High School Mock Trial Competition

The High School Mock Trial Competition needs additional attorneys, primarily in Augusta and Portland, to serve as evaluators for the mock trials to be held in November. For additional information and to volunteer as an evaluator, please contact the Coordinator, Julie Finn, 874-0326, jfinn1@maine.rr.com.

Happy Hour for Summer Applicants to the Maine Bar at Brian Boru

The New Lawyer's Section is sponsoring a good luck fete for those taking the bar this summer at Brian Boru in Portland on Friday, July 10 at 5:30. This is an annual event in which new lawyers and erstwhile lawyers gather to commiserate and celebrate the dreaded bar examination. This is a great opportunity to welcome new lawyers to the Maine bar and get together with colleagues you may not have seen for awhile. We hope to see you there. If you have any questions about this event, contact Frank Bishop at (207) 791-1230. The New Lawyers Section would also like to thank Bar/Bri for their co-sponsorship of this event.

Brown Bag on Superior Court Business and Consumer Docket

The New Lawyers Section is hosting a brown bag lunch discussion with Justice Humphrey and Justice Nivison relative to the Business and Consumer Docket of the Superior Court, at 12:00 p.m. on June 23, 2009. The event will be held in the Moot Courtroom at the University of Maine School of Law at 246 Deering Avenue, Portland. The Justices’ presentation will include the goals of the Court, the types of cases that new lawyers should foresee having transferred to the Court, the manner/process in which cases are handled on the Business and Consumer Docket, and “helpful hints” that may be useful to new lawyers.

No registration or RSVP is necessary for attendance. If you have any questions or would like additional information on this event, please contact Shane Wright (swright@isaacsonraymond.com, 207-795-5000) or Amanda Doherty (AJDoherty217@aol.com, 207- 878-5519), or any member of the Governing Council of the New Lawyers Section.

Entreverge Awards Call for Nominations and Registration

PROPEL, the young members group of the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, is excited to introduce the inaugural entreverge Awards, recognizing entrepreneurship and innovation in the greater Portland area business community. Five winners will receive publicity and a package of pro bono consultation services from the greater Portland area’s top business leaders and service providers. Nominate a business now at www.entreverge.com, and join us at the Awards Party on June 25, Register Now!

For entreverge sponsorship opportunities, call Johann Sabbath at 207-781-2982 or johann.sabbath@gmail.com

Volunteers for a mock trial

On June 30 and July 2, 2009, the Clerk’s Office will host two separate groups of high school students from the Upward Bound program at USM. Upward Bound serves income-eligible students, providing them with guidance and support to graduate from high school and prepare for college. For more information about Upward Bound at USM, visit: http://usm.maine.edu/upwardbound/Pages/WhatisUB1.html

To ensure an enjoyable and educational experience for the students, the Clerk’s Office is looking for volunteers from the Bar to assist students with a semi-scripted mock trial to be held in one of our courtrooms. The mock trial, including preparation and debriefing, will probably take 1 ½ to 2 hours. No preparation is required of the volunteers.

Will your firm have law student associates on staff this summer? If you think that your student associates would be interested in volunteering, the Clerk’s Office is also hoping to give the Upward Bound students an opportunity to interact with law students and/or recent law school graduates who could talk about their career choices and educational experiences.

If you are interested in volunteering and/or have any questions, please contact:

Renee M. Bender, renee@med.uscourts.gov

(207) 780-3356 ext. 2219

NLS discount on the Portland Stage Company's production of "Trying" this Saturday at 8 pm

NLS members have a 48-hour window to get 30% off on tickets to the Portland Stage Company’s production of “Trying” if the NLS can identify at least 10 individuals that would like to attend this Saturday’s 8 PM production. We have pre-reserved 10 seats in the center for anyone that would like to attend. Discounted tickets cost $31.75 each. The play description is as follows:

--Trying by Joanna McClelland Glass
http://www.portlandstage.com/

Judge Francis Biddle, the elderly and irascible former Attorney General, has little patience for his fresh-faced young secretary. But through battles over grammar and beliefs, their strained relationship grows into mutual respect, and eventually, true friendship. This witty and poignant account of the inevitable adventure of growing old was inspired by the playwright’s personal experiences as Biddle’s secretary.


Any takers? Significant others/children are invited to attend if accompanied by NLS members. Email nlsmainestatebar@gmail.com to reserve a seat. You must email prior to 5 pm this Thursday to be included, as we must collectively pay the theatre by then.

More Info on Hockey Night in Portland

For those of you attending the NLS Portland Pirates event tomorrow, tickets will be available at the will call window at the Civic Center. Some of those attending will be meeting at Flask on Spring Street at 6:30 for a beer before the game. Hope to see you there!

HOCKEY NIGHT IN PORTLAND!

Come see the Portland Pirates for $12! The New Lawyer’s Section of the Maine State Bar Association is sponsoring a Pirates game on Friday, March 20th. Ordinarily tickets are $17, but we were able to get a special group rate for $5 off. This is an excellent opportunity to get together with your peers and colleagues (and adversaries) in a family friendly social setting. If you would like to attend please send a check payable to the MSBA to:

Mark Beaumont
Eaton Peabody
80 Exchange St.
PO Box 1210
Bangor, ME 04402

In addition, please RSVP Frank Bishop (fbishop@pierceatwood.com) with the number of tickets you are buying, so that we can work with Pirates to make sure there are enough tickets available. We have reserved 30 seats, but can expand to 50 if there is enough interest. If you have any questions about this event call Frank at 207-791-1230.

Silent Partners -- Confidential coaching through challenging procedural or legal issues!

Hey newish lawyers! We've had multiple NLS people get asked how junior Maine attorneys can get some "advice" from more senior lawyers on specific technical questions or new procedural issues they're facing. Well, the MSBA has provided a solution that should be of great interest to everyone. . .

In a low-key, yet supportive way, the Maine State Bar Association offers a program to assist lawyers in dealing with problems in substantive and administrative areas of law where there may be a lack of familiarity or comfort in helping a client.

The program is open to all members of the Bar, from the newest members to those of long standing, who find themselves challenged by new or unfamiliar areas of the law where some help and guidance would benefit both the practitioner and the client.

Silent Partners contemplates a telephone consult with another practitioner to give you some pointers and direction. It may work out to a referral or a co-counsel relationship with a mentor attorney-but that is not required or expected. Most lawyers who use Silent Partners need some focused guidance and encouragement from someone who knows what they are talking about. It is only a phone call away. The program provides confidentiality recognized by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court in Maine Bar Rule 7.3(o).

The Silent Partners program is chaired by Peter J. DeTroy III, Esquire, who can be reached at the following contact info - he will facilitate your participation in this service:

Norman Hanson & DeTroy LLC
P O Box 4600
Portland, ME 04112
pdetroy@nhdlaw.com
Phone: (207) 774-7000
Fax: (207) 775-0806

New Lawyers Section Election Results

The election of the 2009 governing board of the New Lawyers Section of the Maine State Bar Association is now closed. Your 2009 governing board is:

Chair
Shane Wright, Isaacson & Raymond, Lewiston
Chair-elect
Frank Bishop, Pierce Atwood, Portland
Immediate Past Chair
Scott Quigley, Laskoff & Associates, Lewiston
Secretary
Mikaela Sturrock, Elliot & MacLean, Camden
Treasurer
Mark Beaumont, Eaton Peabody, Bangor
MSBA Board of Governors Representative
Peter Felmly, Drummond Woodsum, Portland
SBA Representative (term ends upon election of new SBA president)
Nathanial Hull, University of Maine School of Law, Portland
Directors
Justin Weiss, Digital Policy Group, York
Hanna Sanders, Legal Services for the Elderly, Scarborough
Felicity Soles, International Association of Privacy Professionals, York
Jason Dionne, Isaacson & Raymond, Lewiston
Jeffrey Schwartz, Jeffrey A. Schwartz, LLC, P.A., South Portland
Stacey Stitham, Brann & Isaacson, Lewiston
Courtney Beer, PTLA, Portland
Amanda Doherty, Strike, Goodwin & O’Brien, Portland
Chelsea Fournier, Preti Flaherty, Portland

Congrats to those who won a spot; welcome to the new members; welcome back to the incumbents! 2009 is shaping up to be a good year with a lot of events. Stay tuned for further information . . .

Young Lawyers Happy Hour TODAY!

Sorry for the short notice, but a group of young Portland lawyers have put together a monthly happy hour which will take place today, Wednesday, December 17th from 5-7 at RiRa. This is an excellent opportunity to hobnob with attorneys from other firms and disciplines.

The event has been organized by Kristy Smith at Preti Flaherty, among others. Hope to see you there.

Best Law Blawgs 2008

The 2nd annual ABA Journal top 100 Law Blawgs are listed in this month's magazine.

From the article:
"This year, blogs that aren't updated at least weekly- no matter how interesting- often didn't make the grade. We put a premium on blogs that broke news in 2008, or were among the first to provide trenchant analysis of one or more breaking legal news stories. We also gave props to bloggers who made the most of audio or video (in our new podcast category) or social networking applications."

Check out the list in the December issue...perhaps a peek at Taxgirl may help you when 2009 rolls around!

Nominees for 2009 Governing Council

The nominating committee of the New Lawyers Section governing board is pleased to announce the nominees for the 2009 governing council of the New Lawyers Section of the Maine State Bar Association. The nominees are:

Chair-elect
Frank Bishop, Pierce Atwood, Portland
Secretary
Joseph Bethony, Gross, Minsky, and Mogul, Bangor
Mikaela Sturrock, Elliot & MacLean, Camden
Treasurer
Mark Beaumont, Eaton Peabody, Bangor
Director (9 positions open)
Justin Weiss, Digital Policy Group, York
Hanna Sanders, Legal Services for the Elderly, Scarborough
Felicity Soles, International Association of Privacy Professionals, York
Jason Dionne, Isaacson & Raymond, Lewiston
Jason Barrett, Eaton Peabody, Ellsworth
Jeffrey Schwartz, Jeffrey A. Schwartz, LLC, P.A., South Portland
Stacey Stitham, Brann & Isaacson, Lewiston
Courtney Beer, PTLA, Portland
Amanda Doherty, Strike, Goodwin & O’Brien, Portland
Chelsea Fournier, Preti Flaherty, Portland
Tony Haagan, Preti Flaherty, Portland.

The election will occur in mid-December and NLS members should receive a ballot by email on or before December 15, 2008. If you do not receive access to a ballot and want access, please contact Scott Quigley, chair of the governing council, at Laskoff & Associates in Lewiston.

ABA Journal Survey on the Job Market / Economy

The ABA Journal is surveying lawyers about the job market and the current state of the economy. To contribute to the survey, check out: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=9Dhw2g7bX_2bxfq4mW8eB1Cg_3d_3d

Survey results will be published in the January ABA Journal. Answers will be kept confidential and used only in combination with all other responses received.

Coffin Lecture Tonight: Judge Judith Kaye, Chief Judge, State of New York

The Honorable Judith Kaye, Chief Judge of the State of New York, will present this year’s Frank M. Coffin Lecture on Law and Public Service.

Judge Kaye serves as the 16th annual Coffin Lecturer. She will deliver her lecture this evening Thursday, November 6, 2008, at 7:00 pm, at the Abromson Community Education Center, located at 88 Bedford Street in Portland, Maine.

The Honorable Judith Kaye was appointed New York State’s Chief Judge in 1993 by Governor Mario M. Cuomo and has served in that position for over 15 years. She was the first woman to serve on the New York Court of Appeals, which she joined as Associate Judge in 1983, and the first woman to occupy the State Judiciary's highest office as Chief Judge. She chairs the Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children and co-chaired the ABA Commission on The American Jury. Judge Kaye served as President of the Conference of Chief Justices and Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Center for State Courts. She is the author of numerous publications dealing with legal process, state constitutional law, women in law, professional ethics and problem-solving courts. A graduate of Barnard College and New York University School of Law, Judge Kaye has received many awards and several honorary degrees.

Established in 1992, the Frank M. Coffin Lecture on Law and Public Service honors a distinguished member of the United States judiciary and a long-time friend of the University of Maine School of Law. Judge Coffin was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, served as Chief Judge from 1972 to 1983, and assumed Senior status in 1989. A graduate of Bates College and Harvard Law School, Judge Coffin’s commitment to public service spans a wide-ranging career, including roles as a member of Congress, Deputy Administrator of the Agency for International Development, and Chair of the Committee on the U.S. Judicial Branch for the Judicial Conference. Judge Coffin is an active member of the University of Maine School of Law Board of Visitors.

FMI, you can call (207) 780-4344

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR GOVERNING BOARD

The election of the 2009 governing board of the New Lawyers Section will occur in December of 2008. The nominating committee has been working for a little while to secure nominations for the upcoming election, and, now, the nominating committee invites nominations from you.

This year, there are as many as nine open positions. They are:

Chair-elect
Secretary
Treasurer
Director (at least three, but no more than nine, must be elected).

As of Monday, the nominations were:

Chair-elect
Frank Bishop, Pierce Atwood, Portland
Secretary
No one has been nominated
Treasurer
Mark Beaumont, Eaton Peabody, Bangor
Director
Justin Weiss, Digital Policy Group, York
Hanna Sanders, Legal Services for the Elderly, Scarborough
Felicity Soles, International Association of Privacy Professionals, York
Jason Dionne, Isaacson & Raymond, Lewiston
Jason Barrett, Eaton Peabody, Ellsworth
Stacey Stitham, Brann & Isaacson, Lewiston

As you can see, there are open positions and there are, presently, uncontested positions. If you wish to nominate somebody, including yourself, to any of the open positions, the deadline to do so is November 15, 2008. There are two possible ways to nominate someone: 1) recommend them to the nominating committee which will then consider adding them to the slate of candidates, or 2) secure the recommendation of three members of the New Lawyers Section in which case the nominating committee must add them to the slate of candidates.
The nominating committee is: Scott Quigley, Shane Wright, Dennis Carrillo, Mark Beaumont, Barbara Slote, Frank Bishop and Hanna Sanders. We should all be in the bar directory. If you wish to contact the nominating committee by email, please write to sq@laskofflaw.com.

Come Welcome Our New Members

This Thursday, November 6, we will be hosting a reception to welcome our newest members. The reception is at 5:00 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn in Freeport. The reception is immediately after the first day of Bridging the Gap. Please join us, and, more importantly, come welcome our newest members.

Admission to other jurisdictions - Some Resources

For those of you with eyes fixed on other pastures, figuring out what the bar admission requirements may be for a given jurisdiction, and whether you can "waive in" to the bar there, can be tedious. Here are some resources to help you along in your research. . .

The American Bar Association has several references for information on admission by motion to the bar of other states.

The “Reciprocity, Comity & Attorneys Exams” chart lists the requirements for the fifty states (2005).

“Admission by Motion Rules” lists the links to each state’s admission by motion rules (2007).

The National Conference of Bar Examiners publishes, and updates annually, the “Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admissions Requirements” (2008).

Have at it -- but always remember where you came from!

Reviews & Raises

I saw a segment on the ABC news last night reporting on the economy (of course) and the current economic downturn's effect on pay-raises. It suggested that in many fields an employee's increase in annual pay isn't keeping up with inflation, if an increase even occurs.

Many firms conduct annual reviews in Q4, if yours happens to be one have you had a similar experience? Are tensions running high because of the media coverage of economic troubles or is your firm still faring well? Does your firm have a plan to ride-out slower than average quarters, even if those quarters add up to a full year?

Dress Code for Court?

Gossip around the water cooler suggests that Androscoggin county may be considering a dress code for female attorneys appearing in court. Hmmmm. Certainly begs the question "why?" I'm trying to imagine my peers dressing so outrageously or inappropriately that they would offend the sensabilities of the bench.... and I'm hard pressed to conjure up that image.

In Cumberland County, I have seen Birkenstocks in court on both men and women attorneys, which do look a bit "hippiesque." (And I have seen cowboy boots that just look silly.) There is certainly a relaxed manner of dressing for some. However, I have yet to see an outfit (or shoe style) that seems truly inappropriate. So, I'm very curious to hear more from the Ando area...
Ladies??