Minutes of the Meeting of November 17, 2005
ATTENDANCE
Members present were:
Arthur Birdsall (PBA), Elizabeth Kramer (PBA), Susan Kenny (Monroe), Don Morgan (Dauphin), Jessica Engel(Lycoming), Barbara Kittrell (Berks), Shelly Lawson (Colburn),), Barry Simpson (PBA), Fran O’Rourke (PBA), Sue Miller, CLE board, Katey Buggy, CLE board, Marianne Canning (Lehigh). Stacey Thomas (PBI), Heather Martin (Bucks), Susan Kost (Schuylkill), Evelyn Sullivan (Lancaster), Jean Bednarski (York), Kathy Sabol (Washington), Bruce Fleischer(Centre), Wendy Hoffman (Chester) , Roger Meilton (PBI), Richard McCoy (PBI), Diane Krivoniak (Westmoreland), Becky Morganthal (Cumberland) and Mary Beth Leeson (Northampton).
TREASURER’s REPORT/Minutes
Minutes from the August 2005 business meeting in Erie as well as the Treasurer’s Report were accepted as submitted. Balance in PABE account is $14,427.48
REPORTS
PRESIDENTS COMMENTS
Upcoming Dates
PBA Mid Year Las Vegas January 18 – 22, 2006
PABE program is Thursday on Diversity in Law Firms. Panel: Ev Sullivan, Kathy Sabol, Sam Cooper, Diane Krivoniak
CCBL March 2 -4 2006
Sponsorships from local bars will again be solicited however the exact dollar amount has not yet been determined. New PABE president will set that along with the CCBL committee.
LIAISON REPORT
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Nevin Mindlin, PBA Legislative Coordinator was not present. President Paul reported that both ACBA and Montgomery Bar have hired their own lobbyist to deal with the issues of sales tax and legal journal advertising.
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
PUBLIC IMAGE
President Paul provided summary of the Public Image campaign.
PBA is budgeting money to produce commercials and will make them available for local bar associations to “buy” air time for these commercials.
President Paul reported on the efforts of Montgomery County Bar to use the public image campaign provided by the PBA: printed posters at cost of $1.50 per poster and displayed at local libraries, courthouse, law firms, grocery stores.
Both Phila and Montgomery County placed the ads on the side of public transportation for 3 months – with good feedback.
Recent PBA PR survey indicates that individuals feel that it is the local county bar that needs to take responsibility to improve image of lawyers.
PBA budgeted $78,000 for PR campaign
President Paul encouraged bar executives to encourage their local bar to join in this public image campaign.
ANNUAL MEETING
Attendance is down at the PBA annual meetings. PBA leadership’s goal is to increase the attendance at the 2006 PBA annual meeting in Hershey in June.
Agreed to ask PBA Director Simpson to distribute report on the PBA survey to the bar execs via listserve.
PBA SURVEY
Over 16,000 surveys emailed/faxed to PBA members with 4,255 respondents which is 25.3% return. Results can be shared with PABE through the listserve.
PBI scored very high in member satisfaction.
67% satisfaction with PBA.
President Paul’s recommendation that the CCBL and PBA officers be copied with all PABE minutes.
PBA President Carlucci
President Carlucci joined the PABE meeting and shared comments on his presidency thus far. He commented about organized bar and thanked all who support the PBA, including the bar executives. President Carlucci expressed his interest in being invited to local bar events.
CCBL
CCBL agenda will be available at House of Delegates meeting along with award applications.
PBI
Director Meilton reported that the PBI had an operating surplus of $100,000.
Also reported that Lexis is offering a 3 hour free cle as is litigation software company.
PBI materials are available for purchase and use by local bar CLE programs.
Attendance at PBI seminars has dropped off in areas outside of the Philadelphia area.
PBF
Heard report that the PBF fundraiser event for the evening to be held at micro-brewery.
Dues check off is single largest fundraiser for the foundation.
Campaign to have more members of the house of delegates to be members of the foundation.
Grant allocations recently awarded to PBA from PBF.
Thursday evening reception at CCBL will be sponsored by WBF.
PBA INCOMING LEADERSHIP
President Elect Horoho and Vice President Susko commented on the importance of working with bar execs and welcomed suggestions from bar execs as they prepare for their years as PBA president.
OLD BUSINESS
PABE website –
Jessica and Fran have secured the domain name for PABE: www.pabe.info, and are ready for the logo which has been submitted by Liz Price.
UNCLAIMED PROPERTY
Corrina Wilson, VP of Operations, Pennsylvania Newspaper Association/Mid-Atlantic Association gave an update on the publication of unclaimed property in local law journals.
There has been a delay in the release of the information from the state treasury. Treasurer Casey has stated that his office disagreed with the legal requirement of publishing the unclaimed property in the law journals but has agreed to do so because he feels that it is “the right thing to do.”Currently the state treasury has not entered into a contract, but the Pa Newspaper Association feels that this will move forward with publication likely to take place in April 2006. Publication may take place in February at the earliest, with publication schedule as such: Bucks, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and then the rest of the state.
Final list is 250,000-275,000 names and is quite a bit smaller than previously thought. Ms. Wilson indicated that her organization will help all journals with publication including satisfying the specs and the actual printing.
Ms. Wilson indicated that the mid-Atlantic organization will issue checks to law journals but she did not know the specifics about how or when the payment would be received.
NEW BUSINESS
SCHOLARSHIP POLICY
Susan Kenney submitted a draft of the PABE scholarship policy.
Membership discussed and agreed to amend the document with language to include:
PABE president scholarship for mid-year and annual for one half the cost.
Officers to review and vote upon by scholarship with the president abstaining is he/she applies.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Chair of Nominating Committee, Art Birdsall submitted 2006-07 slate of candidates:
Becky Morganthel, President
Diane Krivoniak, Vice President
Susan Kenney, Secretary
David Blaner, Treasurer
Mr. Birdsall congratulated President Paul for two great years of service to the organization as PABE president.
Motion: Mr. Birdsall moved to accept the slate of officers as submitted by committee. Motion seconded by Mrs. Paul and motion carried.
KATRINA CONTRIBUTIONS
Discussion on PABE help to the lawyers/bar associations in Louisiana.
Heard report that NABE is providing the funding for transportation and living expenses to send David Blaner to help develop a business plan to get bar associations in the New Orleans area back in operation.
Learned that there is displacement of bar association and 2/3 of lawyers displaced. Supreme court of Louisiana has eliminated CLE requirements for 05 and possibly 06. New Orleans bar is in dire straits as was indicated by email shared with PABE members. Contributions to La. Bar foundation directly helping legal community.
MOTION: Ev moved to make contribution of up to $1000 to the New Orleans Bar Association after New Orleans determines their needs so to help them get back on their feet. Second by Becky Morgenthal. Discussion on motion: need now, existence of bar execs association.
Motion retracted.
MOTION: Mrs. Krivoniak moved to send a check for $1000 to New Orleans Bar Association for that organization to use as they see fit. Second by Ms. Sabol. Motion carried.
10-7
CCBL
MOTION: Ms. Martin moved to send a PABE check for $1000 to the PBA for sponsorship dollars towards the operating costs of CCBL . Second by Mr. Morgan. Motion carried.
NABE
Ev Sullivan gave update on NABE and thanked the bar execs for their support.
June 2005 NABE is sponsoring its first ever small bar conference for bar executives at a cost of $75. Will be held on a Saturday and a Sunday in Baltimore. Ev agreed to get word out to bar execs in Pa about the conference.
Heard news that Carolyn Seibert had recent major jaw surgery and will be out of work for some time. Agreed to share her home address via listserve for bar execs to send get well wishes.
PBA
Barry Simpson shared news that PBA will increase dues in 2007.
InCite contract is up for renewal. Feedback on InCite has been terrific.
HB1906
Sales tax scheduled for vote on Tuesday.
Amendment that legal journals is to stay in the publication requirement is to be proposed. Suggestion that perhaps PLS Director Milkis might be interested in joining this argument in support of the legal journal publication.
Agreed that Conference of legal journals president and president of PABE should send letters on behalf of both organizations about the importance of legal journals.
No further business, meeting adjourned at 4:10 pm.
Submitted by Diane Krivoniak, Secretary