The Virginia Bar Association                                                           Nov. 1, 2012
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 The independent voice of Virginia lawyers 
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Advocacy, Professionalism,

Service, Collegiality

In This Issue
Boyd-Graves
YLD on national radar
Pia: Leader of the pack
Fall conferences continue
Volunteer to assist veterans
Comment on proposals to change rule
Give to The VBA Foundation
Miscellany
Boyd-Graves Conference
You may have heard of the Boyd-Graves Conference, but not know what it is.
 
The Boyd-Graves Conference was created in 1978 by Thomas V. Monahan, a former VBA president. He believed that civil practice in Virginia would be improved if lawyers with different types of practices, from all regions of the state, would meet and attempt to reach consensus about ways to improve the law.
  

Over time, the small and informal gatherings referred to as the Tides Inn Conference developed into a carefully planned event for nearly 100 lawyers, professors and judges from a variety of practices throughout the Commonwealth.

 

T. Munford Boyd

Later, the conference took on the Boyd-Graves name to honor the contributions of revered law professors T. Munford Boyd and Edward S. Graves to the advancement of Virginia's civil procedure. 

 

Items are discussed at the fall conference after they are studied by committees of conference members. Legislative proposals from the conference will be considered by the VBA Board of Governors for inclusion in the VBA's legislative agenda. 

Upcoming events
November 2
Richmond, VA
 
November 7
Richmond, VA
 
November 13, 14
Lexington (11/13); Fredericksburg (11/14)
 
November 14
Richmond, VA
 
November 15-16
Richmond, VA
 
SAVE THE DATE
January 24-26, 2013
123rd VBA Annual Meeting
Williamsburg, VA

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VBA Online CLE logo   
36 CLE titles to choose from 
Watch or listen to programming that elucidates and illuminates various legal topics. Enjoy the programs others have raved and you thought you missed. Learn at your leisure through VBA Online CLE.
 
 
Know someone who should join?
Are your friends among the 24 people who joined The Virginia Bar Association for the first time or reactivated in October? If not, remind them that they could be among the first to join in November.
 
New members can join today and benefit from their membership for November and December 2012 and all of 2013 for the one-year dues rate. Fourteen months for the price of 12! Send them to the sign-up page.
 
And please welcome the new or reactivated members of the VBA. 
 
   
Distinguished Service Award 
G. Michael Pace Jr., president of the VBA in 2008 and founder of what is now the Virginia Law Foundation & The Virginia Bar Association Rule of Law ProjectG. Michael Pace Jr., will accept the VBA's Gerald L. Baliles Distinguished Service Award.
  
The honor, in recognition and appreciation of exceptional service and contributions to the bar and public at large, will be given at the banquet during the 2013 Annual Meeting in Williamsburg.
  
Pace is managing partner of Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore, LLP, in Roanoke. 
 
Stay tuned to hear more about the organization's plans and other special features of the 123rd Annual Meeting.

The VBA welcomes new members.

We welcome you to join the VBA

 

The VBA Voice
We hope you are safe, dry and warm after Hurricane Sandy's wrath. Our thoughts go out to the victims and their families.

As we return to normalcy, the VBA wants to share award announcements, conferences notices, an Annual Meeting save the date alert and opportunities to get involved with the organization. That alone is plenty to fill this member e-newsletter.

ABA honors VBA Young Lawyers Division
ask a lawyer
Staffing the phone bank during an Ask A Lawyer event.
The ABA YLD recognized the work of the VBA Young Lawyers Division in its Awards of Achievement this year. The awards continue a tradition of work that has been judged to be among the best in the nation by a jury of their peers.
  
In the 2011-2012 contest, the VBA YLD earned a second-place in the Comprehensive category and a Certificate of Performance in the Service to the Public category for statewide bars of our size. Read more ...
Pia Trigiani: Leader of the Year
The 2012 class of Leaders in the Law selected Lucia AnnaLucia Anna "Pia"  Trigiani as Leader of the Year. Trigiani is immediate past president of the VBA and a partner with Mercer Trigiani. Chosen by Virginia Lawyers Media, publisher of Virginia Lawyers Weekly, the Leaders in the Law represent individuals who set the standard for other lawyers in Virginia by working to change laws, serve communities or improve the justice system. The announcement was made Oct. 25 at a reception at the Science Museum of Virginia.
It's not too late to attend fall conferences
Health care attorneys, administrative law professionals and capital defense practitioners -- the VBA has programming you won't want to miss. And it's just around the corner.
 
                  6.5 MCLE Credits (1 Ethics)
Nov. 7:       Administrative Law Conference 
                  5 MCLE Credits
                  Lawyer 
                  5 MCLE Credits
                  10.5 MCLE Credits (1 Ethics) approval pending
 
Three of the programs will be held in the greater Richmond area. Visit the event webpage or www.vba.org/calendar for more information and to register. 
Volunteer to serve our service members 

Army OneSource imageThe VBA Veterans Issues Task Force and Army OneSource have teamed up to encourage lawyers to commit their time and expertise to serve military veterans. Volunteers are asked to donate at least five hours of time a year toward helping a service member. The need is particularly acute in Northern Virginia and Tidewater, and for family law attorneys throughout the state. Pledge your assistance before Veterans Day.

 

VBA members are invited to attend a Veterans Legal Services Month event to honor veterans the morning of Nov. 13 at McGuireWoods LLP in Richmond. Special guest speaker will be Bill Haneke, a decorated Vietnam War Veteran, celebrated author and noted veterans advocate. RSVP here or through links in the event invitation.

Proposals to change Rules 1A:1 and 1A:3 

The Supreme Court of Virginia is accepting comments on proposed amendments to Rules 1A:1 and 1A:3. The changes would affect admission of foreign attorneys to practice in Virginia without examination, and the procedure to revoke certificates issued to foreign attorneys.

 

To voice your opinion, send your comments via email to [email protected] with "Comment on Rules" in the subject line, or by mail to Clerk Patricia L. Harrington, Supreme Court of Virginia, 100 N. Ninth St., 5th Floor, Richmond, VA 23219.

Consider a gift to The VBA Foundation 
Donate Now button -- The VBA Foundation The Virginia Bar Association Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization, conducts and supports charitable and educational purposes of The Virginia Bar Association.
  
Gifts in memory or in honor of colleagues, friends and/or family members are ways to provide a living, continuing tribute, and are welcomed by The VBA Foundation.
Contributions are tax deductible as provided by IRS guidelines.
Miscellany

BOOK DISCUSSION: The Law Practice Management Division has rescheduled its Richmond-area book discussion on creativity in your law practice. RSVP now for the Nov. 14 meeting at the Christian & Barton offices from 1 to 2 p.m. 

 

VBA Real Estate Section social at The Boathouse in Richmond 10/2012HAPPY HOUR: About 40 people socialized and networked on the deck of The Boathouse in Richmond at a Real Estate Section happy hour. Old and new friends, the James River and city skyline views, warm temperatures and a fabulous sunset... perfect.

 

LEGAL FOOD FRENZY: Want to get more involved with the YLD? The co-chairs of this project are looking for area captains from localities across the state to make year seven of this annual project a huge success. The Legal Food Frenzy is friendly competition among law professionals to raise food and funds for Virginia food banks. Area captains contact local law firms, agencies and corporate counsel and encourage them to compete in the two-week contest to feed the hungry, set for April 1-15, 2013. Contact Chris Gill to volunteer.

 

HONORS: Two VBA members made the 2012 Style Weekly list of the Top 40 under 40: Gray B. Broughton, 36, with the Williams Mullen law firm; and Samuel J. Kaufman, 35 and founding partner of Owens & Owens. The Richmond-based publication says its list highlights the young agents of change who are transforming Richmond.

 

Ceremonial Bill Signing for Rules of Evidence 2012CEREMONIAL BILL SIGNING: Officials from The Virginia Bar Association gathered for a ceremonial bill signing with other people integral to the passage this year of legislation permitting the Rules of Evidence.

 

HONORS: T.W. Bruno, an associate with McGuireWoods in Richmond, received this year's Benjamin Rice Lacy IV Volunteer Attorney of the Year award from the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation's Pro Bono Clearinghouse. (Lacy also is a VBA member.) Bruno was recognized for providing pro bono legal services to Family Healing Place for Veterans, a nonprofit group that provides overnight accommodations and recreational activities for wounded and disabled veterans and their families.

 

NEW HOME: The Rule of Law Project, which started as a program of the VBA, now is the flagship program in a new Center for Teaching the Rule of Law at Roanoke College in Salem.

 

HONORS: The board of directors of the Association of District Court Judges of Virginia Inc. has presented the VBA with a resolution thanking the VBA and its Judicial Section and leadership for work on behalf of the judiciary.

 

PHOTOS: Check for new photo albums from VBA conferences and events on Facebook. You do not have to join Facebook to enjoy the photos.

The Virginia Bar Association is the largest statewide voluntary group for lawyers, judges and law professors.
Some notices from the VBA are sent to our membership exclusively by email, such as notices of section meetings and other VBA news. We respect our members' right to privacy, but should you elect to remove your email from our distribution, please be advised that you may miss important information from the VBA.