December 2006/January 2007
Dear YLS Member:
I am pleased to present
to you the December/January issue of ElectronicallyIn Touch. In this issue, you will
find:
I would like to wish all
of our readers a happy and healthy New Year and thank the young lawyers
who have contributed to this issue.
As always, I encourage you to submit any idea that you
may have including, a summary of a recent decision, statute, legal
issue, or book review, or a procedural change in practice,
etc. If you are
interested in sharing your ideas, advice, tips, and/or content
submissions, please send them to me at seth@sethazria.com for inclusion in the
newsletter. ElectronicallyIn Touch is a monthly
publication. The
deadline for submissions is the 10th of the month for
inclusion in that month’s issue, but your submissions and ideas
are welcome anytime for later publication.
We hope that you enjoy
the December/January issue and look forward to staying In Touch...
Seth M. Azria
Editor
It's Finally Here! YLS Three-Day Annual
Meeting Program in NYC, January 24-26,
2007
On Wednesday, January 24,
2007, the Young Lawyers Section will kick
off our three-day Annual Meeting Program at 8:45 a.m. with a three-hour
professional development CLE, entitled “Career Development -
Personal and Professional Strategies for Young
Lawyers.” Offered in two-parts, young lawyers will have an opportunity to
engage in an interactive discussion, Strategies for Your Career and Your Life, with Dallas
attorney, mentor, and career coach Cordell
Parvin. Young lawyers
will also have an opportunity to hear from a panel of seasoned
practitioners about Transitions in the Practice - Changing Your Career or Area of
Practice.
Panelists include a former counsel to a New York State
Governor and current partner in a New York City law firm, an Assistant District Attorney and adjunct professor
of law, a former judicial law clerk and current associate in a
New York City law
firm, and an attorney serving on the Suffolk County
Legislature.
Beginning at 12:00 noon
on Wednesday, the Section will hold our annual membership and executive
committee luncheon meetings where the leadership will report on the
activities of the Section for 2006-2007, and the membership will elect
the YLS officers and Executive body for 2007-2008. ALL Section members
attending the Annual Meeting are invited and encouraged to attend these
meetings.
Wednesday’s program will
conclude with the presentation and reception to honor the recipient of
the Section’s 2007 Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, beginning at
2:00 p.m.
On Thursday, January 25,
2007and Friday, January 26, 2007, beginning
at 9:00 a.m. the YLS will offer our annual transitional CLE program for
newly-admitted attorneys, Bridging the Gap 2007: From Practice to Purpose. This
specially-designed two-day program offers a total of 16 MCLE
credits:
The Thursday, January 25, 2007 Day 1
session includes expert presenters who will
address topics in torts/insurance/compensation law; family law; criminal
law; alternative dispute resolution; estate planning; and immigration
law. The Day 1 program
will also feature sessions on NYSBA’s Empire State Counsel
Program, designed to give special recognition to attorneys who provide
50 hours of pro bono services to the poor each year, as well as a
session on NYSBA’s Lawyer Assistance Program
(LAP).
The Friday, January
26, 2007 Day 2 session concludes with programs in ethics
and landlord/tenant
law; anevidence refresher for the
criminal/civil practitioner; a law practice management session; a
discussion of legal practice alternatives; and a view from the Bench,
featuring practical guidance and tips for effective
advocacy.
2007 Annual
Meeting
Bridging the Gap 2007 -
Thursday
Bridging the Gap 2007 -
Friday
Registration
Form for Use with Fax or Mail (PDF File)
PLEASE NOTE: Section members can
attend this program at low cost, and scholarships are available to
attendees by contacting Christy Douglas (cdouglas@nysba.org) at NYSBA’s Meetings Department.
A Special Panel Presentation Ideal For Young Lawyers -
Practical Skills 101: Life After Law School, January 25,
2007
NYSBA members, including
law students and new attorneys, are invited to attend the NYSBA Law
Student Council 2007 Annual Meeting program
“Practical
Skills 101: Life After Law School.”A networking cocktail reception immediately follows the
program. This FREE event is co-sponsored by the NYSBA’s Young
Lawyers Section and Family Law Section.
Members of the Young Lawyers
Section’s Executive Committee are also invited to attend this
complimentary panel and networking reception.
This special Q&A panel
presentation is ideal for law students and new attorneys. Join us as a
panel of young lawyers and well-seasoned professionals lend their advice
and personal perspectives on some of the practicalities of the
“real” professional world – all the things you
weren’t taught in law school! You’ll hear all about the
highs and lows of their journeys to becoming established attorneys.
Audience members will receive practical answers to the following
questions:
·
Is that AOP right for
me?
·
How do I find my “dream
job?”
·
I’m a new hire: what’s
expected of me?
·
Does my professional etiquette
need polishing?
·
How can I serve my clients
better?
This FREE program
(non-CLE accredited) takes
place on Thursday,
January 25, 2007 from4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., on the 9th Floor, Marquis “C” of the New York
Marriott Marquis Hotel. And, immediately following the program, please
join us from 6:00 p.m.
to 7:00 p.m. for a complimentary networking reception with practicing attorneys. Get more advice from established
attorneys!
Because space is limited,
pre-registration is strongly suggested. To pre-register for the program
and/or reception, please contact the NYSBA Law Student Council Liaison
Karin L. Gagnon via phone, 518.487.5572 or e-mail, kgagnon@nysba.org.
The NYSBA Law Student
Council would like to thank the Young Lawyers
Section for co-sponsoring this year’s
event.
2007 U.S. Supreme Court Admissions
Program
The
Young Lawyers Section is sponsoring a group admissions program to the
United States Supreme Court.
To qualify for admission to the Supreme Court, an
applicant must have been admitted to practice in the highest court of a
State, Commonwealth, Territory or Possession, or the District of
Columbia for a period of at least three (3) years immediately before the
date of application; must not have been the subject of any adverse
disciplinary action pronounced or in effect during that 3-year period;
and must appear to the Court to be of good moral and professional
character.
Ceremonies for
admission to the United States Supreme Court are scheduled for Monday,
June 4, 2007. Our last Supreme Court admissions program was well
received and filled up very quickly. Please note that this program is
strictly limited to 50 applicants.
If you are
interested in participating in this exciting event, please return
the registration form (Program and registration form links also
listed below) with appropriate registration fee(s) no later than Friday,
February 16, 2007. We
will then forward the appropriate paperwork with instructions for
processing your admission application.
For
interested applicants, we suggest that you immediately obtain an
original certificate of good standing from the Appellate Division where
you were admitted. You
must obtain an original, which cannot be over one-year
old.
The limit
of 50 applicants will be based upon the first 50 completed applications
received, and not upon the receipt of your registration
card. In the
event that you have registered, but are not timely in forwarding the
properly completed application, your registration fee will be refunded
prior to May 21, 2007.
Please mark your
calendar with the important dates listed below.
Deadline Dates
February 16, 2007
Registration card and registration fees must be received at
the BarCenterin Albany
April 2,
2007
Completed applications for admission are due
May 21, 2007
Refunds will not be issued after this date
U.S. Supreme Court Admissions Registration Form
(PDF File)
U.S. Supreme Court Admissions Program (PDF File)
For more information about this program, please contact YLS
Staff Liaison Megan O'Toole by telephone at (518) 487-5743 or via email
at motoole@nysba.org.
YLS Members Recognized, Honored, and Celebrated as
“Empire State Counsel”
In 2006, under the leadership
of President Mark Alcott, the New York State Bar Association developed a
program to recognize and celebrate lawyers throughout the state who
serve the poor without charge. By generously donating their time and
talent, these attorneys not only change lives, they also help people who
otherwise could not afford counsel achieve justice. The
Association believes that every lawyer who provides a substantial amount
of free legal services to the poor should be honored.
The Association,
therefore, created a new program to give special recognition to NYSBA
members who provide 50 hours of free legal services to the poor in a
calendar year. Members
who report such voluntary service are recognized and honored with the
title “Empire State Counsel,” which they can use as a
credential. They receive a certificate suitable for framing, a ribbon,
and a lapel pin.
On behalf of the Young Lawyers
Section, we would like to recognize, celebrate, and congratulate the
following YLS Members who were honored as “Empire State
Counsel” in 2006:
Hal E. Blanchard
Irma Dominguez
Thomas B. Donaldson
Aaron M. Frankel
John J. Hoke
Lenor C. Marquis
Marc Aaron Melzer
Amanda G. Motsinger
Anita L. Pelletier
Christina H. Bost Seaton
Standing Out in the Crowd—a monthly
column
By Christina H. Bost Seaton, Esq.*
Tradeoffs
I’ve written before
in this column about the need for young associates to make
tradeoffs. Being a
happy, successful young associate is not about “having it
all.” It’s
about having what’s important to you.
At this time of year,
when bonuses are being announced and paid out, associates can become
disillusioned when they see their peers at other firms seemingly working
the same (or less) hours and making significantly more
money. They begin to
re-examine their priorities, allured by the prospect of more
money.
It’s natural to
re-examine one’s priorities over time—certainly,
that’s why so many of us make resolutions at New
Years. There are
definitely reasons why a young associate might determine that they
really need to be making more money than they have been over the past
year. They may have
started a family, or they may want to get engaged, or they might want to
pay for private school for their children, for instance. On the other hand, they may have
no real need
for more money, but just think that having more money
would be nice.
When re-examining your
priorities, needing or wanting more money are valid
considerations. But,
don’t forget about the other priorities you had, before your mind
got clouded by the prospects of greater riches. If you were happy at your job
before bonus season hit, think long and hard about whether you’d
be equally happy somewhere where you would make more money. Would you get the same
experience? Would you
be as interested in the clients and their industries? Would your personality be a good
fit? Would it be a
good environment for you to develop your career?
It might be possible to
get more money at another firm, but that doesn’t necessarily mean
it’s worth the tradeoff. Carefully analyze the tradeoffs before you make any transition
in your career, and particularly before you make a move based on
money.
Labor and Employment Section Liaison
Report
By Alyson Mathews, Esq.**
The Taylor Law Strikes
Again
Almost one year ago, New
Yorkers woke up on a chilly December morning to learn that the Transit
Workers Union Local 100 was on strike. Although New
York City swiftly
implemented procedures to soften the blow, the strike disrupted the City
and had a particularly devastating effect on the economy during the
holiday season. It was
during those two excruciatingly long days that the media discussed the
legality of the strike under the Taylor Law (Article 14 of the Civil
Service Law). Many
reporters knew just enough about the Taylor Law to note the following
newsbytes: (1) The Taylor
Law makes strikes by public employee organizations
illegal; (2) Public employees hate the strike provisions; and (3) Public
employers love them. Not many spoke of the Taylor Law’s origins or its
upcoming birthday.
Most of us are too young
to remember the first transit strike.
The year 1966 had a rough start in New
York City. On New Year’s Day, transit
workers commenced a twelve day strike that crippled the
City. Similar to the
2005 strike, the 1966 strike saw the Union President, Mike Quill, being
led off to jail for contempt of court. And similar to Roger Toussaint,
Quill made no apologies for the Union,
declaring, “Let the judge drop dead in his black
robes.”
Despite the detrimental
effect on New Yorkers, the 1966 transit strike gave birth to the Taylor
Law. Three days after
the transit workers returned to work, Governor Rockefeller appointed a
panel, chaired by George W. Taylor, to recommend “legislative
proposals for protecting the public against the disruption of vital
public services by illegal strikes, while at the same time protecting
the rights of employees.” The panel’s recommendations became the foundation for the
1967 Public Employees’ Fair Employment Act, more commonly known as
the Taylor Law. Mike
Quill never saw the long-term effect of his fight, as he died of a heart
attack three days after winning a large wage increase for the
Union.
In the aftermath of the
third New York City transit strike and the wake of the Taylor Law’s 40th
anniversary, legislators have swiftly put pen to paper and drafted bills
to amend the infamous Law. Interestingly, the bills are overwhelmingly
pro-union.
Assembly Bill 6231, and its
Senate counterpart Bill 2095, would make it permissible for public
employees to strike after the collective negotiation procedure set forth
in the Taylor Law has been “completely utilized and
exhausted.”
Assembly Bill 11227
lessens the fines imposed on employee organizations that
strike. If the Public
Employment Relations Board determines that a public employer engaged in
acts of extreme provocation that detract from an employee
organization’s responsibility for the strike, the bill would
require the public employer to pay the employee organization up to 50%
of the membership dues that the organization obtained to pay any fine
imposed for the strike.
These bills reflect a
public sentiment that the Taylor Law’s provisions regarding
strikes and penalties, therefore, may be too harsh on public
employees. New Yorkers
stranded in the freezing cold, their feet aching from long walks to and
from work, may beg to differ. Nonetheless, the future of the Taylor Law is
uncertain.
This Spring the Labor and
Employment Law Section is sponsoring a program entitled “40th
Anniversary of the Taylor Law: A Look Back and A Look
Forward”. The
program will be held in Long
Island, New
York City, and
upstate. Given the
far-reaching affects of the Taylor Law, in particular on daily commutes,
this program should appeal to any young lawyer.
New Committee on Community Service & Pro Bono Ready for the
New Year
Hello! My name is Michael Fox, and I am
the Chair of the Committee on Community Service & Pro
Bono. This Committee
is one of the new Standing Committees of the YLS, and I am writing both
to let you know more about the Committee, and to call for new
members.
The Committee on
Community Service & Pro Bono is charged with providing resources and
information for those wishing to learn more about pro bono legal
representation, public service opportunities available for young
attorneys in New
York, and programs
intended to educate young attorneys about pro bono and public service
law.
The Committee also has a
webpage associated with the New York State Bar Association’s main
site (www.nysba.org). Simply click on “Sections/Committees,” and then
“Young Lawyers Section” and “Standing
Committees” to find the link for the Committee on Community
Service & Pro Bono. Hopefully the website will prove to be a useful source of
information for all YLS members, and even those outside of the
YLS. The website will,
from time to time, contain postings of updates regarding future
programs, events, resources, and ideas.
If you are interested in
becoming a member of the Committee, please let us know. You can contact me at Michael_Fox@nynd.uscourts.gov, or Megan
O’Toole, YLS Staff Liaison, in Albany at (518)
487-5743.
The Committee will seek to have
periodic meetings or conference calls with all members during which we
will be able to share ideas and information, and prepare for a
Winter/Spring 2007 program that is still in the planning stages and is
yet-to-be-determined.
We would really like to hear
from you, if not as a Committee member then as an active New
York attorney involved in
community service and pro bono work!
Sincerely,
Michael L. Fox, Esq.
Chair, Committee on Community Service & Pro Bono
Young Lawyers Section
3rd/4th District Holiday Networking Reception/Toys for Tots
Event a Huge Success!
By James Barnes, Esq.***
The Third and Fourth
Districts of the New York State Bar Association Young Lawyers Section
co-hosted a holiday gathering, Thursday, December 7, 2006, at
DeJohn’s Restaurant and Pub in Albany, New
York. Approximately 70 members of the
Section enjoyed an evening of networking and professional
development. This
event provided members with an excellent opportunity to meet other young
attorneys in the Capital Region, while at the same time, learning about
how to become more involved in the Section.
The event also gave
members the opportunity to contribute to a charitable cause. Each person was asked to bring an
unwrapped gift that would be contributed to the annual Toys For Tots
holiday drive. The
response was overwhelming and the toys collected will be distributed to
needy children in the Capital Region this holiday
season.
Section leaders hope that
the large turnout and overall success of the event carries over into
2007, as many exciting initiatives and events are being planned for the
New Year. Thanks again
to everyone who participated in this event, and please remember that the
New York State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting will be held
in New York City, January 22nd – 27th,
2007. We look forward
to seeing everyone there.
Save the Dates - Mark your Calendars for
these Upcoming YLS Events!
February 1-4, 2007
NYSBA Trial Moot Court Competition - held
at the Southern District Courthouse in lower Manhattan.
Fordham Law School is the
host school. Attorney evaluators are needed primarily for the matches
that will be held on Thursday, February 1st and Friday, February
2nd. Time commitment is three to four hours in the late
afternoon and early evening. CLE credits are given to the attorneys who
participate as evaluators. For more information, please contact Rick
Weber at WeberR@bsk.com.
June 3-4, 2007
YLS Supreme Court Admissions
Program/Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Section Liaison/District Rep
Conference Calls
April 3, 2007
2:00 p.m. –
3:00 p.m. Section Liaisons
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. District/Alternate
Representatives
*Christina H. Bost Seaton is a
third year associate in the complex litigation and labor &
employment practice groups at Troutman Sanders LLP in Manhattan, where
she is constantly trying to “play rainmaker.”
She is the co-author of Say Ciao to Chow Mein: Conquering
Career Burnout, which was released this month and is available
on www.cordellparvin.com and at bookstores.
**Alyson Mathews is the YLS
liaison to the Labor and Employment Law Section and an Associate at
Ingerman Smith, LLP in Hauppauge.
***James Barnes is the YLS 4th
District Representative and an Associate at Burke & Casserly, P.C.
in Albany.
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