 50+ committees. dations to the Board later this year. advantageous economic climate. Martha Phan Earlier this year, many of these attor- • We are moving towards establishing An ad hoc committee – comprised neys took time away from their families help desks for pro se litigants in both of government attorneys, community Senior Managing Editor, Publications to attend a two-day Bar Leaders Retreat Family and Municipal Courts. We’ve had advocates, Bar leaders, President Judge Jeff Lyons in Atlantic City specifically devoted to the conversations with Judge Neifield and Dembe, Judges Dougherty and Murphy, topic of leadership development. Every Judge Dougherty, and are currently work- Court Administrator David Lawrence Executive Director day since, they put what they learned into ing to resolve insurance liability issues. and representatives from Ewing Cole, the Kenneth Shear action. In addition, Bar leaders Joe Sullivan architecture firm designing the new court The Philadelphia Bar Reporter (ISSN 1098- I would be remiss if I did not laud and Ethan Fogel are working to establish – have met several times to ensure that 5352) is published monthly and available by Gaetan Alfanfo for his smooth and steady a mediation program to service appeals the building will be user friendly. subscription for $45 per year by the Philadel- style as chair of the Board of Governors from Landlord Tenant Court to Com- I’ve also met several times with Penn- phia Bar Association, 1101 Market St., 11th floor, Philadelphia, Pa. 19107-2911. Periodicals and commend Bill Fedullo for his untir- mon Pleas Court with the intent of sylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice postage paid at Philadelphia, Pa. POSTMAS- ing leadership of the Judicial Commis- alleviating the six-month backlog of cases Ron Castille, who continues to advocate TER: Send address changes to Philadelphia sion. on appeal. for construction of this unified court- Bar Reporter, c/o Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market St., 11th floor, Philadelphia, Pa.