______________________________________________________________________________________
Minutes of the meeting of
May 2, 2002
President Birdsall called the
meeting to order at 2:05 P.M. Art
welcomed the PABE members and our guests.
ATTENDANCE: Members present were: Alfred Azen (IOLTA
Board), Jean Bednarski (York), President, Arthur Birdsall (PBA), David Blaner
(Allegheny County), Marianne Canning (Lehigh County), Charles Hagins (Cambria
County) Susan Kenny (Monroe County), Barbara Kittrell (Berks County), D. Susan
Kost (Schuylkill County), Treasurer, Diane Krivoniak (Westmoreland County),
Patricia Martin (Bucks County), Claudia Meyer (Northampton County), Donald
Morgan (Dauphin County), Secretary, Becky Morgenthal (Cumberland County),
Francis O’Rourke (PBA), Vice President Nancy Paul (Montgomery County),
Elizabeth Price (Delaware County), Carolyn Seibert-Drager (Franklin County),
Kenneth Shear (Philadelphia County), Barry M. Simpson, PBA, Sandra Brydon Smith
(Erie County), Daniel Stark (Chester County), and Evelyn Sullivan (Lancaster
County); guest(s) Doug Kreitzbert (Colburn), Kara Beem, PA. Newspaper
Association, Brian Gottleib, MyPublicnotices.com, Hank Grezlak, American lawyer
Media, David Trevaskis, PBA, Richard McCoy, Julie Sipe & Roger
Meitlon, PBI.
The president asked those present to
introduce themselves.
MINUTES: The minutes of the May 2, 2002 meeting held
at the CCBL convention in
TREASURER’S
REPORT: Diane Krivoniak, Treasurer
reported that 30 out of the 34 PABE members have paid their dues. Pat Martin moved to accept the treasurer’s
report as presented; Liz Price second the motion; vote: all in favor.
PENNSYLVANIA
BAR ASSOCIATION REPORTS
David
Trevaskis, PBA Pro Bono Coordinator reported that after 7 months on the job, he
is making pro bono more visible through out the State. David has is first conference yesterday and
42 people attended. The most important
aspect of his position is the recruitment efforts of counties that do not have
a Legal Services or their own county program in place.
Barry
Simpson, PBA Executive Director, reported the following:
·
PBA is doing well with the number of lawyers attending and the
activities of the committees. The new
InCite program is helping to retain members.
As of one week ago, 150,000 searches have been tracked.
·
Rule 1023 passed and Bill 406 was defeated thanks to the help of many
Bar Associations and the PBA legislative efforts.
·
Continue to negotiate with Gateway to provide a hardware discount of 5%
and approaching other brokerage houses for other discounted services
·
Bench – Bar and Bar to Bar Association relationships are increasing
every day
·
PBA changed its fiscal year a couple of years ago but the dues billing
is continuing on a calendar year. Barry
asked how it is affecting a unit county.
No one reported any major problems.
HR
110 COMMITTEE REPORT – LEGAL ADVERTISING:
Carol
Beem from PA Newspaper Association developed a list serve between them and some
of the Bar Associations. House Bill 2330
amends newspaper advertising and it will compete with us for advertising. Rep. Heimer has concerns with the bill and it
is not a priority in his office. They
also met with Mike Schwoyer who works for Rep. Gannon who is sponsoring the
HR110 and there will be a hearing in the near future in Pittsburgh and Delaware
County.
REPORT
ON PENNSYLVANIA BAR INSTITUTE VIDEO REPLAYS and
PABE
REPRESENTATION ON PBI BOARD:
Roger
Meilton would like more background information from PABE as to why PABE feels
the need to have a representative on the PBI Board. He would like to have a meeting with PABE
representatives to discuss this further with the PBI board members. Pat Martin, Claudia Meyer, Dan Stark, Barb
Kittrell and Susan Kenny all volunteered to be PABE representatives.
Video
replay information was presented by Julie Sipe and Dick McCoy:
REPORT ON ENDORSED INSURANCE PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY USI COLBURN INSURANCE SERVICES
Doug Kreitzberg reported that medical insurance rates will increase and expect to pay more out of pocket expenses in the future. Until 12/31/02, Blue Cross and Blue Shield are still jointly run. The hospitals in Central PA are the Blue Cross and the doctors are Pennsylvania Blue Shield.
Colburn is now working with other health care providers to get quotes for next year. Some of the providers are Health America, Blue Cross, Pennsylvania Blue Shield, Pennsylvania Insurance Trust.
Westport is still the industry leader for liability insurance. Everyone can expect and increase next year.
MYPUBLICNOTICE.COM – Brian Gottlieb
See your handouts.
LAWYERS
CONCERNED FOR LAWYERS (LCL):
Ramon
Roman, Deputy Executive Director is new with LCL. He has 28 years in the healthcare business
and he is experienced in helping impaired attorneys, judges, district justices
and law students. There are over 100
volunteers that help those in trouble.
Educating attorneys as to these problems is now part of the malpractice
avoidance seminars and 6000 attorneys attended.
Recently the LCL added gambling, depression and mental health problems to their list of services. The LCL will pay for the first visit and help with interventions when needed. It was suggested that the LCL present a mock intervention at next year’s CCBL.
OLD BUSINESS
Ken Shear mentioned that David Blanner’s sister died last week. The cards send to him from the PABE members when his father died meant a lot to him and maybe each one of us could send David a personal note.
Diane Krivoniak said that another bar association was giving credit to their Mock Trial
Participants
and wondered if anyone was doing that.
Everyone said no.
Susan
Kenny thanked everyone for responding so quickly to her problem sent out
through the PABE list serve.
Dan
Stark asked if the PABE task force on HR110 is hurting the PBA legislative
efforts. The current PABE task force
does not want to be noticed at this time and PBA is taking the lead. As for PBA and the Pennsylvania Newspaper
Association the PBA will cooperate with them but will not team up with them.
PBA’s
Public Policy Awareness campaign will be done in October and the subject is
Consumer Credit Rights and Responsibilities.
The meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully
Submitted
by________________________________
Becky
H. Morgenthal
Arthur
J. Birdsall Nancy R.
Paul Becky
Morgenthal Diane
Krivoniak
Penna.
Bar Assoc. Montgomery
Bar Assoc. Cumberland Co. Bar
Assoc. Westmoreland Bar Assoc.
100
South St. 100 W.
Airy St. 2 Liberty
Ave. 129 N. Penna.
Ave.
P.O.
Box 186 P.O. Box
268 Carlisle, PA
17013 Greensburg, PA
15601
Harrisburg,
PA. 17108 Norristown, PA 19404
Tel.
800-932-0311, x. 2218 Tel.
610-279-9660, x. 202 Tel. 717-249-3166 Tel. 724-834-6855
FAX 717-238-7182 FAX 610-279-4321 FAX 717-249-2663 FAX 724-834-6855