Philadelphia ® The Monthly Newspaper of the Philadelphia Bar Association Vol. 39, No. 4 April 2010 QUARTERLY MEETING AND LUNCHEON Bar Launches Presence on Twitter, Facebook O By Michael Petitti T P B A now fits in your pocket. Get instant access to up-to-the-minute news on Association programs and initia- tives, photos from events, and breaking local and national legal news through the Association’s new Facebook page and Twit- ter feed, both available on many mobile devices as well as online. At the same time, the Association has augmented and re-launched its LinkedIn page as a members-only resource. .e new services can be activated by visiting philadelphiabar.org and clicking on the Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Chancellor Scott F. Cooper presented Immediate- icons. Members must register with each Past Chancellor Sayde J. Ladov with a ceremonial gold box at the March 17 Quarterly Meeting and respective Web site to gain access to the Luncheon, where CNN National Correspondent John new services. King (right) addressed Bar Association members. Lyons Jeff by Photos .ese sites enable the Association to expand its relationship with members by offering more convenient and immediate Enthusiasm Replaced by Anger at access to issues pertinent to the Philadel- phia legal community. Facebook is the social media Web site Washington, King Tells Members that connects millions of “friends” through personal “pages” consisting of whatever information the user would like to display, O By Ria C. Momblanco tial national reach, but her authenticity at including notes, pictures and videos. Face- a time when people don’t like politicians, book has an estimated 350 million users T Podcast strikes a chord with a lot of disaffected around the world. enthusiastic support of the Democratic Spotlight Americans.” continued on page 18 Party and President Obama’s hopeful Visit philadelphiabar.org to listen to King believes that Obama’s current and optimistic message of change in the podcast from this meeting. political slump “is in an odd way much Washington, to one that is disenchanted of his own making. … It is his overrid- In This Issue with big government and the way things government is so large and powerful that ing promise, and his failure to achieve it, are being run in Washington, CNN’s it poses a threat to individual rights; nine … to make Washington different, that 4 Green Task Force John King told Bar Association members in 10 Americans believe that government is undermining him across the political 5 Marketing Goals at the March 17 Quarterly Meeting. officials are influenced by special interests; spectrum.” King’s keynote remarks, which came 81 percent say federal government According to King, there are two areas 7 Gaining Business just four days before the passage of land- officials are out of touch with average that Democrats need to focus on in order mark national health care reform legisla- Americans; and 86 percent say that the to regain the support that they once had 9 Law Week tion, included his own thoughts on the federal government is broken. at the beginning of Obama’s term. First, Obama Administration and the challeng- “.ink what you will about Sarah Democrats need to address the “eco- 13 Beat the 5K Champ es that it faces going forward. Statistically Palin,” King said of the 2008 Republican nomic anxiety” that is gripping many 15 Raising the Bar speaking, King said recent polls show that Party vice presidential nominee. “Count Americans who, due to rising unemploy- 56 percent of Americans believe that the me as one of those skeptical of her poten- continued on page 14 % ! #$ & #$ ( ! ( $ % % % ( 1 % % ( ) % ! " ! # $ % & ' " ( )' " * +, ( -' % ( " + ( . ( / ( $ ( 0 ( 1 ( #' ( $ % ( .% ( $ ( ! % ( $ ( - ( # !" #$ ' ( % ! #$ ) * ! ) # + , ) -./*01.*2302 4** 2 $ ) 3 22 ** 2 Philadelphia Bar Reporter April 2010 philadelphiabar.org Frontline Editor-in-Chief Asima Panigrahi, Esq. Bar Academy Keeps Members Editor Emeritus Bruce H. Bikin, Esq. Plugged In to World Around Them Associate Editors Heather J. Austin, Esq. Ria C. Momblanco, Esq. I technical skills to suc- By Scott F. Cooper Suddenly, the ostracized Regina Parker, Esq. our Bar Association Academy is here! Af- ceed, but employers become the conversation Thomas Bryan, Esq. ter months of planning, we are proudly often cannot afford such carriers. Edward P. Kelly, Esq. launching a truly revolutionary educa- training. We must keep Since January, we have Sarah K. Lessie, Esq. Mary T. Kranzfelder, Esq. tional service for our Association. ourselves constantly founded a Board of Julia Swain, Esq. As I outlined during my inaugural “plugged in” to the Trustees that includes Nicole Edwards, Esq. remarks last December, the Bar Associa- world around us in order a former justice of the Contributing Editor tion Academy is a bold initiative linking to represent our clients Pennsylvania Supreme Richard Max Bockol, Esq. our attorneys and the city’s vast resources. knowledgeably. Court, members of the In its simplest form, it will be a series In a strained econ- judiciary, some of our Advisory Editors of member-driven courses that connect omy, a well-rounded leading pracitioners, Sunah Park, Esq. Molly Peckman, Esq. our members with Philadelphia’s leading attorney will have a representatives from Marc W. Reuben, Esq. cultural and civic institutions. It will in- competitive edge. .is our leading educational clude behind-the-scenes access to cultural is increasingly important as our profes- institutions and top Bar Association staff. Associate Executive Director, institutions, shared interest groups such sion shares information more and more .is group will design and maintain the Communications as cooking and other non-CLE learning through social media channels and sites highest level of educational program- Mark Tarasiewicz for life. .e courses will be offered at such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. ming. Senior Managing Editor, no charge or at cost to the participating At the same time, a more educated at- .e interconnectivity of the law re- Publications member. As such, we are building this torney is also a better problem solver for quires us to anticipate all approaches and Jeff Lyons Academy without drawing from general both clients and the city in which we all interpretations, in order to make sound Executive Director operating funds. practice. judgments on behalf of our clients. Kenneth Shear Using our state-of-the-art technology .is is an area in which our Bar As- American-Swiss geographer and platform, the Bar Association Academy sociation can and must fill the void. With cartographer Waldo Tobler coined the The Philadelphia Bar Reporter (ISSN 1098- offers online registration for courses our vast membership, we are able to gain phrase, “everything is related to every- 5352) is published monthly and available by subscription for $45 per year by the Philadel- through its new Web site at BarAcademy. access to many organizations, so our thing else.” .is fundamental first law of phia Bar Association, 1101 Market St., 11th philadelphiabar.org. Members and local members get the benefits without doing geography has been applied in scientific !oor, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2911. Periodicals institutions are able to suggest program- all the leg work. circles for decades. But we also hear it postage paid at Philadelphia, PA POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Philadelphia Bar Re- ming. We also plan to offer a number But these are not just social activities. used in the business world to suggest a porter, c/o Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 of educational courses via video library Can you imagine the impact our Associa- kind of strategic thinking. Your Bar As- Market St., 11th !oor, Philadelphia, PA 19107- 2955. Telephone: (215) 238-6300. Association through the Web site. tion would have on professional develop- sociation is now ready to help bring this Web site: philadelphiabar.org. Newspaper e- When I spoke of a “bold agenda” dur- ment if an associate who knows nothing concept directly to our members. mail address: [email protected]. The edi- ing my inaugural remarks last December, about wine – and who is closed out of Our Academy “kickoff” event on torial and other views expressed in the Phila- delphia Bar Reporter are not necessarily those this project was at the forefront of my those discussions with clients and senior March 29 featured the Philadelphia of the Association, its of"cers or its members. thinking. We live in a world in which lawyers – could learn from the somme- Union soccer team. Registration was Advertising rates and information are available attorneys need to know more than just lier of one of the city’s finest restaurants? continued on page 18 from Howard Hyatt at MediaTwo, 1014 W. 36th St., Baltimore, MD, 21211. Telephone: (410) 902-5797. Page 1 skyline photo by Edward Savaria, Jr./PCVB Plenary Session with Author Amy Bach April 13 A A B day in courtrooms across together toward compromises Tell Us will discuss her groundbreaking new the country and how these with all too often a tragic re- book Ordinary Injustice: How America failures affect the lives of those sult that bypasses due process What You Think! Holds Court at a Tuesday, April 13 most involved: the accused, and shortchanges the rights The Philadelphia Bar Reporter plenary session of the Public Interest Sec- the victims and their families. of those involved. welcomes letters to the editors for tion, in partnership with the Criminal She discusses how the Bach’s observations show publication. Letters should be typed. Justice Section and the Young Lawyers problems in our justice system that those most affected are There is no word limit, but editors Division. are so widespread that they the poor and minorities and reserve the right to condense for A wine and cheese reception will have become invisible to the that the problems in our clarity, style and space considerations.