rudolphrudolph pattersonpatterson leadsleads thethe barbar ANNUAL MEETING • WORKERS’ COMPAUGUST 1999 • PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT1 West (What Did the Court)- new- 4C full 2 GEORGIA BAR JOURNAL Editorial Board WILLIAM WALL SAPP, Editor-in-Chief JENNIFER M. DAVIS, Managing Editor LYN K. ARMSTRONG DIANE BETH MELKIN ERIKA C. BIRG D. SCOTT MURRAY CHARLES M. CORK III MARISA A NNE PAGNATTARO August 1999 • Vol. 5 No. 1 O. WAYNE ELLERBEE AMELIA TOY RUDOLPH GEORGE W. FRYHOFER III JOHN M. SIKES JR. MICHAEL JABLONSKI JOHN SPANGLER III ANNE R. JACOBS JERRE B. SWANN JR. On the Cover: Rudolph N. Patterson of Macon becomes the 37th President of MICHELLE W. JOHNSON PAMELA Y. W HITE-COLBERT the State Bar of Georgia. He is pictured outside his alma mater — Mercer’s Walter SARAJANE N. LOVE J. MICHAEL WIGGINS F. George School of Law. He is a partner with Westmoreland, Patterson & Moseley. His program for the year is outlined on page 40. (Photo by Richard T. Bryant) W. FRAY MCCORMICK CHARLES R. ADAMS JR., ADVISOR QUICK DIAL THEODORE HARRIS DAV I S JR., ADVISOR Attorney Discipline .............. (800) 334-6865 ext. 720 (404) 527-8720 Officers of the State Bar of Georgia Consumer Assistance Program ..................................... (404) 527-8759 (ex officio members) Conference Room Reservations .................................... (404) 527-8712 Fee Arbitration .............................................................. (404) 527-8750 RUDOLPH N. PATTERSON, MACON Continuing Legal Education Transcripts ...................... (404) 527-8710 President Diversity Program ......................................................... (404) 527-8754 GEORGE E. MUNDY, CEDARTOWN ETHICS Hotline ................................. (800) 682-9806 (404) 527-8741 President-elect Georgia Bar Foundation/IOLTA .................................... (404) 527-8766 Georgia Bar Journal ..................................................... (404) 527-8736 JAMES B. FRANKLIN, STATESBORO Secretary Lawyer Assistance Program ............... (770) 612-1122 (800) 327-9631 Law Practice Management ............................................ (404) 527-8773 JAMES B. DURHAM, BRUNSWICK Treasurer Membership Records .................................................... (404) 527-8777 Meetings Information .................................................... (404) 527-8790 WILLIAM E. CANNON JR., ALBANY Pro Bono Project ........................................................... (404) 527-8763 Immediate Past President Professionalism ............................................................. (404) 527-8793 JOSEPH W. DENT, ALBANY Sections ......................................................................... (404) 527-8774 YLD President Unauthorized Practice of Law ....................................... (404) 527-8743 KENDALL S. BUTTERWORTH, ATLANTA Young Lawyers Division ............................................... (404) 527-8778 YLD President-elect HEADQUARTERS ROSS J. ADAMS, ATLANTA YLD Immediate Past President 800 The Hurt Building • 50 Hurt Plaza • Atlanta, GA 30303-2934 Editors Emeritus • (ex officio members) (800) 334-6865 (404) 527-8700 FAX (404) 527-8717 Visit us on the Internet at www.gabar.org THEODORE H. DAVIS JR., 1997-1999 South Georgia Office L. BRETT LOCKWOOD, 1995-1997 STEPHANIE B. MANIS, 1993-1995 244 E. Second St. (31794) • P.O. Box 1390 • Tifton, GA 31793-1390 WILLIAM L. BOST JR., 1991-1993 (800) 330-0446 (912) 387-0446 FAX (912) 382-7435 CHARLES R. ADAMS III, 1989-1991 L. DALE OWENS, 1987-1989 Manuscript Submissions DONNA G. B ARWICK, 1986-1987 The Georgia Bar Journal welcomes the submission of unsolicited legal manuscripts on topics of JAMES C. GAULDEN JR., 1985-1986 interest to the State Bar of Georgia or written by members of the State Bar of Georgia. Submissions should be 10 to 12 pages, double-spaced (including endnotes) and on letter-size paper. Citations should conform to A JERRY B. BLACKSTOCK, 1984-1985 UNIFORM SYSTEM OF CITATION (16th ed. 1996). Please address unsolicited manuscripts to: William Wall TEVEN OLLINS Sapp, Editor-in-Chief, Alston & Bird, One Atlantic Center, 1201 W. Peachtree St, Atlanta, GA 30309-3424. S M. C , 1982-1984 Authors will be notified of the Editorial Board’s decision following its next meeting. WALTER M. GRANT, 1979-1982 The Georgia Bar Journal welcomes the submission of news about local and circuit bar association happenings, Bar members, law firms and topics of interest to attorneys in Georgia. Please send news releases STEPHEN E. RAVILLE, 1977-1979 and other information to: Jennifer M. Davis, Managing Editor, 800 The Hurt Building, 50 Hurt Plaza, Atlanta, ROBERT H. WALLING, 1975-1977 Georgia 30303; phone: (404) 527-8736. Layout and Design by Lenz Design & Communications, Inc. 119 E. Court Sq. #201, Decatur, Georgia Communications Committee Publisher’s Statement WILLIAM E. CANNON JR., ALBANY The Georgia Bar Journal (SSN-0016-8416) is published six times per year (bi-monthly) by the State Chairperson Bar of Georgia, 800 The Hurt Building, 50 Hurt Plaza, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-2934. © State Bar of Georgia DENNIS C. O’BRIEN, MARIETTA 1999. One copy of each issue is furnished to members as part of their State Bar dues. Subscriptions: $36 to Vice-Chairperson non-members. Single copies: $6. Periodicals postage paid in Atlanta, Georgia. Opinions and conclusions expressed in articles herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, Commu- nications Committee, Officers or Board of Governors of the State Bar of Georgia. Advertising rate card will Staff be furnished upon request. Publishing of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of any product or service offered. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to same address. JENNIFER M. DAV I S Director of Communications Disabilities AMY E. WILLIAMS CAROLINE SIRMON Communications Coordinator Internet Coordinator 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. AMY MORLEY Administrative Assistant AUGUST 1999 3 Lexis Nexis (The Best Just Got..) new 4C 4 GEORGIA BAR JOURNAL AUGUST 1999 VOL. 5 NO. 1 Table of Contents Law Practice Management Legal Articles Choosing An Office Manager for Your Firm By Terri Olson Employment Law Responsibilities of 58 Public Employers in Georgia From the Attorney General By H. Lane Dennard Jr. and Brian J. Sasadu 59 10 Who’s Where Subrogation Under Georgia’s 60 Workers’ Compensation Act By John G. Blackmon Jr. Bench & Bar and Lucian Gillis Jr. 61 18 10 Section News 62 Annual Meeting Features Book Review Gripping Corporate Drama Rings True Reviewed by Joseph L. Waldrep Good & Evil, Work & Fun Combine in Georgia Named High School Mock Trial Savannah Meeting National Champion 64 By Jennifer M. Davis By Philip Newton Voluntary Bars 26 48 66 Eight Local Bars, Two Leaders Bar’s Web Site Redesign Unveiled Georgia Trial Reporter Receive Awards By Caroline Sirmon 69 By Amy Williams 50 Lawyer Discipline 32 Lawyers Foundation of Georgia 70 Attorneys Receive Chief Justice 53 In Memoriam Community Service Awards 34 72 Departments Lawyer Assistance Program Three Honored for Pro Bono Work 35 74 From The President Notices Joseph T. Tuggle Recognized for Help Available For Playing By the Rules Board of Governors Meeting Attendance Distinguished Service By Rudolph N. Patterson 1999-2000 Election Schedule By Amy Williams 7 36 Proposed FAO No. 99-R3 From The Director Supreme Court Issues FAO 99-1 State of the Judiciary Address It’s Not Too Early to Mark Your Amendments to 11th Circuit Rules By Chief Justice Robert Benham 2000 Calendars New Towaliga Judicial Circuit Created 37 By Cliff Brashier 76 President Patterson Outlines Program 8 Ad Index By Rudolph N. Patterson From the YLD President 82 40 Senior Lawyers: The YLD Needs Your Help Classifieds Looking Ahead Instead of Back By Joseph W. Dent 82 By William E. Cannon Jr. 56 44 AUGUST 1999 5 Insurance Specialists new BW 6 GEORGIA BAR JOURNAL is not that at all. In fact we have to utilize voice mail to leave a message HELP AVAILABLE FOR and await a reply. This needs to change. Beyond the issue of time, the hotline offers no protective gear even if PLAYING BY THE RULES the lawyer follows our advice to the letter. The ethics hotline offers only could have many mentors (including “informal” opinions, nothing binding. Judge Mallory Atkinson, former Bar This also needs to change so lawyers, general counsel ) to riddle with based on a specific set of facts, can ethical questions. They didn’t always wear the advice as padding and have the answer, but there was a protection, and not risk a black eye comfort zone imagined by talking to when they are blind-sided with a them. Many lawyers who are starting fastball. Lawyers and clients are out on their own do not have the entitled to this safe harbor. By Rudolph N. Patterson luxury of guidance from a senior The Bar’s Web site continues to colleague. They are faced with ethical get better. We recently installed a hen I was in college I issues on a daily basis. discussion group section on the Bar’s played a good bit of Over the years, the Bar has tried Web site (www.gabar.com). One of Wbaseball. So much in fact to address this concern in several the new discussion groups on our Web that I was offered an opportunity to ways. First, there is a Formal Advisory site is established to give some try out for a St. Louis Cardinals farm Opinion Board that receives and temporary non-binding assistance to team. I was the one behind home reviews requests for opinions on ethical