News

Annual Charity Event raises money for Believe in Tomorrow's Children Foundation

From Blacktie-dc.com:
Members of the Maryland State Bar Association gathered on March 23 to raise money for the Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation in its 21st Annual Charity event.

Hosted by the Young Lawyers Section of the MSBA, cocktails, entertainment and gourmet food were served at the Pier V Hotel in Baltimore.

Each year the MSBA chooses a different charity to raise funds for.

Over looking the Chesapeake Bay patrons were able to enjoy drinks while watching the sunset over the water.

The event also featured a silent auction with items like a signed Cal Ripken, Jr. baseball and a raffle for a Kindle Fire.

The Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation provides hospital and respite housing services to critically ill children and their families.

“I’ve been doing this for five years and this is the charity I’m most excited about,” said event co-chair Julia Carolan.

To view photos of the event, please visit this website.

Dolores Dorsainvil Named Finalist for National Award

The American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD) named Dolores Dorsainvil, a senior staff attorney in the District of Columbia Office of Bar Counsel and Co-Chair of the MSBA Young Lawyers Section’s Education Committee, a Finalist for its 2011 ABA YLD National Outstanding Young Lawyer Award. Dorsainvil was honored on February 4 at the 2012 ABA YLD’s Midyear Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Click here to view the full story in the MSBA Bar Bulletin.

Young Lawyers Plunge for a Good Cause

Volunteers from the Young Lawyers’ Section participated again in the annual Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge on January 28, 2012. Since January 2009, participants from the Section have raised more than $20,000 for the Maryland Special Olympics. Click here to watch the video.

For more about the One Bar | One Community Service project, click here.

YLS Section names BOG Rep. nominee; petitions sought

The Nominating Committee of the Young Lawyers’ Section of the Maryland State Bar Association is pleased to announce that it has selected Thomas M. Weschler, Jr. as its nominee for the position of Young Lawyers’ Section Representatives to the 2012-2014 Board of Governors. Any member of the Young Lawyers’ Section, who will be a member throughout the term being sought, may submit a Petition of Nomination to run against the nomination slate. The Petition must be signed by not less than 25 members of the Young Lawyers’ Section and should be mailed to:

Jason Hessler
Chair, YLS Nominating Committee
Maryland State Bar Association, Inc.
520 West Fayette Street
Baltimore, MD  21201

The Petition must be received no later than the close of business on Wednesday, February 15, 2012. If you have any questions, please contact Jason Hessler at 410-396-4140, jason.hessler@baltimorecity.gov or Nicole Earl at 410-685-7878 x3019, nearl@msba.org .

Education Committee hosts successful informational seminar

The Education Committee is committed to offering educational and professional development seminars to Maryland young lawyers. To that end, on November 8, 2011, The Education Committee hosted a seminar entitled, “Law Practice Management Tips” in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.  The all-star group of panelists included Anthony I. Butler, Esq., of Butler & Associates, Harry S. Johnson, Esq., of Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, Margaret Mead, Esq., of Mead, Flynn & Gray, P.A., Thomas Donnelly, Esq., of The Law Offices of Thomas M. Donnelly, LLC, and past Chair of YLS, Hughie Hunt, Esq., of Kemet & Hunt, served as the moderator.

The panelists shared their wisdom and provided practical advice about maintaining an effective law practice and touched on areas including marketing, client screening, retainer agreements, fees, technology, and ethics.  The event was well attended and had approximately 65 attendants of lawyers from all over the state. View more photos of the event here.

Please contact either of the Education Committee Co-Chairs with ideas for events or to become involved on this important committee.  You may contact Dolores Dorsainvil at dolores.dorsainvil@gmail.com or Taren Stanton at taren.stanton@gmail.com.

Young Lawyers' Section develops MSBA Mobile App

With the practice of law more mobile than ever, the Maryland State Bar Association’s Young Lawyer Section has created a free smartphone application to provide Maryland attorneys with easy, on-the-go access to the Rules of Evidence, Rules of Professional Conduct, MSBA’s website and more.  Versions of the Maryland State Bar Association Mobile App are available for the Apple i-Phone and iPad, Android and Blackberry smartphones, and may be downloaded directly from Apple iTunes Store, Android Market and BlackBerry App World.

“With this free app, there’s no need to guess what the ethics rules are, wherever you are – so long as you have a smartphone, the answer is literally right at your fingertips,” says Erek Barron, Chair of the MSBA Young Lawyers Section (YLS), which developed the new substantive app – the first its kind in the nation among state bar associations – as part of its technology initiative this year.

The MSBA app allows users to easily browse the Rules of Evidence; the Rules of Professional Conduct; Attorney Trust Accounts; the Court of Appeals’ Ideals of Professionalism; and the MSBA Code of Civility.  The new app also allows users to search for rules by chapter, title or rule, and bookmark them for future reference.  Additionally, it features links to portions of the MSBA website, including the MSBA Ethics Hotline, Ethics Opinions (accessible to members only) and Fastcase online legal research (accessible to members only).

“The development of mobile applications, or apps, has exploded in the last few years, and now there are literally hundreds of thousands of apps from which to choose,” says Paul V. Carlin, MSBA Executive Director.  “Our Young Lawyers Section has impressively taken the initiative to develop practical, relevant apps for MSBA members.”

Reviews from I-Phone JD and the Wall Street Journal

Read more about the app and other technology goals of the YLS in this Press Release.

 

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In The Media

See what Erek Barron has to say about technology and smartphones in the courtroom at the Generation J.D. Blog.

Check out the YLS Blawg: The Gavel. Dolores Dorsainvil has some interesting points on client screening.

Section Council member, Dolores Dorsainvil, dishes the latest ethics advice in the Washington Lawyer.

YLS Member named in "Top 20 in their Twenties" by Daily Record
Publications Committee Co-chair, Heather Pruger, was recognized by The Maryland Daily Record's "20 in their Twenties." "Honorees are chosen on the basis of professional accomplishment, civic involvement and impact of achievement. The program celebrates the best and brightest under 30 who may have not earned their first million but whose creativity and spirit are already contributing to a new energy in Maryland." - http://thedailyrecord.com/20-in-their-twenties/current-winners/