Philadelphia ® The Monthly Newspaper of the Philadelphia Bar Association Vol. 42, No. 7 July 2013 JUNE QUARTERLY MEETING World Bar O’Connor: Get Politics Out of Judiciary Leaders Coming to Phila. in ‘14 I By Jeff Lyons T W C B L C- ference, a gathering of the world’s largest city bar associations, will be held in Phila- delphia in 2014, following a vote at this year’s conference in Frankfurt, Germany. Chancellor Kathleen D. Wilkinson, Chancellor-Elect William P. Fedullo, Vice Chancellor Albert S. Dandridge III and former Chancellor Scott F. Cooper at- tended the Frankfurt conference. 0e conference is a bi-annual gathering Photo by Jeff Lyons Jeff by Photo of the leadership of big-city bar associa- Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge Anne E. Lazarus (from left), joins U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor tions to share experiences of current busi- (Ret.), U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Marjorie O. Rendell and Chancellor Kathleen D. Wilkinson at the June 12 Quarterly Meeting. Justice O’Connor spoke to Association members and Judge Rendell delivered the Judge A. Leon Higginbotham ness trends and issues affecting the legal Jr. Memorial Public Interest Lecture. Judge Lazarus was presented with the Sandra Day O’Connor Award. profession or the court system in urban areas. About half of the agenda focuses I By Heather J. Austin O’Connor expressed her concern that judicial bias that is created when a judge on international commercial issues and the idea of having one’s day in court and fails to recuse himself and rules on a case commercial regulation of lawyers. 0e “C the merits of one’s case being decided involving one of his financial donors. Ac- other half focuses on social justice and the politicians has almost destroyed the without passion or prejudice is being cording to Justice O’Connor, we have no delivery of legal services. traditional respect for the bench.” 0ese eroded by threats to judicial indepen- way of knowing if the donation actually “It was an amazing experience meet- words were spoken by Roscoe Pound dence, namely the need to raise money affected the judge’s decision in that case, ing with bar leaders from major bar more than 100 years ago and echoed to compete in partisan judicial elections. but it gives the public a strong reason associations from around the world,” said by retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice 0e cost of a judicial election is steadily to have doubts. 0e mere appearance Chancellor Kathleen D. Wilkinson. “We Sandra Day O’Connor during the June rising, and while many states did not of impropriety undercuts the public’s are very excited to have been chosen as 12 Quarterly Meeting. Justice O’Connor reach the $1 million mark until the year confidence. Rightly or wrongly, there is a the host city for the next World City Bar attended the meeting to commemorate 2000, Pennsylvania reached it in 1989. perception that judges are accountable to Leaders Conference in 2014. 0is is a the 20th anniversary of the Philadelphia Citing the recent Supreme Court case, money and partisan politics, not just the wonderful opportunity to showcase the Bar Association award that bears her Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal Co., Justice law. And, because 70 percent of the pub- city, as well as share ideas and best practices name. O’Connor discussed the serious risk of continued on page 20 continued on page 15 Save $80 - Register Now for Bench-Bar In This Issue I By Jeff Lyons tunity to earn continuing legal education tion at Revel’s HQ nightclub. Prices for 4 Federal Bench-Bar credits while networking with colleagues the 2013 Bench-Bar & Annual Con- 6 Mediation Tips R and members of the bench. Hundreds ference are being kept at 2012 levels. 2013 Bench-Bar & Annual Conference of attorneys and judges are expected to Full-conference tuition for Bar Associa- 7 ACE Event at Revel in Atlantic City, N.J. on Friday attend. tion members who register by Sept. 13 is and Saturday, Oct. 4-5, 2013. Associa- A new addition to this year’s confer- $369. For members of the Young Lawyers 8 Diverse Leaders tion members who register before Friday, ence will be a Law Practice Management Division, public interest attorneys and Sept. 13 can save $80. track among the 22 CLE seminars that government attorneys, full-conference tu- 10 Closing New Client 0e Bench-Bar & Annual Confer- will be offered. Another highlight of the ition is $219. For non-members, tuition 16 Golf & Tennis Classic ence provides attendees with the oppor- weekend will be the Friday night recep- continued on page 3 2 Philadelphia Bar Reporter July 2013 philadelphiabar.org Frontline New Education Law Committee Editor-in-Chief Heather J. Austin, Esq. Associate Editors to Examine Access, Development Ria C. Momblanco, Esq. Regina Parker, Esq. I 0ird Circuit Court of Thomas L. Bryan, Esq. By Kathleen Wilkinson Edward P. Kelly, Esq. on June 19, Gov. Tom Appeals Judge Marjorie Many lawyers, judges Julia Swain, Esq. Corbett signaled that he O. Rendell said it well and other leaders of Angie Halim, Esq. is serious about working when she addressed our Mary-Kate Breslin, Esq. with the state legislature, members at last month’s our legal community Benjamin F. Johns, Esq. Annie Kelley, Esq. city government and June Quarterly Meeting. are products of Phila- Philadelphia School Dis- “Educating our Contributing Editor trict to solve the continu- children is not someone delphia’s public school Richard Max Bockol, Esq. ing financial problem of else’s job,” she said. “It is system. They’ll tell you Advisory Editor the district for the long our job to ensure that the Molly Peckman, Esq. term. We commend the society our children and that they’re proud of governor on his position grandchildren enjoy is Associate Executive Director, the role their public because such coopera- one that reflects America’s Communications Mark Tarasiewicz tion is critical, as no budget issue is more promise. Make this your job.” education played in pressing. Many lawyers, judges and other leaders helping them on the Senior Managing Editor, When Superintendent Dr. William of our legal community are products Publications R. Hite Jr. announced that nearly 3,800 of Philadelphia’s public school system. path to success. Jeff Lyons school district employees would lose their 0ey’ll tell you that they’re proud of the Executive Director jobs because of the district’s financial role their public education played in help- Law Committee. Kenneth Shear crisis, the word “doomsday” became more ing them on the path to success. 0e new committee, co-chaired by than just a metaphor for a catastrophic We need our schools to continue to Richards and Mary Gay Scanlon of Bal- The Philadelphia Bar Reporter (ISSN 1098- budget. nurture today’s students because they lard Spahr LLP, will provide a forum to 5352) is published monthly and available by It heralded an unacceptable scenario are the promise for our future – the next examine important initiatives affecting subscription for $45 per year by the Philadel- for tens of thousands of students left generation of city professionals and civic education, recent developments in the phia Bar Association, 1101 Market St., 11th !oor, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2911. Periodicals without teachers, programs and services leaders. 0ere must be an ongoing pipe- law and the Bar’s role in this area. Our postage paid at Philadelphia, PA POSTMASTER: essential to an effective learning environ- line of educated young people to accept Association has not had an Education Send address changes to Philadelphia Bar Re- porter, c/o Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 ment. the jobs that will continue to move our Law Committee in many years, and there Market St., 11th !oor, Philadelphia, PA 19107- While both district and teacher rep- city and its economy forward. is no more important time than now to 2955. Telephone: (215) 238-6300. Association resentatives have been outspoken about As Judge Rendell said, ensuring that examine the critical issues of access to ed- Web site: philadelphiabar.org. Newspaper e- mail address: [email protected]. The edi- where the blame lies, the reality is that we our schools provide an education that will ucation, development of our youth, and torial and other views expressed in the Phila- are faced with education issues that affect give opportunity to all our children is “a the intersection of the law at all levels. delphia Bar Reporter are not necessarily those everyone. societal imperative, not a political issue.” 0e committee will also study the of the Association, its of"cers or its members. Advertising rates and information are available Businesses across the city have a vested 0is year, I created an Education Law expansion of youth courts in Philadelphia from Don Chalphin at American Lawyer Media, interest in helping to ensure that the dis- Task Force chaired by Joshua Richards and the Bar’s role in assisting that effort. 1617 JFK Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA, 19103. trict’s fiscal crisis is resolved in a way that of Saul Ewing LLP to focus on educa- City Council has accepted a series of Telephone: (215) 557-2359 or e-mail dchal- [email protected]). protects our children from even further tion law, including pre-K to 12th grade, recommendations for setting up youth Page 1 skyline photo by Edward Savaria, Jr./PCVB calamity. 0is includes our legal com- as well as colleges and universities. I am courts in schools that work in tandem munity, which joins other major sectors pleased to announce that the Task Force with the juvenile justice system.