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STATE BAR REGIONAL MEETINGSThe State Bar continues its annual set of Regional Meetings this week starting with today's meeting, October 18th in Charleston.  Wednesday's meeting October 19th is in WheelingThe week concludes with the October 20th meeting in Parkersburg. The meetings will begin at 10:30 am, include a lunch, and will end by 1:30 pm. The meetings will provide a total of 3.0 MCLE credit hours in legal ethics, office management, substance abuse and/or elimination of bias.  Upcoming meeting include October 24th, - Bridgeport, October 25th - Morgantown, October 26th - Martinsburg and October 27th - Moorefield. The cost is $100 per person.  Click here for the registration form.    For a complete schedule of the Regional Meetings Click here .   
NOTE: If you have registered for the Morgantown meeting on October 25, please note the change in location.    

JUDGES, LAWYERS FEATURED IN OCTOBER 18th CHARLESTON PROGRAM.  Delegate Meshea Poore; West Virginia Circuit Judges Tod Kaufman, Jay Hoke, and Gary Johnson; State Supreme Court Clerk Rory Perry and former Clerk Ancil Ramey; Deputy Attorney General for Civil Rights Paul Sheridan;  Ricklin Brown; and Supreme Court Senior Justice Larry Starcher will be part of a "community cast" recreating the formation of West Virginia, 150 years ago -- in a free "Living History" program on Tuesday evening, October 18th, at the Charleston Civic Center, beginning at 7:30 PM; with a pre-show historian panel at 6:00 PM.  A free one-hour CLE lecture on West Virginia's creation will be held from 11:00 AM - noon on Wednesday, October. 19th at the Summit Center in downtown Charleston.  For more information and to reserve spaces at the free CLE (and optional following lunch), go to www.jrclifford.org, or call Aimee Duncan at 304-345-7663.  Sponsored by the J.R. Clifford Project and the Mountain State Bar.


PRO BONO REFERRAL PROJECT OFFERS FREE CLEs DURING NATIONAL PRO BONO CELEBRATION WEEK.
In recognition of National Pro Bono Celebration week, which is sponsored by the American Bar Association, the Pro Bono Referral Project is offering the following free legal trainings for West Virginia attorneys. 

"A Morning with the Judges and an Afternoon at the Bar" Thursday, October 27, 8:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Judge Burnside's Courtroom, Raleigh County Courthouse. Approved for 7.2 MCLE credits, including 1.2 ethics credits. Contact Mona Perry by October 26 at 304-255-0561, ext. 2218 or mperry@lawv.net  

"Tax and Ethical Issues in Domestic Violence Cases" - Friday, October 28, 12:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. at the Putnam County Judicial Building with lunch provided. Approval for 1.5 MCLE credits, including .5 ethics credits, is pending. Contact Brenda Lambert at 304-343-3013, ext. 2138 or blambert@lawv.net  

"Keeping Your Head Above Water: How NOT to Commit Malpractice in Nicholas County"- Friday, November 4, 8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. at the Courtroom of the Honorable Gary L. Johnson, Nicholas County Courthouse. Approval for 3 MCLE credits, including 1 ethics credit, is pending. Contact Mona Perry at 304-255-0561, ext. 2218 or

THE WEST VIRGINIA STATE AGENCY FOR SUPPLY PROPERTY has 1,895 law books on the auction site GovDeals.com. To find out more information, call Sherry Fewell at (304) 766-2626 or go to http://www.govdeals.com/eas/advSearchResults.cfm?myseller=2628

to register or to bid. The auction closes on October 26, 2011 at 6:10 p.m.

FIFTH ANNUAL SOLO & SMALL FIRM CONFERENCE - WVCLE, with the support of The West Virginia State Bar, will be presenting the "Fifth Annual Solo & Small Firm Conference" on November 4-5, 2011, at the WVU College of Law in Morgantown, West Virginia. This conference features national and state experts addressing issues faced by solo and small firm practitioners. The 2011 Solo & Small Firm Conference will feature two concurrent tracks of courses from which to choose and is accredited for 10 WV MCLE credits, including up to 10 Ethics/L.O.M. credits. Topics include: The Top Ten Malpractice Traps and How to Avoid Them � IPAD for Lawyers: There's an App for That � Legal Technology Trends and Strategies to Capitalize on the Best of What's Out There � The Lawyer as an Employer � Cloud Computing and SaaS - What Does it Mean and Should you Consider it? � Starting a Marcellus Shale Oil and Gas Practice � "Your Money & Their Money: Trust Account Do's and Don'ts, Back Office Tips on Handling Client Property and Managing Bank Accounts, Rules Regarding the Billing and Collection of Fees, and Lawyer Trust Account Scams" � Foreclosures and Short Sales � Lawyer's Guide to Time, Billing, and Accounting Software � The Top Ten Technology Traps and How to Avoid Them � What Every Lawyer Needs to Know About the New West Virginia Uniform Trust Code � Outlook Email Management for Lawyers � Tips for Mastering Microsoft Word, and Successful Trial Presentations for Lawyers.Breakfast, lunch, breaks, and Friday reception are FREE, compliments of WestLaw, the West Virginia State Bar, ALPS, and Wells Fargo. If you would like to register for this conference or for more information, please CLICK HERE or call (304) 293-7255. 

PROPOSED RULE CHANGES TO CREATE A NEW WEST VIRGINIA LAWYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. The Court is asking for comments.  To review the document select this link. (Click here)

WEST VIRGINIA STATE BAR GOVERNMENT LAWYERS COMMITTEE presents CLE - Ethical 'Red Flags' for Public Lawyers: Responsibilities, Conflicts and More. This program focuses on the unique ethical issues confronted by public lawyers using an entertaining, interactive audio format. Expert panelists dramatize illustrative hypothetical scenarios followed by a discussion session after each hypo. Program topics include: special conflicts of interest for former and current government officers and employees; duties to former clients; communication with persons represented by counsel; organization as a client, and more. Committee Chairperson Charlene A. Vaughan announced the Committee wants to increase its membership so the CLE is FREE to government lawyers and will be heard November 8, 2011 from 12 pm to 2 pm in the 3rd floor OIG conference room at One Players Club Drive, Charleston, WV (1st right turn on Greenbrier heading for the airport). 1.8 hours of CLE audio ethics credit has been approved. Email Kathy Henning at the State Bar to reserve your seat at henningk@wvbar.org

NOW ACCEPTING CJA PANEL APPLICATIONS. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia is now accepting applications for membership to the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel and the CJA Training Panel. CJA Panel attorneys represent financially disadvantaged defendants who are charged with federal crimes and, in some cases, involved in related civil matters. The Court seeks competent, dedicated attorneys who are committed to the representation of the financially disadvantaged. The current hourly attorney compensation rate is $125/hour. Please visit www.wvsd.uscourts.gov for the application form and additional information.  

The application deadline is November 18, 2011. For questions, please contact Mary Claire Davis, CJA Supervising Attorney, at (304) 347-3000 or maryclaire_davis@wvsd.uscourts.gov

TAX CREDITS FOR ATTORNEYS AVAILABLE FROM LEGAL AID OF WEST VIRGINIA!  Haven't yet made your annual contribution to the Campaign for Legal Aid?  Now is the time - Legal Aid of West Virginia has NIP Tax Credits!  Available on a first-come, first-serve basis, donors to the Campaign for Legal Aid may use NIP Tax Credits to reduce liability for the following West Virginia taxes: Corporate Income Tax, Business Franchise Tax and Personal Income Tax.  The minimum eligible donation to receive NIP tax credits is $500.00.  In return, LAWV will send you a Tax Credit voucher of up to 50% of your donation.  For example, if you send LAWV $1,000, we'll send you back $500 in the form of a WV State Tax Credit --- it's that easy!  For more information on NIP Tax Credits and donating to the Campaign for Legal Aid, contact LAWV Development Director Jennifer Jordan at 304.414.5438 or via email jjordan@lawv.net.  Get them .... before they're gone! 

UPCOMING FASTCASE WEBINARS - Click here to review a complete listing of upcoming Fastcase webinars.    

 

These Fastcase webinars have now been approved for 1.20 online (audio/video type) office management credits each.